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I test rode 3 different motorcycles yesterday. I rode a Suzuki Boulevard 800cc, a 1500cc, and a 1000cc V-Strom.

I found the V-strom to very powerful and nimble however, I do not want to own one. The leg position would bother my knees for anything other than a short ride. At one point I scared myself. After coming around a corner, I accelerated the way I would with my V-Star. Oops! Habit to wind up the throttle to get any power on my 650.....
The V-strom handled well; it's just not for me.

The 1500 touring cruiser was nice. It has loads of power and would be perfect for long highway rides. Since I do spend a considerable amount of time in town, and only short highway rides for the most part........I loved the 800cc. It fit me so well. I liked the handlebars, the saddle, the handling, the extra power compared to my 650....I think it might be a good choice for me over the 1500.

Tomorrow I am going to test ride a couple of Yamahas.

I hope they have a used Triumph to try.....

This might be my next one.

http://www.totalmotorcycle.com/photos/2 ... dC50Tb.jpg

I have been ogling it for a year. I enjoyed riding it so much I can't stop thinking about it.

*In a tiny voice in your ear* do it! do it! do it! do it! I loved mine, the only thing I would have changed was carb to FI, that that one has FI!

blues2cruise wrote:This might be my next one.

http://www.totalmotorcycle.com/photos/2 ... dC50Tb.jpg

I have been ogling it for a year. I enjoyed riding it so much I can't stop thinking about it.

That's a great looking bike! And the color is so 1950s looking!

blues2cruise wrote:I found the V-strom to very powerful and nimble........At one point I scared myself. After coming around a corner, I accelerated the way I would with my V-Star. Oops! Habit to wind up the throttle to get any power on my 650.....

Yes. The V-Strom 1000 will handily throttle wheelie!

That motor's kind of a dog at low RPMs, but up above 5k it perks up nicely......

Wrider wrote:*In a tiny voice in your ear* do it! do it! do it! do it! I loved mine, the only thing I would have changed was carb to FI, that that one has FI!

I'm still thinking about it. I need to make sure I finish my test rides before I make the final decision.

HYPERR wrote:

blues2cruise wrote:This might be my next one.

http://www.totalmotorcycle.com/photos/2 ... dC50Tb.jpg

I have been ogling it for a year. I enjoyed riding it so much I can't stop thinking about it.

That's a great looking bike! And the color is so 1950s looking!

It's the colour that first drew my attention. If it had been any ordinary colour I would never have noticed it. And now that I've ridden it.....

jstark47 wrote:

blues2cruise wrote:I found the V-strom to very powerful and nimble........At one point I scared myself. After coming around a corner, I accelerated the way I would with my V-Star. Oops! Habit to wind up the throttle to get any power on my 650.....

Yes. The V-Strom 1000 will handily throttle wheelie!

That motor's kind of a dog at low RPMs, but up above 5k it perks up nicely......

One of the other riders there owns one and he told to keep the RPM's up over 3,000.

I rode something very similar in posture today......

http://www.totalmotorcycle.com/photos/2 ... R1300A.htm

Very nice machine. Bad for my knees though.

Today I rode the Raider. I love that bike. All it needs to fit me are the Road Star handlebars. I test rode the Raider at last year's motorcycle conference and loved it then, too.

Then after the Raider I rode the FJR 1300 Sport Tourer....like I mentioned to JS....the machine is terrific. The posture does not suit me.

Then I rode the Road Star. The fit is so comfy. Too bad it vibrates so much. It's a Yamaha version of a HD. (words out the dealers mouth) I did not like the vibration from the floor boards. I also did not like the roughness sitting at a stop. It really did feel like the HD's I rode at the conference last year. (Except for the Road King....it was great)

Then I rode the 1300cc Star Cruiser. Too bad it was 2009 version. The handlebars were not suitable for me. The reach was too far to be comfortable for anything other than a short ride. The bike has some changes for 2010. One of them being a redesigned handlebars and seat.

I'll have to find out who's doing demo rides next.....

i LOVE my suzuki volusia - precursor to the boulevard. Mine's blue too but more of a deeper ocean blue...