106c.i./1800cc not nuff.

[Rasputin]

All I can say for sure is that it is a darn sight harder to do a brake stand with an XS11 than any chain or belt drive bike. Improved traction or engine rotation ... I do not know, but my bikes will slide the front tire before breaking the back tire loose. Also I would like to mention that the rear shock setup will dramatically change the jacking motion, and that all of my bikes with stock shocks (now quite old) do not jack as bad as my memory of my 79SF when new!

[Diskman01]

Tire and traction derail.. Back to power chat..

I picked up a 2006 Honda VTX 1300 last summer (2014) on a whim and to allow as little "riding down time" as possible while I did some upper engine work on the '78 E.

The VTX with it's whopping 65ish horsepower just wasn't as quick as the '11. I noticed the lack of oomph with the 1300 as I live on a 65MPH county highway with some nice "S" curves. Roll on the throttle on the VTX and it was all "meh... ok.. lemme vibrate to 80mph...". I am used to the spirited get-up-and-go of my 35+ year old Jap steel bike.

Sold the VTX last fall for what I had into it. The XS is just a funner/crisper ride for me.

I did get fairly "owned" by some dingus on some Victory bike the other evening.. I blame my clutch as it slips just as I am settling into the mains. I still should have got him up till 4th tho.. sheesh..

[jimbyjimb]

To be fair, the big HD bikes do tip the scale 750lbs on the light side, 900 being pretty normal once loaded.

Still though, I've always found it sad that the only bike HD makes that can get an XS stock in a drag has to be supercharged. They make some cool bikes but for the coin I'll go BMW or KTM before I go HD. You get modern technology like ABS and traction control and modern power/reliability, not a holdover from 1961 going on brand alone.

HD has stepped their game up to the new century a little bit, but how can anyone spend 15k or more on a bike that can't run at minimum a 12 second quarter mile? I'm no speedster but I do expect not to get spanked by some kid in a Subaru. If I'm going to be that slow I'll putz about on my xt225 as its more fun anyway. And it was cheaper than an XS. And it can climb dirt hills. And it gets 70mpg.

HD just doesn't excite me. I'm not a middle aged investment banker with suede chaps I suppose.