It's all relative

[Paws]

My biggest concern with all the new electronics is what happens if they fail. I have had ABS fail on me in my car and the result was no brakes at all for a few seconds then an instant lock up of the brakes, hate to think what would happen if ABS failed on a bike while i was riding it

[tamarillo]

I HOPE that they have thought of this and merely one loses ABS - I know on early Bemmers many ride around with abs lights on and they work fine just no ABS.

[shafty]

Been on a binge of reading bike mags – both new and piles from second hand shops as I travel around country…

And it occurs to me, again, that riding another bike simply allows you to compare with what you know, and if you are not in the industry that usually means what you ride. If like me you ride relatively old equipment (just got newest bike ever – a ’96 Trophy) you have no other benchmark so anything newer will have significant improvements. (Working on generalisations here.)

Where I am going with this is that this Trophy was known in its day as somewhat top heavy and slow on turn in, something that later Triumph models improved with newer designs of frames etc. If therefore I rode a new Sprint and then got off onto my old Trophy I would probably dislike it. BUT I DON”T. To me it is what it is, and yes it is a wee bit top heavy, and that is okay.
Same with power. The old Triple gained substantial horsepower and smoothness I believe. But this is the most powerful thing I have ever had so I am happy as.

In 1973, when I started riding, Bonnevilles were considered powerful and fast with less than 50hp. A Ducati GT (60hp) was just out of this world. Honda’s new 750 (70hp) was ridiculous. When Kawasaki bought out the 900 (79hp) that was considered over the top and simply silly buy many. We were mostly happy with the power we had.

A proviso – on the tyres and frames we had then I for one would not have wanted any more horsepower so to some extent power, tyres, suspension, frames, have all improved incrementally. Also, obviously these much older bikes were lighter but we now have less weight and more power each year.

I therefore suggest that at any given time the mix of these elements are mostly dead on. Therefore my ’96 bike cannot be seen, by me, as inadequate.

Yet every road test in a new mag tells me this one is better than last years and boy you gotta have it. Maybe we are too guilty of acquiescence to the great American dream of Planned Obsolescence and think we must always have the latest greatest.

I think I need to stop reading so many new bike mags! Anyone got some ’90’s issues with my Trophy in to sell?

I know where you're coming from Tamarillo - was chatting just the other day with a Girlfriend about the new VFR1200.
I was telling her that a Mate test rode one and that he said "the power was amazing".

She replied, yes but "for how long?" ie how long til you take it for granted. Also, that it depends on what you've been riding previously.

This comes from a Girl who's last few bikes have been VFR800>CBR1000RR>Hayabusa GSX1300R!

So, yeah, I hear what you're sayin!

BTW, loved my 900 Trophy too - grouse bikes.........

[avgas]

My biggest concern with all the new electronics is what happens if they fail. I have had ABS fail on me in my car and the result was no brakes at all for a few seconds then an instant lock up of the brakes, hate to think what would happen if ABS failed on a bike while i was riding it

If your ABS fails in your car - the brakes fall back to a 'basic' mode.
Which means they work like normal brakes.
This was also found to happen with the "Problem Toyota's" in the states recently.
Bike would use the same principle.

I would get your car looked at - as chances are there is a jam up in the actual lines or a pump/valve control fault.

[tamarillo]

I know where you're coming from Tamarillo - was chatting just the other day with a Girlfriend about the new VFR1200.
I was telling her that a Mate test rode one and that he said "the power was amazing".

She replied, yes but "for how long?" ie how long til you take it for granted. Also, that it depends on what you've been riding previously.

This comes from a Girl who's last few bikes have been VFR800>CBR1000RR>Hayabusa GSX1300R!

So, yeah, I hear what you're sayin!

BTW, loved my 900 Trophy too - grouse bikes.........

Bloody hell that girl likes power...

[tamarillo]

remember when europe had self imposed 100 hp limit and know one built bike over it?