for the last two weeks ive been getting the vara ready to tour
full service mich pilots swopped with the gs...i aint going off road ...not on purpuse anyway
anyway the main problem was the screen ..just not tall enough like the gs and loads of others ..test rode a fjr 1300 and it was the wosrt screen ever ...considering the technolagy involved
the main problem with the 02 bike is that the angle of the screen is set wrong so out with the jig saw and carve up an old screen off the old gs
spend a few hours ok more than a few hours messing with heights and pitches using cardboard and gaffa tape
after the umteenth run up to 100 plus mph an optimun pitch and height achieved
just bear in mind chaps i dont care what it looks like as long as ot works
i just kept the original screen in position and placed the cut one in front
two rubber door wedges exactly matched the pitch of screen i needed
more engerneering types could gey somthing out of aliminium or nylon to make it look a lot neater
i never cut the original down ..again would look neater cos two grommets for the 6ml holes and no ones going to bother when i sell the bike
any way it works very very well ..you can flip the front of your helmet up at 120 mph and if it were posible light up a cigerette not far off
ive bolted on my paintanted map holder by using a cross peice on the handlebars it has a handy compartment fo phones change mp3s autocom two way radio ect money whatever keeps your pockets clear and stops you going int the luggage everytime ...still working on that .... bid in for full givi 220 quid ..fingers crossed
motorax heated grips 39.99 and a scotch block and earth..warm hands sorted
so out for the first proper ride after selling the gs
m6 35 miles a6 to penrith a686 to aliston middleton ..kikby stephen hawes devils bridge m6 30 miles home .. good mix of motorway fast a roads and twisty hairpins [read a686]
first impressions very comfy very protective fairing keeping soulders and arms out of the air flow .............. strong engine
motor is a little slower low down but from about 4 thou it pulls way stronger than a gs from 70mph in top gear bye bye stronger it is ultamatly faster in a streight line ..the odo still only reads 1800miles from new so im expecting a little more as the miles go by ....
touring mode 70 to 90 sweeping bends very very nice softly sprung suspension .. alittle too soft over all ..but makes this type of riding very pleasurable
the linked brakes ive used before [blackbird]not as powerful as the gs but a little more feel and feedback through the conventional forks
this set up works very well two up though strangly use the rear just before the front none emergency that is ...
the gs will stop very quickly and sooner and with abs ...but haveing had brake failure on mine [ sad but true ] i think maby the conventional direct route is for me
when the bends tighten it is still suprisingly agile but this is were the gs would pull away into a tight bend it is quicker sterring and out it the initial pull is superier a combination of long wheelbase 40kgs more and soft suspension would restrict it to 2nd place however if there was a long streight after you would make some back
but given what i was expecting you can hussle the big lump around a t avery respectable volcity
the soft suspension soaks the bumps so much better in touring mode as the gs front is very harsh indeed
stopped at the hartside cafe for lunch and set off for aliston and then middleton fast roads with some twistys in ..no hairpins i was cruising 70 to 90 and found the bike tracked well and was not unduly worried by the odd bump when leant over and overall tracked well just using 5th and occasionally 4th and riding the tourque of the sweet engine
its a liitle lumpy sounding lower down but the fuealling is spot on and has some really seriuse pull in the imprtant play areas
on to the a66 turn for hawas kirkby stephen fuel light comes on a t 184.5 miles and i have not been hanging about ave consumtion 41.7 mpg happy with that onward to devils bridge and a ice cream with hundreds and thousands very nice
can i live with this big ugly mother ? yes i can i actually quite like it ..i tour most of the time ie not riding like ive got a rocket up my ass .. so it fits that bill very well its going to be alittlle slower in the very tight stuff.. but never embaressed ... i was thinking its like riding a soft armchair with a firestorm engine in it .. its a lot more capable than ide hoped
on to the m6 for the last 35 miles ..cruise 85 visor up sun shining just twithcing the throttle now and again to get past and make space that engine is brill on this sort of road
on to the back roads to home its now 755 pm and dark ...strange thing but i can see where ime going the headlamps are really very strong on the gs they were at best marginal and when the brake servo kicked in the dimmed about 20 percent ...not good at all these are like ww2 searchlights in comparison
.... home 357 miles not one fly has touched my visor happy bunny and seven grand better off
ultamatly the gs is abetter all round machine.. given weedyish [higer up the range ]engine and reliability apart ..ahemm... my honest opinion......
but for a touring machine the vara has a lot going for it which will do me for now
result yes ...... subject to reliability ime waiting for the new one
if they can shave 30 kilos off retain the comfort and bolt on 15 or twenty bhp it will be some machine ...
could be along time though ..knowing honda
top tip dont take the wheels off and leave one propped up on a paint can
the gs never crushed it you can guess the rest ....
regards to all ,...steve
full service mich pilots swopped with the gs...i aint going off road ...not on purpuse anyway
anyway the main problem was the screen ..just not tall enough like the gs and loads of others ..test rode a fjr 1300 and it was the wosrt screen ever ...considering the technolagy involved
the main problem with the 02 bike is that the angle of the screen is set wrong so out with the jig saw and carve up an old screen off the old gs
spend a few hours ok more than a few hours messing with heights and pitches using cardboard and gaffa tape
after the umteenth run up to 100 plus mph an optimun pitch and height achieved
just bear in mind chaps i dont care what it looks like as long as ot works
i just kept the original screen in position and placed the cut one in front
two rubber door wedges exactly matched the pitch of screen i needed
more engerneering types could gey somthing out of aliminium or nylon to make it look a lot neater
i never cut the original down ..again would look neater cos two grommets for the 6ml holes and no ones going to bother when i sell the bike
any way it works very very well ..you can flip the front of your helmet up at 120 mph and if it were posible light up a cigerette not far off
ive bolted on my paintanted map holder by using a cross peice on the handlebars it has a handy compartment fo phones change mp3s autocom two way radio ect money whatever keeps your pockets clear and stops you going int the luggage everytime ...still working on that .... bid in for full givi 220 quid ..fingers crossed
motorax heated grips 39.99 and a scotch block and earth..warm hands sorted
so out for the first proper ride after selling the gs
m6 35 miles a6 to penrith a686 to aliston middleton ..kikby stephen hawes devils bridge m6 30 miles home .. good mix of motorway fast a roads and twisty hairpins [read a686]
first impressions very comfy very protective fairing keeping soulders and arms out of the air flow .............. strong engine
motor is a little slower low down but from about 4 thou it pulls way stronger than a gs from 70mph in top gear bye bye stronger it is ultamatly faster in a streight line ..the odo still only reads 1800miles from new so im expecting a little more as the miles go by ....
touring mode 70 to 90 sweeping bends very very nice softly sprung suspension .. alittle too soft over all ..but makes this type of riding very pleasurable
the linked brakes ive used before [blackbird]not as powerful as the gs but a little more feel and feedback through the conventional forks
this set up works very well two up though strangly use the rear just before the front none emergency that is ...
the gs will stop very quickly and sooner and with abs ...but haveing had brake failure on mine [ sad but true ] i think maby the conventional direct route is for me
when the bends tighten it is still suprisingly agile but this is were the gs would pull away into a tight bend it is quicker sterring and out it the initial pull is superier a combination of long wheelbase 40kgs more and soft suspension would restrict it to 2nd place however if there was a long streight after you would make some back
but given what i was expecting you can hussle the big lump around a t avery respectable volcity
the soft suspension soaks the bumps so much better in touring mode as the gs front is very harsh indeed
stopped at the hartside cafe for lunch and set off for aliston and then middleton fast roads with some twistys in ..no hairpins i was cruising 70 to 90 and found the bike tracked well and was not unduly worried by the odd bump when leant over and overall tracked well just using 5th and occasionally 4th and riding the tourque of the sweet engine
its a liitle lumpy sounding lower down but the fuealling is spot on and has some really seriuse pull in the imprtant play areas
on to the a66 turn for hawas kirkby stephen fuel light comes on a t 184.5 miles and i have not been hanging about ave consumtion 41.7 mpg happy with that onward to devils bridge and a ice cream with hundreds and thousands very nice
can i live with this big ugly mother ? yes i can i actually quite like it ..i tour most of the time ie not riding like ive got a rocket up my ass .. so it fits that bill very well its going to be alittlle slower in the very tight stuff.. but never embaressed ... i was thinking its like riding a soft armchair with a firestorm engine in it .. its a lot more capable than ide hoped
on to the m6 for the last 35 miles ..cruise 85 visor up sun shining just twithcing the throttle now and again to get past and make space that engine is brill on this sort of road
on to the back roads to home its now 755 pm and dark ...strange thing but i can see where ime going the headlamps are really very strong on the gs they were at best marginal and when the brake servo kicked in the dimmed about 20 percent ...not good at all these are like ww2 searchlights in comparison
.... home 357 miles not one fly has touched my visor happy bunny and seven grand better off
ultamatly the gs is abetter all round machine.. given weedyish [higer up the range ]engine and reliability apart ..ahemm... my honest opinion......
but for a touring machine the vara has a lot going for it which will do me for now
result yes ...... subject to reliability ime waiting for the new one
if they can shave 30 kilos off retain the comfort and bolt on 15 or twenty bhp it will be some machine ...
could be along time though ..knowing honda
top tip dont take the wheels off and leave one propped up on a paint can
the gs never crushed it you can guess the rest ....
regards to all ,...steve