Windy on a Naked bike

[virgil]

Went for the first proper ride Saturday evening on the Speed Triple.

Perfect weather and after spending the first 15 mins filtering out of Southend (Saturday/Bank holiday Traffic was terrible) I managed to get a little speed up...blimey, it's windy on a naked bike. You really have to hold your self down, and your knees in rather than sit on and enjoy. Was a lot harder work than I'd imagined. Hit a small bump and the combination of the bump and the wind catching you body really makes you feel like it's trying to throw you off the back.

Managed to lock the back wheel (again) when changing down (must try harder), and had the embarresment of sitting in a petrol station for 10 mins working out why the thing would not re-start (kill switch), but apart from that good fun. Even if a little bug strewn when I got home.

[RemaL]

that much difference with a naked bike?

I ask as I like the triple and superduke, looking at getting 1 for the new reg next march

[shot2bits]

Cool you enjoyed your ride.

Wind blast for me would be a problem - I've ridden several naked bikes and not enjoyed the experience as there's nowhere to hide. The triple sounds an amazing bike - been reading the reviews but IMO it could do with a screen!

[Blue Burner]

I ride a naked bike ZRX1100 and always think the day is windy! Love it to bits fits like a glove. It does get tiring on a long run like the A34 on a windy day but a good excuse for lots of stops and chatter more often than not. Just back from another great run with plenty of bugs to show for it! The extra egdiness to the bike is well worth it....Enjoy.

[F.M]

When at high speed ..so that you do not tire quickly or get neck pump..you end up looking like an oik trying to ring 70 out of his ped...the trick is to lower the cruising speed of your ride instead of the keeping up the higher sports bike `pace`... hard work in the windblast. They tend to feel just as fast as the sporty stuff though cos you `feel` the speed, so to speak.

[Blue Burner]

F.M said:

you end up looking like an oik trying to ring 70 out of his ped...the trick is to lower the cruising speed of your ride instead of the keeping up the higher sports bike `pace`...

Tell me what does an oik look like you obviously have experience. Secondly I would like to see you keep up with a ZRX1100 with somebody riding who does not need to wear slippers, smoking jacket and wind protector...Just a thought.

[Biker's Nemesis]

Blue Burner said:

F.M said:

you end up looking like an oik trying to ring 70 out of his ped...the trick is to lower the cruising speed of your ride instead of the keeping up the higher sports bike `pace`...

Tell me what does an oik look like you obviously have experience. Secondly I would like to see you keep up with a ZRX1100 with somebody riding who does not need to wear slippers, smoking jacket and wind protector...Just a thought.

I don't think F.M was having a pop at you personally Blue Burner, the ZRX110 is a cool bike, but it's not what you could call a sports bike, anyway, it's nearly always the rider that makes the difference.

John

[gareth h]

I seem to remember you should only use the kill switch on an S3 in an emergency, something to do with the ECU, mine always takes longer to start after stopping the engine on the switch, I know it's sort of defeating the issue but I've fitted Gilles adjustable bars and rearsets to mine, it's a bit more cafe racer, but much more comfy at speed even though I've had to take the fly screen off.

[Blue Burner]

Biker's Nemesis said:

Blue Burner said:

F.M said:

you end up looking like an oik trying to ring 70 out of his ped...the trick is to lower the cruising speed of your ride instead of the keeping up the higher sports bike `pace`...

Tell me what does an oik look like you obviously have experience. Secondly I would like to see you keep up with a ZRX1100 with somebody riding who does not need to wear slippers, smoking jacket and wind protector...Just a thought.

I don't think F.M was having a pop at you personally Blue Burner, the ZRX110 is a cool bike, but it's not what you could call a sports bike, anyway, it's nearly always the rider that makes the difference.

John

Agreed

Ruth

[John Laverick]

Massive difference between naked and faired bikes in my experience.

I can comfortable cruise at up to about 130MPH when tucked in on my R6 … my mates Hornet is very hard work at anything above 100mph. Does help keep the licence clean though!

[aeropilot]

John Laverick said:

Does help keep the licence clean though!

Pretty much the reason a lot of people are changing to a naked bike.....fun biking isn't solely about travelling at an insane high speed.

[virgil]

Oh yes, very windy. 748 was a bit windy when you stuck your head above the (low) screen, but by christ, on the Speed triple you are geing yanked off all over the place, legs, body, not so much the head though...maybe the new Arai helmet??

We're talking (on a track of course) 80-90 is pretty comfortable. Only gets seriously windy when around 100 and 125 was the most I could reasonably muster without feeling like I was being battered to death or being blown off the back!

I'd therefore say, if you are a ton up merchant, get a faied bike, if a 70-80 'plodder' then naked should be fine.

[virgil]

shot2bits said:

Cool you enjoyed your ride.

Wind blast for me would be a problem - I've ridden several naked bikes and not enjoyed the experience as there's nowhere to hide. The triple sounds an amazing bike - been reading the reviews but IMO it could do with a screen!

Think you can get a small screen for it, but personally think it looks a bit pants...

[virgil]

gareth h said:

I seem to remember you should only use the kill switch on an S3 in an emergency, something to do with the ECU, mine always takes longer to start after stopping the engine on the switch, I know it's sort of defeating the issue but I've fitted Gilles adjustable bars and rearsets to mine, it's a bit more cafe racer, but much more comfy at speed even though I've had to take the fly screen off.

You are right, you shoudln't. Didn't actually 'use' it...must have knocked it as I got off to pay. As I hadn't deliberately switched it to off, was not in my mind to check it when the fecker would not re-start! How I can laugh now as the bruises from the wife's beating for being late home are now fading!

[virgil]

aeropilot said:

John Laverick said:

Does help keep the licence clean though!

Pretty much the reason a lot of people are changing to a naked bike.....fun biking isn't solely about travelling at an insane high speed.

Bugger. What's it about then?

[sjtscott]

Hmm one of these triples might work for me round town in London. Def don't need a fairing round town. Just needs to get off the line well, stop well and fit through gaps.
Question is can you do cash deals on them, also what options are available? I've had a look on the triumph website but wondered about reality.
virgil can I be cheeky and ask what you payed and if you picked any options what they were and their prices?

Edited by sjtscott on Wednesday 29th August 20:03

[The Griffalo]

John Laverick said:

Massive difference between naked and faired bikes in my experience.

I can comfortable cruise at up to about 130MPH when tucked in on my R6 … my mates Hornet is very hard work at anything above 100mph. Does help keep the licence clean though!

Anything over the ton on my Hornet and I start to think that my heads going to actually come off. I bought it to slow myself down a bit but it's bloody frustrating when the bike can go faster than my skeleton can endure

[FunkyNige]

The Griffalo said:

John Laverick said:

Massive difference between naked and faired bikes in my experience.

I can comfortable cruise at up to about 130MPH when tucked in on my R6 … my mates Hornet is very hard work at anything above 100mph. Does help keep the licence clean though!

Anything over the ton on my Hornet and I start to think that my heads going to actually come off. I bought it to slow myself down a bit but it's bloody frustrating when the bike can go faster than my skeleton can endure

It makes it all the more special when you do travel at speed though (plus I have a handy excuse for buying a bike that'll only do 120).

[aeropilot]

sjtscott said:

Hmm one of these triples might work for me round town in London. Def don't need a fairing round town. Just needs to get off the line well, stop well and fit through gaps.

I would expect one of the new Street Triple's would be even better than a Speed Trip if around London is the aim...........and at a smidge under 5 grand a lot cheaper as well.

[virgil]

sjtscott said:

Hmm one of these triples might work for me round town in London. Def don't need a fairing round town. Just needs to get off the line well, stop well and fit through gaps.
Question is can you do cash deals on them, also what options are available? I've had a look on the triumph website but wondered about reality.
virgil can I be cheeky and ask what you payed and if you picked any options what they were and their prices?

Edited by sjtscott on Wednesday 29th August 20:03

You can indeed. I actually paid list for mine as it was one of the limited edition matt black ones and there were very few left near me, so 7795 if I remember rightly. I got an alarm, optimate, first free service and dicount on a new lid thrown in. To be honest, I really wanted the Matt black and the dealer knew he had me over a barrel, so zero room for movement on price. Same for another dealer I tried too.

Go for a normal colour and you'll get a discount (basically what i was told).

So for what you need, it gets off the mark extremely well, stops very well, handles very well, BUT the bars are wider than a sports bike so filtering I guess is more tricky. I was filtering (actually walking the bike through a tight gap in stationary traffic) Tuesday night and did actually clip a wing mirror as I missjudged the width of the bars. (of course I appologied profusely and luckily the bloke really didn't seem to care, but I did feel complete and utter tit!).

So could be perfect for you if you don't mind the wider bars...