Contemplating a different bike

[kaivalagi]

Nice bike but high bars and white wall tyres are not for me edit: Have a look on ebay for this 300939127825, the only 2nd hand one I've seen about

They'll have more stock of the Judge next week but no demo to try Gonna go have a look at one next weekend and see what the riding position is like, and maybe ride a Vegas just to see what a narrower rear tyre does for them...

[Skip]

Great review there Mark and I am pleased to see it was subjective and not just "it was rubbish"!

I have found the Hornet a great bike for slowing me down - 80-100 is usual hooning speed on it whereas I rode my father-in-laws 1200 Bandit and found myself 100-120+ far too often. Cornering on the Hornet is way more fun though Really am loving this bike - its just so "me"

[kaivalagi]

I doubt I would class any newish bike as rubbish to be honest, just different. I bet if I rode a rickety old 60's Norton there would be something about it that made it good for what it was. The only thing that doesn't do it for me is all the bloody chrome, I want to ride more than I clean.

There's too much of a "them and us" stigma with the cruiser scene IMHO, the bike I test rode is different to anything else I've tried but then you could say a sports and a supermoto are equally different.

One thing I found amusing was riding a cruiser I hardly ever got a nod returned from the sports bike brigade but always from another cruiser rider without fail. Once back on the SMT I didn't get many nods returned from cruiser riders either...it's a funny world, they'll all bikes with 2 wheels and are f'ing fantastic in my view

This weekend I'm gonna take a look at a Victory Judge and hopefully line up a test ride at Lings of a Thunderbird Storm, and if the bike isn't toooooo massive and overwhelming in size / weight, a Rocket III Roadster too

Was that vid filmed off Wangford road next to Lakenheath base?

Just found that it'd be cheaper for me to insure a £11K or so Victory Judge than an £8k or so Tiger 800. Neither is going to happen in the foreseeable future but interesting all the same.

[kaivalagi]

Yep, I turned off where you go to view the planes and did a quick walkaround the bike there and had a sit down in the sun for a bit, nothing to see though, thought it was worth a shot...

I need a Judge test ride....I know that much, I want to see what that monster engine is like in a more upright riding style bike

I'm with Skip on this, if you like the bike get it!

The Buell has slowed me down, it is a totally different ride to anything else I've owned and I love it, although there is part of me that still yearns for that performance and ease of application you get from a big IL4!

[kaivalagi]

Almost 1 week after riding the Hammer S, I still have a want to ride that big 1731cc lazy torquey lump...

I've booked my demo ride on the Thunderbird on Saturday at Lings in Watton, I'll likely take a ride on the Rocket III too if it's not too scary big in the flesh...

Get this though, maybe I've just been lucky with demo rides so far, but at Lings they want £15 off me to cover the insurance for a day's riding...either than with a £250 excess or they can give me a £2500 excess policy for naught...

Aren't you a bit young to be buying one of those cruisers! I'm not sure buying a big, heavy and slow(er) bike is the right way to control your lead fist. Do some track days on the SMT, it'll give you a different perspective on road riding.

[kaivalagi]

Just for sh1ts and giggles go and take a big 1700cc+ cruiser for a demo ride so you know what I am on about, it's a completely different animal to what you or I have right now

I don't like the idea of riding my daily driver to and then on the track, and I'll likely keep the SMT now even with a cruiser in the garage too, just might be a little while before I get one now. I just bought aftermarket pipes and will be fitting new Angel GTs on Saturday so it's staying for some time yet! A little longer term the SMT will take a back seat, with the cruiser taking up the role for long days out and touring with the wife.

I reckon I can get away with 2 bikes, the wife drives the car and I don't, so I will only have 4 wheels at my disposal too

Originally Posted by kaivalagi

i reckon i can get away with 2 bikes, the wife drives the car and i don't, so i will only have 4 wheels at my disposal too

legend!