Re: New Bikes

["Kevin Kerr" <chromed@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I got a chance to view and sit on the new RT and ST at the local dealer. 
Like most everyone else, I was not sure of the styling looking at the pics 
and was reserving my judgement until I saw one in the flesh.

The RT's bodywork was indeed a bunch of panels slapped together. Looked like 
crystals had grown somehow. Did someone mention Superman's Fortress of 
Solitude? (Or was it Krypton self-destructing?) I can't see how it can be 
more aerodynamic than the 1100 or 1150. Would be interesting to know the 
coefficient of drag for each of these models. I thought that if you could 
order the bike with all fairing parts painted the same colour, it would make 
the bike more whole, not pieced together. Would the design prevent me from 
buying it? Probably not, but it sure wouldn't cause me to buy it. Now the 
extra ponies and all the other technical goodies, well, that's a different 
matter.

The model I sat on had the low seat option, and I could flat foot it. I have 
a 30" inseam. It felt like I was *in* the bike rather than *on* it. This 
could be largely be because the tank is higher than on the earlier RT's.

I thought the ST looked pretty good, with the exception of that headlight. 
Hideous in my opinion. Looked like some crystal on steroids.

Kevin Kerr
1998 R1100RT
Rolling Broccoli Rider
Ottawa, ON Canada
chromed@xxxxxxxxxxxx 

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End of oilheads-digest V2 #59
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