Just got off the phone with an old riding pal of mine who lives up the road a piece from Modesto. (Stockton) He went to see the 'Bird yesterday. (What a pal, he remembered to forget his camera) His 1800VTX (Honda?) was totaled out by a thoughtful cager in November who was certain that both a bike and her SUV could share the same parking space. Now with a pocketful of insurance cash he was in the market for a new ride, I suggested he give Triumph a look and so he did.
I asked his impression as I have not even seen one in the flesh yet. He replied that it was a bit wide, but looked and felt okay for a 'standard cruiser.' (Keep in mind this guy has been seriously shopping bikes for 6 weeks and looked at or test ridden almost everything out there so he may have been somewhat jaded.) Coming off of 1.8 liters, the new Triumph's 1600cc didn't hold the size wow factor for him that it does for us normal folk. His main impression was that it was just another big twin, except the cylinders were parallel rather than fore and aft. Knowing my preference for Triumph and Norton he apologized for dismissing the 'Bird so readily, but said the only appeal it would hold for him would basically be the novelty factor. His conclusion was that people who bought the Thunderbird would do so based not so much on what the bike was, but what is wasn't. (Harley, Japanese, etc.)
Anyway, that is not why he called me this morning. No, my good pal called mainly to rev his new bike in my ear. He bought a an HD Night Rod last night. He said it felt good and had a different profile (longer and lower) from the bulk of what's out there. (Claimed the stealer cut a deal for about the same price as the T-Bird will sell for, but I am sure that had nothing to do with it.) It is his first Harley and he has ordered HD pipes off something called 'Muscle' for it so there will be left and right exhaust.
Naturally he will remember to send pics of that.
