First of all a big thank you to Berger for helping me with my carburetor issue (still have a couple issues, I will post in the mechanical forum).
This was my 3rd ride on the bike and not only my best ride on this bike, but my best ride EVER.
I started on a simple jeep trail and was not too confident, so not going to fast at first but with time, I started to go faster and faster, braking later and later into the turns, until I hit some nastier terrain (rocky, muddy, sandy) and I had a couple motor issues (again, I will post my questions in the mech. forum).
There is ABSOLUTELY no comparison between this bike and what I was riding before. The bike goes EXACTLY where I want it to go. It is surgically accurate and even at times quite surprising how accurate it can be, as long as you're not attacking the turn too hard.
It also feels a lot lighter. Going downhill is easy, no more losing the front or locking the rear, and if I want to use some engine braking, I have some extra safety. But it's best to just let go.
Towards the end of the 2 1/2 hour ride I had absolutely no apprehension going downhill or attacking some steep uphills.
My observations are:
1-Obviously, this bike is not a lugger, meaning that you cannot rely on low-end torque to push you up hill at slow speed. You NEED to charge and keep it revving high
2-This bike does not mind rough terrain as long as you're going fast enough, which means you NEED to charge, or else you can stall.
3-It has enough engine braking to slow you down any "scary" downhill but there is no excuse for having the clutch off when going downhill than using the engine to go faster, meaning that you NEED to charge downhill as well.
4-That seat is rock solid and I need to stand up more, meaning being in attack position most of the time.
My conclusions are that this is a great bike BUT I now need to improve my riding skills so that I can ride this bike at his optimal potential, and this in every department.
This is not a scenic rider. This is a racing bike, no contest.
I am totally converted, I'm not going back to anything remotely Japanese.
This was my 3rd ride on the bike and not only my best ride on this bike, but my best ride EVER.
I started on a simple jeep trail and was not too confident, so not going to fast at first but with time, I started to go faster and faster, braking later and later into the turns, until I hit some nastier terrain (rocky, muddy, sandy) and I had a couple motor issues (again, I will post my questions in the mech. forum).
There is ABSOLUTELY no comparison between this bike and what I was riding before. The bike goes EXACTLY where I want it to go. It is surgically accurate and even at times quite surprising how accurate it can be, as long as you're not attacking the turn too hard.
It also feels a lot lighter. Going downhill is easy, no more losing the front or locking the rear, and if I want to use some engine braking, I have some extra safety. But it's best to just let go.
Towards the end of the 2 1/2 hour ride I had absolutely no apprehension going downhill or attacking some steep uphills.
My observations are:
1-Obviously, this bike is not a lugger, meaning that you cannot rely on low-end torque to push you up hill at slow speed. You NEED to charge and keep it revving high
2-This bike does not mind rough terrain as long as you're going fast enough, which means you NEED to charge, or else you can stall.
3-It has enough engine braking to slow you down any "scary" downhill but there is no excuse for having the clutch off when going downhill than using the engine to go faster, meaning that you NEED to charge downhill as well.
4-That seat is rock solid and I need to stand up more, meaning being in attack position most of the time.
My conclusions are that this is a great bike BUT I now need to improve my riding skills so that I can ride this bike at his optimal potential, and this in every department.
This is not a scenic rider. This is a racing bike, no contest.
I am totally converted, I'm not going back to anything remotely Japanese.
