Well, it took me 10 days, most of them playing around in the Black Hills of So. Dakota, but I did 4,709 miles going from my home in Oregon to Hills City, SD.
I went back for the Concours Owners Group national rally. (Tough I no longer own a Connie I'm still an active member of the club and I also edit and publish their club magazine.) Anyway.....
GREAT ride. The weather was reasonably mild on both legs of the trip.....except on the way home for getting caught in a ferocious electrical storm in the Ochoco Mountains of Central Oregon, just 200 miles from home. Let me tell you, motorcycles and lightning are NOT compatable. I knew this but I was out in the middle of nowhere and hiding under a tree didn't seem like a solution to my problem, so I just pressed on through the storm. Luckily I'm still here to write about it. :dribble: I'm not anxious to repeat the experience.
Some things I learned:
1. FJR is smooth as silk. A great road bike despite its light weight.
2. Mileage was a suprisingly high 45.7 mpg weighted average . High was 50.1 MPG and the low was 41.7
3. The much vaunted heat issue was a non-issue for me. No 3rd degree burns, no gas tank explosions, etc.
4. Top speed is still an unknown. Best measured (GPS) speed was 127 but I shut her down due to a lousy balance job on the tires. The bike had much, much more to give, to be sure.
5. POWER: Oh man, do I love that high end acceleration.
6. Avon Azaros, which I had mounted shortly before leaving, still look new. A tiny bit squared off in back but nothing to worry about.
7. Audiovox cruise control saved my bacon. If I didn't have it on my bike I think I'd go nuts. Just set it and forget it. Seems to me this is indispensible to enjoyable LD riding.
9. Stock windscreen is useless unless you're into non-stop hurricane winds.
9. I used to think the up and down windshiled was a cute but meaningless example of gimmickry. In fact, it is highly useful tool to regulate body temperature!!
10. Someone needs to fabricate and sell highway pegs that are far enough forward that I can give my knees a real rest. The ones currently available are totally inadequate.
11. The Corbin saddle, while very good looking, is a total LD bust. Needs to be softened. Might as well ride on a 2x8 board.
Pictures at my Webshots site if you're interested. https://community.webshots.com/user/flylooper/2
I went back for the Concours Owners Group national rally. (Tough I no longer own a Connie I'm still an active member of the club and I also edit and publish their club magazine.) Anyway.....
GREAT ride. The weather was reasonably mild on both legs of the trip.....except on the way home for getting caught in a ferocious electrical storm in the Ochoco Mountains of Central Oregon, just 200 miles from home. Let me tell you, motorcycles and lightning are NOT compatable. I knew this but I was out in the middle of nowhere and hiding under a tree didn't seem like a solution to my problem, so I just pressed on through the storm. Luckily I'm still here to write about it. :dribble: I'm not anxious to repeat the experience.
Some things I learned:
1. FJR is smooth as silk. A great road bike despite its light weight.
2. Mileage was a suprisingly high 45.7 mpg weighted average . High was 50.1 MPG and the low was 41.7
3. The much vaunted heat issue was a non-issue for me. No 3rd degree burns, no gas tank explosions, etc.
4. Top speed is still an unknown. Best measured (GPS) speed was 127 but I shut her down due to a lousy balance job on the tires. The bike had much, much more to give, to be sure.
5. POWER: Oh man, do I love that high end acceleration.
6. Avon Azaros, which I had mounted shortly before leaving, still look new. A tiny bit squared off in back but nothing to worry about.
7. Audiovox cruise control saved my bacon. If I didn't have it on my bike I think I'd go nuts. Just set it and forget it. Seems to me this is indispensible to enjoyable LD riding.
9. Stock windscreen is useless unless you're into non-stop hurricane winds.
9. I used to think the up and down windshiled was a cute but meaningless example of gimmickry. In fact, it is highly useful tool to regulate body temperature!!
10. Someone needs to fabricate and sell highway pegs that are far enough forward that I can give my knees a real rest. The ones currently available are totally inadequate.
11. The Corbin saddle, while very good looking, is a total LD bust. Needs to be softened. Might as well ride on a 2x8 board.
Pictures at my Webshots site if you're interested. https://community.webshots.com/user/flylooper/2
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