(01-03-2015, 10:29 PM)Waldo_imp Wrote: (12-30-2014, 09:47 AM)the_undecider_imp Wrote: Neutral neutral neutral!
Easy turning bike due to narrow tires.
Smooth, strong low and mid range power.
The brakes are strong, but very progressive and easy to modulate.
What do you mean by "Neutral neutral neutral!"?
What do you mean by "Neutral neutral neutral!"?
The steering feel, the way it arcs through corners, and how the chassis reacts to brake and throttle inputs.
Some bikes that have easy steering at low speeds are twitchy at high speeds. Not this bike. I was surprised how putting narrower bars did little to change how easy the bike steered. At very low speeds, the reduced leverage is apparent, but not bad. Honda knows how to make a heavy bike feel lighter than it is.
I attribute the cornering feel to the narrow tires and low height of the bike. Taller bikes tend to fall in to corners as you throw the bike into the turns which makes me feel less hunkered down and stable. Combined with wider rear rubber, you often have to throw some pressure on the inside handlebar to coax the bike to lean.
Some bikes don't like brake inputs mid-corner. This chassis is pretty unflappable in that dragging some rear brake through the apex (trail braking) doesn't make the bike want to stand up straight. A lot of bikes do try to stand up under trail braking which requires more force to the inside bar to counteract. With all the torque, the bike just marches out of the corner.
The best example I can provide of how easy it is to ride is to describe how I ride through tight, decreasing radius turn. As I approach and downshift (usually to 2nd for 20-30 mph), I'm on both brakes. As I turn in, I have the throttle open just enough to maintain my corner entry speed and release the front bike. I maintain this neutral throttle and rear brake until I hit the apex and then twist my wrist and lift my right toes.
