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Over the weekend I reassessed my position. What harm could it do. Since I
had to go back the next Friday, why not get a ride, on both, and compare. So
I sent an email requesting a reservation so I would not arrive only to find
someone else had the bike out for a ride. I got a reply the next day
welcoming my second visit. I remember reading Eric's notion to another Looky
Lou, suggesting not taking a demo ride, as it only made the wait for your
bike to arrive interminable. I had to go to Dallas for a business trip, and
packed all my riding stuff in the car, as I would be flying back on Friday,
go to the office for a bit, then down for the ride and the suspension
clinic. During that trip, I started seriously deciding what I could give up
to own my "new" dream bike, either the Sprint of the used RS.I actually came
up with a usable plan, however my wife has already made her position quite
clear, (if you can relate). Since I got the last new car, and she the one
before that, it was now her turn to get a new vehicle. But, we just fixed
hers rather than buying a new car, and her car is in decent shape. So I have
to figure out how I (what could *I* give up, that wouldn't affect our
overall budget. I still think I can pull this off. I also went to a Triumph
dealer to browse while in Dallas, getting all sorts of reinforcement here.
So upon my return I drove down in eager anticipation, of both the ride and
the clinic. I was asked which bike I wanted to ride first, and I confessed
the Triumph. I got my gear on, and she started the bike and we went over the
details, most of which I already knew. Although, I had been lead to believe
that the side stand prevented the bike from running, just like the R1100RS.
This turned out not to be true, but you DO have to pull in the clutch, even
with the sidestand up when in neutral. So it started right up, and I was
initially startled by the "bucket of bolts" racket coming from beneath the
fairing. Blipping the throttle made a very pleasing sound however.
I was given a suggested route, that included town, twisties, and freeway. As
I pulled out of the dealership and accelerated away, I spoke out loud, to
myself, the line Will Smith used in the movie Independance Day when piloting
the alien spaceship back up to the mothership: "I have GOT to get me one of
these!!". Huge grin!!! Wow. And this was in town with a 35 mph speed limit.
I stopped and put a couple of gallons in the tank to put the fuel light out,
and went riding. I was getting hooked fast. Now it didn't take long for my
wrists to get a bit tired, as on my current bikes, my hands are practically
on my knees, but I played around with a few riding positions, and found some
more comfortable that others. I had read a lot about the brakes, all true.
Of course, I realized my point of reference is from nearly twenty year old
technology. But adrenaline is adrenaline, and I couldn't find much to
complain about. I did notice that wind roar went up quite a bit in a close
tuck, as my helmet took more of the blast in that position. I assume my
wrists will build up some strength when I have to ride in this position all
the time, just like on my bicycle when I first got into that.
Blasting up the freeway ramp to merge with traffic, I couldn't use full
throttle, it just seemed so fast as it was. I think I reached 90 before
letting engine compression slow me back down to a good merging speed.
Fantastic! I eventually made my way back to the dealership having clocked
about 37 miles.
When I went back into the dealership, I noticed the Sprint I had looked at
the previous week had already been sold, and in fact was being picked up by
the new owner, who I chatted with a bit. His reaction after his test ride
had been to buy the bike on the spot. I chatted with the salesperson a bit
more, and asked when they were getting some more in. She said in two weeks,
two black ones were due, but they were already sold. It might be a month or
so. I told her I was interested in red, she said that should be easier to
find. My new Arai Racing Red is a pretty close match.
So, (Eric you called it) I put down a refundable deposit, which means they
go seriously looking for a bike instead of waiting for the next factory
shipment. I guess having a Brit bike twanged at my own British heritage.
And, having just read in the latest Cycle World that they have rated the
Sprint ST as the best sport-tourer, I think these babies are going to go
quickly. So for any of you fence sitters out there, act now or you may have
to wait, perhaps as long as until the 2000's ship.
I have been reading with great interest all the problems that owners have
encountered, but I haven't seen anything to dissuade me from getting one.
And it seems, for the most part, that the dealers have been quite
responsive. I'm still working on my wife, and figure I'll be all set by the
time the bike arrives. How exciting, but now I have to do what Eric
predicted. :-(
Sorry I got so windy, but I guess a tale isn't a tale otherwise. Thanx for
all the support on this list, I look forward to being a contributor.
Paul Master - Future Sprint ST Owner
East Bay (San Francisco Bay Area)
email master@xxxxxxx <mailto:master@xxxxxxx>
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<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>Hi everyone,</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>What a great list this is. I subscribe to another =
for the XS650 and those guys are all over the map, meaning you have to =
dig around a bit for info, but seem like a lovable cast of characters. =
And many thanx to Eric for making this all possible.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>Last year while on vacation I rented a Harley for a =
day, and spent the day cruising around Lake Tahoe and Hwy 89 the =
following day to return it to Reno. What great fun, I was smiling so =
much my face hurt. All of a sudden I was talking about buying a Harley, =
and kept this up for around four months. However, the $15K plus for the =
new Dyna was near impossible. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>My wife found an add for a $500 1980 Honda 650C. I =
went and checked it out, pretty much a rust bucket, but it ran =
reasonably strong, so I bought it and rejoined the motorcycling =
community after a fifteen year hiatus. It is great to be back. When a =
fellow bike, but now Sportster rider heard I had bought something other =
than a Harley, he was surprised, and told me if he had known I wanted a =
Japanese bike, he would have given me his 1980 Yamaha XS650 twin. So, =
to make a long story short, I now have two bikes.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>Another guy at work, who owned a 750 Honda and a =
Sportster, purchased a BMW R1100RS a few months ago. He let me borrow =
his carb syncing gauges, and came over to help, but I had already =
finished everything, so I suggested we go for a putt. Since his Dad had =
just bought an old Honda 750, he wanted to see how mine ran. We headed =
out to the twisties and had a bit of fun. (This was the vintage I was =
last familiar with). We swapped bikes for a bit, and my life changed a =
bit. In about four miles, I had reverted to my original (read youthful) =
opinion of original equipment Harleys, big, kinda loud, and not meant =
to go fast, especially when the going turned serpentine. I dropped all =
interest in the Dyna, and was now sure I needed a Beemer, in particular =
the R1100RS.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>A friend let me use his K1100LT (the brick engine). =
For some reason, I took this thing on the twistiest roads I could find. =
It was fun, but not immensely enjoyable, like the RS had been. In fact, =
just to make sure I wasn't in love with last bike I had ridden, the =
week after I rode the RS, my wife and I went to Palm Springs, where I =
rented another Harley, just to make sure I didn't want one, and also =
just to enjoy a ride. I didn't need a Harley, although once again, a =
ride, on any bike, is preferable to not riding at all.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>So since then I have been working on both 650's =
making them much safer and usable. And reading every bike magazine I =
could lay my hands on. I was always looking for anything to do with the =
R1100RS, and read with interest the new 1100S, and comparo's with other =
sport tourer's. Which ultimately led to reading about the newest =
Triumph. Was my opinion changing yet again? Of course it was! =
</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>About this time, every cover had a picture of the =
Suzuki Hayabusa, the adrenaline junkies choice of motorized vehicles. I =
was tempted, and actually went and sat on one during a business trip to =
Florida, and also an R1100S. My first motorcycle, after my Lambretta =
scooter, was a Suzuki X6 Hustler, a 250cc twin that was pure lightning. =
I can still remember after EVERY ride, dismounting and shaking like a =
leaf for at least 3-4 minutes (adrenaline you know). So I was tempted, =
at least a little bit. Then I checked on insurance costs, Progressive =
wants a little over $2K per year, and my driving record is clean, and I =
am approaching 50, so.....</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>So having read everything I could about the Sprint =
ST, I turned to the web yet again and discovered Eric's sight and this =
list. Yahoo!</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>Sorry for rambling on so, but I'm nearing the end. =
</FONT>
</P>
<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>From the XS650 list, someone recommended Doc Wong's =
suspension clinic, put on by Doc Wong, a riding chiropractor in =
Woodside (in the hills just south of San Francisco). Since I am eager =
to learn as much as I can, I signed up for the free clinic, and drove =
over on a Friday afternoon. Now as it happens, California BMW/Triumph =
is located just south of Woodside, so I left early to check out the =
Sprint in the flesh. I also thought that hearing from a dealer who sold =
both, I might get a little less bull, and more facts, seeing that they =
sold both machines I was interested in. So I chatted at length with a =
very nice sales person, who happens to own an R1100S. It seemed that =
every question I had, and my announced interest of both touring and =
twisting, the Triumph seemed more appropriate for my needs. For =
example, riding position, she said the Triumph was more comfortable =
(stock, but bar backs were available for the BMW). Comfortable seat, =
easily the Sprint. Pillion comfort, Sprint (she had ridden pillion on =
her own bike a week before, and said she doubted she would EVER do that =
again. Sat way to high, felt perched in the wind). But she liked the =
qwerks of her bike, from torque motion when you blip the throttle, =
shaft drive, paralever/telelever suspension. And she said the Sprint =
was also a great choice. I said that one difference was cost, the for a =
new Sprint I could get a '96 RS, and she had to agree. She asked if I =
would like to test ride a Sprint, which they have at the dealership. I =
said no, I was just browsing, getting my facts and figures together, =
while trying to figure out how to afford a new bike. She said I really =
should come back and ride, that I could ride both and compare. Not =
being in a position to afford the bike, I figured I might as well not =
tease myself, and gave the excuse that I lived a long way away, but one =
day I would be back and take her up on her offer. I went to the =
suspension clinic, and discovered I am exhibiting early forms of =
senility. I was a week early! #@$%^#%.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>Over the weekend I reassessed my position. What harm =
could it do. Since I had to go back the next Friday, why not get a =
ride, on both, and compare. So I sent an email requesting a reservation =
so I would not arrive only to find someone else had the bike out for a =
ride. I got a reply the next day welcoming my second visit. I remember =
reading Eric's notion to another Looky Lou, suggesting not taking a =
demo ride, as it only made the wait for your bike to arrive =
interminable. I had to go to Dallas for a business trip, and packed all =
my riding stuff in the car, as I would be flying back on Friday, go to =
the office for a bit, then down for the ride and the suspension clinic. =
During that trip, I started seriously deciding what I could give up to =
own my "new" dream bike, either the Sprint of the used RS.I =
actually came up with a usable plan, however my wife has already made =
her position quite clear, (if you can relate). Since I got the last new =
car, and she the one before that, it was now her turn to get a new =
vehicle. But, we just fixed hers rather than buying a new car, and her =
car is in decent shape. So I have to figure out how I (what could *I* =
give up, that wouldn't affect our overall budget. I still think I can =
pull this off. I also went to a Triumph dealer to browse while in =
Dallas, getting all sorts of reinforcement here.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>So upon my return I drove down in eager anticipation, =
of both the ride and the clinic. I was asked which bike I wanted to =
ride first, and I confessed the Triumph. I got my gear on, and she =
started the bike and we went over the details, most of which I already =
knew. Although, I had been lead to believe that the side stand prevented=
the bike from running, just like the R1100RS. This turned out not to =
be true, but you DO have to pull in the clutch, even with the sidestand =
up when in neutral. So it started right up, and I was initially =
startled by the "bucket of bolts" racket coming from beneath =
the fairing. Blipping the throttle made a very pleasing sound =
however.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>I was given a suggested route, that included town, =
twisties, and freeway. As I pulled out of the dealership and =
accelerated away, I spoke out loud, to myself, the line Will Smith used =
in the movie Independance Day when piloting the alien spaceship back up =
to the mothership: "I have GOT to get me one of these!!". =
Huge grin!!! Wow. And this was in town with a 35 mph speed limit. I =
stopped and put a couple of gallons in the tank to put the fuel light =
out, and went riding. I was getting hooked fast. Now it didn't take =
long for my wrists to get a bit tired, as on my current bikes, my hands =
are practically on my knees, but I played around with a few riding =
positions, and found some more comfortable that others. I had read a =
lot about the brakes, all true. Of course, I realized my point of =
reference is from nearly twenty year old technology. But adrenaline is =
adrenaline, and I couldn't find much to complain about. I did notice =
that wind roar went up quite a bit in a close tuck, as my helmet took =
more of the blast in that position. I assume my wrists will build up =
some strength when I have to ride in this position all the time, just =
like on my bicycle when I first got into that.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>Blasting up the freeway ramp to merge with traffic, I =
couldn't use full throttle, it just seemed so fast as it was. I think I =
reached 90 before letting engine compression slow me back down to a =
good merging speed. Fantastic! I eventually made my way back to the =
dealership having clocked about 37 miles.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>When I went back into the dealership, I noticed the =
Sprint I had looked at the previous week had already been sold, and in =
fact was being picked up by the new owner, who I chatted with a bit. =
His reaction after his test ride had been to buy the bike on the spot. =
I chatted with the salesperson a bit more, and asked when they were =
getting some more in. She said in two weeks, two black ones were due, =
but they were already sold. It might be a month or so. I told her I was =
interested in red, she said that should be easier to find. My new Arai =
Racing Red is a pretty close match. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>So, (Eric you called it) I put down a refundable =
deposit, which means they go seriously looking for a bike instead of =
waiting for the next factory shipment. I guess having a Brit bike =
twanged at my own British heritage. And, having just read in the latest =
Cycle World that they have rated the Sprint ST as the best =
sport-tourer, I think these babies are going to go quickly. So for any =
of you fence sitters out there, act now or you may have to wait, =
perhaps as long as until the 2000's ship.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>I have been reading with great interest all the =
problems that owners have encountered, but I haven't seen anything to =
dissuade me from getting one. And it seems, for the most part, that the =
dealers have been quite responsive. I'm still working on my wife, and =
figure I'll be all set by the time the bike arrives. How exciting, but =
now I have to do what Eric predicted. :-(</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>Sorry I got so windy, but I guess a tale isn't a tale =
otherwise. Thanx for all the support on this list, I look forward to =
being a contributor.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>Paul Master - Future Sprint ST Owner</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>East Bay (San Francisco Bay Area)</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>email=A0 master@xxxxxxx <<A =
HREF=3D"mailto:master@xxxxxxx";>mailto:master@xxxxxxx</A>> </FONT>
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