So, I made up my mind. They had a FZ6 there and I looked back and forth between the FZ6, Z750S and a couple of older concours. In the end I decided against the very useful Concours... I just don't want a big bike again. Even though they felt good when I sat on them and the center of gravity much be relatively low. I know... probably would have been a great commuter. They had a 2005 Concours, but with the dollars I got for the B-King, I didn't want to put more in. They had just got an older Concours - that was a really nice blue with 30K miles on it, but after I sat on it I made up my mind.
The Z750S was really great to sit on. I really liked it. But, the clutch was really loose. Not the arm itself, but the part that it mounts to - the dealer blamed this on its adjustable nature, but I passed on it. I know how the clutch should move and that wasn't it. Too bad, it was a bit cheaper than the FZ6.
So, I bought the FZ 6 - sitting in my garage.
A lot of differences between the FZ6 and the B-King. Lots good - a heck of a lot of good - and a couple of bad things. Just annoyances.
The dealer is way out in Andover. It was a trek. By the end of the process the girls were cranky, the boys were still having a ball - going from quad to quad. The didn't allow test rides. So, I was buying the bike a bit blind. They were closing up. But fortunately, they didn't play any games once I had made my mind up. I had some cash in hand. Titles were signed and I was out the door. I started the bike up with no problem and off I went.
Of course it was a long ride home and my wife took off with the kids as soon as we finished dinner at a nice restaurant a couple miles south of the place. So, there I was, all I needed to do was focus and ride 50 or so miles home. Just go West on Route 80 until I get to 287 South, and then 24 to 78 to GSP then home.
Weeeell... Except for one small fact. You see, I spend the vast majority of my time East of where Route 80 hits Route 287.
I get to realize my error a load of miles down Route 80 west when I get to see signs that say "Delaware Water Gap - 11 miles". Of course, I had didn't buy gas after leaving the dealer because I was going to ride straight home and it seemed like it had half a tank. Now there was only 1 bar left on the gauge (and who the hell knows how many miles that works out to? not me).
I get off on Exit 4(!) on Route 80 and get to be greeted by a sign saying "Welcome to NJ" (How the hell know where I came from, wait a second, no I was always in NJ).
Filled up a Shell, turned around - rode for at least 20 miles before I caught back up to where 206 intersects 80 and finally was on my way home. Freezing my "O Ring" off.
I ended up putting about 113 miles on the bike on my first day. All from sometime after 9PM and in the dark. Fortunately, the controls are almost identical to my B-Kings and the feel of the bike is so much like a slightly larger Ninja 250 that it really didn't bother me much.
The only pics of me and the B-King.
Anyway, things could have gone a lot worse - as I recently read an article about an experienced rider that died the day after he bought his new bike. Speaking of which, maybe I won't ride tomorrow. At least not until I've read through the manual.
RhadamYgg
Happy Bike Day!!