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Quickie, under 50 miles ridden so far review:
- Buying process was much easier than I expected. Sales manager was actually happy to see me drag out my laptop and Google Sheets, we compared numbers, and ultimately he moved to mostly meet my goals so I got the bike under MSRP with a decent chunk off a swath of accessories so they're all under the factory 2yr warranty as well. Everyone in the shop was great to deal with, parts mgr has a PA in full dirt mode that he's offroading constantly, I've got an open invite to go ride with him and others in the area. Not sure I'm ready for that on something 570lbs... Got talking about KTM 300XCWs with him. Other parts guy has an older KTM SA, a Royal Enfield Interceptor and a Road Glide, so more talking random bikes with him. Someone in service commutes in on a CBR500R and it's parked right out front. At no point was there any of the old HD 'other bikes are crap' snobbery, if it was two (or three) wheeled it was absolutely welcomed. Only pain points - too long of a wait for the parts mgr to see me to 'advise' me on my want list, ended up just going straight to the sales mgr to finish the deal. After that, sitting with the finance person I got the standard sales pitch of their various pre packaged service plans/etc, the closest it got to a classic car sales experience. No super hard push though.
- Bike is comfy, I do want a slightly different bend to the bars, either flatter or slightly more angle, not sure which but my wrists aren't used to them yet. I don't think risers are the answer either, as those block the view of the instrument panel so whatever I do it'll be an actual bar replacement if I go there. They initially had the clutch lever adjusted way angled up, not sure what's up with that. I wish the grips were tackier, like all the dirt grips I'm used to. The motor does put out some serious heat on the right side, but I was also riding in stop and go traffic in nearly 100F weather... We'll see if the SE exhaust helps vent that better. Motor is a ripper, though I'm used to Ducati's with a tall first gear letting you have a moment to breathe on a launch before having to shift, the PA has more dirty friendly gearing so first is done in a hurry. I also had to temper play time 'cause the bike only had 30mi on it, break in and all that. I also can't try out the nav setup, my phone is too old to run their app, lame. I'm looking forward to a weekend in the garage farkling it all up with the goodies collection I have coming, though I'll have to go back to have the dealer activate the quick shifter before that'll function. I absolutely love the hill hold function already, hard squeeze of the lever and it'll hold the brakes so you can take your hands off the bars at a stop even on a slope is super convenient, as is cruse control to give a moment to loosen up your right hand. The adaptive ride height isn't a world changer, but it does subtly make things nicer, save for trying to put the side stand down if you don't shut the bike off first (which raises it back up), you have to tip past upright to the right to have room to swing the stand out. Also, the position of the side and center stands mean you have to have the side stand out to get the center stand down, and once down you can't put the side stand up...?! Similarly, in one extreme of the windshield adjustment the hand guards hit the shield before the steering stops...
Mean time, going to get out a bit again today before it gets stupid hot to get more acquainted with it, learn it's gender and possibly it's name.
...desire to enter a Pan Am in RSD's Super Hooligans intensifies...