THX for the review
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Quick Test Ride Report SSS Sydney
So, I finally went for a test today.
A bit about me for perspective on where I'm coming from. I'm 54. Returned rider for the last 9 after about a 20 year layoff (big mistake!). 5'10"/75 kg/160 lbs. I primarily ride suburban, sometimes Royal National Park in southern Sydney (only during the week as I find weekends too busy for my liking) for maybe an hour or two. You can see my other rides in my signature. I've done lots of training courses since I returned and as a result I think my riding has become a lot more conservative. Of course risk assessment still allows for the odd blast where it seems safe and no risk to others. I'm only human! :wink2:
I took the red SSS demo, with Akro slip-ons, from Fraser's Concord for a two hour mixed ride today. Initially I thought that the riding position wasn't for me as I like quite an upright bike. However, once I got used to the bike and started to give it some throttle, use the DQS up and down, braking firmly for the corners I found the mild crouch to be quite perfect. I was impressed how the DQS gives you extra capacity approaching the corners allowing you to brake later and perhaps carry a bit more speed with less effort.
I can mostly confirm what others have observed. I don't think I have anything new to say compared to what I've read here on the forum.
Positives:
Looks awesome.
Sounds great, especially on the overrun. I don't know if the Akro slip-ons are better than the stock cans as I haven't ridden the stock can equipped bike yet. They sure look good though. Sound not offensive but if you give it some, it makes very nice sounds that I think the rider can enjoy without pissing everyone off around you.
Motor itself seems perfect for a streetbike. Once I got used to the twin characteristic of being rough off the bottom and kept the revs up a little bit (compared to my triple and four, both of which you can practically idle away with almost no throttle) I loved everything the motor was doing. A pussycat down low, but a pretty energetic mid-range. I didn't redline it as I didn't feel the need to.
Brakes seemed perfect for two-finger road-riding.
Ohlins very supple.
I felt the DQS worked great up and down, even at part throttle 1-2 or 2-1. Only hiccup I had was probably because my right wrist is not yet trained to forget the twitch on the upshift, as I usually shift clutchlessly on my other bikes. If you keep the throttle steady on the upshift it seems to work a treat. Not to invalidate others who had problems elsewhere in this forum, just my observation.
Clutch felt good. Gearing seems a bit high in first but I found first around a tight roundabout while slipping the clutch was very easy to do.
Looks awesome!
Not so good:
Heat from below the seat. I didn't really feel it in my ass, but my right thigh in particular felt it. Not a bike for waiting in traffic in summer! But, once underway, the heat didn't bother me at all and it wouldn't be a showstopper for me.
Meh:
Maybe I'm old (well, not maybe :wink2 but these digital dashes leave me cold. Maybe as an added extra for all the supplementary info, but for speed and revs I'd like big round dials, which I believe are much easier to read at a glance. But, hey, progress...
So, overall, I think this is an awesome roadbike. Very tuned to enjoyment at sane speeds, but also fun if you want to crank it up a bit. Now that I've ridden it I'm sold. I just need to figure out a few things about options, etc. The dealer didn't seem to have much info on things that I'm interested in, such as pillion grab handles, different seats, heated grips, panniers and their cost, etc. Salesman said they'd have that stuff in in a few weeks. I want to make a deal with all the stuff I want included.
At the end of the ride, I didn't want to get off! :grin2:
A bit about me for perspective on where I'm coming from. I'm 54. Returned rider for the last 9 after about a 20 year layoff (big mistake!). 5'10"/75 kg/160 lbs. I primarily ride suburban, sometimes Royal National Park in southern Sydney (only during the week as I find weekends too busy for my liking) for maybe an hour or two. You can see my other rides in my signature. I've done lots of training courses since I returned and as a result I think my riding has become a lot more conservative. Of course risk assessment still allows for the odd blast where it seems safe and no risk to others. I'm only human! :wink2:
I took the red SSS demo, with Akro slip-ons, from Fraser's Concord for a two hour mixed ride today. Initially I thought that the riding position wasn't for me as I like quite an upright bike. However, once I got used to the bike and started to give it some throttle, use the DQS up and down, braking firmly for the corners I found the mild crouch to be quite perfect. I was impressed how the DQS gives you extra capacity approaching the corners allowing you to brake later and perhaps carry a bit more speed with less effort.
I can mostly confirm what others have observed. I don't think I have anything new to say compared to what I've read here on the forum.
Positives:
Looks awesome.
Sounds great, especially on the overrun. I don't know if the Akro slip-ons are better than the stock cans as I haven't ridden the stock can equipped bike yet. They sure look good though. Sound not offensive but if you give it some, it makes very nice sounds that I think the rider can enjoy without pissing everyone off around you.
Motor itself seems perfect for a streetbike. Once I got used to the twin characteristic of being rough off the bottom and kept the revs up a little bit (compared to my triple and four, both of which you can practically idle away with almost no throttle) I loved everything the motor was doing. A pussycat down low, but a pretty energetic mid-range. I didn't redline it as I didn't feel the need to.
Brakes seemed perfect for two-finger road-riding.
Ohlins very supple.
I felt the DQS worked great up and down, even at part throttle 1-2 or 2-1. Only hiccup I had was probably because my right wrist is not yet trained to forget the twitch on the upshift, as I usually shift clutchlessly on my other bikes. If you keep the throttle steady on the upshift it seems to work a treat. Not to invalidate others who had problems elsewhere in this forum, just my observation.
Clutch felt good. Gearing seems a bit high in first but I found first around a tight roundabout while slipping the clutch was very easy to do.
Looks awesome!
Not so good:
Heat from below the seat. I didn't really feel it in my ass, but my right thigh in particular felt it. Not a bike for waiting in traffic in summer! But, once underway, the heat didn't bother me at all and it wouldn't be a showstopper for me.
Meh:
Maybe I'm old (well, not maybe :wink2
but these digital dashes leave me cold. Maybe as an added extra for all the supplementary info, but for speed and revs I'd like big round dials, which I believe are much easier to read at a glance. But, hey, progress...So, overall, I think this is an awesome roadbike. Very tuned to enjoyment at sane speeds, but also fun if you want to crank it up a bit. Now that I've ridden it I'm sold. I just need to figure out a few things about options, etc. The dealer didn't seem to have much info on things that I'm interested in, such as pillion grab handles, different seats, heated grips, panniers and their cost, etc. Salesman said they'd have that stuff in in a few weeks. I want to make a deal with all the stuff I want included.
At the end of the ride, I didn't want to get off! :grin2:
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