Triumphrat

BanditBrad · 08-09-2008, 08:16 PM

Picked up my new blazing orange 08' S3 this afternoon and rode her the 200 miles home. Took it pretty easy staying between 3500 and 4000 rpm for the first hundred miles and below 5K the rest of the way....mostly.

From everything I had seen and read I was worried about hitting the front brakes and flipping over the handlebars or giving her too much throttle and doing a wheelie....but actually she is pretty docile if you just ride her like a normal person...

But when you do give her just a bit of gas (not so much as to do a wheelie) she will really start pulling. Great feeling!

My only real complaint is how can they make such a great bike but make such a butt hurter. Either that or I need to get a few calouses on my arse

Handlebars are a touch further away and a bit lower than my Bandit so when I first started to ride her I felt a bit like I was hanging over the front of the bike but that very quickly cleared up after about 5 minutes of riding her.

I'm really going to like this bike once I've got her broken in a bit more!

Darkhorse · 08-09-2008, 08:29 PM

yeah! one of my first impressions when riding home with mine was how torquey it was even around 3/4k rpms. I was also surprised at how ...exposed you are. Theres nothing in front of your entire upper body. It was a great feeling...and a great view.

I, too, was worried about it being too powerful, but its SOOO easy to ride. Power delivery is amazingly smooth, and in the lower rpms its perfectly tame.

i just passed 300miles so i can get up to 6k rpms. Im not really that strict about it tho. Gotta change my oil tho, pronto.

Shaunlee · 08-09-2008, 09:30 PM

Friggin sweet! Nothing like a new bike

: Don't worry about the seat you'll get used to it

88blkbird · 08-09-2008, 09:34 PM

I'm jealous of both of you! I'd love an S3 but it would get me in big trouble around here.. too many police and I would be on the throttle all the time.

BanditBrad · 08-09-2008, 09:58 PM

Just a couple of quick shots once I got home:

http://picasaweb.google.com/DBReardon/MySpeedTriple

wabill · 08-10-2008, 01:10 AM

Congrats on the new bike. Sounds like the rain gods went somewhere else for the day and you had a great ride. Nice Pics!

BanditBrad · 08-10-2008, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darkhorse

I was also surprised at how ...exposed you are. Theres nothing in front of your entire upper body.

That is probably why I felt like I was hanging over the front of the bike! My old Bandit had the bikini fairing which blocked my view right out in front.

Even at about 70 mph or highway speed I don't feel like I am getting really blown around on the S3. Feels very comfortable.

wabill · 08-10-2008, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BanditBrad

That is probably why I felt like I was hanging over the front of the bike! My old Bandit had the bikini fairing which blocked my view right out in front.

Even at about 70 mph or highway speed I don't feel like I am getting really blown around on the S3. Feels very comfortable.

That's good news to me about the lack of excess wind. I only did a test ride around town at lo speeds. I'd like to keep the bike really stock and not put on the mini-cowl on the front even. The rain seems to be moving off here now so I'll get a ride in today on the Harley.

Mini4x · 08-14-2008, 06:17 PM

I too went from a bandit to the S3..
Had a 1998 1200s (Dale Walker Stage 2 kit)

The bandit was loads of fun but the S3 is so much more nimble, I think the bandit was much better 2up, and for long rides, but I've been 4+ hours with nothing more than stopping for fuel, on my s3 (now with a corbin it's 1,000,000 times better than stock).

BanditBrad · 08-14-2008, 07:15 PM

I had a 96' 600 Bandit that I fitted with Dale's Holeshot silencer and advancer earlier this year. Loved the sound of the pipe. But I fell in love with the S3 so I sold the Bandit.

The Bandits of old were actually very good bikes. Relatively inexpensive and fun to ride.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mini4x

I too went from a bandit to the S3..
Had a 1998 1200s (Dale Walker Stage 2 kit)

The bandit was loads of fun but the S3 is so much more nimble, I think the bandit was much better 2up, and for long rides, but I've been 4+ hours with nothing more than stopping for fuel, on my s3 (now with a corbin it's 1,000,000 times better than stock).