Re: Bonneville Speedmaster
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Joined: May 2007
Posts: 6,432 Likes: 1
Worn Saddle
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Worn Saddle
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 6,432 Likes: 1 |
I purposely chose a tertiary road that has big chunks in disrepair and the suspension really performed very well. Keep in mind I'm almost 80 lbs lighter from the cancer diet so that’s a factor, too. Some places that gave me a solid kidney punch in the America or Scrambler still did but it wasn’t quite as sharp a knock...whether that’s my new weight or the rear shock is a bit better I don’t know. The front end is a vast improvement and very similar to the Race Tech valve mod I had in the Scrambler but better, the total lack of braking dive is a solid confidence booster.
A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort. Herm Albright (1876 - 1944)
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Re: Bonneville Speedmaster
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Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 3,995 Likes: 10
Loquacious
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Loquacious
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 3,995 Likes: 10 |
Dinosaur.
"Oh Man I only ride 'em.I don't know what makes 'em work". Donald "Oddball" Sutherland
"Don't let the bastards get you down". Kris Kristofferson
"I am only paranoid because everyone is against me". Larry [Frank Burns] Linville
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Re: Bonneville Speedmaster
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Joined: May 2007
Posts: 6,432 Likes: 1
Worn Saddle
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Worn Saddle
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 6,432 Likes: 1 |
Today I mounted the factory floorboard kit; it’s really very nice and includes a new brake pedal, heel-toe shifter and new linkage rods and new cast mounts for the chassis. Oodly the new linkage does not include the four stop nuts and you must use the old bolt on the new gear shift pawl. The floorboards are pretty heavy, very well chromed and the rubber mats are superior to the items supplied for the America/Speedy. I rode 70 miles though the hills running tight turns and big sweepers and didn’t drag them but I see that you could if you really tried. IMO they are roomier than the older design and the way the pedals sit gives your feet access to the entire floorboard unobstructed. I like this set up better than the pegs.
A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort. Herm Albright (1876 - 1944)
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Re: Bonneville Speedmaster
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 5,265 Likes: 14
Saddle Sore
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Saddle Sore
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 5,265 Likes: 14 |
Nice, I'm a fan of the comfort level foot-boards offer. Plenty of room to move around on long rides. I supposes I might be in the minority but I've found I drag quicker with pegs than I do with boards on cruiser style bikes. I have a tendency to drag the boot heel with the peg set up.
If you catch one of those raised road reflectors with your boot heel while laying into a turn if can be quite jarring.
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Re: Bonneville Speedmaster
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,297
Oil Expert
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Oil Expert
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,297 |
Mike, I do that too, no question. The best time was when I left my toe under the shifter and touched my heel while laying it over in a turn at Deals Gap. Imagine my surprise when I changed gears....
In Between the Dark and the Light..
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Re: Bonneville Speedmaster
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Joined: May 2007
Posts: 6,432 Likes: 1
Worn Saddle
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Worn Saddle
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 6,432 Likes: 1 |
Alrighty, I’m 900 miles in and this thing has broken in very nicely. It’s still not a cruiser no matter what any PR dept says but it is a very nice ride, well capable of deep turn carving and powerful acceleration. One thing that’s become really obvious is how fatiguing it is to go over 65 with the combination of seating and bar arrangement; in that aspect it is totally unlike the America, or the Scrambler for that matter. I think it must be something about the bike's geometry but I haven’t quite figured it out yet. My next thoughts are headed toward some sort of windscreen...I’m drawn toward the clean look of the Dart but I’m wondering if a bigger piece isn’t required to really take that air pressure away. It’s a puzzlement for sure.
A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort. Herm Albright (1876 - 1944)
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