My Unexpurgated Amatuer Review of the 2020 GT

[Starmanut]

Something else I have noticed, and I would like the opinion of other 2020 riders, the clutch does not even start to engage until almost the end of the clutch handle travel. The manual and my dealership say this is not adjustable. I am getting used to it but my preference would be for the clutch to start engaging at the beginning of the handles travel instead of the end. Let me know what you think.

Not my area of expertise, but is the clutch on the new rockets a cable or hydro?
My last bike had a hydraulic clutch same as the brakes and it did not engage till almost all the way out. I loved the hydro clutch; never ever had to adjust it. Why don't all bikes have them????

 

[Dr.D]

I have a bit of an addendum to my original post. I am thinking that unless I am really wanting to play I am going to leave the GT in either the rain mode or the road mode. Any blip on the throttle in sport or rider mode and the forward thrust is immediate and almost violent. So at the end of a long ride or first thing out of the chute if one is not paying very close attention (yes I know constant vigilance should be paid) it could bite you. Just my plan of attack, a little extra insurance.

Something else I have noticed, and I would like the opinion of other 2020 riders, the clutch does not even start to engage until almost the end of the clutch handle travel. The manual and my dealership say this is not adjustable. I am getting used to it but my preference would be for the clutch to start engaging at the beginning of the handles travel instead of the end. Let me know what you think.

The clutch on wife's new Indian challenger is the same way and she is used to it but me not so much yet.

 

[Frosty Rider]

Not my area of expertise, but is the clutch on the new rockets a cable or hydro?
My last bike had a hydraulic clutch same as the brakes and it did not engage till almost all the way out. I loved the hydro clutch; never ever had to adjust it. Why don't all bikes have them????

hydraulic clutch on the new rocket

 

[xrays]

The clutch on wife's new Indian challenger is the same way and she is used to it but me not so much yet.

I've been riding the GT every day now for about 3 weeks straight. Never owned a bike w/hydraulic clutch until this one. Now that I'm getting used to it, I much prefer it to the cable clutch on my Indian Chief and my old Rocket. It is so much faster (and easier) to pull it is almost like speed shifting. Speaking of speed shifting, has anyone installed the shift-assist option on their bike? I'm curious what it is like/what does it buy you?

 

[IMFASTTOO]

Not my area of expertise, but is the clutch on the new rockets a cable or hydro?
My last bike had a hydraulic clutch same as the brakes and it did not engage till almost all the way out. I loved the hydro clutch; never ever had to adjust it. Why don't all bikes have them????

isnt the clutch lever adjustable ?

 

[Azisbest]

I've been riding the GT every day now for about 3 weeks straight. Never owned a bike w/hydraulic clutch until this one. Now that I'm getting used to it, I much prefer it to the cable clutch on my Indian Chief and my old Rocket. It is so much faster (and easier) to pull it is almost like speed shifting. Speaking of speed shifting, has anyone installed the shift-assist option on their bike? I'm curious what it is like/what does it buy you?

I bought the shift assist but it is on back order as of now.

 

[Dr.D]

I've been riding the GT every day now for about 3 weeks straight. Never owned a bike w/hydraulic clutch until this one. Now that I'm getting used to it, I much prefer it to the cable clutch on my Indian Chief and my old Rocket. It is so much faster (and easier) to pull it is almost like speed shifting. Speaking of speed shifting, has anyone installed the shift-assist option on their bike? I'm curious what it is like/what does it buy you?

I brought the TFC home yesterday but it was only 50 miles. I’d say one of the first thing that really HIT me was the clutch. I’ve had hydraulic clutches before but nothing like this one. This is the lightest smoothest thing I’ve ever seen on any motorcycle ever, like nearly liquid butter. The transmission is also better than any bike I’ve ever ridden. Oh and the quick shifter? Uuuuhhhh magic? Slicker-en- chit.

 

[Starmanut]

isnt the clutch lever adjustable ?

Not on the handle bars. Since I never had a problem I never really even looked to see if it was adjustable elsewhere. Just kept an eye on the reservoir.

 

[Dr.D]

We rode about 130 miles today and I like it more than I did yesterday. I can clutch and **** pretty quick but the quick shift feature is very cool. To pass a car with very little room you tap down then up twice, SOB you are gone around and on the brakes.

The handling in the corners is phenomenal. The bar pressure to countersteer is very light and once you initiate the turn you don’t need hardly any pressure to holly it there, unlike the RIII Roadster. The bike does handle like half its size.

Odd how the front tire is 5mm offset to the right. They really got this geometry correct. You might have bouts about this new model if your a big fan of the old one but I dare you to ride it and continue to be critical.

 

[Azisbest]

As an aside, I went to a large independent motorcycle dealership to look for an item in their parts department and before I left the entire staff of the dealership was outside looking at my GT. Bike salesmen, parts guys, mechanics, all of them were gawking and asking questions as fast as I could answer them about the new Rocket. It was a hoot.