Looking at a new ride...

[TheGreatSatan]

I found your new bike!

[Airbozo]

I don't know TGS, if I'm going to ride a pink girls bike, I think I would choose this one:

[Swilken]

Congratulations on your purchase!

... Well crap, now I want a bike... But I suppose I can't just sell my car and grab a random bike. I'm assuming you have alternative means of transportation for when you need to transport stuff? How's using a bike as your everyday driver working out for you?

[SchaibleTech]

That firebolt is sickkkkk......

[Airbozo]

Congratulations on your purchase!

... Well crap, now I want a bike... But I suppose I can't just sell my car and grab a random bike. I'm assuming you have alternative means of transportation for when you need to transport stuff? How's using a bike as your everyday driver working out for you?

I ride everyday, or almost anyway. 50mpg plus being able to lane split are huge benefits right now.

I rarely transport anything that will not fit into my backpack. This new bike will give me extra cargo room, but since the bags are not that big, it won't be a huge amount of stuff.

I have a 1975 FJ40 and a trailer if I really need to haul something (OK, the FJ40 belongs to my wife). Plus in the winter months the SO and I carpool a lot. Saves money and strengthens our relationship. Win win!

My new tires are taking the longest, and since I won't ride it with the tires it has, I can't pick it up until Thursday... Looks like I am going to be sick Thursday afternoon and I may have to run a couple of tanks of gas to get home... LOL!

[TLHarrell]

Take the long way home... loop up along Skyline from Santa Cruz, through Felton and up to SF, then back along Hwy 1?

[Airbozo]

Take the long way home... loop up along Skyline from Santa Cruz, through Felton and up to SF, then back along Hwy 1?

Probably head up to 92 to Skyline, then stop at Alice's for dinner, then to 84 to 1, to Bonny Doon, Empire Grade and finally onto Jamison Creek to 236, hwy 9, then Bear Creek. Only a 107 miles, so I may have to make it longer...

[OvRiDe]

Only a 107 miles, so I may have to make it longer...

Yah... that would only be a little less then an hour on that bike.

[CorsePerVita]

They both look like nice bikes! I dig the look of Buell bikes.

[Airbozo]

100 mile report:

Didn't get to do the long way home ride Friday, since we had already committed to dinner and a night out with the wife to see a friends band. I was able to take a ride Saturday but I didn't want to get to far from home, since I am still tightening things up. Have a few small issues due to the bike sitting so long. Loose mirrors, loose blinkers and such.

When I first got on the freeway Friday, I had just shifted into 4th and looked down to see I was going over 85!. This bike is really smooth over ~2500 rpm so I didn't realize how fast I was going. Acceleration is amazing. Still not as arm jerking as my sportster, but powerful and smooth. The front wheel wants to jump off the ground if you twist the throttle too hard, even in 3rd. Up into the mountains and I was really impressed with the way this bike handles. It is close to 450lb, but you can't tell. It just handles the corners amazing. The seat is going to take some getting used to, as well as the foot pegs and shifter. A little smaller than the sportster and I have big feet.

I am now learning about all of the little nuances of the bike including the shift points (redline at 6800), and the brakes. The front brake WILL stop the bike fast and I have had to learn not to grab too much. Grabbing the brake while in a corner makes the bike want to stand up and go straight. That was kind of fun finding that out.