Would it Be a Waste?

[ZrexRich]

Originally Posted by TrumpetRat

So I guess from what several folks have said, I'd better not test ride one if I don't want to buy one!

Eggzaktly!

[topgunz1]

I love my Street, it does everything from cruising and taking in the scenery to full out "make everything as blurry as possible" mode.

That said I'd like to get a bonnie one day for more relaxed, classy motoring.

You don't HAVE to ride the Street all out, it loves it when you do, but even at sedate paces it looks great and sounds phenomenal. I hope for your sake the demo bike doesn't have the Arrow system, cause you will buy it.

[Pete D]

I tested the Street Triple in 2007 (with Arrow cans), loved it, but didn't trust what it would do to my license/long term life survival and bought a Bonnie (which I also loved). In 2011 I sold my Bonnie and bought my STR.

They're very different, and on the STR I always feel like I ought to be riding faster whereas on the Bonnie it was much easier to ride faster than people expected. I loved the look of the Bonnie but the STR is more fun to ride. And truthfully you can ride the street triple lazily, the riding position is more comfortable than the Bonneville, you can still go everywhere/overtake in top (6th rather than 5th) gear if you wish and you have a fine view of the world around you.

Still, I missed my Bonneville so I bought a Thunderbird Sport which has the same ideal commuter characteristics (excellent mirrors, fuel economy, ease of use etc) but is larger (= comfier) and has a more interesting engine.

[MattSwain]

The only way to find out is to go for that test ride! You can ride gently on a Street, it's fairly comfortable and would be fine doing that. What the Street gives you is when you decide to crack open the throttle is a huge grin from ear-to-ear. Hardly matters what gear you're in, what revs you're doing, it goes and starts to howl around 8000 rpm - it's really addictive! The mid-range grunt makes it really easy to ride.
Mine's a 2010 Street, no fancy exhausts or anything and there isn't another bike in the world that I'd swap it for.

[one4ale]

Bonnies are really nice bikes. If you test ride a standard Streety, you very well may end up buyin' one.
You've been warned....

[TrumpetRat]

Thanks again for all the insights. Think I'll hold off on the test ride for awhile--just in case!

[Birch]

Originally Posted by petermholmes

Honestly? Yes, I think so.

You're a relaxed rider; you're enjoying the relaxed riding you're doing. Lots of us are there for the road, but many are there for the scenery. I'm a road guy, which is why I've got the Tbird Sport and the Street Triple R. If you're a scenery guy, why waste your money on something which has far more capability than you'll ever want to use? If you're all hot and bothered over the looks of the Street Triple then sure, go for it. Other than that? Meh. Stick with the Bonnie; they're nice bikes.

Just my US$0.02 on the topic.

Minor hijack- but I'm thinking of a TBS or a Street. Care to share a quick thought?


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[petermholmes]

Originally Posted by Birch

Minor hijack- but I'm thinking of a TBS or a Street. Care to share a quick thought?

If it's humanly possible for you to dig up the garage space and the money, get both. If you can shop carefully and quickly, about $11K will do the trick ($4K for a good low mileage TBS, $7K for a good low mileage R).

If I could only have one bike? It's a tossup at this point, but...and it's a big but...I don't yet have my Street Triple R suspension completely setup to my taste.

If you want more info, feel free to PM me.

[Pete D]

The STR is the better bike, but I suspect the TBS suits me better! (I have both, but I've only had the TBS for a couple of thousand soggy English miles) The STR is small, sporty and twitchy with an intoxicating induction roar, the TBS is a big, stable cruiser with enough grunt (and respectable handling) for a bit of fun. So it depends what you want.

[petermholmes]

I regularly chase down squids on sportbikes at the top of NY10 with the TBS. They've got me in the straights...I've got them in the corners. Best part is, while they're shifting their asses off trying to stay in just the right gear, I'm lolling along in 4th (or 3rd if I'm feeling impish), just rolling the throttle on and off. My favorite part about the TBS is that, once you pick a line, if it's got the clearance (which it virtually always has), it will deliver the corner to you on a silver platter. No muss, no fuss...it just does it.

The torque curve, the handling, and the riding position is what attracted me to both bikes. They're just big fat more comfortable and more powerful versions of my old '67 Bultaco Metralla.