Voted most helpful review
Reviewed on December 14, 2023
I have heard of the weave but never experienced it with this bike. Up to 130 with no weave (with the windshield down), however what I have experienced in the last 6 months of ownership is this.
This is a heavy girl. As bike weight goes up the room for error goes down. Mixmatched tires, off tire...
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I have heard of the weave but never experienced it with this bike. Up to 130 with no weave (with the windshield down), however what I have experienced in the last 6 months of ownership is this.
This is a heavy girl. As bike weight goes up the room for error goes down. Mixmatched tires, off tire pressures and unbalanced laods can and will have a drastic effect on handling.
The rear shock adjustment has a lot of travel. Going up in that travel is no biggie (I recommned as stiff as you can stand it for best handling) but going down I recommend doing it 1 or 2 clicks as it will take a little time for the shock to settle down and you could find yourself riding more of a slinky if you get happy with the adjustments.
Front forks have little adjustment other than stiffer springs and oil. Stock are pretty stiff and dive is minimal even in heavy braking
Handling is good and its hard to scrape the pegs. More at home going 100 on the highway but going down the twisties this beast shines more than one might expect as even hitting good sized rocks in the turns moves it very little. The weight is noticeable but not tiring. After a day on the Blue Ridge, I know i've been riding all day ride but no next day soreness or stiffness that can accompnay some bigger bikes.
Motor is excellent and robust. Smooth as silk with little buzzing even at high rpms.Yes the motor whine can be drowning for some but most will be so impressed with the ride and handling it becomes one of its charms. Gas mileage is better than most bikes even with the extra 250lbs. Maintainence is fairly easy and doesnt need much compared to most. I regularly get 50 and have seen 60MPG under the right conditions. 7.5 gallon gas tank ensures you get there and since main tank is below the seat, center of gravity is low and managemble even at slow speeds though I wouldnt park on an incline with a curb without backing in.
Alternator has enough amperage to add any electrical features you could want without taxing it.
HP and torque ratings vary and doesnt have what some others do but way more than fast enough to send you to prison so there's that.
Comfort wise, most will probably opt for the aftermarket seat. I have had to raise the stock seat all the way to keep my nuts from getting crushed against the tank. I can go for about 2 hours on the highway before having to stretch but can spend hours on the twisties at Blue Ridge and it doesnt bother me probably cause Im not in one position for very long.
Shorter riders looking for a sport touring will love the low seat height as I am 5'6 and can handle this bike with ease.
Panniers are great and can handle full face helmets on both sides. (good luck getting that from anyone else), Easy to lock and unlock and doesnt rewuire different keys though so integrated into the bikes looks that without them its like a turtle thats lost its rear.
In conclusion:
This bike does everything so well for its size with forgiving handling it could almost be described as boring but hit the twisties and she can make your butt pucker more than once.
Because of its size and power there is less room for error compared to others, I would recommend getting to know this bike and the setup well before taking to its limits. Good matched tires are a must and pressures need to be checked more often. Do this, change the oil and tires as scheduled and you have a machine that will keep you satisfied whether riding to the store for groceries, touring the US or hitting the twisties at Deals Gap, this bike will be with you for a long and practically maintenance free time and with Honda reliability. You will be hard pressed to find one that can do it all better.
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