Stantdm
Active Member
After having all the fluids changed and new plugs installed we got a decent enough weather day to take the bike out for a few hours. I had ridden this bike about fifty miles, all on pavement, before but this would be it's first gravel road run along with some paved road.
I am 5'10 with a 31" inseam and find the bike just a couple of inches too high to back it up with my feet while on the seat. I traded off a Kawasaki Vulcan and some $ to get this and while it is lighter by a fair bit than the Vulcan it feels heavier. Anyway it was a gusty crosswind day but the ST handled very well although sometimes we were moved over a bit. The bike is much quicker than I originally thought going from a cruising speed of 65 mph to "Wow" in a heartbeat. Torque is great and acceleration from stop signs can be quite a bit of fun. On pavement stability is good, controls and brakes work well but the rear brake location will take some getting used to coming off of a cruiser. It is closer to under your foot on the ST and on the cruiser it was a few inches forward with your foot on a running board. At highway speeds the windshield seemed okay but the wind gusts made it difficult to tell how it would be in calm weather.
When on the gravel the ST really was impressive. Rock solid in hard packed gravel and not prone to the rear wheel breaking loose with smooth throttle application. Takes the deeper gravel at roads edge or middle in curves just fine. Cornering ability is oddly similar to my dirt bikes but with more stability. This bike takes stutter bumps where trucks and cars have braked coming up to a stop sign or down a steep hill easily.
I think I was most impressed with how well this bike does on both pavement and gravel with no thought on your part. The cruiser I traded off wallowed in gravel and wasn't happy suspension wise with the bumps that you find on back roads. I live in an area where you can easily find fifty to hundred mile runs on gravel and dirt. Mostly through rolling ranch country. I don't trail ride a lot and there are better bikes for that than the ST but on back roads and two tracks it is very good.
I have ridden other adventure bikes but not extensively enough to make a mental comparison between any of them and the ST. A word on me...... I am in my 70's and have ridden street bikes since I was 14 and dirt bikes a few years less. I raced motocross as an amatuer when I was in my forties. When I looked for a new bike that would do it all I found this forum and read a bit and it is why I added the ST to my potential list.
I will ride this more when warm weather arrives and then decide what needs to be done about the seat height issue with either seat adjustment or linkage...... or both.
I am 5'10 with a 31" inseam and find the bike just a couple of inches too high to back it up with my feet while on the seat. I traded off a Kawasaki Vulcan and some $ to get this and while it is lighter by a fair bit than the Vulcan it feels heavier. Anyway it was a gusty crosswind day but the ST handled very well although sometimes we were moved over a bit. The bike is much quicker than I originally thought going from a cruising speed of 65 mph to "Wow" in a heartbeat. Torque is great and acceleration from stop signs can be quite a bit of fun. On pavement stability is good, controls and brakes work well but the rear brake location will take some getting used to coming off of a cruiser. It is closer to under your foot on the ST and on the cruiser it was a few inches forward with your foot on a running board. At highway speeds the windshield seemed okay but the wind gusts made it difficult to tell how it would be in calm weather.
When on the gravel the ST really was impressive. Rock solid in hard packed gravel and not prone to the rear wheel breaking loose with smooth throttle application. Takes the deeper gravel at roads edge or middle in curves just fine. Cornering ability is oddly similar to my dirt bikes but with more stability. This bike takes stutter bumps where trucks and cars have braked coming up to a stop sign or down a steep hill easily.
I think I was most impressed with how well this bike does on both pavement and gravel with no thought on your part. The cruiser I traded off wallowed in gravel and wasn't happy suspension wise with the bumps that you find on back roads. I live in an area where you can easily find fifty to hundred mile runs on gravel and dirt. Mostly through rolling ranch country. I don't trail ride a lot and there are better bikes for that than the ST but on back roads and two tracks it is very good.
I have ridden other adventure bikes but not extensively enough to make a mental comparison between any of them and the ST. A word on me...... I am in my 70's and have ridden street bikes since I was 14 and dirt bikes a few years less. I raced motocross as an amatuer when I was in my forties. When I looked for a new bike that would do it all I found this forum and read a bit and it is why I added the ST to my potential list.
I will ride this more when warm weather arrives and then decide what needs to be done about the seat height issue with either seat adjustment or linkage...... or both.