New Triumph Sprint ST

[Paul in NZ]

Ok Paul - I'll give you that one. The Bird is certainly softer than many of the twins, in terms of ride comfort and the silky smooth available power. As for me getting soft. Nope, not me. I like riding all sorts of bikes and as I'd never had a 4 cylinder rocket before I though I'd give it ago.

Buying an old fashioned southern European machine is on my list somewhere, just after sleeping with Helen Clark. Thinking about it, she's probably more attractive than 98.7% of all Guzzi'z anyway

Probably a harsher ride as well...

[Skunk]

On the contrary - it's the twins that feel (and sound) lazy. Due to developing maximum torque lower in the rev range than an IL4, they feel like they're hardly working. This also means there's less need to change down a gear to overtake. The facts probably say otherwise and agree with "tell me it isn't quicker than yours all the way through the range and with equal consistency, all the way through the range, and will carry on going once any road going twin had either run out of steam or motion lotion" but it's just a perception thing: a twin seems like a more lazy, relaxed ride.

My IL4 is lazy, built around the ZZR1100 engine but redone for low and mid range torque. Lazy and smooth. Like me. Well, the lazy bit is.

[Biff]

On the contrary - it's the twins that feel (and sound) lazy. Due to developing maximum torque lower in the rev range than an IL4, they feel like they're hardly working.

I always get the feeling that twins feel as though they were working their nuts off, basically anywhere throughout the range, as oppossed to a 4 cylinder engine which are generally smother, and as such feel and sound like they're not working as hard.

Don't forget though that riding a bike is a very visceral thing - it's all about the sensations

I couldn't agree more. What I've found is now that I ride a bike so much smoother than my previous twins I've opened up a whole new dimension to my riding pleasure. No longer do I sub conciously listen to the engine so much as concentrate on my riding skills, the speedo and my surroundings.
Don;t get me wrong, while the Bird is smoother than a VFR it's not so smooth that you don't get a kick out of the engine noice, higher frequency vibrations and such like. It's just not the thumping, pulsating (engine noise that it) experience of a twin.

If you're ever down this way Viffer feel free to borrow my Bird for a test ride anytime you like.

[vifferman]

I couldn't agree more. What I've found is now that I ride a bike so much smoother than my previous twins I've opened up a whole new dimension to my riding pleasure. No longer do I sub conciously listen to the engine so much as concentrate on my riding skills, the speedo and my surroundings.

I know exactly what you mean. I found that with switching from the FahrtSturm to the VifFerraRi. Also, I found that if I 'de-stealth' the Satantune, I tend to ride harder and more aggressively, due to the demonic music from the zorst.

If you're ever down this way Viffer feel free to borrow my Bird for a test ride anytime you like.

Thanx, Dude - that's very kind of you.
I regret not test-riding the Blackbird when I was offered the chance, as I'd intended to test-ride a whole bunch of bikes when looking for a replacement for the VTR. But as it was a last-minute, spur-of-the-moment thing anyway, as I hadn't meant to go out and buy a bike, there wasn't really time to. :confused2

And then the VifFerraRi felt so right, that there didn't seem to be any point in riding anything else (apart from the VTEC, just in case it was better, and because the vifferbabe liked the looks of it more).

[Biff]

felt so right, that there didn't seem to be any point in riding anything else (apart from the VTEC, just in case it was better, and because the vifferbabe liked the looks of it more).

I can understand that, when I rode my mates hired Viffer (VTEC) from Nelson to Westport a few weeks ago I admit to being very, very impressed with it. That vroooooooom at 7K (?) when the rest of the valves get off their arses and lend a hand is pretty impressive, and what a sweet song she sings.

[vifferman]

I can understand that, when I rode my mates hired Viffer (VTEC) from Nelson to Westport a few weeks ago I admit to being very, very impressed with it. That vroooooooom at 7K (?) when the rest of the valves get off their arses and lend a hand is pretty impressive, and what a sweet song she sings.

Hmmmm.....
After riding non-VTEC VFRs quite a lot, I hated the VTEC sound. And as far as I could tell, riding back and forth through 7K rpm, it made no difference whatsoever to the performance just a "WAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!!" when it cut it in (and several times, a stumble as well.)
The rest of the package was very nice though, great suspension and handling, 'interesting' looks (love them or hate them), but that engine sucked, IMHO.

On the other hand, when I get hard on the throttle of the VifFerraRi, it has a lot of intake roar (very nice), and the sound changes a lot - much more hard-edged. It's kind of like the Dr Jekyll / Mr Hyde thing that the VTEC is promoted as having, but never quite achieves.

[avgas]

ofta reckons the VFR is the worlds best all around M/C? Obviously never ridden a Mk2 leMans)
Paul N

I rode 2 LeMans (one was MK2), while they are nice bikes.....best all round yeh if you take your own tool kit.
Best all rounder to date would have to be a super reliable single, with a turb to keep up with the big boys
Gimmie a Daytona (Guzzi or trump) over a LeMans anyday

[Biff]

Hmmmm.....
After riding non-VTEC VFRs quite a lot, I hated the VTEC sound. And as far as I could tell, riding back and forth through 7K rpm, it made no difference

Oh yeah - definately just a noise without any grunt.
As my wife would say," She's all fur coat and no knickers".

[MD]

Paul- well done mate you are a walking/riding encyclopaedia (had to check the dictionary for that one!) on the ole Triumphs. I agree the standard new bonnie lacks the beauty of the 70s ones it was supposed to emulate (OK I'll put the dictionary down now). Lucky for me the America isn't trying to imitate a specific model and therefore has a unique look all to itself. Its works for me anyway. But what with the crap name. You wont find that in the British MC history books and for good reason.
Vibes- twins vs 4s. I've owned 4 parallel twins and a VTR. The parallels don't vibrate one bit. The America would be the smoothest bike I've owned, full marks to Mr Bloor.
He also did the right thing distancing the Hinkley bikes from the Meriden. The brand name might be the same but it was still a new company, new factory with new styles and ideas for a different era.

[Kickaha]

A twin!! I didn't realise it was a twin. Come on, who wants half an engine in a modern bike? You need a minimum of three cylinders in order to qualify as a motorbike don't you? Particularly if you want to be a credible sports tourer.

Seriously though - I've heard nothing but negative things about using twins in anything designed for serious touring. All that vibration and such like for hours on end. But I love the low down torque on twins. But not for touring surely?

Can someone please convince me otherwise and tell me why twins are ok for touring and not just great fun for blasting the back roads.

Bloody good job you're not the marketing manager for BMW then, you better ring them and tell them that twins make crap tourers

Ok it wasn't a "new" bike but I did around 50'000km on my Darmah which was apparently a sports tourer way back in 82, and there wasn't ever a problem with vibration not even when the big end was shitting it self,I did two thousand milers and the Southern Cross and the only issue as a tourer was the crap fuel range due to the small 15L tank

A) OK........ ok, I have to step in at this point and say....... Biffy.... muilties (4cyl's) belong in cars mate a real bike has one or two cyl's perfurably in a vee configeration

What he said,spelling mistakes and all.

[dangerous]

As for 4 cylinders lacking the poke of twins, that's one hell of a generalisation. Although I know where you’re coming from because loads of 4 cylinder bikes feel lazy. But have a poke at my bike mate and then tell me it isn't quicker than yours all the way through the range and with equal consistency, all the way through the range, and will carry on going once any road going twin had either run out of steam or motion lotion

To whom are you refering this statment too? not me I expect as I never said such a thing.

The key words here being "ideal" and "in general". Would love to try one on a hike one day. Maybe you and I should swap bikes on one of our outings DD?

I dont have a prob with that and I might be able to get Glen out on the Busa so you could try that out too, I am thinking that they are two compleatly differant bikes (asuming that you havent ridden one yet)

Buying an old fashioned southern European machine is on my list somewhere, just after sleeping with Helen Clark. Thinking about it, she's probably more attractive than 98.7% of all Guzzi'z anyway

LMFAO..........

[dangerous]

I rode 2 LeMans (one was MK2), while they are nice bikes.....best all round yeh if you take your own tool kit.

WTF is it with people thinking Guzzi crap out all the time....... off hand the mates that I can think of who own Guzzi are:
2x Mk3
3x Mk4
1x Mk5
3x 1000s
2x 1000sp (round fin) 1 rebuilt due to age
2x 850t3 (round fin)
1x 850t5
2x 1100sport (carb)
2x 1100sport (inj) 1 being mine that did need the relays replaced twice
1x 1100sport corsa

Thats 19 bikes that I know of and non of them have ever shit them selves my bike being up to 80,000k.... so go figger

ps: Paul, what have you done to the Mk2 and at what milage?

pps: sorry for turning this into a Guzzi thread...... at least it isent about whisky

[Hitcher]

at least it isn't about whisky

Whisky? Who said whisky? I think I can smell Lagavulin. Wafting from Upper Hutt. Maybe Wallaceville. From a gargre. 16-years old. 700ml bottle. Emptying. Steadily.

[Paul in NZ]

WTF is it with people thinking Guzzi crap out all the time....... off hand the mates that I can think of who own Guzzi are:
2x Mk3
3x Mk4
1x Mk5
3x 1000s
2x 1000sp (round fin) 1 rebuilt due to age
2x 850t3 (round fin)
1x 850t5
2x 1100sport (carb)
2x 1100sport (inj) 1 being mine that did need the relays replaced twice
1x 1100sport corsa

Thats 19 bikes that I know of and non of them have ever shit them selves my bike being up to 80,000k.... so go figger

ps: Paul, what have you done to the Mk2 and at what milage?

pps: sorry for turning this into a Guzzi thread...... at least it isent about whisky

It was an old bike when we got it and it had sat unused for ages which did it no good at all.

We have 50,000km on it in modern conditions and lots of little niggles and a few leaks but never (ever) stopped on the road or let us down.

I know people with 400,000 MILEs on Calis and never missed a beat. Once sorted, those things run and run!

Most of the problems are caused by poofter owners that don't want to learn the bike and co-operate with it. All Nigel no it alls that would be far better off owning a Honda where they would doubtless meet the nicest people - HA!



Oh they have a few quirks and require some pain but people, these things are the real deal, living folk art. Believe this. You will never see their like again, they and Royal Enfields are the last of the pre computer designed bikes. Some guy DREW this with a bloody pencil and the same sweaty over unionised marios have been churning them out in the same poxy little village in the mountains by a beautiful lake since ww1. The same love went into these bikes as went into my beloved old pommy shitters.

You can't buy that at Country Road and despite the ads, you can't buy it at your local HD megga store.

Paul N

[dangerous]

Whisky? Who said whisky? I think I can smell Lagavulin. Wafting from Upper Hutt. Maybe Wallaceville. From a gargre. 16-years old. 700ml bottle. Emptying. Steadily.

Lagavulin..... Of all the distilleries on Islay, Lagav....... na sorry Hitch ya not going to get me this time I'll wait till a bullshit thread, but I will attach a pic of my bottle of Lagavulin it apaires to be a tad bigger than your 700ml tiz taller than a BMW side car.... I think

ps: and unopened