Joined
·
92 Posts
Had a good time with the bike today. Got some observations pertinent to me and where I'm riding.
Pretty sure I'm going to need the 2007 bars for a better riding position, I need to sit more upright. If I sit up to where just my fingertips are on the grips my back, neck, and shoulders feel quite a bit better.
The seat. My boney ass needs a lot more cushion so I guess I'll take a look at Corbins. I feel it in my hips and butt bones, and the canyon road is pretty jarring.
Getting used to the D&D pipe but would like to try the oem's. Not used to the sheer volume of sound but wearing ear plugs helps a bunch. Actually makes it easier to hear the motor and everything else. I really like the sound when I close the throttle in the corners, really cool.
I don't know how far to trust the gas gauge and range numbers yet. Was below a quarter tank and at 47 miles on the range with about 25 miles to my station of choice, but decided not to chance it and stopped to put a gallon in. Added 3.3 gallons at Wal D Mart so had around a gallon left when I stopped the first time.
Was able to hit 100 on a lonely stretch of back country mountain road. Felt very stable and I could tell it had plenty of nuts left, but I was running out of straightaway so backed it down. I don't know what 'Guzzis, Ducatis or "Busas are like, but this is just a shitload of fun.
Dropped by the local mini HD shop, they don't know nothin bout no water-cooled DOHCs, they're air-cooled-only types. Very nice guys actually, they just can't work on my bike. They did suggest running some fuel-injector cleaner through it for the dying at idle issue I'm having. Only done it twice, including once today. Dumped half a bottle in with the fill-up today and it already seems to be idling better. Anyway, good guys.
Riding-wise, I can't ride open-faced. At all. My eyes bleed gallons of water with any breeze over 15 mph. I bought a 3/4 Easy Rider job but with just my glasses on it's hard to see blinking back tears non-stop. I ordered a tinted bubble shield from Bell, hopefully that will take care of it. Otherwise I'll be wearing the full-face full-time.
Don't know how far I can lean in the corners, or how sticky the Dunlops will be at those angles - the roads up here look like they used plain tar for surfacing in a lot of stretches. That makes me worry about 'departing the fix' if I hit a damp or wet patch. ( A pilot friend of mine killed himself on a Harley in the mountains near Denver a few years back when he lost it in a corner) The mini HD guys told me Metzlers are really soft, good for sticking but not so much for decent mileage.
I'm probably going to put crash bars on it as my wife has taken to calling me 'Tippy'. Dropped the CB (twice), dropped this one taking it off the trailer when I got it home. Dropped the Venture twice when I owned it. Each time I've gotten off with NEARLY no damage, including the Rod. But definitely need the extra protection.
Couple of farkels I'd like to add: outside temp gauge, oil temp gauge, maybe a timepiece of some kind, probably a phone holder and USB power to use the maps app. Guess that would eliminate the need for a clock, duh.
Anyway,:kaz:
Pretty sure I'm going to need the 2007 bars for a better riding position, I need to sit more upright. If I sit up to where just my fingertips are on the grips my back, neck, and shoulders feel quite a bit better.
The seat. My boney ass needs a lot more cushion so I guess I'll take a look at Corbins. I feel it in my hips and butt bones, and the canyon road is pretty jarring.
Getting used to the D&D pipe but would like to try the oem's. Not used to the sheer volume of sound but wearing ear plugs helps a bunch. Actually makes it easier to hear the motor and everything else. I really like the sound when I close the throttle in the corners, really cool.
I don't know how far to trust the gas gauge and range numbers yet. Was below a quarter tank and at 47 miles on the range with about 25 miles to my station of choice, but decided not to chance it and stopped to put a gallon in. Added 3.3 gallons at Wal D Mart so had around a gallon left when I stopped the first time.
Was able to hit 100 on a lonely stretch of back country mountain road. Felt very stable and I could tell it had plenty of nuts left, but I was running out of straightaway so backed it down. I don't know what 'Guzzis, Ducatis or "Busas are like, but this is just a shitload of fun.
Dropped by the local mini HD shop, they don't know nothin bout no water-cooled DOHCs, they're air-cooled-only types. Very nice guys actually, they just can't work on my bike. They did suggest running some fuel-injector cleaner through it for the dying at idle issue I'm having. Only done it twice, including once today. Dumped half a bottle in with the fill-up today and it already seems to be idling better. Anyway, good guys.
Riding-wise, I can't ride open-faced. At all. My eyes bleed gallons of water with any breeze over 15 mph. I bought a 3/4 Easy Rider job but with just my glasses on it's hard to see blinking back tears non-stop. I ordered a tinted bubble shield from Bell, hopefully that will take care of it. Otherwise I'll be wearing the full-face full-time.
Don't know how far I can lean in the corners, or how sticky the Dunlops will be at those angles - the roads up here look like they used plain tar for surfacing in a lot of stretches. That makes me worry about 'departing the fix' if I hit a damp or wet patch. ( A pilot friend of mine killed himself on a Harley in the mountains near Denver a few years back when he lost it in a corner) The mini HD guys told me Metzlers are really soft, good for sticking but not so much for decent mileage.
I'm probably going to put crash bars on it as my wife has taken to calling me 'Tippy'. Dropped the CB (twice), dropped this one taking it off the trailer when I got it home. Dropped the Venture twice when I owned it. Each time I've gotten off with NEARLY no damage, including the Rod. But definitely need the extra protection.
Couple of farkels I'd like to add: outside temp gauge, oil temp gauge, maybe a timepiece of some kind, probably a phone holder and USB power to use the maps app. Guess that would eliminate the need for a clock, duh.
Anyway,:kaz: