Paid for it yesterday. Insured it and registered it today. It's all mine now... After I brought it home last night, I realized I probably should have thought it through before I planned on having two bikes and a car in my garage. Moved some things around and they all fit, but my FZ6 is totally blocked in now...lol.
First ride on her today was great. About an hour. Some highway, some back roads. Mostly just getting a feel for her. The seat has got to go. I guess we'll see what Santa brings me this year...lol. I also definitely need some sort of wind screen. I may try the Dart flyscreen. I don't know how people ride without a screen and a full face helmet. I got hit more today by bugs in that one hour, right on the face shield, than I have in the last 3 months of riding my FZ. I will also need to get some highway pegs. Being 6'3", I'm going to need to stretch my legs out more.
Still very happy about my purchase, but will need to make some minor changes. Too bad riding season is coming to an end..... :frown2:
Don't even bother trying the Dart - I'm 5'7" and it hardly did anything to break up the wind. I ended up going with a Madstad screen that has worked well.
Quick release is nice but I find once I put on the screen I forget about style and enjoy the comfort. I bought my 2011 used (barely) and previous owner managed Rocket roadster screen with a different hardware kit and it looked sweet, i'm only 5'7" and still ended up putting a laminar lip on it to help with buffeting.
I can only caution. Windscreens are a funny beast. I had the "QD roadster screen" on my old Speedmaster. Yes it broke wind (lol) but created so much turbulence that it felt like someone was hitting my helmet with a brick. I wound up riding without most of the time. I sold the bike but heard later that possibly fairing lowers attched to the fork legs would have helped. I have no idea if that is true or not.
A small screen is usually enough to take wind off the chest. For some guys thats enough. Other guys want a nice, calm coccoon of air behind the shield. I just wanted a little relief and smooth airflow. Read the forums...there are usually plenty of windshield threads. Someone suggested a windscreen swap area where we can trade slabs-o-plexiglass among eachother since each one fits a different rider differently
Good luck with the ride brother. Grab some heated gear and sneer at the "riding season"
Yep, screens are like seats - gotta find what works for you. I had mid- (which was nice) & roadster screens, then cut down the roadster screen an inch, cut out for the double headlights, then after the dealer scratched up my modded screen, ordered the Storm roadster screen, which is better than my homemade one (for me).
A National Cycle Switchblade Deflector is a great screen for taking the wind off the chest with little chance of buffeting. It's adjustable and you can control the rake to some extent which seems to make all the difference.
Good for you man! Let me know if you need any accessories from Triumph. Make me offers for Triumph accessories. I can't discount Madstad though. There stuff is good! Let me know if you need any tech advise.
The national cycles deflector screen was the first screen that I tried. It mounts to the bars. I really liked it, it is small enough to look sporty and big enough to give some real help, and no buffeting. I bought a Spartan with the QR. I like it for long rides, But the Deflector was better over all. It has a big enough cut out at the bottom for the twin lights as well. I know this because it now sits on my wife's Harley with twin lights.
Thanks everyone. I've put a couple hundred miles on her over the last week or so and I'm really starting to enjoy the ride. It took a little getting used to the weight of the bike, especially in low speed turns, but I'm getting the hang of it. I ended up putting a Dart fly screen on and some saddlebags. The Dart is actually perfect for the riding I mostly do. I expect a little bit of wind, so I like how the dart moves it off of my chest. I'll probably get a bigger screen for any trips I do, but I think the Dart is perfect for me now. I also added Viking saddlebags with easy brackets. Installation was rather easy and they have a decent amount of room for every day riding. For a bigger trip, I'd probably have to add a tail pack or something. I have a Kriega US20 that I used to use on my FZ6. I'm wondering if that could be secured to the back of a sissy bar.
Very nice! So you like the Viking bags then? I've been thinking of ordering some. Thought they looked well made and I like that they lock, have the velcro closure and there are pockets inside for small stuff. Which ones did you go with?
As someone else here said - it's an easy bike to love hey ....
Have you tried riding with your heels hooked over the passenger pegs?
It might not be for everyone because of different leg lengths and so on but I am finding that if I ride like this..... I could ride forever! Nothing wrong with the ergos of the forward pegs for me, it's just a really really comfy alternative.
Yep, I hear you; what about the safety side of this riding position. Obviously, only when you're comfortable and confident to be this way, away from the rear brake but it does sit you up a little more and stretches the thigh muscles. Probably not a good idea if you wear flared trousers (?!) 'cause the belt is spinnin' away down there somewhere but I have had a good look and I'm happy nothing will get caught up. I love this bike.
The front dresser bars(crash bars) look really nice on the Storm and give you an obvious place for HWY pegs, Corbin seats are hard and never soften nut it workd for me. My Storm also came with a R3r screen and mounting brackets from who knows where? but it worked and I went cross country thru rain and it helps better than flyscreens. Enjoy, 25f here today, i'm pickin' and flickin'.
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