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Thank you for the support Blues and Mogster. Hubby saw how thrilled I was when I got home. He immediately IM'd his friends to see if anyone has a bike for sale. Truth be told, I'm a bit achy today, but still got that grin on.

RocketGirl wrote:Thank you for the support Blues and Mogster. Hubby saw how thrilled I was when I got home. He immediately IM'd his friends to see if anyone has a bike for sale. Truth be told, I'm a bit achy today, but still got that grin on.

You're probably achy from being tense. Relax your shoulders, arms and wrists and "death grip" a bit.

Soon you won't be tense and achy.....

I feel tired today. Got a million things to do at work and am slowly picking away at them. But when I'm tired it's so difficult to be motivated! It's a good thing there is such a word as "accountability".

Feeling pretty good and confident. Test rode a Honda Shadow Spirit and Aero, both are 750cc. Also rode a Suzuki S40 (650cc). The Hondas are great cruiser bikes; they are a big leap from my Virago 250cc. I had more fun on the S40. Are the S40's quirky when it comes to downshifting? I had to really stomp on the shifter pedal. Hubby said the bike is super noisy, but that and the vibration didn't bother me at all.

Go for the Honda Shadow. You will be far happier in the long run. The Suzuki is not going make you happy if you want to do any highway riding. It will be at its limit and revving high all day. The Honda Shadow will be easier for a long ride and you will be more refreshed.
Even though the noise and vibration of the Suzuki may not bother you now...for a short test ride...the constant noise and vibration can be very draining on a long ride.

The Honda Will still be able to carry you and cargo easily should you decide to do a trip...the Suzuki will have a hard time keeping up.

However...if you are only ever going to ride short hops and not touring.....then the Suzuki will do. Yes, the Suzuki is smaller in size and stature....but not much....the Honda is about the same size as the V-Star you rode...after a week or two it will second nature.

blues2cruise wrote:Go for the Honda Shadow. You will be far happier in the long run. The Suzuki is not going make you happy if you want to do any highway riding. It will be at its limit and revving high all day. The Honda Shadow will be easier for a long ride and you will be more refreshed.

Good point. That brings up a follow-up question. How many highway miles or hours do most weekenders like to ride in a single day?

RocketGirl wrote:Are the S40's quirky when it comes to downshifting? I had to really stomp on the shifter pedal.

It's not just the S40, it's the "Suzuki transmission thing". They all do that. I think Suzuki took the transmission design from a 1930 John Deere tractor or something like that! On the plus side, I've been stomping on the shifter of my V-strom for 30K miles now and there's no evidence yet I've bent the shifter fork or linkages.

blues2cruise wrote:The Suzuki is not going make you happy if you want to do any highway riding. It will be at its limit and revving high all day.

Yeah, but y'all need to read my Savage/S40 story from last spring: viewtopic.php?f=37&t=41752

jstark47 wrote:

RocketGirl wrote:Are the S40's quirky when it comes to downshifting? I had to really stomp on the shifter pedal.

It's not just the S40, it's the "Suzuki transmission thing". They all do that. I think Suzuki took the transmission design from a 1930 John Deere tractor or something like that! On the plus side, I've been stomping on the shifter of my V-strom for 30K miles now and there's no evidence yet I've bent the shifter fork or linkages.

blues2cruise wrote:The Suzuki is not going make you happy if you want to do any highway riding. It will be at its limit and revving high all day.

Yeah, but y'all need to read my Savage/S40 story from last spring: viewtopic.php?f=37&t=41752

I read it...yes, it is true it can go quite fast...but would you really want to ride it at high speed all day long?
Like you said in your post...it's a thumper...

RocketGirl wrote:

blues2cruise wrote:Go for the Honda Shadow. You will be far happier in the long run. The Suzuki is not going make you happy if you want to do any highway riding. It will be at its limit and revving high all day. The Honda Shadow will be easier for a long ride and you will be more refreshed.

Good point. That brings up a follow-up question. How many highway miles or hours do most weekenders like to ride in a single day?

It depends...sometimes my friends and I have been known to ride for a few hundred miles one way for lunch....and then come home.

Or..if time is limited..just a hundred miles for coffee and then home.

Getting excited...............only a few more days then I will be putting my bike back on the road after it's "winter" holiday

Ironically we have had an incredibly mild winter (so far), & I could easily have ridden it most days, but had to make a decision end of Nov re road tax & the budget was tight.

So going to order a new battery as it was a bit dodgy last year & then tax it for 1st March & the only remaining issue will be can I fit into my leathers!