I can echo a lot of the sentiments above. I had a ****** rocket that was going to kill me....much too tempting to dive into corners at silly speeds. My whole family is Harley boys, and I just.....couldn't. As someone above said, they're "having a laugh" at us...underpowered, basic, and psycho expensive. I wanted something to still be a thrill in the straights, but was big (and comfy) enough that I'd have to be a grown-up and slow down a bit for the corners. After I saw the gorgeous black and red striped Roadster at the local dealer (was 2017 model year at the time), I was hooked. The fit and finish just seemed excellent, the power was legendary, and it wasn't yet another Harley.
Riding observations if you haven't been able to test ride one yet. I'll start with gripes:
I'm the towering 5' 8" tall, so getting down to the ground is a little bit of a challenge. It's SO heavy, backing it up any decline at all is impossible, so you really have to plan your parking spots for an easy exit. That said, it's only a slight shift of the hip to one side and a conscious decision of which foot is going to go down flat footed, and I'm fine. I'd sure love to be flat footed on both feet, especially when my girl is on the back. Just feels more secure. Custom seat may be in the future.
Related to the height I'm bringing to the table here is the seating position vs. the reach to the bars. I'd LOVE the bars to be about another 2" up and at least 3" back. I've got the Rivco risers installed (which they don't make any more I believe, so that might be a little hard to source...), but I'm still a little bit leaned forward to get the bars happily in hand. I haven't searched this yet, but there are lots of mentions of T-Bars being offered here....I'm unsure if that means all new throttle and clutch cables to make them work though.
One more gripe is the windshield setup. Even the larger windshield you get from Triumph (think it was called the Summer screen?) isn't very high, especially considering my frame. I can't wear a shorty helmet without it blowing back on my head...the wind just catches it too aggressively.
Oil changes are pretty **** expensive. You need 6 litres of the good stuff every change, and up here in Canada, a bottle of Motul 7100 10w-40 is about $25 a litre, or $85ish for the 4 litre jug. It really adds up.
Last gripe? 5 speed. That is a total mystery to me. This thing is SO powerful, yet they didn't opt for a 6th speed. This one annoys me I'll admit...I don't like that I'm revving this big engine at 3000 rpm at 120-130km/h. And if you cruise at anything over about 125ish, it DRINKS gas. 120 and under? Surprisingly good. I'll get 220 miles, not km's (it's a US bike I flew down and bought) to a tank if I just cruise it at 115ish. But I did about 45min at 140 just trying to get home before a storm, and I was stunned at how fast the Distance To Empty gauge plummeted.
That's about it for gripes! The pros are a long list...
Despite not being a huge guy, what Tal said immediately above is right...it's intimidatingly huge at first, but literally as soon as you're rolling, it's surprisingly nimble. Even slow speed maneuvers aren't too tough if you know what you're doing...just ride the clutch, some rear brake, and look where you want to go, not down at the ground. U turns even fully loaded with gear and a girl are doable after a few practice ones solo.
It's legit terrifyingly powerful in first gear. I'm pretty confident it'd straight up kill my VFR800 for the first few gears. I still to this day haven't cracked the throttle wide open in 1st. It will happily walk basically any other cruiser you throw at it, barring the xDiavel. My buddy's on the absolute top of the line Harley CVO edition, and I was what felt like 30 car length's ahead by the time we hit 4th.
If you're a taller dude, I think it'd be wicked comfortable, and the mid-mount controls are a lot better for actual control of the bike if you're getting a little silly on it.
Ground clearance is ridiculous. I've gotten pretty far over in the curves, but I've never scraped pegs yet.
It's a conversation piece like no other. Every time I stop somewhere, people just stop and look at the bike, either just appreciating how it looks, or totally mystified about what it is, and how big that engine is.
The amount of torque this thing produces makes passing effortless, not even requiring a downshift, even with full luggage and a passenger. It's crazy. Just roll on the throttle and go.
Viking Bags and their quick release lockable kit was a simple add on, and solved the luggage issue. Easy off if you want to ride naked, and easy on for any trips to the store or to the mountains.
Last Pro vs Con? This forum. It's AMAZING. I just finished doing my cam cover gasket job myself, and I would have been lost without these guys. I'm mechanical, but not a mechanic, and was stuck at a few points. People here chimed in with tons of experience nearly immediately, and I successfully not only did that job, but did an early valve clearance check at the same time. Seriously, the best forum of helpful people I've ever encountered.
