[tlstreak]

I dont think a bike owner in 5 states missed an opportunity to ride yesterday.
I left Friday night and rode down to a Friends house 100 miles away. I chanced my Dark shield, but with the 100w and 55w on at the same time, night riding was a breeze, and that covered some of the darkest highway I dont like to drive my car at night on.

So I didnt get the chance to flog the bike anywhere or get used to it until yesterday. What a great time to try and get accustom to a new style of riding than an all day group ride in the mountains.

1st road ended up being salt covered with patches of ice and snow all over the north slope. not a great first step. We finally broke out of the bad weather area and found some nice riding. rest of the day was spent building confidence in the bike.

First obsticule to over come was how light the front end felt. Get up around 80-90 MPH and it felt twitchy compaired to the clip-on style. Might see a damper in the future.
2nd was how to get into that flow of flicking it back and forth. WAYYYY different than what I was used to doing. I kept tring to shift back and forth in the seat moving the body around. I was Braking way too hard when I should have just tapped and flicked the damn thing over.
3rd was just how much can I push the bike with the bars. (still to be discovered) By the end of the day I setteled into a good rythum was hardley touching the brakes, and was able to carry a decent amount of speed without being a complete back marker. Was cruising at 80 or so one handed on the way home not even thinking about the front end.

500 miles of riding it was time to head to the house. Will have a blast on the bike, roads arent as nice as they could be. Still tons of salt and not the best conditions to push yourself. All in all im happy with the setup. Will throw a few photos up once loaded.

[ghbzorro]

Originally Posted by tlstreak

Still tons of salt ... throw a few photos up once loaded.

Salt on the roads not only makes riding slightly risky, it also messes with the condition of the bike's metalic surfaces, especially all that aluminium. Better get to cleaning it all right now before its too late!

[fighter954rr]

Originally Posted by tlstreak

First obsticule to over come was how light the front end felt. Get up around 80-90 MPH and it felt twitchy compaired to the clip-on style. Might see a damper in the future.
im thinking of that too... let me know how your thinking of mounting it!!! as you can use a stock one with the clamps on the yoke...
2nd was how to get into that flow of flicking it back and forth. WAYYYY different than what I was used to doing. I kept tring to shift back and forth in the seat moving the body around. I was Braking way too hard when I should have just tapped and flicked the damn thing over.
3rd was just how much can I push the bike with the bars. (still to be discovered)

ive found you can throw it about real good with the bars on, only thing i would say is to try and keep a fair bit of weight over the front wheel, as i was putting all of my weight on the seat, and therfore on the back wheel, which is fine, but then i found i was skipping out at the back a bit more often than usuall.... ive gone completely to the edge of the tyre with the bars on no probs, and ive found more confidence in this bike than any other

By the end of the day I setteled into a good rythum was hardley touching the brakes, and was able to carry a decent amount of speed without being a complete back marker. Was cruising at 80 or so one handed on the way home not even thinking about the front end.

500 miles of riding it was time to head to the house. Will have a blast on the bike, roads arent as nice as they could be. Still tons of salt and not the best conditions to push yourself. All in all im happy with the setup. Will throw a few photos up once loaded.

sweet dude!! look forward to the piccy's!!

[ldavis]

nice.. wish my bike wasn't at the shop right now or i would have been out as well..