| Author | Message | ||
     Midknyte |
Preface: I have two bikes - an XB9R and a Honda VTR250 (see attached for reference).  Just about every time you read a review on the XB, the author spends some amount of time relating his revelation over it's handling. Specifically, how sell it handles once he's settled into it. I'm just about there. I'm getting comfortable with my XB and I've received help in getting it set up properly for my weight(which improved things). But nowhere near so much as with my VTR. The VTR has similar ergos to the XB. It's just about 2 inches longer in wheelbase. 2 or 3 degrees less aggressive in the fork angle. About 50 lbs lighter. And it's got a very soft suspension which suits me very well as I only weigh in at a 140 lbs myself. Granted, it's a learning bike, but it's a h3ll of a little scoot. I can hop on my VTR and ride it like a bicycle, that is, with very little thought. It's a symbiotic experience and that may well be because I've had it for so long, but I do not recall ever having the learning curve I have had with the XB. At times I think that having it kind of handicaps me on the XB because I'm re-learning old habits. Well, anyway. Back to the question. The XB "handles so well". Compared to what? Are the larger suspersport rices ungainly in their handling? I would not know, I've not ridden any of them. I was smitten by the XB and skipped right over them... | ||
| R1DynaSquid |
Are the larger suspersport rices ungainly in their handling? Not at all..its marketing 101 pure & simple. Talk up your best attribute...which for the XB's is handling. I dont think ads mentioning hp in the mid 70's for an XB9 would do much to help sales. A really good rider on a Goldwing could show the average XB owner a thing or 5. | ||
| Hogs |
R1DynaSquid Now I really FIND that HARD to Take In :-))) | ||
| Bomber |
while Dyna/SquidR1Guy is right in what he says, he's also left some things unsaid given the same rider, the XB Buell would beat GoldWing like the family mule (not much of a contast, thoiugh Goldies are incredibly capable scoots these days) more to the point, XB is easier for the average rider to go fast on twisty, entertaining roads than most of the Big Four's offerings (I've ridden some, but not nearly all) . . . HP can make up for a multitude of sins, and the Big Four's offering have very few sins to cover any more, but they aren't the backroad burners they might be in the hands of the average or mean rider . . . . Dynasquid is far from the average rider -- he may not remember how far ;-} Road X/Holy Hill/Sheridan Road in Winnetka/Deals Gap Equal riders, pick the R1 Average R1 Pilot vs average XB pilot . . . . slight advantage to the XB, I'd say | ||
| R1DynaSquid |
Have you ever seen a really good rider on a Goldwing?? It will certainly take your breath away to see them do stuff that you certainly thought was impossible with such a pig. Remember that its not the bike..its the rider. | ||
| R1DynaSquid |
I would say you are spot on Bomber. Obviously equal riders on such machines as a Goldwing & an XB would be ludicrous. But then put Jamie Hacking on an R1 against any of us & that would be equally ludicrous...he would smoke any of our asses so bad. | ||
| Bomber |
grin . . . . Grounder and I watched a New Jersey guy on a wing last fall at the gap . . . besides beingbatshit crazy (paying no attention to the double yellow at all), he flat out FLEW round the joint . . . . . . as for Hacking, hell, put HIM on a Vespa, and you'd have to spot me 50 or 60 lengths! | ||
| Bomber |
of course, none of this addresses on of Mid implied questions . . . . . I think you'll find that your comfort with the XB will increase until you just notice that your playing toss and catch with it one afternoon . . . . I had a simialr experience after buying the MaDeuece, after riding a much smaller, much less powerful scoot for a long time. The XB is larger, ,much more powerful, and it's very responsive to rider input (as is your previous scoot, but small bikes feel like you can pick them up no matter what!) | ||
| Midknyte |
I caught myself coming into my own on the XB the last time or two I had it out - countersteering into some nice flicky lane changes. That felt real good  | ||
| Fullpower |
how long do i have to wait for the next incarnation: Dyna-Wing? | ||
| R1DynaSquid |
Bout another 40 years at least. | ||
| Junkdad |
By far the best pig I have ever owned or cruised on was a Honda 750 Hondamatic. Good grief the thing was a gutless 2spd wonder... but it wasnt uncommon to ride 600 mile days. When I was a young'n my folks both were school teachers, made for some great riding summers with pops. My sons '03 954 is a great riding bike. Since I can count the days I have owned my Buell on both hands my experience isnt much BUT my sons Honda handles like a dream in the corners. the power out of a turn was by far much better on the Buell. Not because it was "faster" , which it wasnt, but no down shifting...the torque just carries you away, pretty sweet. |
