Well the bagger test ride turned into the 100 years special edition test ride! I registered for the event, booked the bagger and on arrival I was on the list to take the bagger. I was issued a key and it wasn't for the bagger but the 100 years edition bike. At this stage it was 60 seconds to the off when I realised so I just accepted it.
The 100 years edition is exquisite, looked a million $$$, was great fun to ride. Torquey yes but not "ultra torquey", this is in the vein of the CB1100, a low compression ratio air & oil cooled engined bike with around 91hp but 158Nm of Torque@3,000RPM. It is a heritage bike and they are not trying to compete with the other muscle bikes out there.
It has quite a subdued engine at low throttle inputs but has a pleasant bark if you wish to make full use of your right hand. Suspension was better than expected, better high speed damping than my GS, how crazy is that?
There was nothing I didn't like about this bike (well one thing), it was pure quality everywhere. The special edition comes with the reversing system off the starter motor but I didn't need it. I wouldn't want to make a putz of myself without it outside the coffee shop though! It is a one trick pony I think, a pure indulgence ride and I'm fine with that, we need mad bikes every now and then. I don't think I could bring myself to put luggage on it.
I went down to a GS to lose weight over my Tiger, this was a whopping 345Kg but so low as not to matter, it was very manageable. The considerable extra weight of the bagger would of spoiled it I think.
My one dislike was the leg ergos, the floorboards/heel-toe shifter they had put on as an optional extra. You had to lift your foot a good bit off the floorboard to use it which got quite uncomfortable over the hours test ride with a heavy boot. It would of been far better with the standard peg setup which it would normally come with. I would also reluctantly swap out the lovely100 year edition seat for the taller accessory seat to give me more hip room, this bike is low and you are a little scrunched up.
Would I buy one, yes, the 100 year one with those foot peg mods mentioned with them all together in a line up it easily stood out. I'd probably only put 2-3K miles a year on it, it's one of those bikes. You'd sit up the coffee shop and a bunch of fellows would deride your choice, "you can't tour on that thing fella" and "you'll be left for dust everywhere", you'd just reply "yeh, I know" not feeling the need to justify your choice. It's as mad as a box of frogs, as they say.
Can I buy one, not if I wan't to live
