| Author | Message | ||
     Bearly |
They just uncrated the first one at Groves Harley Davidson Buell in Winchester Virginia. It's still outside as we speak out of the crate. So anyone in the area can go by and see it this week as I'll be out of town for most of the week. (I'm in Rochester MN right now and Nassau at the end of the week.) This first one is sold! It's all mine! Strangely enough, it's serial 142. With a lots of new deliveries now in the 600's where has this bike been? Oh well, keep you fingers crossed it's nice weather on Wednesday so I can pick it up as I'll that afternoon to ride it! It sucks to have to work for a living! My ship just came in! I'm just too far inland! (Message edited by bearly on January 07, 2008) | ||
| Bearly |
Ok now back home (for a moment) Let me tell you all about my first experience with my new 1125R I got back from Rochester MN late Tuesday night. Did some work in the office and went out to Grove's Winchester Harley Davidson to see the new bike. I had never seen one before much less purchased one. I had just a few hours. I was amazed at the engine noise the thing makes while it's running (churning bolts, rattling chains and dicing iron bits). The engine was very responsive and shutting off and restarted was uneventful. The Dealer said that they were so excited when the ripped open the carton to see it that they lost the Owners manual and the rest of the books that come with the bike. What ever all that is. It's now where to be found. So my pre ride briefing was then very short. I had read here at Bad Web that it takes a little more of a clutch slip to get going so starting out was painless. I ran around the parking lot a couple of time just adjusting the mirrors and getting used to controls. Out on the road the bike was very responsive and easy to manage. Of course the 6000 rpm limit make the bike a bit of a wimp, but this brake in period will be great for me as well as the bike. One thing I noticed that I was disappointed in was the mirrors. The are virtually useless. The whole stalk shakes and the mirrors themselves shake in their housings. I think the right mirror has a tendency to move back when over 60mph. There has to be an upgrade in the works. I hear that the mirrors are supposed to have a dent that you should leave them in and just adjust the mirror in the housing. The left stalk seamed to have somewhat of a detent the right stalk did not. Riding on a four lane with little traffic I was zig zaging back and for a little trying to get a feel for the way it would react. I was surprised that how stable it was. At that moment I thought that this bike was fairly stable. Almost too stable from what I had expected. I was almost disappointed. I then started some brake bedding exercises and after the second volley, the brakes just came alive. I can see that I'll have to have a light foot to avoid locking the rear tire as it was easy to do when combined with a lot of front brake. And when it comes to that front brake, how sweet it is. Linear progressive pulls on the front brake rewards one with eye popping decels. This is going to be a stoppie monster. Next, I got on a curvy road that I knew a little bit. There is of course, trash on the road from our intermittent winter conditions here in Northern Virginia so one can't / shouldn't get to lean anywhere near 40° but the bikes uncanny eagerness to turn was delightful. So I really can't explain how different the bikes feels when zig zagging on a straight road and then going into a turn. The 1125R seems to know when road bends. There's no posturing or setting up. Shift your weight, start to lean and off it goes, hard into the turn. The first few turns few turns I found I was making too many apexes for the corners. This bike is a corning carving monster. This road I was on, is a secondary road that follows a river and it is not a smooth road. The Ulysses just glides around this road. The 1125R has a much firmer approach. At first I was alarmed to find these bumps in the middle of a corner until I realized that the bike was not getting upset about the whole thing. Maybe the bike knows the bumps are coming too? I remember reading a professional reviewer impressions about this bike. This gal said that in her first day with the bike, she was beating her long standing times at her favorite track that she had riding a bike that she knew very well. I took that with a grain of salt and thinking of many reason why she might have experience that. Until I realized how fast and how comfortable I was going faster on this curvy road I was on. I had the back step out just a bit when on the center of the lane and getting into the cinders a bit that were on the road here and there. It was really a non event but I might have been lucky. Or maybe the bikes knows there are cinders on the road? :-) Time was short, so I raced back to the Dealership and told them to put the paperwork through. Then of course went back out for another ride. This time just cruising around and enjoying the bike. What a difference this wind screen makes from a naked bike. Riding the bike down the road it was interesting to put your hands out and feel where the "clean air" starts. I realized how comfortable I was on this slightly chilly day. I had rode my Ulysses out the dealership and had the headed grips on and had a bit of a chill on my chest and my legs going as I got close. Then on the 1125R I was notably warmer even as the temperature was dropping slightly. I have heated grips on order but I think I will be using them less of the time on this bike. I was time to go sign the papers so I headed back once again. I was so rushed Wednesday I barely him time to be out there at all but I took a few moments to poke around the 1125R. I noticed a couple of things that I didn't like on this post walk around. Fuses are important right? I see no way of getting to a fuses when one blows at night on the side of the road. They are under a aluminum bar that looks like it prevents the cover from coming off. Two is the riders seat. There should be some sort of latch to release this seat from under the rear seat instead of these two screws. I can't imagine offing some babe a ride on the new bike (she'd have to be blind in my case) but then excusing myself as I break out the tool kit and starting taking screws off the bike just to begin to get to the rear shock to adjust it. Ok that might be an over the top nit pick. I think I can realize some of the efforts that Buell has made to keep this bike light powerful and strong while keep the price down. The use of the Fire Bolt's tale section, the wheels, the rear pulley and so made bring this bike to market faster and maybe just a little bit easier. Although the cush drive might be another story. The bike on close inspection is a real joy to look at. This machine is built to be the best sport 12k can buy. And quite possibly a lot more money than that. It's so evident in the fit and finish on this bike. The huge front forks, huge front brake and that great massive swing arm give the bike a muscular stance and a sense of purpose. It looks like a weapon. I simply fell in love with this bike so immediately I feel a bit shameless. All this (and now your going to laugh at me) in 47 miles. That's it folks. That's all I had time for was to ride my new 1125R for 47 miles. When I was done signing my 1125R, I left the keys in it, got on my Uly and road off. The Uly bars suddenly felt like ape hangers. I had just enough time to get home, unpack, repack and head out for another trip from where I write to you tonight. The dealer put it back on the show room for others study and sit on till I get back. So if you get by the Dealer, tell my bike said hi. Let me tell you that #142 runs great. I don't care now where it's been. Bearly (Message edited by bearly on January 11, 2008) | ||
| Zac4mac |
Busy 47 miles- Congratulations sounds like you enjoyed it. I know, major understatement. All I could think on my first ride of 20 something miles was a whole bunch of "wow"s and a bunch of four letter words not fit for the Family Channel. Amazing fits well in context. I really can't wait for warmer, dryer, less sandy roads. My first Buell was an 03 XB9R, oddly enough her name was Pepper (no relation to a certain Englishman). She was/is (little brother has her now and WON'T give her back) White and Black and Spicy. I thought that was the best handling bike I'd ever ridden, but my FXWG was more limber at slow speeds. I could dodge a pothole easier on the Fat Girl than the 'bolt. The 1125R fixes that. She really Flicks™. As far as numbers, originally I was told I would be getting #304. I think it was on the truck when Jammer at High Country got theirs, the first in Colorado. I never got it, instead, almost a week later, I got a call from Reed at Sun HD/B that my bike was in, but it was #154. The next bike Sun got was #569 or something, then 2 weeks later, or so, #304 finally showed up. High Country's is still on the floor waiting for an owner, Loretta is the first one "on the road" in Colorado. Whatever, mine has no real issues, I tightened my right mirror by peening the rivet a bit. It's now solid, won't fold up if I drop her(God forbid) and I'll see if the image is any clearer at speed. I had a couple of starting issues at first but they are taken care of. Got a Battery Tender Junior yesterday and the light was green within an hour of "hookup". Looking warmer than Yesterday, 20˚ here and around freezing at my work. Looks like I get to ride her this morning, we had a little snow Wednesday and the roads were icy yesterday morning, so I drove my Jeep. I just love new relationships. As Court says - The 1125R is an amazing motorcycle Zack | ||
| Bearly |
Thanks for the tip on the Mirror. I guess it's either peening it or putting a bolt through it. I think have the Dealer replace it if indeed folds back. That way Buell will know about it. Like a said just one of those things with a new bike. Every thing else on this bike is all about performance and high quality. I can't wait to get home and borrow it from the Dealer again. Bear | ||
| Zac4mac |
Check the "Mirror" thread. Tightening the rivet did no good. If it folds from wind pressure, BMC will replace it, I'm told. Z |
