18-06-16, 02:30 PM
Quote:New bikes seem to be getting physically smaller whilst people are getting physically larger, so they aren't as practical and people of larger builds look silly on them
For a long while, although I wanted to try the Street Triple, I thought, no it's just physically too small, I'll be uncomfortable and look ridiculous on it. Then I sat on one in a showroom, and it actually felt ok. I'm not really that bothered I suppose whether I look silly big on it now. But it's only good for up to bout 150 miles at most before it starts to become uncomfortable - hard seat (easily solvable) and legs cramped (not so easily solvable). Thing is, if I'm going out on a bike these days, I'm usually out all day, so comfort is pretty important. With the Striple, it has almost instantly become a dilemma: the only times I really get out on it is on those few occasions when I just want to head for a local-ish cafe on a sunny Sunday. It does suit the roads around here better in that regard, as they're mostly tight and twisty and the Fazer gets to silly speeds a bit too easily for them really, although it'll happily cope if I just rein it in a bit.
But the other thing about when I bought the Triumph; because my Fazer has had the mods it has, the Striple wasn't so much a revelation in the handling stakes as it might otherwise have been. Yes, it changes line without much thought, being so much lighter, but the Fazer actually feels more confidence inspiring with it's extra weight, more planted, and tbh, it's aftermarket suspension is better quality than the standard fare on the Triumph anyway.