Joined
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14 Posts
All,
I just crossed 2300 miles with my 06. So, I thought I'd add my thoughts to it. I have done all kinds of riding in this 2300 miles. I put almost 1000 in daily commuting riding. And then put 1300 miles on it in a single road-trip from Florida to North Carolina. So, I have a little bit of every style of riding.
1) Living in Florida, I am very sensitive to heat issues. Other than the road heat, this bike is remarkably cool for its size. I understand the pre-06 models were not as kind. But the 06 is nice.
2) The stock saddle is painful on long rides. I need a replacement. But deciding on which one is right is a real chore.
3) My throttle pull is VERY STIFF. So stiff that within 30 minutes of riding, my wrists are quite numb. I can probably adjust this, but I haven't found out how. Waiting for the service manual. Which should be here this week. Also, I am probably going to get a throttle lock. Any recommendations?
4) It is surprisingly nimble. We ran a road in North Carolina with 185 curves in 20 miles and I kept up with my wife on her 06 Honda 599 (Hornet). Then again, she was being kind.
5) This thing has power to spare. At 100 mph, I was only running 4600 rpm in 5th. Considering red-line is 9000, I've got power.
6) Cruising in 4th/5th gear, I was getting close to 49-50 mpg. It drops quickly over 80 mph, but then that is expected.
7) Wind noise is relatively low. Having experience with street bikes with no windshield or small ones, even in the down position this bike is quieter. But, that is like a "NO DUH!". I do like that fact that with it fully raised, the wind buffeting was acceptable (pretty minimal in my opinion) and the ride was very quiet. Considering I am 6'4", that surprised me on the stock windshield.
8) I am frustrated at Yamaha US's lack of support for this bike. Accessories that are available in Europe and elsewhere, aren't available here. That sucks. It also sucks that with the bike still relatively new, the aftermarket stuff hasn't fully rolled out. Time with change that in the aftermarket. Who knows if Yamaha will quit being buttheads.
9) I've had the chance to ride this in the rain. Didn't want to. Had to. Was on a Interstate when it hit. As such, my wife on her 06 Honda 599 (Hornet) was tossed around. I was relatively smooth because of the added weight. And, I was pleasantly surprised at how good the tires were in wet conditions.
10) Aside from the poor saddle and the really stuff throttle pull, this bike was a very comfortable ride over 12 hours (600 miles). Aside from stopping for gas, the ride was straight through.
Hope that adds something for folks to consider. Glad I bought this bike. Having not ridden anything this big before (biggest bikes I had ridden before were 750cc), I am thrilled at how quickly the bike and I have adapted to each other.
Best Regards,
Bill
I just crossed 2300 miles with my 06. So, I thought I'd add my thoughts to it. I have done all kinds of riding in this 2300 miles. I put almost 1000 in daily commuting riding. And then put 1300 miles on it in a single road-trip from Florida to North Carolina. So, I have a little bit of every style of riding.
1) Living in Florida, I am very sensitive to heat issues. Other than the road heat, this bike is remarkably cool for its size. I understand the pre-06 models were not as kind. But the 06 is nice.
2) The stock saddle is painful on long rides. I need a replacement. But deciding on which one is right is a real chore.
3) My throttle pull is VERY STIFF. So stiff that within 30 minutes of riding, my wrists are quite numb. I can probably adjust this, but I haven't found out how. Waiting for the service manual. Which should be here this week. Also, I am probably going to get a throttle lock. Any recommendations?
4) It is surprisingly nimble. We ran a road in North Carolina with 185 curves in 20 miles and I kept up with my wife on her 06 Honda 599 (Hornet). Then again, she was being kind.
5) This thing has power to spare. At 100 mph, I was only running 4600 rpm in 5th. Considering red-line is 9000, I've got power.
6) Cruising in 4th/5th gear, I was getting close to 49-50 mpg. It drops quickly over 80 mph, but then that is expected.
7) Wind noise is relatively low. Having experience with street bikes with no windshield or small ones, even in the down position this bike is quieter. But, that is like a "NO DUH!". I do like that fact that with it fully raised, the wind buffeting was acceptable (pretty minimal in my opinion) and the ride was very quiet. Considering I am 6'4", that surprised me on the stock windshield.
8) I am frustrated at Yamaha US's lack of support for this bike. Accessories that are available in Europe and elsewhere, aren't available here. That sucks. It also sucks that with the bike still relatively new, the aftermarket stuff hasn't fully rolled out. Time with change that in the aftermarket. Who knows if Yamaha will quit being buttheads.
9) I've had the chance to ride this in the rain. Didn't want to. Had to. Was on a Interstate when it hit. As such, my wife on her 06 Honda 599 (Hornet) was tossed around. I was relatively smooth because of the added weight. And, I was pleasantly surprised at how good the tires were in wet conditions.
10) Aside from the poor saddle and the really stuff throttle pull, this bike was a very comfortable ride over 12 hours (600 miles). Aside from stopping for gas, the ride was straight through.
Hope that adds something for folks to consider. Glad I bought this bike. Having not ridden anything this big before (biggest bikes I had ridden before were 750cc), I am thrilled at how quickly the bike and I have adapted to each other.
Best Regards,
Bill
