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| large | | Set |  |  | | Reg. Date | : | 22/08/2009 | | Posts | : | 168 | | Location | : | North Tazewell, virgina, United States |
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| | Posted : 05 Apr 2010 - 01:32 Post title : how amazing is this bike ? | | | I rode a 1100 vstar custom today it felt like a dirt bike had no power had to fight the steering to do any thing I am glad I bought a tbird for my first bike what did people do before the bird If I had bought a smaller bike for a starter bike it would sit in the yard with a forsale sign on it after the first day The thunderbird is so user freindly for a beginner I made the right choice for a change the first time I had so many people say go small first my msf course instructer sad go with what feels right to you no matter what size it is and I have to agree. 
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| Keets | | Set | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 24/02/2009 | | Posts | : | 453 | | Location | : | Australia |
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| | Posted : 05 Apr 2010 - 05:02 Post title : Re: how amazing is this bike ? (Re: large) | | | In Australia we are forced to either have a 250cc or on the east coast a low powered bike. Most folks sell these after 12 months when their "big" bike license is passed.
| Cruisin' on thru the junction i'm flyin' 'bout the speed of sound
Noticin' peculiar function i ain't no roller coaster show me down.
I turned away to see her woa! she caught my eye
But i was rollin' down movin' too fast;
...Doh!
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| BigJack | | Set | | | | Reg. Date | : | 06/03/2009 | | Posts | : | 246 | | Location | : | Mishawaka, In., United States |
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| | Posted : 05 Apr 2010 - 14:46 Post title : Re: how amazing is this bike ? (Re: Keets) | | | As A guy who has had over 30 bikes in 45 years of rideing I feel the same way you do about our Birds,they are amazing bikes 
| Big Jack, It's not what you ride,it's that you ride!!
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| ray548 | | Set | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 09/02/2010 | | Posts | : | 299 | | Location | : | sylmar, CA, United States |
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| | Posted : 05 Apr 2010 - 16:02 Post title : Re: how amazing is this bike ? (Re: BigJack) | | | I feel the same. I have only been riding for 3 years, my daughter got the VStar and we both rode it after the safety course. While fun it seems so much heavier. I shakes more, not a lot but noticeable. Then she got the New Bonnie, and loves it. I like to ride it, it is a blast. But then I think about the pull of the TB, no comparison. But not a fair one.
I kept the America, heck it is paid for. So I just ride it to work a few days a week, a good back up bike now.
Today it is raining in L.A., will have to wait until tomorrow, and by Thursday it is going to be 80. Life it tough.
| 2010 TB, 2007 America
2009 Black Bonnie
owned by daughter, but fun to borrow
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| Birdy68 | | Thor | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 16/07/2009 | | Posts | : | 3,352 | | Location | : | Bad Zurzach, Aargau, Switzerland |
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| | Posted : 05 Apr 2010 - 16:47 Post title : Re: how amazing is this bike ? (Re: ray548) | | | Well I have to say - after over FIVE HOURS in the seat and more than 350 km, I STILL wanted to keep riding!!!
I was my first long distance ride with the Bird - involving Highway, Major roads and smaller B roads - PLUS a moutain pass was included. I just was NOT tierd... Got to where I wanted to be and simply continued :-)
OK - the only discomfort I had was the simple fact that it was cold. And I MEAN BLOODY COLD! While riding over the pass there was snow on the road and it WAS SNOWING! I must have been mad?!?
Well - most of you know I am - so that's nothing new!
The Bird is my second bike - and I must add - the most EASIEST to ride!
I had the Speedmaster before and I still have an old (1995) Tiger 900 (which is also g-g-g-r-e-a-t fun).
Well here some pictures from todays ride:
And here - the Schallenberg Pass (1167 meters):
The magnetic 'GB' sign holds down my hand written route-planner I made in the morning. But it STILL scratches the paint... Oooh well.
 Mmmmm - maybe I should just pop-out with the Bird to get a liter of milk....
| Birdy68
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Leave the pork pies for now - get the sausage rolls while they're hot!
 -x-  -x- 
more info at Fuelly.com
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| mat1600 | | Thunderbird | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 06/03/2010 | | Posts | : | 8,596 | | Location | : | Bridlington, Democratic Independant State of Yorkshire, United Kingdom |
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| | Posted : 05 Apr 2010 - 19:23 Post title : Re: how amazing is this bike ? (Re: large) | | | I got the cruiser bug while on a 96 cu in. softail in Montana, I enjoyed it a lot and was realy comfy. 1500miles and fresh as a daisey. So on choosing a cruiser in this country I was tending to sway to a harley - how mad I would have been if I had got one and then tried a Bird. I made the right choice, it makes the HD seem like a pile of sh-t, I can not believe how much differant the bird is - plus all that extra power and better handling.
Like the GB sticker Birdy.
| My first natural instinct is to breathe. My second is to evade tax's.
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| Birdy68 | | Thor | | | | Reg. Date | : | 16/07/2009 | | Posts | : | 3,352 | | Location | : | Bad Zurzach, Aargau, Switzerland |
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| | Posted : 05 Apr 2010 - 19:28 Post title : Re: how amazing is this bike ? (Re: mat1600) | | |
Got it from Hallfords last Christmas.
It's usually on the fridge door in the kitchen - but I thought I'd use it today to hold my list of 'villages to aim for'
| Birdy68
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Leave the pork pies for now - get the sausage rolls while they're hot!
-x- -x-
more info at Fuelly.com
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| Thatch | | Thor | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 24/06/2009 | | Posts | : | 3,655 | | Location | : | Savannah, GA, United States |
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| | Posted : 06 Apr 2010 - 14:15 Post title : Re: how amazing is this bike ? (Re: large) | | | Having been given a Yamaha Warrior as a loaner the other day I too have a bit of a new found love for the bird. The fact of the matter is that after a while you get used to the bird and what it can do and (for me at least) it just becomes 'the bike'. It does what you expect it to, and while a lot of fun you can loose perspective. I got on the Warrior, a bike that on paper should measure up pretty well to the bird but it just didn't. It was light and the ground clearance was good but the fit and finish was awful, the fueling was horrible and it vibrated like it had the palsey. On top of that the damn engine was wider than the pegs were. It was a bit like riding a pregnant horse. I was all too happy to return the bike and get my own back.
Now, if I can just get them to give me the vrod as a loaner next time...
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| daz | | Zeus | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 12/05/2009 | | Posts | : | 7,715 | | Location | : | United States |
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| | Posted : 06 Apr 2010 - 15:46 Post title : Re: how amazing is this bike ? (Re: Thatch) | | | If you do, (vrod) it will undoubtedly feel extremely odd because the Vrod has a super skinny front from the rider's prospective. I sat on one when i had my speedmaster which isn't near as beefy as the Tbird and it felt like there was nothing up front like one of those cars with a foot long hood and you feel like you're sitting on the front bumper when driving one. Imagine what the big ol' front end and tank on the bird will make the Vrod feel like. My friend who ride a HD dyna sat on one and said the same thing.
| 2010 Blue/White Thunderbird, "Brutus". 1700 kit, short tors, gutted cat, UNI filter, filter seal off, custom tune. Brutus in his native habitat: Link
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| PES | | Chaac | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 03/01/2009 | | Posts | : | 927 | | Location | : | Tulsa, OK, United States |
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| | Posted : 06 Apr 2010 - 16:18 Post title : Re: how amazing is this bike ? (Re: daz) | | | I dislike the V-rod. Because of a promotion, I got to ride a brand new one at the local Harley dealer in exchange they gave me a free $150 gas card. I thought this should be fun since it is the most "modern high tech Harley". It had you sitting in a U configuration. Because the bars are short and the pegs are way out there. The bike was quick but one of the most uncomfortable bikes I have ever ridden. I was very happy to get back on my Bonneville America, I had at the time.
| "Four wheels move the body. Two wheels move the soul."-author unknown
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| DVR | | Chaac | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 12/10/2009 | | Posts | : | 651 | | Location | : | I'm Denis, from Belgium |
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| | Posted : 06 Apr 2010 - 20:40 Post title : Re: how amazing is this bike ? (Re: PES) | | |
PES wrote:
I dislike the V-rod. It had you sitting in a U configuration. Because the bars are short and the pegs are way out there. The bike was quick but one of the most uncomfortable bikes I have ever ridden. |
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I had a V-rod when they were just out, kept it for a few years but could not get used to the idiot riding position so sold it.
| 1700 limited edition phantom black
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| Truss | | Set | |  | | Reg. Date | : | 17/10/2009 | | Posts | : | 146 | | Location | : | Canada |
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| | Posted : 07 Apr 2010 - 21:30 Post title : Re: how amazing is this bike ? (Re: DVR) | | | Hey Thatch......just curious. How was the power of the Warrior compared to your bird? I believe they are supposed to have around 120hp and over 100 ft.lbs of torque if I'm not mistaken? I assume it would go like stink. Ugly as hell though IMHO.
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| Thatch | | Thor | | | | Reg. Date | : | 24/06/2009 | | Posts | : | 3,655 | | Location | : | Savannah, GA, United States |
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| | Posted : 07 Apr 2010 - 22:01 Post title : Re: how amazing is this bike ? (Re: Truss) | | | Actually the HP / Torque numbers are more in the 75 / 95 range respectively. Max torque doesn't come on until around 3800, max hp at 4500 and rev limiter at 5000, it's got a rather narrow power band. It did give it a bit more of a sporty feel, with the higher center of gravity and the revvier feel, but there I found there wasn't much room to play within that limit. Those are dyno numbers and not crank numbers so it is a bit better than the bird (stock) and it's got 100lbs less on it so that small band will throw it around. It's certainly a capable bike but with bit of performance boost comes a whole bucket full of fugly.
I just went for sexy and then made it faster. Now I've got the best of both worlds.
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