- Fri Aug 23, 2019 12:42 pm
#85033
Still not run in yet - I’ll be working it gradually up to full revs / power in the next 500 miles. Just wanted to set out some early impressions of the bike.
I have heard a lot of criticism about engine noise, particularly tappets, now I am either hard of hearing or it is very quiet, all I can hear it a very light “tika / taca” which is no big deal.
On the comfort front I have heard a few complaints, I have found that the more I ride it, the better it seems to “fit” me, no issues with comfort at all. If I switch from the Himalayan to my Bullet, the Bullet feels very cramped.
Brakes - again I have no issues, seem to be perfectly adequate for the bike, again I have seen bad press about the brakes.
Handling is very good, I find that I can crank it over on roundabouts and it feels very re assuring.
Not impressed with the rev counter - it really needs to be the same size as the speedo I find it quite difficult to see exactly what the revs are sometimes. The “windshield” was ditched after about 50 miles - it literally gave me a headache from the wind buffeting, might well check out one of our hosts screens.
As I said at the start I still need to treat it fairly gently and work up to max revs / power etc in the next 500 miles, and it has certainly loosened up a fair bit since I first had it.
Not revving any harder than 4500 RPM so far and I find that in that rev range the engine is so unbelievably smooth, I like how it gives the occasional cheeky “pop” from the exhaust - usually on the overrun / changing gear.
Aside from the few grumbles I have I really have no big issues with this bike, and I am looking forward to getting it fully run in.
Let the good times roll - sorry that was a Kawasaki slogan
I have heard a lot of criticism about engine noise, particularly tappets, now I am either hard of hearing or it is very quiet, all I can hear it a very light “tika / taca” which is no big deal.
On the comfort front I have heard a few complaints, I have found that the more I ride it, the better it seems to “fit” me, no issues with comfort at all. If I switch from the Himalayan to my Bullet, the Bullet feels very cramped.
Brakes - again I have no issues, seem to be perfectly adequate for the bike, again I have seen bad press about the brakes.
Handling is very good, I find that I can crank it over on roundabouts and it feels very re assuring.
Not impressed with the rev counter - it really needs to be the same size as the speedo I find it quite difficult to see exactly what the revs are sometimes. The “windshield” was ditched after about 50 miles - it literally gave me a headache from the wind buffeting, might well check out one of our hosts screens.
As I said at the start I still need to treat it fairly gently and work up to max revs / power etc in the next 500 miles, and it has certainly loosened up a fair bit since I first had it.
Not revving any harder than 4500 RPM so far and I find that in that rev range the engine is so unbelievably smooth, I like how it gives the occasional cheeky “pop” from the exhaust - usually on the overrun / changing gear.
Aside from the few grumbles I have I really have no big issues with this bike, and I am looking forward to getting it fully run in.
Let the good times roll - sorry that was a Kawasaki slogan
Previous bikes - far too many !!