Gotanewtoyandboyisitfunandniceand...

[badsifu]

YEAH. I AM EXCITED. THAT IS WHY THE CAPS LOCK IS ON! I have been in a funk for about 10 months. Pretty much bikeless. No longer.

Saw an ad last night. Called on it this morning. Stood in line at the bank looking like a crack head - just standing, shaking, fidgetting, you'd think I was doing the jitterbug damn this line doesn't move fast enough! Took a drive down to the east bay. Sure enough, just like Tim writes in his ZX-11 article, you got a wad of cash in your pocket and you buy the bike without riding it. Hell, I don't ask to see what's under the dress before I take the lady home either. You just gotta assume it is all correct down there sometimes. Besides, it's the thrill of NOT knowing too.

Paid the man. The bike is no virgin. It has its dings and has seen better days. Still, you can see it. Rather, I can see it, with me on it. Got on the bike, and FRICKEN GREASED LIGHTING fast. I didn't merge onto 880. I launched. Funk gone. Smile return. BIG ear to ear grin. The kind that you'd get when you got a new big wheel for your birthday. That - OH YA, THIS IS GONNA BE A WHOLE LOT OF TROUBLE - kinda grin. It is a big boy bike. I have had the bikes that are "good in the twisties" and "great gas mileage" and not to mention the ever popular "who cares if you drop it cause it is already thrashed" bikes. This one is a "I didn't know I was doing a 170mph officer" and a "100?! How can that be?! I am only in second gear" and my favorite "It looks fast just sitting there," kinda bike.

Got the 94 ZX-11 Black/Green. Corbin seat and Vance Exhaust. It has some miles, but who wants the hassle of breaking in a new girl anyways. The Rolling Stones said it best - It's the Honkeytonk Women that give me the Honkeytonk Blues.

Pictures tomorrow after I wipe off my drool.

ps. Time to go riding again Jim. This one has tires that ain't bald!

[FD929]

Congrats!

[G8ESCAP]

Congrats! Now where are those Photos? Or are you now just to busy riding to bother?

[scrubbed flat]

sounds like love at first sight!congrats man

[BigD]

I can feel the excitement!
Congrats on the new machine... Now go get a radar detector!

[kluts]

Originally Posted by badsifu

YEAH. I AM EXCITED..... Funk gone. Smile return. BIG ear to ear grin. The kind that you'd get when you got a new big wheel for your birthday. .... ps. Time to go riding again Jim. This one has tires that ain't bald!

Do I see the writing of one excited guy?! U BET! Congratulations! Sounds like you got yourself a Dragon, not a Honkeytonk girl

Yessiree, time to go riding again!!! I can see an early morning attack on Hopland Grade and breakfast somewhere between Booneville and Mendocino.

[Fastfar]

Nice choice for a new toy Dan...no more Buell blues for you.

Now it's your turn to set up a group day ride and get us down your way...you can show off the bike and your fav roads at the same time

[badsifu]

I really liked the way the Buell worked its way around in the canyons where I live, but the reliability in my case was just not there. I may go back again in a few years, but I think for right now, I am pretty happy with just pure horse power.

I took off the kid gloves today and put it through the paces to see what it was limited to etc. I am suprised that it handled as well as it did. It is the heaviest bike I have owned. It isn't flickable like the Buell, but I felt really stable in the turns and the power coming out of the turn is insane. Putting the bike somewhere between 7-9 rpms when I am entering and exiting makes my butt sink into the seat. Way cool.

My only complaint is that it hits 100 way too fast and with very little fanfare. With the Buell, and my old ninja 600, reaching 100 was a bone shaking milestone that you would only just bump, and then instantly let off the throttle. With the 600, I thought the thing would shake to bits anytime I got close to 90. The 1100 is a lot different - my guess because of the weight. Suprisingly, you are just cruising along and look down and holy smokes, I am going way too fast. I guess when I get pulled over, I really can say that I had no clue I was going that fast. It just doesn't feel like it.

I would love to set up a group ride. However, I need to get up there before the snow starts. I kept telling myself with my last bike that I would go on a group ride in the Sierras, but I couldn't trust the Buell to get out that far. Maybe we can do a HWY 199 or 299 super loop. Meet in Redding and boogie over to humboldt and down. Take about 2 hours or so. HAHAH!

[FishWitch]

WEEEEEHAWWWW! Fun Congrats (and spend the money ya saved on the radar detector LOL)

[Fastfar]

Originally Posted by badsifu

...My only complaint is that it hits 100 way too fast and with very little fanfare...

Yes, hitting triple digit speeds before ya know it can get you a big increase in tickets and insurance rates. Happened to me once, and it was ugly for a few years until all the tickets wore off and the rates came down a bit...8 tickets in 3 years, all in the Napa Valley and all from CHP. Even though I clocked over 50,000 miles in those 3 years across about 7 states, all the tickets were close to home...