Random VTX thoughts -------

[sixwillwin]

The following is just my stupid possibly misguided opinions-----

I read alot on the VTXOA forums, mostly the tech and general boards and dont really get the following topics - seems to be alot of monkey see - monkey do stuff.

1 - 1300 finals on 1800s? I dont get it. I dont want one. I bought the 1800 for among other things, the power, not the mpg. Why would I want to give up some low end pulling power? Oh yea, which leads me to my next issue........

2 - Speedo error? Sorry everyone, I dont have any error. I have done the following several times, I will give you one example. I went to LaCrosse this summer. The portable GPS I have (no, I NEVER take it on the bike) said from my house to the hotel was 295 miles. I reset my trip odometer leaving the yard to Zero, when I pulled in the Brookstone Hotel parking lot, it said 299 miles, 4 extra miles you say? Well, not really, since I drove in 250 miles of driving rain, I made about 8 stops in rest areas and interstate exits that would have accounted for the extra 4 miles.

3 - Car tires - Dont get mad nodakbassmaster dude! I guess I am just old school but I think a real m/c tire looks alot better under the rear fender. I had a durometer, it test the tire hardness, a m/c tire is much softer therefore more sticky, therefore better handling in most condition. Regardless of handling, I dont like how they look.

4 - EDIT!!!!- This is talking about a pull behind m/c trailer.
M/C trailers?? Maybe when I get really old and go for months at a time. But if I need a trailer to haul my **** from Sioux Falls to Sturgis, I should really take a car.

5 - "I am taking a 250 mile trip to see Kansas and need to buy a set of bags and make a touring VTX." Love these type quotes. Really, for that? Buy 2 bungee nets and 2 bags, one to the back seat or fender and the other on top of it or on the headlight. If you need more, take the car.

Can you tell I am bored tonite?

[nodakbassmaster]

The following is just my stupid possibly misguided opinions-----

I read alot on the VTXOA forums, mostly the tech and general boards and dont really get the following topics - seems to be alot of monkey see - monkey do stuff.

1 - 1300 finals on 1800s? I dont get it. I dont want one. I bought the 1800 for among other things, the power, not the mpg. Why would I want to give up some low end pulling power? Oh yea, which leads me to my next issue........

people doing a lot of hauls and to try and cure the "looking for 6th gear"... I have one and the verdict is still out...

2 - Speedo error? Sorry everyone, I dont have any error. I have done the following several times, I will give you one example. I went to LaCrosse this summer. The portable GPS I have (no, I NEVER take it on the bike) said from my house to the hotel was 295 miles. I reset my trip odometer leaving the yard to Zero, when I pulled in the Brookstone Hotel parking lot, it said 299 miles, 4 extra miles you say? Well, not really, since I drove in 250 miles of driving rain, I made about 8 stops in rest areas and interstate exits that would have accounted for the extra 4 miles.

the odometer is not off, just the speedo... try the GPS while your moving at a CONSTANT speed

3 - Car tires - Dont get mad nodakbassmaster dude! I guess I am just old school but I think a real m/c tire looks alot better under the rear fender. I had a durometer, it test the tire hardness, a m/c tire is much softer therefore more sticky, therefore better handling in most condition. Regardless of handling, I dont like how they look.

to each their own... if your not interested, no problem. No harm, no foul... I am still on my first and in the testing phase... 9K miles on it and regardless of what people might think, even with my more blocked of 18" rim I can keep up with any VTX running hard through the twisties... and I have some good roads around here that I run a lot!

BTW, you need to let me know next time you come this way! Lance and crew had nothing but good things to say about you and your scoot... 8)

4 - M/C trailers?? Maybe when I get really old and go for months at a time. But if I need a trailer to haul my :cus: from Sioux Falls to Sturgis, I should really take a car.

nothing wrong with them... IMO, still better than taking the car or truck... but if they are full of shoes, then there's an issue!

5 - "I am taking a 250 mile trip to see Kansas and need to buy a set of bags and make a touring VTX." Love these type quotes. Really, for that? Buy 2 bungee nets and 2 bags, one to the back seat or fender and the other on top of it or on the headlight. If you need more, take the car.

money to burn? Excuse to get some bags? could be a plethora of reasons, but I suspect most would be along the lines of what you are thinking...

Can you tell I am bored tonite?

no, why do you ask?

[sixwillwin]

Hey thanks for the reply! Yea, Lance and the bunch are good guys, had a blast with them in LaCrosse this summer. Would have liked to go with them last weekend, but I had the weekend work grind. I have done 2 Hills trip this summer, and would like a third, but no time left for me. Next time, I will look up for sure. thanks rick .......aka sixwillwin

[sixwillwin]

One more thing, are you sure about the speedo/odometer thing? On the board, showtime and others are ALWAYS correcting people when talking about their mpg. Reminding them that their stated mpg is incorrect because they did not factor in the speedo error. That means they are saying the odometer is in error.

And I should clairy that I do not have a problem with hard or soft bags on a VTX whatsoever, just the comments about 200-400 trips and thus needing a "touring VTX".

[Caps]

Wow... ok I'll give this a shot :D

1. I think you can actually use 1st gear in normal riding (not racing) with a 1300 drive and also don't have to shift into 5th gear until you get to 60 or 70. On the 1800 you have that feeling of I need another gear at that speed I've experienced, on long and short rides. I don't have the rpm differences handy to give you an example. I find this attractive.

2. My experience with the speedo has been this; when it says 65mph, the guy next to me reading gps says at that moment we are doing 60mph.

3. I'm pretty sure the majority of the darkside prefer the longer tire wear on the car tire to save money, and the looks come second.

4. I would consider a trailer in this situation; I plan on going to the Honda Hoot next year and since I will have limited vacation time, I would rather trailer it down none stop and have 3 days riding out there versus riding the bike out and have to turn around when I get there. In your situation though, riding from Sioux Falls to Rapid is nothing. I don’t know why someone would waste the money in gas to drive a trailer.

5. I’m right with you on the bag situation. I don’t think people realize how many convenient bag options are out there rather than expensive, more permanent saddle bags.

Ok, someone else's turn :D

[sixwillwin]

Hey Caps, go back to your own MN board and answer my question over there......... :lol: :mrgreen:

And the trailer rant, I mean a pull behind the bike trailer. I have a Harley guy at work that pulls a trailer every time he goes more than 100 miles, which is about 2 times a year. I dont have a problem with putting the bike on a trailer for some trips like you described.

I still wouldnt put a car tire on a m/c to save a few bucks. Isnt that like marrying an ugly chick because she is cheaper to maintain? :shock:

[Caps]

Hey Caps, go back to your own MN board and answer my question over there......... :lol: :mrgreen:


I'm on it.

By the way, by the time you sent your cell number, I was already gone. We did end up taking 90 and stopping in Rapid for lunch.

[Jackrabbit]

Okay, I'll try too. I also hate the looks of saddle bags, and wouldn't use them unless absolutely necessary. But on the other hand, I can also see the practicality of them. I guess any type of bag on a bike looks like crap to me, so I see not much difference in saddle bags or a bag strapped to the back. I know I've been caught in rain at times when I wished I had saddle bags to have my rain gear along at all times. As for trailers, I think it depends on the situation. When my brother in law and I went to the Hills this summer we trailered. We both had sport bikes at the time, which aren't the most comfy as you know. Also, we were staying at a cabin so we took a cooler with beer and food for the week, which probably offset the gas cost to not have to eat out all week. We wanted fresh butts when we got there to ride four straight days hard and not have to ride that BORING ride home with sore butts.

[2rangerted]

You can always put your stuff in Amys bags!!Susan has a small bag on the back seat of her V-Rod,both of us are too vain to put bags on our stuff!!!Trailering.....behind the ol' F-150...oh yeah!Coming across SD in the middle of summer in that blast furnace...not for me really!



Rick,we have made the move out to the Hills,so if you need someone to ride with when you're out this way,look us up!

[sixwillwin]

You can always put your stuff in Amys bags!!Susan has a small bag on the back seat of her V-Rod,both of us are too vain to put bags on our stuff!!!Trailering.....behind the ol' F-150...oh yeah!Coming across SD in the middle of summer in that blast furnace...not for me really!



Rick,we have made the move out to the Hills,so if you need someone to ride with when you're out this way,look us up!

Sounds great Ted! PM your info and we will look you guys up sometime, I didnt know you guys were already out west. later