Nice weather. A friend who rides a Victory TC called and asked if I'd like to ride with him to the dealer's open-house about forty miles south. I'd planned on going anyway (it's also a KTM dealer) so we rode down together. The ride down, though totally satisfying (Man! I needed that!), was uneventful.
They were unveiling the new 'Hammer', which was rather impressive. They finally have dual disks on the front, along with decent road rubber on an appropriately sized wheel. The rubber on the rear was, in a word, HUGE, like a 250 cross-section or something. I can just imagine what that might cost to replace. The Hammer is the only bike in the world to use that particular tire. :shock: So anyway, I like to ride bikes, y'know. Pretty much any bikes. I signed up for a test ride.
While I was waiting, the manager asked if I'd like to test-ride any of the others. They were also offering rides on the Vegas and the Kingpin. Of course I said, :shock:
8) :shock: .
I'll preface this by saying that I've never been much into cruiser-type bikes. I rode the Kingpin. It's sort of a day tripper or short weekender. I didn't expect to be impressed, but the ride was very comfortable and relatively (I ride a Burgman) vibration-free. I was pleasantly surprised, having ridden George's TC, that it handled quite well. Didn't like the styling much (fat fenders), but it was really a pleasant experience overall. I then rode the Hammer. It was awful! It was the bike I expected to like the best, but the back tire was so wide that it actually lifted the rear of the bike in corners. In effect, the rear tire rides a couple of inches off of the centerline of the bike. It felt very squirrelly. I came back and rode the Vegas, which was better, but still no thriller.
So the bike I thought I'd like the least, I actually liked the best. And the one I thought I'd like the best, I liked the least. There must be some kind of deep philosophical meaning to that. Eh. Who cares?
The good thing is: I went for a 100+ mile ride today. I had fun. I want to go again. It's now cold - and raining.
At least I got that one in. :lol: Come on, spring!
Steve
They were unveiling the new 'Hammer', which was rather impressive. They finally have dual disks on the front, along with decent road rubber on an appropriately sized wheel. The rubber on the rear was, in a word, HUGE, like a 250 cross-section or something. I can just imagine what that might cost to replace. The Hammer is the only bike in the world to use that particular tire. :shock: So anyway, I like to ride bikes, y'know. Pretty much any bikes. I signed up for a test ride.
While I was waiting, the manager asked if I'd like to test-ride any of the others. They were also offering rides on the Vegas and the Kingpin. Of course I said, :shock:
8) :shock: .I'll preface this by saying that I've never been much into cruiser-type bikes. I rode the Kingpin. It's sort of a day tripper or short weekender. I didn't expect to be impressed, but the ride was very comfortable and relatively (I ride a Burgman) vibration-free. I was pleasantly surprised, having ridden George's TC, that it handled quite well. Didn't like the styling much (fat fenders), but it was really a pleasant experience overall. I then rode the Hammer. It was awful! It was the bike I expected to like the best, but the back tire was so wide that it actually lifted the rear of the bike in corners. In effect, the rear tire rides a couple of inches off of the centerline of the bike. It felt very squirrelly. I came back and rode the Vegas, which was better, but still no thriller.
So the bike I thought I'd like the least, I actually liked the best. And the one I thought I'd like the best, I liked the least. There must be some kind of deep philosophical meaning to that. Eh. Who cares?
The good thing is: I went for a 100+ mile ride today. I had fun. I want to go again. It's now cold - and raining.
At least I got that one in. :lol: Come on, spring!
Steve
