07-31-2018, 01:10 AM
Hi all!
KvdV here, just back from a nice tour from Seattle to Glacier National Park and back on the new Speedmaster I picked up in February. All smiles...it's a wonderful bike to tour on! At least, it is for me...I'm not doing motorcycle camping much anymore, so just strapping a small bag behind my seat covers everything nicely:
![[Image: 51b7e407f208b4d83579fb03cf0621bb.jpg]](https://cb1100forum.net/forum/uploads/imp/201807/51b7e407f208b4d83579fb03cf0621bb.jpg)
Of note:
-I started the trip with a Dart Classic flyscreen installed, but had to remove it after the second day when I noticed a bolt and fitting had fallen off somewhere on the road and it was no longer stable or road-reparable. Had to be my mistake on install; these things are rock solid when you remember to tighten ALL the fasteners correctly! Luckily, because of the ergonomics or whatever, even 80mph without the Dart is a breeze (pun intented!) on this naked bike.
-I've had the bike since February and already had a couple thousand miles in with the stock forward controls. Big change from my old DLX. More pressure on my sit-bones, and more low back discomfort. Before even buying the bike I learned that Triumph had a set of optional mid-controls available...I had those installed the day before we left on the trip and it was glorious! No more low back pain, much improved seat comfort, easy to stand up on the pegs and ride through rough construction areas "motocross style," and much better lean angle -- can really dig into corners now without scraping the pegs as early as the forward controls do.
-I wasn't taking it real easy, had some fun with the rowdy acceleration this thing produces, yet averaged over 58mpg for the trip! Indicated miles to empty upon filling the tank was consistently over 150 miles...good enough for me!
-The only things the Speedie lacks vs the DLX that I miss a little are the helmet lock, center stand (for chain maintenance), and underseat storage. Things the Speedie has over my old DLX is a MUCH lower center of gravity...slow maneuvers and pushing the bike around in the garage is much easier; hard acceleration feels (and sounds) like an angry beast going wild instead of like an electric motor (the factory pipes sound better than any bike I've ever heard); and the styling is just perfect for me...I love the 1940's vibe this thing has. Oh, and the cruise control is actually quite nice...didn't think I'd use it much but it was handy now and then. And last but not least, the ergos with mid controls are a dream come true...no more feeling of sliding forward on the seat, no more pressure on my hands and wrists...and the lower seat makes it a breeze to get traction with my feet should I need to push the bike backwards on a sketchy surface while in the saddle.
I'll always love and respect my old DLX...possibly the most classy machine I'll ever own. But this Triumph is like some kind of beautiful yet dangerous wild animal; lots of attitude and bluster, but refined enough where it counts. I may even keep it a while : )
-KvdV
KvdV here, just back from a nice tour from Seattle to Glacier National Park and back on the new Speedmaster I picked up in February. All smiles...it's a wonderful bike to tour on! At least, it is for me...I'm not doing motorcycle camping much anymore, so just strapping a small bag behind my seat covers everything nicely:
Of note:
-I started the trip with a Dart Classic flyscreen installed, but had to remove it after the second day when I noticed a bolt and fitting had fallen off somewhere on the road and it was no longer stable or road-reparable. Had to be my mistake on install; these things are rock solid when you remember to tighten ALL the fasteners correctly! Luckily, because of the ergonomics or whatever, even 80mph without the Dart is a breeze (pun intented!) on this naked bike.
-I've had the bike since February and already had a couple thousand miles in with the stock forward controls. Big change from my old DLX. More pressure on my sit-bones, and more low back discomfort. Before even buying the bike I learned that Triumph had a set of optional mid-controls available...I had those installed the day before we left on the trip and it was glorious! No more low back pain, much improved seat comfort, easy to stand up on the pegs and ride through rough construction areas "motocross style," and much better lean angle -- can really dig into corners now without scraping the pegs as early as the forward controls do.
-I wasn't taking it real easy, had some fun with the rowdy acceleration this thing produces, yet averaged over 58mpg for the trip! Indicated miles to empty upon filling the tank was consistently over 150 miles...good enough for me!
-The only things the Speedie lacks vs the DLX that I miss a little are the helmet lock, center stand (for chain maintenance), and underseat storage. Things the Speedie has over my old DLX is a MUCH lower center of gravity...slow maneuvers and pushing the bike around in the garage is much easier; hard acceleration feels (and sounds) like an angry beast going wild instead of like an electric motor (the factory pipes sound better than any bike I've ever heard); and the styling is just perfect for me...I love the 1940's vibe this thing has. Oh, and the cruise control is actually quite nice...didn't think I'd use it much but it was handy now and then. And last but not least, the ergos with mid controls are a dream come true...no more feeling of sliding forward on the seat, no more pressure on my hands and wrists...and the lower seat makes it a breeze to get traction with my feet should I need to push the bike backwards on a sketchy surface while in the saddle.
I'll always love and respect my old DLX...possibly the most classy machine I'll ever own. But this Triumph is like some kind of beautiful yet dangerous wild animal; lots of attitude and bluster, but refined enough where it counts. I may even keep it a while : )
-KvdV