Was hoping to also try new FJR, but by 9:30 they were all booked for the day! Yamaha booth seemed to be the busiest in general (though I never checked Harley.. maybe that was extra nuts).
Ninja 1000:
Wow.. I've never felt so immediately *at home* on any bike besides my own! I guess this is because it's definitely in the same category as my FZ1 and as such it feels incredibly similar. Gearing is about the same (very tall). Clutch has excellent, easy-to-modulate friction zone.. although it IS heavier than FZ1 clutch.. something that may become a bit of a pain in long stop-n-go traffic.
It seems to be a bit smoother at idle, but this could be due to my FZ1 being overdue for throttle sync. Fuel map seems to be smoother in general.. throttle tip in is smoother. Transmission is very smooth. Handling and weight feels very similar and comparable to FZ1. Seating position and reach are also very similar.
I may be imagining things, but FZ1 seems to pull a little harder from 3k rpm.. maybe that's due to Ninja's smoother power delivery.
I have to admit that it would be an incredibly tough choice between the two if I was in the market right now.. and both could be had for the same price.
The 2 Ninja items that stand out (something that cannot be had on FZ1): ABS brakes and 3-position adjustable wind screen.
Super Tenere:
This one is interesting. I've never ridden an adventure bike before, so I don't really have anything to directly compare to. It's very upright and comfortable. Suspension soaks everything up and almost feels couch-like (this is probably adjustable?)
Loads of low-end torque, but over all it feels rather slow after FZ1 (or Ninja 1000). There was one thing I rather disliked (and it could very well be an issue with the specific bike I demo'ed).. when blipping throttle from idle, there was a very noticeable lag.. almost like it was momentarily stalling. I tried both touring and sport modes.. it acted the same in both. I like to blip the throttle when I downshift and this lag made it hard to make the downshifts smooth (very likely something I would get used to after a few rides).
I would be happy to own this bike, but only as a 2nd in addition to FZ1/Ninja 1000
Can-Am Spyder:
You have to test-ride this thing... it's a laugh! Definitely feels a lot like a snowmobile. Possibly the scariest cornering of any vehicle I've ever ridden / driven, if you push it a bit :rof:
You feel the inside wheel start to lift off and your body wants to fly off to the outside (think hard cornering in a car with no seatbelt and no doors!)
I tested the one with semi-automatic transmission and it's kind of like playing a video game. It's cute.
It's anything, but fast.. FZ6 is quite a bit faster.
It is surprisingly maneuverable for such a large machine. Very smooth and makes really good noise (60 degree V-twin).
If I'm ever at a point where I can no longer operate a 2-wheeler, but can still drive, I'm getting a Spyder!
Ninja 1000:
Wow.. I've never felt so immediately *at home* on any bike besides my own! I guess this is because it's definitely in the same category as my FZ1 and as such it feels incredibly similar. Gearing is about the same (very tall). Clutch has excellent, easy-to-modulate friction zone.. although it IS heavier than FZ1 clutch.. something that may become a bit of a pain in long stop-n-go traffic.
It seems to be a bit smoother at idle, but this could be due to my FZ1 being overdue for throttle sync. Fuel map seems to be smoother in general.. throttle tip in is smoother. Transmission is very smooth. Handling and weight feels very similar and comparable to FZ1. Seating position and reach are also very similar.
I may be imagining things, but FZ1 seems to pull a little harder from 3k rpm.. maybe that's due to Ninja's smoother power delivery.
I have to admit that it would be an incredibly tough choice between the two if I was in the market right now.. and both could be had for the same price.
The 2 Ninja items that stand out (something that cannot be had on FZ1): ABS brakes and 3-position adjustable wind screen.
Super Tenere:
This one is interesting. I've never ridden an adventure bike before, so I don't really have anything to directly compare to. It's very upright and comfortable. Suspension soaks everything up and almost feels couch-like (this is probably adjustable?)
Loads of low-end torque, but over all it feels rather slow after FZ1 (or Ninja 1000). There was one thing I rather disliked (and it could very well be an issue with the specific bike I demo'ed).. when blipping throttle from idle, there was a very noticeable lag.. almost like it was momentarily stalling. I tried both touring and sport modes.. it acted the same in both. I like to blip the throttle when I downshift and this lag made it hard to make the downshifts smooth (very likely something I would get used to after a few rides).
I would be happy to own this bike, but only as a 2nd in addition to FZ1/Ninja 1000
Can-Am Spyder:
You have to test-ride this thing... it's a laugh! Definitely feels a lot like a snowmobile. Possibly the scariest cornering of any vehicle I've ever ridden / driven, if you push it a bit :rof:
You feel the inside wheel start to lift off and your body wants to fly off to the outside (think hard cornering in a car with no seatbelt and no doors!)
I tested the one with semi-automatic transmission and it's kind of like playing a video game. It's cute.
It's anything, but fast.. FZ6 is quite a bit faster.
It is surprisingly maneuverable for such a large machine. Very smooth and makes really good noise (60 degree V-twin).
If I'm ever at a point where I can no longer operate a 2-wheeler, but can still drive, I'm getting a Spyder!