stuart (02/28/83)
From: Stuart.Friedberg
I am going to be in the market for a new midsize bike
this summer. I would like to hear from anyone who knows
anything about the bikes listed below. Either you've got
one, ridden one, have a friend who ... , etc.
First hand info is not necessary, but I am interested in
specific good/bad points, not styling comments. Maintenance,
handling, control layout, mirror visibility, reliability,
presence or absence of "numb butt", and so forth mean a lot
to me.
If you have a full review of these or any other bikes, please
post it to the net. I am sure that there are many who would
like to read it. If you just have a couple of comments that
aren't likely to be of public interest, mail me.
By the way, I would like to propose a topic of general discussion.
There are a lot of bikes with truly awesome 1/4 mile times and
high terminal speeds. (PROVOCATION FOLLOWS) I think that a lot
of such rockets are either overkill or unrideable. Give me a bike
with a maximum speed of 90mph BUT which can accelerate from 55 to
75 in a matter of 2 seconds. 1) Can such a powerplant/transmission
be built reasonably? 2) What do I (you) REALLY need in a street bike
that such a machine wouldn't give? ((Come on, even on the back roads
how often do you cruise at 80+, much less 120??))
Thanks in advance,
Stu Friedberg
{seismo, allegra}!rochester!stuart
Honda FT500 Ascot (I have heard of the '82 starter gear problems)
Honda VT500 Ascot
Yamaha '81 - '83 550 Seca (Any unsold '81's out there??)
Yamaha '83 550 Vision (I'm told they did a lot to the '83)
Suzuki '83 GS550E/ESmes (03/01/83)
#R:rocheste:-85100:harpo:7000010:000:3255
harpo!mes Mar 1 08:24:00 1983
I have a very simple philosophy regarding motorcycle performance: I
want/need just enough to get me out of the way if I have to. Actually,
I think every machine over 440 cc will probably suffice, even at my
250 lb weight! (I'm talking acceleration only here.)
Unfortunately, I guess, I fail to see the attractiveness in propelling
ones self from a standing start to a quarter mile in less than 10 seconds.
In fact, even if it were 20 seconds, I am pretty sure that I'd be hanging
on for dear life anyway, and not really have the time or courage to notice
just how fast I was going!
And, since I'm flaming away here, whyizzit that 95% of motorcycle pictures
in the magazines portray the machine losing its {left|right} peg, while
the rider looks like he will be a candidate for orthopedic knee surgery,
or at least third degree burn treatment?! Every photo shows the machine
planted over into the pavement! In fact, I broke out in hysterics when I saw in
one of the mags, in a review of the Aspencade, yep, you guessed it,
a bright shiny new silver am/fm/cb radio, air suspension, and power windows
Aspencade lying right down on it's side hell bent for destruction.
I'm sorry folks: I don't ride this way, my friends don't ride this way,
all of the people I meet on the road don't ride this way, in fact, the
only person that does ride this way that I've ever known did have that knee
operation for the obvious reason.
Don't get me wrong - decent road performance all around is nice - there is
a certain feeling that accompanies zipping along a winding country road
on a motorcycle that is only approached, in my experience, by flying, and
even that isn't the same thing. However, my pegs have never been scratched,
and I would hope that they never will, for if you are down that fast and low
you are probably going too fast for the area, and the risk of an unforseen
obstruction is so great that the risk is just not worth whatever it is about
doing that that turns so many people on...(long winded sentence, but ya get
the idea.)
So, I have to agree that most of the 11 second tire eating road melting
monster machines are severe technological overkill. I, for one, do not
care what my machine will do in the quarter mile, nor ever expect to find
out personally, and I suspect most riders are in this same catagory.
And for those that actually enjoy retinal seperation, let that be accomplished
on a sanctioned race course under controlled conditions, to maximize the
probability of survival of both the rider and the general public.
And, hey you motorcycle magazine guys, would you wake up to the fact that
most of your audience that would be in a position to purchase a $3000-$8000
motorcycle is not going to be the type of people interested in moving from
one end of the parking lot to the other in 11 seconds. Lets hear some more
details about other attributes the machine under review offers!
Well, I expect to be flamed to death for this, but, like primal scream therapy,
I feel much better now. Let me know if you think I am dead right or wrong -
I'd be interested in knowing if the attitudes prevailing locally are just that.
On my Kaw 750 twin for many, many more miles,
Michael Sajor, BTL/WH, harpo!meshsc (03/10/83)
I have a water-cooled CX500 that is close to perfect. Valves hardly ever need adjustment (but consider the new Honda models with self-adjsuting valves). It is NEVER wise to scrimp on oil changes, no matter what the bike or the oil! Harvey S. Cohen 1C314 American Bell, Lincroft, NJ 07748 (201)576-6059 hogpc!hsc