Test.....................................Ride
Boots Blakeley
the CSMA Harley day where there were a selection available to test
ride. Despite getting there by 9:20 the first ride I could book was
11:00 on one of these
http://southcoastharley.com/2001bikes/2001FXDWGDYNAWideGlide.htm
and by the time I got back from the 1/2 hour ride around the Sussex
lanes they were booking for 2:45. So I went to Box Hill for a bacon
roll followed by a wet ride home.
Good Points:
The self cancelling indicators and what looked like tinted glass in
the mirrors[1] even if they did have the obligatory sceptic warning
about objects being closer than they look.
Bad Points:
The brakes were crap for a modern bike, I couldn't test it but I
wouldn't be at all surprised if my 29 year old Bonneville couldn't out
brake it. The riding position was for me terribly uncomfortable, I
found it difficult to even reach the rear brake. A previous rider
seemed to have melted part of his boot onto the pipes which is going
to be a bastard to clean. I couldn't imagine doing any distance on
this and it supposed to be a cruiser.
The suspension bottomed out a couple of times on ordinary country
lanes and it didn't hold its line on corners at all well,[2] in fact
where as I usually believe those maximum speed signs for bends can be
at least doubled on this I wouldn't even think about it.
I did about 3 miles along a dual carriageway and got up to around
65[3] at which point the wind pressure on my chest was enough to feed
back down to the bars, it didn't start weaving or anything but I felt
it might.
Marks 1/10 Must try harder
[1] Wasn't sunny enough to see if it worked
[2] I managed to grind lumps of the pipe with *very* gentle cornering.
[3] Supervised ride see
--
Ian
If it ain't broke, it doesn't have enough features yet
mailto:Bo...@THEOBVIOUSukrm.net Remove THEOBVIOUS to mail me
98 FZS600, 97 CG125, 72 T120R
two#34
Alan T Gower
"Boots Blakeley" <ian_bl...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:30jllt01gtaght3jn...@4ax.com...
>
> Good Points:
> The self cancelling indicators.
Sometimes they cancell too soon.
>
> Bad Points:
> The brakes were crap for a modern bike, I couldn't test it but I
> wouldn't be at all surprised if my 29 year old Bonneville couldn't out
> brake it.
It would.
> The riding position was for me terribly uncomfortable, I
> found it difficult to even reach the rear brake. A previous rider
> seemed to have melted part of his boot onto the pipes which is going
> to be a bastard to clean. I couldn't imagine doing any distance on
> this and it supposed to be a cruiser.
50 miles and you're shaken to bits.
> The suspension bottomed out a couple of times on ordinary country
> lanes and it didn't hold its line on corners at all well,
It's very very easy to scrape the pegs and exhausts.
> I did about 3 miles along a dual carriageway and got up to around
>
> Marks 1/10 Must try harder
They look OK(ish) though.
--
Alan
GSX-R1000 <Thucking Great>, Triumph Thunderbird(s are go) , XLH1200 (YUK)
YTC#9 (and proud), DS#2 (Re: H-D), two#24, BOTAFOF#11, TGF
http://sportsbike.org
Boots Blakeley
<ad...@dial.pipex.com> wrote:
>
>
>
>"Boots Blakeley" <ian_bl...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>news:30jllt01gtaght3jn...@4ax.com...
>> Marks 1/10 Must try harder
>
>They look OK(ish) though.
Agreed if you like that sort of thing, they look like what non
motorcyclists think a bike should be IYSWIM.
Alan T Gower
"Boots Blakeley" <ian_bl...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:efrllt4jcasf8hb3j...@4ax.com...
> On Sun, 22 Jul 2001 15:13:02 +0100, "Alan T Gower"
> <ad...@dial.pipex.com> wrote:
>
> >
> >
> >
> >"Boots Blakeley" <ian_bl...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> >news:30jllt01gtaght3jn...@4ax.com...
>
> >> Marks 1/10 Must try harder
> >
> >They look OK(ish) though.
>
> Agreed if you like that sort of thing, they look like what non
> motorcyclists think a bike should be IYSWIM.
I get that all the time. When people realise I own bike they ask me what I
have.
When I mention the Gixer the reaction is. "Is that Japanese"
On Triumph they say "Did you restore it yourself.".
When I mention the Harley they usually say "Wow a Harley Davidson, I bet
that goes".
BigJ
<ian_bl...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>A quick report - I trundled over to Rusper on the Triumph today for
>the CSMA Harley day where there were a selection available to test
>ride. Despite getting there by 9:20 the first ride I could book was
>11:00 on one of these
<SNIP>
Ah so it was you........
I saw a UKRM helmet sticker and was going to introduce myself
But lost you somewhere.
Couldn't find you for the rest of the day.
I got 3 rides myself
Road King..........Interesting but crap
Sportster 1200.............................crap
Something else lowrider like with1450 engine ...........interesting
saw 95mph on the dual carriageway(flat out) but still crap.
Despite all the above a Bloody good day out
Unfortunate that there were no Buells to try wheelying !!
--
Big J
BOTAFOT#95
etc. etc.
Boots Blakeley
<ad...@dial.pipex.com> wrote:
>
>I get that all the time. When people realise I own bike they ask me what I
>have.
>When I mention the Harley they usually say "Wow a Harley Davidson, I bet
>that goes".
How little they know.
Boots Blakeley
>On Sun, 22 Jul 2001 14:59:39 +0100, "Boots Blakeley"
><ian_bl...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>Ah so it was you........
>
>I saw a UKRM helmet sticker and was going to introduce myself
>
>But lost you somewhere.
I had a brief chat with Chris D about an accident we both witnessed a
couple of years ago. The pillion was early this year still having
problems with skin grafts taking :-(. Then when I found the wait for
ride 2 would be 3 hours buggered off for a bacon buttie. I did look
but didn't see any other UKRM stickers - I was on the shite old green
Bonneville.
>I got 3 rides myself
Excellent, must have thinned out a bit perhaps I should have waited.
>Something else lowrider like with1450 engine ...........interesting
>saw 95mph on the dual carriageway(flat out) but still crap.
That's probably the thing I took out, had no chance of any real beans
on that short section of the dual carriageway.
>Despite all the above a Bloody good day out
Absolutely, and fair play to HD for letting us have a go.
>Unfortunate that there were no Buells to try wheelying !!
I didn't try but it might have been fun trying to lift the front on
one of those belt driven steeds.
Alan T Gower
"Boots Blakeley" <ian_bl...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:2nlmltkd26ercmle7...@4ax.com...
> On Sun, 22 Jul 2001 21:22:37 +0100, "Alan T Gower"
> <ad...@dial.pipex.com> wrote:
>
>
> >
> >When I mention the Harley they usually say "Wow a Harley Davidson, I bet
> >that goes".
>
> How little they know.
I tell them it's a big pile of shit and their car is quicker, they think I'm
being modest.