Mailman’s new bike!

[rsor]

Yes mine is a special edition, supposedly each dealership where I live only had one, but who knows if that was true or not, I have not seen another one on the road for quite some time.

Most important thing is how reliable that machine is.

You will not regret your purchase!

 

[Old RT3 Guy]

Nicely done sir, nicely done indeed !

 

[Scripto VU]

Oh, is this what we are doing now ? OK, works for me.

Congratulations for sure, your timing and judgement is really sound.

"Well Played"

 

[Mikey]

Well your polishing days are over
Just spit shine and ride
Congrats !!

 

[Mailman]

Thanks everyone! I appreciate the kind words. Just as a side note, when I was flip flopping on what I wanted to buy, I really thought for a while I was going to go for a retro standard, some bikes I gave serious consideration to were,
Honda CB1100, really nice , low miles examples still pop up frequently for sale in the Phoenix metro area, but again it’s the valve train that scares me from a maintenance perspective. 16 valves and they are shim and bucket type adjusters. They are beautiful bikes, but maybe that’s why you see so many low mileage bikes for sale? They priced the cost of a dealership service?


Kawasaki W800, this one I gave some serious consideration, I even bent @Raymond ear, pestering him with questions which he graciously answered ( thanks Raymond ) , that bike also has shim and bucket adjusters but Kawasaki has an absolute genius valve train that allows you to simply push the spring loaded rockers to the side and extract the shim with a magnet, brilliant! Anyways it is in my opinion a wonderful bike and it would’ve made an excellent standard.

The Royal Enfield Interceptor, everybody knows it, everybody loves it, there is nothing to dislike about this bike.


And lastly, I really went down a rabbit hole over this one. I have been smitten with Moto Guzzis my whole life, I love the whole Moto Guzzi story, they still build their bikes by hand in a 100 year old factory with wooden floors, their history, that motor. I love it all. I actually got very serious about buying a new 850 special, there were none available and I plunked down a deposit to special order one. When they told me they were way behind on fulfilling orders and it might be Christmas before I see it, I got my money back! Doing more research I also discovered that they are so choked by emissions equipment , trying to comply with strict European level 5 standards that they have serious fueling problems and the only way to fix it for most guys is to strip all the emissions system off the bikes!

 

[WideAWAKE]

Very nice!!! - the notion of never having to worry about getting there, or getting back is very enticing!

I’d imagine I’d feel like George Jetson flying around on something like that. Looks very relaxing.

 

[Jim]

I’d imagine I’d feel like George Jetson flying around on something like that.

 

[Old RT3 Guy]

Jane!,
Help Jane!
Stop this crazy thing !

Jane!

 

[Mailman]

I took it out again this morning. Yesterday was all city driving, just cruising around trying to get used to it. Today I pointed it North and headed toward the mountains and open two lane highways. Ran a steady hour of 50-60 mph. I was fighting some nasty winds this morning, the bike did fine. I passed a dead steer on the side of the road and the turkey vultures were having a feast. It looked like a post card for the old West.

 

[BowlingSS]

Those adjustable valves are fun to get to if they are the same as the older ones.

 

[BowlingSS]

Nice ride.

 

[BowlingSS]

Did you sell all your 650’s?

 

[halfmile]

Your new bike is beautiful as well as dependable. That being said when are we going to see your next scrambler, tracker, brat, desert sled, cafe racer, drag bike build??

 

[Mikey]

she's a cruiser, now next up a wind screen and some kind of rear rack for the bike bag
Being it's a new bike there should be a bunch of good aftermarket stuff

 

[cra-z1]

That didn't take long. Nice bike. My girlfriend owned the Vulcan 900 before her Victory. cant go wrong with either one.

 

[Mailman]

Those adjustable valves are fun to get to if they are the same as the older ones.

Yeah they’re a bit of a pain to access, the heads are tucked up under the gas tank. The tank has to come off and the air box and some emissions hoses have to be moved, but then…..there they are.

Did you sell all your 650’s?

Yup, the XS2 is living large on the California coast and my ‘77 will be headed to Minnesota in a few days. Both sold to forum members.

Your new bike is beautiful as well as dependable.

Thanks!

“That being said when are we going to see your next scrambler, tracker, brat, desert sled, cafe racer, drag bike build??

“

Ummm……

she's a cruiser, now next up a wind screen and some kind of rear rack for the bike bag
Being it's a new bike there should be a bunch of good aftermarket stuff

Yes and yes. I plan to add a windshield to run during the colder months and then, just what you said. A luggage rack and a bag. The fact that they’ve been making these for so long and have sold so many of these, means that there is a ton of aftermarket stuff for them.

 

[cra-z1]

What do you mean colder months. There is no such thing down there.

 

[Mailman]

What do you mean colder months. There is no such thing down there.

Well you know cold is a relative term for us desert dwellers.

 

[59Tebo]

Shweeet Bob!!! I hope you get a lot of smiles per gallon!

 

[Jan_P]

So the old bike never ending Wrenching is over and Bought a bike with perhaps shop service demands.
for warranty --- the hell with the oil leaks routine
And if not ..Wont need much wrenching the first 5 years
Aeehh all these tools and fine garage at home .I give it 2 months maybe 1 if the golf swing sucks.
And TV are only showing wars and famine..
Before triple g Gary starts getting Telephone calls about what is in the pipeline up for sale .