Lurker actually buys Panigale today!
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Caption: "Step aside fellows, there's a new sheriff in town!"
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Well, not so sure I'm a new Sheriff in town, I'm happy to be a half step above Barney Fife at this point!
I went out this afternoon and put 135 miles on it. I live in the SE suburbs of Houston and have a route that actually takes me a little south toward Galveston then west through a couple of small towns and then opens up into some fairly lightly traveled two-lane back roads. After about 50 miles I have several 90-100 mph 90 degree sweepers, then a road that has almost no traffic but about three miles of a variety of nice curves - then I turn around and go back the same way. I left the house at 2:00 and got home almost exactly three hours later at 5:00. That included two stops where I was off the bike for maybe three minutes, one quick gas stop, and about a 15 minute stop to make a phone call.
So what's the bottom line you ask? The bike is a blast out on the back roads. Keep in mind that when I test rode the bike I could not risk running the curves hard at all because there was fog that morning and still a lot of damp spots. Also, keep in mind that I have never owned a bike with this type of ergos. I've ridden a few, but not in a while and not very often. So I really have to adjust to the bike.
After the first couple of curves I was getting very comfortable on the bike and got into a nice rhythm. I did not rag on the bike hard, but I did run it gently (yeah, that sounds about right) through the gears several times - maybe up to 7000-8000 rpm. I hit just over 120 once, and hit 100 several times. By then I really didn't want to come home.
I wish I lived closer to the good roads, but that's my hell to deal with. And I've lived such a charmed life that I damn sure can't complain. I am more than willing on dealing with the slog to get out of town. Tomorrow I'm off and going to do my typical long ride (over 300 miles) on the Ninja 1000. Then Saturday I plan to do about a 200-250 mile ride on the Panigale to an area that has quite a few good roads. Looking forward to it.
I went out this afternoon and put 135 miles on it. I live in the SE suburbs of Houston and have a route that actually takes me a little south toward Galveston then west through a couple of small towns and then opens up into some fairly lightly traveled two-lane back roads. After about 50 miles I have several 90-100 mph 90 degree sweepers, then a road that has almost no traffic but about three miles of a variety of nice curves - then I turn around and go back the same way. I left the house at 2:00 and got home almost exactly three hours later at 5:00. That included two stops where I was off the bike for maybe three minutes, one quick gas stop, and about a 15 minute stop to make a phone call.
So what's the bottom line you ask? The bike is a blast out on the back roads. Keep in mind that when I test rode the bike I could not risk running the curves hard at all because there was fog that morning and still a lot of damp spots. Also, keep in mind that I have never owned a bike with this type of ergos. I've ridden a few, but not in a while and not very often. So I really have to adjust to the bike.
After the first couple of curves I was getting very comfortable on the bike and got into a nice rhythm. I did not rag on the bike hard, but I did run it gently (yeah, that sounds about right) through the gears several times - maybe up to 7000-8000 rpm. I hit just over 120 once, and hit 100 several times. By then I really didn't want to come home.
I wish I lived closer to the good roads, but that's my hell to deal with. And I've lived such a charmed life that I damn sure can't complain. I am more than willing on dealing with the slog to get out of town. Tomorrow I'm off and going to do my typical long ride (over 300 miles) on the Ninja 1000. Then Saturday I plan to do about a 200-250 mile ride on the Panigale to an area that has quite a few good roads. Looking forward to it.
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HEAT, forgot to mention the heat. Some of you recall that after my test ride I was very outspoken about how bad the heat is. My bike may be the first here that has the new shields.
Today the weather was almost identical to the day I test rode the bike. I rode about 20 miles before hitting a small town where I hit several traffic lights. After getting almost through town I noticed some heat. Not that bad, but I was starting to wonder if they had fixed it or not. So I started paying attention to the temp gauge on the bike. Ambient was 73 btw.
As I came out of town the coolant was around 200. As I got back on to the open road the temp drops to the mid 170s (and eventually even into the 160s). No more heat! I felt zero heat out on the open road. In fact, going back through the same town on the way home I only felt a very small amount of heat - less than the first time.
Bottom line is that I can pretty safely say they have fixed the problem very well.
Today the weather was almost identical to the day I test rode the bike. I rode about 20 miles before hitting a small town where I hit several traffic lights. After getting almost through town I noticed some heat. Not that bad, but I was starting to wonder if they had fixed it or not. So I started paying attention to the temp gauge on the bike. Ambient was 73 btw.
As I came out of town the coolant was around 200. As I got back on to the open road the temp drops to the mid 170s (and eventually even into the 160s). No more heat! I felt zero heat out on the open road. In fact, going back through the same town on the way home I only felt a very small amount of heat - less than the first time.
Bottom line is that I can pretty safely say they have fixed the problem very well.
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DUDE! What are you on? If your PANI is talking, I think you may have a problem. i have never heard my Pani talk. At least nothing I can understand
The bike made it home this morning....
Just look at the discrimination of the poor dark bikes...cast aside to the edges of the garage as the new supermodel enjoys the center of the victory lane checker board.
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Very appropriate. A few months ago a neighbor of mine commented on a picture that my bikes were all kind of drab looking (I had a dark blue Concours in the picture at the time). Fixed it!
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Jim, Congrats on the new bike and thanks for sharing your story and experiences here. Color me impressed!
Enjoy .....
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Happy birthday! The guy I'm riding with today (and yesterday... and every Saturday) is 63 and has an 1198S in his stable. Nice to know some of us older folks still have the desire for this type of machine. We are the same with cars btw. Last year I got out of my Corvettes (had a 09 Z06), but I do have a BMW 550 M-Sport and he has an S8 Audi on order.
zvez
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