Gettin her tomorrow!!!

[SprintSeeker]

After a long time lurking, I am due to pick up my 06 Caspian Blue Sprint St tomorrow. I am freeeekin Geeked!!! My Old Man is going to come meet me at 6:30 a.m. and we are gonna make the 3 1/2 hour drive to Jackson Mississippi to Capitol Motor Sports to pick it up. (Wayne the owner was a pleasure to work with! 3rd Generation Triumph Dealer!)

I am looking at several different routes to come home to Lafayette, Louisiana. The first leg will have to be Jackson to Natchez on the Natchez trace. I have driven the road and couldn't help but think it would be motorcycle heaven (as far as the flat-ass south goes!)

From there my butt will tell me where we need to go. There are a few nice ways home including some nice bayou lined two lanes. Or you can just get on a large 4 lane highway and husltle back down to I-10 for the ride across the Atchafalaya Swamp (Beautiful on a foggy morning, crappy when there is a wreck somewhere on its 20ish mile length!)

Any advice for a guy who has been riding for about 10 years but who has been on a 1979 Harley Davidson Shovelhead for the last couple of years?

:???:

After all I have read about the bike, it seems to have a great wide tourque band so I wont have to hunt it too bad like on a small twin. I am used to a bike that pulls from in the cellar. What RPM do most of you launch at in normal stop and go.

What gears do you cruise in for example 70 MPH on higway for me is 4th gear (Of 4!) turning around 3400 RPM. What gear and speeds to you guys see?

I am just antsy about picking it up, but in a great way! I know all of these questions are stupid and will be answered by my wrist tomorrow.

***** one real question. I am bringing a set of Gen Mars and a throttle meister with me to install before I leave. The Gen Mars are gonna mean moving the brake line to the rear of the triple tree. Am I gonna have to take the hose off and bleed or can the lever and cable be passed through the fairing?

Any other advice would be welcomed. I know I will check here in the morning before departure and probably a dozen times while I can't sleep tonight. LOL

Gotta get some sleep!

Mike
1979 HD FXS
(Soon to be 2006 Sprint ST Caspian blue)

[MNSpintST]

I am having my dealership store it for me...

Its a showroom only demo....

So final setup and clean up will happen just before the thaw...

I am off to a diiferent state temporarilly for training for a good while and my hometown friends are tuning up their snowmobiles in anticipation of winter...

So far I have a new CF helmet, 6 pot calipers, sold my old vanson leathers, shoping for used HQ leathers in colors that go with the bike (sliver), ordered an autocom.. etc.... I'm working out the peripheral gear over the winter..





Congrats...

null

[86gn]

You can take the brake lever and master cylinder off of the bars and re route them, no need to open the system up and bleed it.

I use 6th gear all the time, this bike will pull from the cellar just don't lug it till its broken in a bit.

Have fun!!

[steventhechef]

So does that meanthat you'll change your log in to SprintFinder ?

Good luck, you'll love the bike whichever route you take. Heaps of torque and top end..

[DaveM]

SprintSeeker,
welcome aboard mate and I notice you deliberately bought the fastest colour too!
:wink:

Congratulations.

Well done and look forward to hearing how it all goes.

Cheers,
Davem

[ruscook]

Welcome SprintSeeker to as strange and eclectic bunch as you could want to meet. We're all harmless though, well most of us, ya got watch DaveM when he has a few kit: :hammer:

Seriously there's a sh*teload of experience in this group and everyones will to share (not that we're opinonated in any way :-D )

Russ :

see Rob, Dave got the new avatar going as well :chug:

[Whisperinsmith]

Welcome Sprintseeker,

The advice of others here is far more informed than what I'm about to offer. They are truly a knowledgable bunch that know how to ride this bike.

Having said that, I'm about to offer advice from someone who came from the cruising class to the Sprint. Don't get discouraged when after a few hours your find yourself wondering if you made the right choice. You'll find this riding style completely different than the bike you were riding.

There are many threads and posts as to riding positions for this style bike. Read them and take the advice you feel fits you. My advice is to try to bend forward more and take all the weight off your wrists. Try to "float" on this bike. Put weight on the balls of your feet and use your legs to keep your weight off more in the turns.

As stated, please don't get discouraged right away. It'll take a little while to really get the proper feel and I promise you, once that happens, you'll be grinning every minute you ride this bike. It gets better each ride!

Welcome again and enjoy your Triumph Sprint. It's truly a great bike.

PS Don't overdo it on breakin, but once that's done, it needs and loves to be rev'd up in the twisties. IMHO

[ This message was edited by: Whisperinsmith on 2006-10-06 07:17 ]

[BlackBeauty]

Hi - congrats on buying the fastest colour of Sprint!! You seem as excited as I was in June. I appreciate that you come from a HD but maybe hold off on changing the bars etc - the position will take getting used to - with or without bar risers.

As for launching, I never look at the revs. Eerrmm - probably feed the clutch out at anything over 1,750 rpm.

70 mph for me is always in 6th - unless I just selected second, having just caned it in 1st!! 70 mph in top will be 4,000 rpm - there is LOADS of roll-on power from 4,000 rpm.

The break-in advice i got from my trusted dealer was up to one third of the maximum throttle opening 100 - 300 miles, half max. after that until 600 miles. In other words, don't redline it and express a modicum of mechanical sympathy!! You can certainly cruise at freeway speeds right off the floor.

Take care, be safe - BB

[pushr0d]

TWO FINGERS ON THE BRAKES!

You grab the front like you're used to on the HD, you'll crush yer nutz!

I'd recommend you not install the risers. Ride the bike home, and see what you think. you can always put them on later. Likewise the Throttlemeister. I seldom use mine.

I had the GenMars on my Y2K (bought the bike used, and they were there), but when I bought my '03, I rode it without, and liked it better!

I'm 6 foot, with a 32" inseam.

Have a great ride, and welcome to the HD-Trumpet conversion club!

[airrider03]

*************************
Quote from WisperinSmith...
"My advice is to try to bend forward more and take all the weight off your wrists. Try to "float" on this bike"
*************************
I fly Cessnas. Long time ago when I was taking the flying lessons, my instructor pointed out that I should fly the plane with my fingers and not my forearms, kinda let the plane fly itself and just control the attitude.

I do the same thing with my Sprint, release the heavy grip on the bars and let the bike carry you thru the corners...Ohhhh, what a feeling it is!!!!!!! The Sprint tracks like a bullet train.

Also...before you leave the showroom floor, have the dealer dial in some preload on the forks and rear shock. They leave the factory in the lowest position so they fit in the crate.

Have a good flight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


[ This message was edited by: airrider03 on 2006-10-06 12:36 ]