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Middleweight Standards Comparo

223451 Views 227 Replies 86 Participants Last post by fazerdude, Jun 1, 2007

designeraccd

Discussion Starter · Mar 31, 2004

Nice article. As the owner of my fourth Sportster-a 1200R, I must agree that overall it is a radical improvement from its '03 and earlier versions. It can still be easily smoked by most of the other "small" bikes in the test, but the grin factor when riding this bike thru curves is astounding.

The saddle continues to be an ergonomic pain-in-the-arse, the headlight equals a weak batteried flashlight and the stock Showa suspension combines nicely with the dummlopp "rim protecturrzz" to compromise handling. That said vast improvements are only(!!) hundreds of dollars away: Race Tech up front, good shocks in rear, Bridgestone BT45Vs, an aftermarket saddle...watch out curves! IMO, of the 65 or so bikes I've had the 1200R ranks up there with the best for being lotsa fun to ride. My BMW R1150GS will easily show her saddlebags to the 1200R, but the 1200R is the usual choice for riding. DFO

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seruzawa

· #10 · Mar 31, 2004

Good article. Actually testing bikes that people might ride is a good thing. Maybe more people will look at these bikes for their first or next purchase and the sales figures might shift away from the boring metric cruisers.

However, for the life of me, I can't figure how the bike that everyone seemed to hate came in 4th place. After reading the rider coments on the Yammerhammer I couldn't figure how it came in anything but last.

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seruzawa

· #19 · Mar 31, 2004

Re: LUSTING after EX500?

Lusting after Janeane Garofolo would be more like lusting after a Ural. And only if it has a really really good muffler.

The EX500 is more in the "chick on the weather" channel class.

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seruzawa

· #20 · Mar 31, 2004

Do an 1100-1300 class cruiser comparo and that Sporty just might run away with the honors.

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seruzawa

· #50 · Mar 31, 2004

Re: THe standard of the competition...

Having come up through the 60's I fully realize that any of these bikes are paragons of performance and reliability.

We truly live in the golden age of motorcycling.

It was just a bit jarring to read the critical comments that seemed much worse than the comments about the lower rated bikes. From the tone of the article I would have given it 7th place. If not for Fonzie's first place vote it would have placed 6th or 7th.

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seruzawa

· #66 · Mar 31, 2004

He's double p1ssed that the Sporty didn't throw a rod or leave a cylinderhead in the bushes.

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seruzawa

· #72 · Mar 31, 2004

It's hard to tell what the problem is. The original post is too cryptic. Just a gratuitous slam that resulted in another gratuitous slam so the squidlies are expressing their upset with longride with, you guessed it, yet more gratuitous slams.

Apparently MO is supposed to exclusively limit itself to an unending round robin of comparos of the squidly approved dozen or so race replicas. Bikes like in this test are a waste of time since they don't get 100+ hp, I guess.

Or he's just disappointed because they left out the VFR and Concours. Who knows?

Actually, this test sucks because they didn't include a Benelli Tornado! I want one! God, it's gorgeous! Too pricey though. It's now a dead heat between a Speed Triple and a Falco for me.

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seruzawa

· #127 · Apr 1, 2004

Re: Grumpy has lost it - again

It's someone who is boarding on mental instability.

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seruzawa

· #145 · Apr 1, 2004

Re: waaay down to 60 LOL

The best benefit for you of riding in inclement weather is that you can be sure the KPaul is not out there with you. Don't worry about him until it's 75 and sunny.

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seruzawa

· #170 · Apr 2, 2004

Re: HEY!

You're right. And Alexandra Steele in the AM!

My mistake.

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