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SuzukiSavage.com
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl General Category >> The Cafe >> Adapting to a heavier bike? /cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1352060736 Message started by Dave Sisk on 11/04/12 at 12:25:35 |
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Title: Adapting to a heavier bike? Post by Dave Sisk on 11/04/12 at 12:25:35 Hey guys...from another thread, some of you know I'm considering something like a Boulevard M50 or similar...essentially an 800-900cc or so bike that would be around 150lbs heavier than our S40's. (That said, I'll prob keep the S40 for my lady friend, so I don't actually plan to sell it at the moment...her little Suzuki GZ-250 is actually for sale right now). So, what's necessary to successfully and safely adapt to a larger, 150 lb (or so) heavier bike? Keep in mind I still consider myself a newbie, been riding for less than 1 year. I know lots of you have ridden much longer and much larger bikes, so share some of your wisdom please. Cheers! Dave |
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Title: Re: Adapting to a heavier bike? Post by Serowbot on 11/04/12 at 14:08:09 Once they are rolling,.. there's very little difference... Just be more aware during slow maneuvers... (parking lots, u-turns,..).. Make sure you're totally vertical when coming to a stop... When pulling in to a parking space,.. look to see if it's on a downgrade... if it is, back in... (it's real hard to back-up a heavy bike)... ;)... |
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Title: Re: Adapting to a heavier bike? Post by Dave Sisk on 11/04/12 at 14:45:54 Thanks man. Yeah, the "totally vertical when coming to a stop" is the part I probably need some work on. We can get away with some slop on a lighter bike like the S40. The only time I've been close to dropping it was on a few stops that were less than gracefully executed. :P Practice makes perfect though...probably some extended practice on emergency stops would be a good idea. ;) Cheers, Dave |
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Title: Re: Adapting to a heavier bike? Post by justin_o_guy2 on 11/04/12 at 20:16:55 Find ya one of those pencil legged old men on a Gold Wing with some Fat Momma sittin up on the Queen seat & tell him ya wanna buy him a cuppa joe & sit & talk about riding bikes. |
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Title: Re: Adapting to a heavier bike? Post by Dave Sisk on 11/04/12 at 20:53:52 8-) |
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Title: Re: Adapting to a heavier bike? Post by PerrydaSavage on 11/05/12 at 03:28:47 It has been my experience that the success of adapting to a larger/heavier motorcycle has a lot to do with your own physical size. As pointed out once rolling, not a lot of diff ... but it is the slo-speed manoeuvers, the keeping the Bike vertical stopped on a grade or off-camber pavement or the backing up the Bike into or out of a parking space or garage that can be tricky. Physical strength and size will make all of the above much easier than it tends to be for some smaller Riders. I personally know a couple of smaller statured folk who "traded up" from their LS650s only to wish for 'em back! EDIT: The Honda VT750C2 Spirit is one motorcycle that comes to mind as viable "larger/heavier" motorcycle that smaller statured Savage Riders could more easily adapt to on account of it's low 25" seat height and foot control that are not forward in the extreme ... I know of a few smaller gals who own these without issue. |
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Title: Re: Adapting to a heavier bike? Post by Dave Sisk on 11/05/12 at 07:00:56 Thanks for the post. I"m 5'10" and 180 lbs, not exactly Mr Universe but not exactly a weakling either. So, reading into what you've said...if a heavier bike still feels light enough to be manageable from just sitting on it and standing it upright, it might be a reasonable candidate. Perhaps a good test would be to lay it down and see how hard it is to actually pick it up before even taking it for a test ride, eh? (I'm sure sellers will love that! ;D ) Dave |
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Title: Re: Adapting to a heavier bike? Post by Dave on 11/05/12 at 07:33:04 I have a lot of experience riding.......but almost all of it was on a motocross, enduro, dual-sport or trials bike that weighed 250 pounds or less. My trials bike weighs 165 pounds and was my only motorcycle for severeal years prior to buying the Savage.....and the 350 pound Savage felt like a heavy bike in comparison. Last winter my wife and I rented a Harley Ultra Classic for a day while visiting Florida, and this was before I had my Savage and put some street miles under my butt. The Harley felt fine out on the highway and anything over 15 mph was a piece of cake. In town, and when at rest the weight of the bike was impressive. The wide tank and wide seat made it impossible to have your legs near vertical when stopping - and my legs were splayed out at angles that made it hard to support the bike if it wasn't vertical. At one stop light I came to a stop and put my left foot out on the ground while my right foot was on the brake - and as I leaned the bike every so slightly to the left.....my wife leaned left to look at something! :o I had a very brief Sumo-Session with my left leg as I worked to keep everything vertical. I am 5'-8" tall and weigh 156 pounds and I am in great shape as I work out at the gym for an hour and half every morning.......I would guess the motorcycle and my wife combined was about 850 pounds and it was a challenge to keep it vertical. I also made a mistake of parking the bike under a tree in a gravel parking lot, and when I came back there were cars on both side that prevented me from being able to swing the bike around. I had to get on the bike and slowly back-pedal the bike on the slippery leaves to get it back out of the parking space......I learned a lesson on how to park a big heavy bike in that episode. I am certain that riding a heavy bike is possible......however having riding experience and being a good rider is certainly is a plus. You need to adapt your riding and parking style to the weight of the bike. I did find that riding out on the road was great.....around town it felt cumbersome and bulky compared to the smaller bikes. It cost us $ 85 to rent the bike from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, it woudl have been $ 140 for a 24 hour period. We had a fun time, got to experience what it was like to ride an $ 14,000 bike, and learned what it was like to ride a big Harley. I believe it was money well spent, and I enjoyed it much more than I would have enjoyed Disney World! If you want to experience a big bike before you go buy one.....rent one! |
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Title: Re: Adapting to a heavier bike? Post by Dave Sisk on 11/05/12 at 07:58:49 Now that's a great idea. Thanks Dave! Cheers, The other Dave |
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Title: Re: Adapting to a heavier bike? Post by Pine on 11/05/12 at 08:44:39 I went by the local bike shop two days ago. Since the computer/register was down I was told to look about for a few minutes. I sat on a Vstar 1100 that I really liked the feel of and then on a Honda 750 Shadow. It struck me just how heavy and WIDE these bike were. Then I found a used HD Sportster 883... wow.. just wow. Fit like a glove. Not too wide.. not too high. Just a slighly beefier Savage. If and thats a big IF .. if one comes up on the cheap.. I may just have jump on it. PS: look at my other post on my 2-up ride with the wife. |
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Title: Re: Adapting to a heavier bike? Post by 12Bravo on 11/05/12 at 12:06:00 If you compare power to weight ratio of the Savage vs a Sportster 883, there isn't much difference. I recently traded my Suzuki Burgman 650 for a V Star 1100 and don't have any problems with the weight of the 1100. I have arthritis and fibromyalgia in both knees and hips. My S40 feels like a toy compared to the Burgman and V Star. |
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Title: Re: Adapting to a heavier bike? Post by Dave Sisk on 11/05/12 at 12:23:56 0B0878485B4C553A0 wrote:
Arthritis AND fibromyalgia...AND still riding. My friend, you are an inspiration to all of us. 8-) This would be one of those cases where skills and smoothness outweigh physical strength and size, I'd assume. Maybe I should just go ahead and snag an M109R (any excuse works!) ;D Dave |
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Title: Re: Adapting to a heavier bike? Post by 12Bravo on 11/05/12 at 17:02:25 How a bike is balanced makes a difference. A heavier bike with low center of gravity isn't that bad to handle. An example is older (80's-90's) Harley Ultra Classic compared to a new one, night and day difference in how they are balanced. I'll probably end up putting a trike kit on either/both the V Star or S40 in the near future. Unless I can find a wrecked Fiero with a good drive train ;D |
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Title: Re: Adapting to a heavier bike? Post by Dave Sisk on 11/05/12 at 17:22:20 7576063625322B440 wrote:
That was kinda my thought too after sitting on an M50 (and an M109R) and merely standing them up off the kick stand..."Hmmm, doesn't *feel* as heavy as I would have expected, given the actual weight". I guess if the center of gravity is really low, you've got a lot more leverage to pull the whole thing back upright if necessary. Dave |
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Title: Re: Adapting to a heavier bike? Post by Skid Mark on 11/05/12 at 18:06:32 I went to a c90. As stated the issues are when going slow or stopping. You really need to be able to plant your feet properly when stopped. If you are not able to, you have very little margins before to bike will drop. And once these puppies tip past a point there is no way you can stop it. As for slow maneuvering its practice in a parking lot. Get the "how to ride like a pro" video. I found it worth every penny for spelling out how to do slow manoeuvres. |
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Title: Re: Adapting to a heavier bike? Post by ZAR on 11/05/12 at 18:19:49 24223B28247F70490 wrote:
Good points Mark! I know a lot of the guys on here scoff at the MSF Rider Ed courses but the best of the classes to me was "low-speed" manovering. I started out riding back in the '70s and thought I knew a lot about riding but the class taught this old dog several new tricks! |
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Title: Re: Adapting to a heavier bike? Post by Serowbot on 11/05/12 at 23:25:10 Yup,.. my Savage can touch bars to pavement and I can still recover... ... an 800lb bike gets past 10 or 15 degrees off center... and it's goin' down... :-?... I have a buddy that buys and sells dozens of bikes per year... He's about 5'-6" and 110lbs wet,... and can ride anything with total confidence... that dude is focused... I can ride as fast as I can, through the wildest twisties, and he can peg me at my 5 o'clock, and never lose me... I'm so unfocused, I can get wobbly on the kickstand... ...'course,.. I've been know to doze off on long straightaways, too.. Focus, Serow, focus!.... :-?... You can balance any bike with one hand,.. as long as you don't don't go off center... Once yer' off,.. yer' in a gator wrastle... ;D... If you're worried about handling the weight,.. ask one of the guys at the bike shop to give you a lesson in walking bikes... They push and pull them in and out of the building, every morning and evening... 20 to 50 bikes,... in and out,... every day... In one month,.. they will have rolled more bike weight, than you will in your life... I use my left hand on the bars,... right on the seat, or something in that area,... and keep my right thigh in the area as a catch... and if anything starts to go off,... I pull onto my thigh... like a flesh kickstand... ... but pro bike pushers may have better advice or explanations... Just ask for a lesson... people are usually proud to show their skills and share their knowledge... and even appreciate that you notice... ;)... |
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Title: Re: Adapting to a heavier bike? Post by Dave Sisk on 11/06/12 at 07:13:41 Is this the video you mentioned? https://www.ridelikeapro.com/store-products/instructional-dvds?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=137&category_id=6 Dave |
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Title: Re: Adapting to a heavier bike? Post by Dave Sisk on 11/06/12 at 10:56:45 OK...a small local car dealer has a 2005 Boulevard M50 for sale...low miles, saddlebags, sissy bar, and Cobra pipes. I went and took it for a low-speed ride around the parking lot (don't have my helmet or riding gear with me, plus it's 45 degrees today....brrrrr)...I can tell it's heavier than the S40, but it seems very well-balanced (low COG) and very manageable. My gut feel tells me I could adapt to this without too much difficulty. It's big enough to stretch out a little (controls are more forward vs. straight underneath like the S40), big comfortable seat, etc. It's wide compared to the skinny S40, but I can still plant my feet on the ground just fine. Those Cobra pipes look and sound nice. 8-) I think he's asking a bit too much for it (almost $5K), but everything is negotiable...especially motorcycles and boats in late Fall. ;D I plan to go back with riding gear on the next warmer day and take it for a spin on the road instead of just the parking lot. :P Dave |
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Title: Re: Adapting to a heavier bike? Post by engineer on 11/06/12 at 12:27:20 My neighbor has an S50 and he can make an extremely tight and smooth U-turn out in our street. He is about 80 yrs old and spent many years on a Goldwing. Ergonomically the S50 is a better fit for me. When riding at a decent speed the weight isn't a problem. But I don't like the extra weight when I am manuevering a bike around in my garage or coming to a stop where the pavement is sloped off to the side or is at a steep angle. When I was younger I could handle the weight but now that I am older wieght is one of the biggest considerations for me. I like the S40 becasue its' weight is reasonable and it has lots of torque which is handy for all the in town riding I do. |
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Title: Re: Adapting to a heavier bike? Post by engineer on 11/06/12 at 12:28:41 I met to say M50 in the above post. |
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Title: Re: Adapting to a heavier bike? Post by justin_o_guy2 on 11/06/12 at 22:41:05 Ohh REally? I had to post something so I could see if it said Edit,, Nope Upper right, says Modify.Click that & you can change your post. |
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Title: Re: Adapting to a heavier bike? Post by Serowbot on 11/06/12 at 22:59:32 302F292E33340535053D2F23685A0 wrote:
That's my favourite button.. I wish my bike had one... :-?... |
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Title: Re: Adapting to a heavier bike? Post by PerrydaSavage on 11/07/12 at 05:14:37 As a smaller person (5'-4", 130lbs) and MTP Instructor, I get asked frequently by Students ... particularly those of smaller stature and/or the female persuasion, about Bikes that would be a good fit and/or potential Bike weight vs Rider size/weight issues. I most always recommend starting out on a smaller, lighter weight motorcycle ... and have successfully recommended the LS650 on a couple of occassions with good results!! |
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Title: Re: Adapting to a heavier bike? Post by Dave Sisk on 11/07/12 at 07:28:50 7D6B7C61796C617A0E0 wrote:
That's my favourite button.. I wish my bike had one... :-?... [/quote] Sometimes I wish my mouth had one. ;D Dave |
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Title: Re: Adapting to a heavier bike? Post by Dave Sisk on 11/07/12 at 07:36:52 625740404B5653615344535557320 wrote:
Yup, I think the S40/LS650 is an almost perfect bike for a beginner, but still got enough guts that you don't outgrow it immediately. A lady friend started out with a GZ-250...she's outgrown it already. (She's not quite *aware* that's she's outgrown it...she's more than happy to poke along at 35mph in a 55mph zone...of course, all the cars queueing up behind her aren't too happy about that...eventually, someone will do something stupid and run her over just because she isn't going fast enough...she actually *needs* a bigger bike...and an S40 would be perfect for her, only 50 lbs heavier than her GZ-250). So, totally agreed...I would highly recommend the S40 for a beginner over a GZ-250, Rebel 250, V-Star 250, etc. I don't really NEED a bigger bike (I haven't actually "outgrown" the S40), I just WANT a bigger bike. :) Dave |
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Title: Re: Adapting to a heavier bike? Post by PerrydaSavage on 11/07/12 at 08:55:43 Here's an irony ... one of our former Students, a gal I was romantically involved with this past summer, I recommended an LS to and we searched and eventually found for her a silver 2004 Savage in like-new condition with only 2400kms on the clock ... for literally a song price-wise. She fell in love with the Bike, took to it like a fish to water and bragged to all who would listen just how perfect this bike was for her ... anyhoo, a bit of back-story; a few days after taking delivery of her Savage (and only about 2 weeks after we had started seeing each other), while Riding home from work one day a member of a local RC riding a 1300cc Honda Cruiser pulled next to her at a stop light and started hitting on her. She told me about it that evening and I told her to get used to it as she was an attractive gal with her own Bike and was sure to attract the attention of "stray dogs". She thought this hilarious and over the next few months she'd tell me that this dude, who hung out at a local coffee shop near my house would, if she stopped by there for coffee on her way to my place, continue to hit on her. She also told me that she had no interest in Riding Clubs and preferred to be a "Lone Wolf" and do her own thing. So long story longer, she emailed me one day not long after, giving me the Dear John and a sob story about not having "room in her life for a relationship right now" and week or so later I find out that she had shagged off with the "stray dog", joined the RC and is now selling her beloved Savage to buy a "bigger" Bike (Yamaha 950 V-Star), because I guess in her mind she needs a bigger motorcycle to ride with "the club" ... Now this gal is all of 5'-1' and maybe 115lbs on a good day ... so I wish her luck with that V-Star ... hope she doesn't regret the decision to sell her Savage ... or the "stray dog" ... |
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Title: Re: Adapting to a heavier bike? Post by Dave Sisk on 11/08/12 at 08:55:42 The stray dog may not be house-trained, so maybe she'll change her mind after he pee's all over the house. ;) Dave |
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Title: Re: Adapting to a heavier bike? Post by ToesNose on 11/08/12 at 11:32:00 @Dave Sisk- Why is she only doing 35Mph in a 55Mph zone with a GZ-250? That bike will do upwards of 70Mph no problem with a lighter rider, sounds more like she's afraid to keep up speed on it :-? |
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Title: Re: Adapting to a heavier bike? Post by Dave Sisk on 11/08/12 at 14:08:33 655E54427F5E4254310 wrote:
OK, I'm exaggerating a little....45 - 50 in a 55mph zone...but still poking along slow enough to irritate everyone behind her. ::) It'll prob get her up to about 60 - 65 mph or so...I took it for a spirited spin once and it barely got me up to 55mph. (Of course, that was in 5th gear though...I prob should have dropped down to 4th and tried that.) So, yeah, it'll hit the speed limit...but it takes a while to get there. ;D And she's a big chicken, so delaying her getting there just makes her never get there...I guess she gets scared since it takes so long...I think on an S40, she'd be up to 55mph+ before she realized it (before she had time to get too scared! LOL) and would just roll with it. Btw, she drives a car like that too. ;D However, with the exception of poking along too slow, she's actually shown herself to be a very safe rider otherwise. Cheers, Dave |
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Title: Re: Adapting to a heavier bike? Post by Dave Sisk on 11/12/12 at 19:45:17 Hey guys...well, I think I found a pretty nice M50 at a really great price. It's a 2007 M50 Limited Edition in silver with dark grey flames. The mileage is a little high (about 20K), but from everything I can tell the owner has taken very good care of it...he bought it new, it's been kept inside, all maintenance done, etc. The only cosmetic flaws are a little boot rash on the blacked-out crankcase, and a small scrape on the gas tank. I've given it a test ride, and it started, ran, accelerated, braked, and rode just like the one that had only 8000 miles on it...I can't tell any difference, except the price! ;) I've let the owner know that I'll take it, and we'll complete the deal sometime later this week (it's about 2 hours away). This M50 is a REALLY comfortable ride...it's wide, with a big comfy seat, the controls are comfortably forward, and it just doesn't feel like a 550 lb bike. It feels like it fits me so well ergonomically that I could ride comfortably all day (we'll see if that's actually the case, I suppose). I believe I'm making a pretty good choice here. 8-) Now, the bad news...I was planning to keep the S40 in the "family" for my lady friend...but in talking about it, what she really wants is a trike...she feels like it'll be easier and safer for her, and well, maybe she's right. So, I posted the S40 on my local Craigslist for a fair price. :( But then some more good news...it already sold...within 2 hours of posting it, in fact. :o Within 15 minutes, I had 3 txt's inquiring about it. This one fella contacted me about the GZ250 that I just sold for my lady friend, but I pointed him to the S40. He and his wife came over to give it a look and ride it around my cul-de-sac. We agreed on a deal, and we'll complete the deal Wed. So, it's going to someone who will appreciate all of it's great attributes just as much as I did. I have to admit, I'm kinda sad to see it go though. :( At least it's going to a good new owner. And yes, I've already pointed him to this forum. :) I am definitely convinced that the S40 is the all-around best bike that anyone could ever possibly start out with. Dave |
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Title: Re: Adapting to a heavier bike? Post by John_D FSO on 11/14/12 at 19:16:21 3620372A32272A31450 wrote:
As someone who's spent 2 years on a Savage, 2 on a C50, and just got an Electra Glide this fall, this is absolutely right. The C50 was a bit of a learning curve, and the Glide is over twice the weight of the Savage, so you've gotta use your head when parking and so forth on these kinda bikes. However bike geometry makes a real difference too. The Glide is built like a tank, but once it's rolling, even at parking lot speeds, the handling is very smooth. Granted, it's not as nimble as the Savage, but I can lean it more than the C50 without scraping anything. |
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Title: Re: Adapting to a heavier bike? Post by justin_o_guy2 on 11/14/12 at 20:09:12 Why do you seem surprised? If you wanna cATCh the Rowboat wrong, youll hafta go to the tall table. |
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Title: Re: Adapting to a heavier bike? Post by John_D FSO on 11/15/12 at 04:15:34 4E5157504D4A7B4B7B43515D16240 wrote:
;D I wasn't surprised, just taking the opportunity to chime in, since for once I actually knew a little about what was being talked about. :D |
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Title: Re: Adapting to a heavier bike? Post by Dave Sisk on 11/18/12 at 20:13:31 Hey guys! OK, I picked up the M50 Saturday. The owner had the latest maintenance records waiting for me, plus saddle bags, plus a sissy-bar bag, plus a hydraulic motorcycle lift. I'll see if I can post a pic, but the pics don't quite do this bike justice...it sure seems the owner took quite good care of it. I am really pleased! I got a little seat time around my neighborhood, then took it out for a short ride in my local area after I felt comfortable, then tossed my lady-friend on the bike and rode around the neighborhood some more until I pretty much ran out of daylight. 8-) Yeah, it's heavy compared to the S40, but man...this is a comfortable bike. I proceeded carefully, but wasn't close to dropping it, even with my lady friend on the back. Of course, I'm an idiot. ;D With it parked in my driveway and the engine off, I wanted to see how far I could lean it without it getting too heavy for me to hold it upright. Ummm...LOL...not that far. :P Lean it probably 20 degrees and it gets real heavy real quick...I ended up busting my a$$ in my driveway with the engine off. ;D (I'm glad lady friend didn't video that...I know it would already be on youtube and facebook by now. ;D Ever noticed how women always laugh hysterically at us when we do something stupid and end up on the ground? ;D ). I also discovered how heavy it feels to pick it up after dropping it...whew...glad I've been shown how to pick it up by putting your back against it. :) OK, so I now know the answer to two of my questions...1) how far can I lean it before it's too heavy (not very far), and 2) how hard is it to pick up if I drop it (pretty hard!). OK, so now I know. ;D Now that I've completely embarassed myself 8-) let me see if I can link to a pic or two.. :) |
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Title: Re: Adapting to a heavier bike? Post by Dave Sisk on 11/18/12 at 20:21:51 2007 Suzuki Boulevard M50 Limited Edition... |
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Title: Re: Adapting to a heavier bike? Post by Dave Sisk on 11/18/12 at 20:22:55 2007 Suzuki Boulevard M50 - 2nd pic |
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Title: Re: Adapting to a heavier bike? Post by Serowbot on 11/18/12 at 20:51:21 Darn!,.. a video would have made it worth it... ... and now,.. for your next trick... check the oil level... ... and roll video this time... ;D ;D ;D... Enjoy your new bike,.. ;)... Ride safe, Serow |
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Title: Re: Adapting to a heavier bike? Post by ToesNose on 11/19/12 at 03:55:07 Congrats on the new wheels, may she never hit the ground again! ;) |
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Title: Re: Adapting to a heavier bike? Post by Dave Sisk on 11/19/12 at 12:46:42 5F495E435B4E43582C0 wrote:
I know, right? ;D Speaking of lady friend, she's now upset at me because I sold the S40. I honestly thought that when she said she didn't want it, she actually meant she didn't want it. How could I be so silly. ;) There are only a couple S40's for sale locally (at higher prices)...however, there seem to be quite a few Savage's for sale locally at prices right around what we just sold her GZ250 for. Hmmm...who knows, there may be another Savage in the family soon. ;) I can't think of another bike above the 500-600cc range that is similar weight as the Savage/S40 (she needs something light or she'll be too scared to ride it) that's not a sport bike...Vulcan 500, Yamaha V-Star, Honda Shadow all are 100 lbs or so heavier than the S40. Any bikes come to mind that I might be missing (that are cruisers)? Cheers, Dave |
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Title: Re: Adapting to a heavier bike? Post by clueless-FSO on 11/19/12 at 17:10:44 Dave, Just enjoy! I went from a Savage to the VStar 1100. I miss the "flickability" of the savage. I could burn up the big bikes in the twisties. I have to "think" to ride the VStar fast. I rode the Savage fast because it was easy. I felt I could correct while in a turn. Oldfeller knows what I mean. Jim |
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Title: Re: Adapting to a heavier bike? Post by Skid Mark on 11/19/12 at 20:17:56 Now you know you can lift the bike by yourself. It is always better to find this out at home. Don't be too embarrassed. I'm sure most people here have done similar silly tests. I know I have. I have proven a bike will not stay upright unless the kickstand is in the down position. As there were no witnesses this proof cannot be verified. And I have no intention to replicate it with witnesses. |
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Title: Re: Adapting to a heavier bike? Post by Dave Sisk on 11/20/12 at 04:49:43 LOL. ;D My lady friend affectionately refers to me as "Hemar", which is Arabic for "donkey". I can't say a thing in protest, because I know it's true. ;) From the little bit of seat time I've had so far, this M50 only feels massive sitting still. From what I can tell so far, it's very responsive in terms of handling. (In fact, in all the reviews of various years, it consistently gets great marks for having a supple but still controlled suspension and stable handling, even versus the Vulcan 900's.) It's definitely not as flickable as the S40, but still no wallowing pig. That said, I think it'll be quite a while before I'm pushing any of it's limits. ;) Dave |
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Title: Re: Adapting to a heavier bike? Post by justin_o_guy2 on 11/20/12 at 06:48:01 Not long after I got my Savage I saw a guy on an M50. He was so tiny he had to drop off the bike at stops, leaving the knee & calf on the seat. Light turned green, he hopped up & gunned it & rode away.. I REALLY wanted to to talk to him, maybe buy him a cup O joe, but I just didnt.. I still regret that, |
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Title: Re: Adapting to a heavier bike? Post by Dave Sisk on 11/20/12 at 21:07:50 Now THAT is just too funny. I wonder what he'd do if he had a passenger? ;D Dave |
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Title: Re: Adapting to a heavier bike? Post by justin_o_guy2 on 11/20/12 at 21:12:37 I wish I could do a Vulcan mind meld & give away the mental picture. I was amazed at this guys desire & determination to ride that bike & ride it well,,IDK how to categorize him medically, midget, dwarf, IDK, but he wasnt a regular guy physically, but he was strong & full of grit & determination, & I have always respected that. |
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Title: Re: Adapting to a heavier bike? Post by Serowbot on 11/20/12 at 22:30:48 People like that are so inspiring.... They give me the confidence to attempt things that I never dreamed I could accomplish... ... and that,.. usually doesn't end well... :-/... I gotta' quit being such a sentimental sap... :-?... |
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