I took a 1200 Sportster Custom for a ride, and was actually fairly impressed with the handling and brakes. Much better than I expected, and did have a decent turn of performance, although it is a 1200 after all. I decided they are overpriced for what you get though, so decided to look elsewhere.
Today I took a couple of Triumphs for a run. A Bonneville T100 and a Street triple.
The Triple went hard and handled brilliantly, but needs a better seat, and does vibrate a bit. The Bonne was a fair bit smoother, but as expected had far less performance. Steering is light and precise but a bit slower, and
it was a bit more comfortable.
After that I did the same run on my Vespa and GSXR1000. The Vespa has got more performance than the Bonne! and was more comfortable than either. Handling is on a par with the Bonne with lighter steering, and it's smoother than either. The Gixxer is at least as comfortable as either Triumph, given my bad back needs a sporting ride position, rather than a cruiser type position. Clip-on bars mean my back is arched more than on the Speed Triple.
I think I will stay with what I have, and save the money for good riding gear instead. Including heated gloves; we might be heading for Summer, but Tasmania's weather doesn't always care! Stay tuned for any further episodes.
Karen.
