Thought I would start this thread in hopes of sparking conversation about new bikes, dealerships, great rides, etc. Focused on the motorcycle experience in Oklahoma, but can certainly include national or international news, rides, etc. I'll start by posting a link to a highly recommended ride. I have been on all parts of this now, but have yet to put it all together in a single ride. Just mapped it all out in Google Maps; planning on doing the whole thing very soon. The highlight is SH 80 around Ft. Gibson. LOTS of twisties; one of the best rides in Oklahoma IMO.

https://goo.gl/maps/VvDIr

By the way, ride starts/ends at Myriad Botanical Gardens only because it is centrally located. Obviously you can start/finish anywhere you would like.

I'd love to participate, but my wife has forbade my from owning a motorcycle.

If there is one motorcycle ride worth taking, it has to be from just north of Talihina, OK, in the direction of Arkansas, along that mountain ridgetop roadway. We (my wife and I) were in a "cage" (auto) but having been a biker (up in Colorado, back in the day) I still have to say that Talimena Skyline Drive should be at the top of any list of excellent motorcycling experiences. And I'll bet I'm not alone in that opinion. =)

And I rode a BMW R75/5 over Trail Ridge Road one time, so I know whereof I speak.
The Oklahoma/Arkansas connection is even better.
A detour in the direction of Broken Bow or up to Poteau ain't too shabby neither. =)

Here's another one: Jane, Arkansas to Eureka Springs. There are signs that say 20mph at the curves. They are not overcautious signs. Even on a motorcycle.

Here's another one: Jane, Arkansas to Eureka Springs. There are signs that say 20mph at the curves. They are not overcautious signs. Even on a motorcycle.

OMG we just took that road in a car and it was definitely a thrill! Can't imagine doing it on a motorcycle.

No doubt on Talimena. I've taken it on a scooter (passing cruisers in curves like nobody's business) and multiple times in the car. Haven't take it yet on the Bonneville but plan to in the next few weeks.

Took the road to Eureka Springs a couple of times in a car, plan to do that one on a bike also.

No doubt on Talimena. I've taken it on a scooter (passing cruisers in curves like nobody's business) and multiple times in the car. Haven't take it yet on the Bonneville but plan to in the next few weeks.

Took the road to Eureka Springs a couple of times in a car, plan to do that one on a bike also.

At the wheel of a "cage" (rental car) I learned a lesson in patience yielding the right of way to all manner of transport, including tandem bicycles. =) It (the patience part) provided photo ops for my sweet wife with her cell phone. No horns were honked. No horns whatsoever. It is truly wonderful experience. Even in a car. On a motorcycle . . . ? Nearly paradise. Hopefully the slackers remodeling that Queen Anne Lodge will be done next year. =)

This looks like a good ride. My last ride was 2 years ago. I've been taking short
trips around the city. Started riding as much of Grand Boulevard as I can.

Railroad Bridge Road | Oklahoma Motorcycle Roads and Rides | MotorcycleRoads.com (http://www.motorcycleroads.com/75/1032/Oklahoma/Railroad-Bridge-Road.html)

This afternoon I stopped by the BMW dealership to check out the (newly-introduced) R Nine T, and during the visit learned that in December they would be getting Ducati and almost certainly be getting Triumph at the same time. Great news as there has been a hole in the European marques in OKC since Performance lost Triumph and the previous BMW/Ducati dealer left under a dark cloud.

Here is the R Nine T:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kW2M4pZe4bE/Ul6XJgLf6eI/AAAAAAAAM_g/3ub4DuR0rhM/s1600/BMW+R+nineT+(2014)+Front+Side.jpg

This looks like a good ride. My last ride was 2 years ago. I've been taking short
trips around the city. Started riding as much of Grand Boulevard as I can.

Railroad Bridge Road | Oklahoma Motorcycle Roads and Rides | MotorcycleRoads.com (http://www.motorcycleroads.com/75/1032/Oklahoma/Railroad-Bridge-Road.html)

Hah! I took that exact ride maybe two months ago (a few days after they reopened the Nance Bridge between Purcell and Lexington), but did it without knowing it was "a ride." I didn't make the cutoff at Byars though, and continued on to 177. Sounds like i might have missed the best part; I'll have to go back.

Great idea about re-tracing Grand.

I'd love to participate, but my wife has forbade my from owning a motorcycle.
My wife bought our first one (as a married couple, started riding when I was 9 y.o.) when I was out working in Northern California for a week. The Jeep Liberty rental car was brutal on those roads, good for the site visits. By the time that I got back to Austin on Friday the deal on my 2000 Triumph Sprint ST was done and we went and picked it up that Saturday. A month after we bought it we did a meet in Eureka Springs, great riding up there. Rode or hauled it up to OKC a few times.

I haven't ridden much the past couple of years even after buying a new bike in May of 2012 (1,500 miles) and then dealing with medical issues. We did take it out to Evergreen for lunch on Labor Day weekend (about 120 mile round trip), my first ride with my wife on the back after my hospital stay most of the month of January. The new bike is bigger and heavier which I have had to build my strength up to handle it and even thought about selling it a few times.

Here's the old Sprint at Table Rock Lake in 2004
https://scontent-b-dfw.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfa1/v/t1.0-9/1929410_1035776625716_3100278_n.jpg?oh=3bcacdedbd3 db7d4d09ac2d32e4e4429&oe=54BD19CB

Here's my new one, a 2012 Kawasaki Concours 14
https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/561128_3405178699287_132198606_n.jpg?oh=f6ab23fbbf 09c34801c17eaa0697d879&oe=54BEFA05&__gda__=1421837132_7cf7014164f8cbd9e8e281e5b788390 2

OK . . . Local . . .
I-35 to 63rd. E on 63rd to the Spencer Jones Rd. intersection. NE on Spencer Jones Rd. . . . through Jones (at the speed limit) to The Hogback Rd to Luther . . . Hogback Rd to Luther Jct. of Olde 66. Left on 66 to Edmond

This afternoon I stopped by the BMW dealership to check out the
(newly-introduced) R Nine T, and during the visit learned that in December
they would be getting Ducati and almost certainly be getting Triumph at the
same time. Great news as there has been a hole in the European marques
in OKC since Performance lost Triumph and the previous BMW/Ducati
dealer left under a dark cloud.

Here is the R Nine T:
I have a cousin who rode from DC to Mexico City AND BACK on a Duc.
That's @ 5,000 miles. I don't know the size but he'd break it down and put
it in the back of his El Camino. Uncle rode a big Honda. This was around
1975. Later Cuz made his Duc into a track racer. Did the speedway circuit.
You know the type. You're riding at 100+ mph with your leg on the tarmac
and there's another guy right behind you doing 101+ mph with his front
wheel 1 inch from the back of your helmet while thinking "gee, this is fun"

OK . . . Local . . .
I-35 to 63rd. E on 63rd to the Spencer Jones Rd. intersection. NE on Spencer Jones Rd. . . . through Jones (at the speed limit) to The Hogback Rd to Luther . . . Hogback Rd to Luther Jct. of Olde 66. Left on 66 to Edmond
Did some of that last night, Spencer-Jones, 63rd, Hogback...

I ride out 66 past Luther at least a couple times a month. I love 66.

I ride a 2007 Suzuki Boulevard C50 T. It's a great ride! Great road feel and
it almost drives itself. I've never been tired after a long ride and my passenger
has never complained.

I've tried to post a photo but I don't know how. It's pearl and white. I call
it the Gray Ghost.

OK . . . Local . . .
I-35 to 63rd. E on 63rd to the Spencer Jones Rd. intersection. NE on Spencer Jones Rd. . . . through Jones (at the speed limit) to The Hogback Rd to Luther . . . Hogback Rd to Luther Jct. of Olde 66. Left on 66 to Edmond

I've made that run numerous times. Very little traffic and nice leisurely speeds. Then either left on 66 back to Edmond, or right to Chandler and back.

Did some of that last night, Spencer-Jones, 63rd, Hogback...

I ride out 66 past Luther at least a couple times a month. I love 66.

When you get to Luther have you ever been tempted to make a right and crank it all the way up all the way to Wellston leaving the Luther Speed Trap Enforcers way back in the background? =) Me neither.

On the other hand . . . on an old '65 Harley . . . I did make it from Spencer, proper (the only bar in town) to Jones and back in a record 20 minutes. =) This was before ATMs and I was out of cash.

My current ride is an '06 VTX1800NR, though I've had my eye on the Honda F6b for a while now.
One day ride me and the Mrs like taking is north on old 77 through Guthrie to Mulhall for Lunch at Lucille's, then on north to hwy 51 east to Stillwater, then south on 177 to either 105 then back west or on south to 66 at Welston then west.

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My current ride is an '06 VTX1800NR, though I've had my eye on the Honda F6b for a while now.
One day ride me and the Mrs like taking is north on old 77 through Guthrie to Mulhall for Lunch at Lucille's, then on north to hwy 51 and then east to Stillwater, then south on 177 to either 105 then back west or on south to 66 at Welston then west.

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That little stretch of road up around Skeleton Creek's confluence with the other creek that flows on down to the other, larger river (Canadian? Cimmeron?) --where the curves and the bluffs adorn the pavement--never gets old. =)

Taken yesterday:

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2943/15315048176_e12ebdbb2c_c.jpg

That little stretch of road up around Skeleton Creek's confluence with the other creek that flows on down to the other, larger river (Canadian? Cimmeron?) --where the curves and the bluffs adorn the pavement--never gets old. =)

Yes! ... That's the prettiest area on that whole strip of road. The wife likes to stop there and stretch the legs a little. ... Just north of the old ghost town of Laurie.

I'd love to participate, but my wife has forbade my from owning a motorcycle.
I have an ex-wife that forbade me to have a motorcycle. That's not the main reason she's an ex but it didn't help any.

Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, stop in at Meers Store, ride up Mt Scott. Easy to make most of a day of it. I take 277 instead of I-44 to make it more relaxed.

Here's my bike. Old pic though, need to take some new one's. She now has the windshield on all the time, a trunk bag, Vance & Hines Long Shot pipes that go almost all the way to the back of the saddle bag and a 40s style front fender lamp.

http://i744.photobucket.com/albums/xx84/SoonerSoftail/MC%20Pics/HeritageSide.jpg (http://s744.photobucket.com/user/SoonerSoftail/media/MC%20Pics/HeritageSide.jpg.html)

Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, stop in at Meers Store, ride up Mt Scott. Easy to make most of a day of it. I take 277 instead of I-44 to make it more relaxed...

That's a great ride; I've taken it a couple of times now. Don't forget Medicine Lodge, especially on weekends. You can also work in a nice, curving ride through the miles of windmill farm around Hinton/Binger/Anadarko (281).

That is a great ride. Done it a few times, though it’s probably been four or five years since the last time. Taking different two lane routes there and back each time. The last time, I hit the road around 6:00 am in Arcadia, headed down to the south side to meet up with my brother, then over to 152 to Union City to meet the rest of our group. Then dropped down 81 to Minco and 152 west to 281, south through Gracemont to Anadarko and Apache, then 19 west to 58, and south to the Medicine Park/ Mt Scott area.
Going back we too 115 north out of Meers, all the way back up to Hwy 9, then east to Carnegie, then north on 58 back to 152 then east through Binger to 81, north to 66 then east. Getting back home around 6:30 in the evening.
I did that ride on my old burgundy VTX1300C, which I have to say was probably a better all around bike than my 1800. It was easier to maneuver and liked slower speeds better. The 1800 is a better bike for me and the wife together and has lots of power, but doesn’t really like speeds below 40 mph, such as when tooling around town. It’s happiest at speeds above 65mph.

My brother snapped the top pic from his bike. That me with the red helmet.

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This is my Suzuki C-50T.


http://www.jpeg-optimizer.com/uploaded_images_final/Grey%20Ghost%20%28Boulevard%29%20at%20Overholser%2 02012%201__1413950183_68.228.161.79.jpg

Put on about 145 miles today. Met up with a friend of mine at Louie's by lake Hefner, and took NW Hwy out to Okarche, and 81 north to Hennesey, 51 east to 77, then south through Mulhall, & Guthrie to Edmond and back to Louie's. A lot of straight roads, but still nice to get out for a while.

Put on about 145 miles today. Met up with a friend of mine at Louie's by lake Hefner,
and took NW Hwy out to Okarche, and 81 north to Hennesey, 51 east to 77, then
south through Mulhall, & Guthrie to Edmond and back to Louie's. A lot of straight
roads, but still nice to get out for a while.
That's very close to the Poker Run I made in 2012. 150+ miles that day. There's
a really cool dive on SH 33 just east of Kingfisher. The Hichin' Post.

That's very close to the Poker Run I made in 2012. 150+ miles that day. There's
a really cool dive on SH 33 just east of Kingfisher. The Hichin' Post.

We were going to take 33 east out of Kingfisher, but it was closed due to a bridge out

Got a solo 250 in last Sunday; I-40 to Okemah, then state highways to Okmulgee and Muskogee before giving up on my twisty Highway 80 dream (left OKC too late), so doubled back to the west on 16 and caught 66 in Bristow. Stopped at the Rock Cafe for a Coke and some cheese fries before high tailing it back on 66 before the deer came out.

Only a few in-town miles yesterday; loops around Overholser and Hefner.

I'm new to riding; my wife and I are going to the MSF class this weekend, hopefully all licensed up by next week. We picked up a cheap old beater, an '85 Suzuki GN250, which we've been taking around in circles at a parking lot a couple blocks from the house. Wish us luck!

http://i.imgur.com/vTFi17V.jpg

Keep the shiny side up and the rubber side down.

By the way, you could cafe the HELL out of that bike.

White Peacock- That's a great bike to start out on. Back in the day I had a Suzuki GS850, that was very reliable and always ran great right up to the day I sold it.

When I took the MSF course over at OSU, they had 250 and 500 cc bikes, with all the turn signals and mirrors stripped off because they're going to get torn off anyway. The instructors were great. I scored 100 in the classroom and a 98 out of the range. I lost 2 points because I stabbed my foot in "the box".

By the way, you could cafe the HELL out of that bike.

Yeah, I've got plans to do some mods on it. Not full cafe style per se, but at least a nice brat style. I've already swapped out the turn signals and mirrors. I love how easy it is to make changes on an old bike.

White Peacock- That's a great bike to start out on. Back in the day I had a Suzuki GS850, that was very reliable and always ran great right up to the day I sold it.

When I took the MSF course over at OSU, they had 250 and 500 cc bikes, with all the turn signals and mirrors stripped off because they're going to get torn off anyway. The instructors were great. I scored 100 in the classroom and a 98 out of the range. I lost 2 points because I stabbed my foot in "the box".

Right on. So far it's pretty great; it starts, runs, and drives like a champ for a bike that's nearly 30 years old. We're doing our MSF at Brown's Driving School. Successful completion omits the need for both the written and the driving DMV test for licensing there. Pretty excited.

Are there any trusted shops in the city that won't hose me on the price of work done? I want to have it checked out by a pro before I take it on the road, but I don't want to be sold parts the bike really doesn't need replaced.

I've always done my own maintainence on my bikes and only took them to the shops for tires, valve adjustments, etc., so I can't give a recomendation on shops. I had good luck with Maxey's Honda for a long time and I've used Shawnee Honda as well. There's Performance over in Bethany and Road & Track up in Edmond. Best thing to do is call them and tell them what you want and they will give you their shop rate for an inspection and recomedations.

Best thing to do is go on line and find a Clymers manual for your bike, read it and get to know your way around the bike. If it already runs good, the main concerns are the condition of the tires, chain and sprockets, brakes and cables. If tires have good tread but are dry rotting and have cracks on the sidewalls, they should be replaced. If chain or sprockets are worn, replace them all as a set. NEVER replace just the chain or just a sprocket. Your bike has drum brakes so the wheels will have to be removed to check the brake shoes. A lot of those old bikes have wear indicators on the outside of the hub that tell you what the wear range is. Brake and clutch cables also need to be inspected. It sucks going for the brake or clutch and having the end snap off your cable.

That's just a starter list. There's a lot of other smaller but important things to inspect.

You have a very simple bike to work on. You'll be suprised as to how much you can do yourself.

I understand that it's a pretty simple machine all in all; it's just my first go-round, and I don't really have a frame of reference regarding what the bike should be vs. what the bike is, and where the two columns intersect. Functionally it's all good. Starts up (takes a while to start and idle when it's sat cold for a few days, but runs great once it's warmed up), takes off, brakes, etc. The sprockets don't appear worn to me, but I do think the front wheel might be slightly out of alignment, just eyeballing it. Also, when riding, I hear the clanging sound of the chain, which I'm guessing is not a good sound to hear. Any ideas on that? Is the chain too loose, perhaps?

The chain could be loose. With a properly adjusted and lubed chain, in good condition, you will have a little noise from the chain running on the sprockets. Sort of an easy quiet clicking sound. You should not have a clanging sound. Sometimes when he chain gets worn the rolliers will start jingling and making noise. That's a sure sign that it needs attention. And as the chain wears, so do the sprockets, which adds more slop to the drive line. This is why when you replace the chain, spend a little extra and replace both sprockets. Worn sprockets will wear out a new chain, and a worn chain will wear out new sprockets.

A few tips on chain maintainence: Never use oil or WD-40 on your chain. Only use chain lube designed for motorcycle chains. Never spray your chain with a water hose or high pressure car wash. This blows water, dirt and grit farther down into the rollers, and between the plates, causing premature wear. In fact, never use a high pressure wash on the bike period. Check your chain before every ride and adjust every other ride or as needed.

My current bike and the previous two bikes are shaft drive, so I don't have to deal with that aspect anymore.

Thanks for the tips! I'll give the chain and sprockets attention before making it a commuter.

I'd have preferred to get a shaft driven bike, but this was the only running bike I could find within my price range that didn't have "no title" in the ad. It's a bit rough around the edges, but I'm loving it so far.

My previous bike (2000 Triumph Sprint ST) had a chain and it was no problem, I bought it with 16,000 miles and it had 39,000 miles on it when I traded it. I had never replaced the chain or sprockets as everything was in spec. I used the Motorex cleaner and lube from Cycle Gear (on NW Expressway by Charcoal Oven). My new Concours14 is a shaft bike, my first one.

Motorex - Road Chain Care Kit (http://www.motorexusa.com/products/street/4-stroke-street/chain-lube-road-strong-care-kit)

My previous bike (2000 Triumph Sprint ST) had a chain and it was no problem, I bought it with 16,000 miles and it had 39,000 miles on it when I traded it. I had never replaced the chain or sprockets as everything was in spec. I used the Motorex cleaner and lube from Cycle Gear (on NW Expressway by Charcoal Oven). My new Concours14 is a shaft bike, my first one.

Motorex - Road Chain Care Kit (http://www.motorexusa.com/products/street/4-stroke-street/chain-lube-road-strong-care-kit)

bluedogok is right. Properly maintained, your chain and sprockets should last a long time. It should not sound like a string of Christmas bells.

I don't have a problem with a chain driven bike at all. I just find the idea of a shaft driven bike more appealing, given that it seems there may be less that could easily go wrong with its operation. Pretty sure all the bikes that I'm interesting in getting eventually are chain driven so it's not really an issue.

Took the MSF course at Brown's this weekend and passed. Looking forward to getting a lot more practice in around the neighborhood, then hitting the road!

Shaft drive has a whole lot more than can go wrong with it, many more parts than a chain and two sprockets. A new chain and sprocket set for most bikes can be had for $300 or less depending up on the type of bike (probably $200 for the little Suzuki), shaft drives can run into the thousands. For my Kawasaki Concours 14 there are something over 100 parts total for the shaft drive/swing arm assembly. I also know a lot of BMW riders who had the infamous exploding final drives on their R-Series bikes, including a flaming one outside of Rock Springs, Wyoming. The closest dealer was Grand Junction, Colorado so the bike had to be towed there.

http://andyw-inuk.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/R1200GS-BMW-Motorcycle-Photo/Nothing-Good-Just-Bad-Ugly/r1200gsfinaldrivefire/425600721_LV4aF-L.jpg

Haha, you present a very persuasive argument. And having been through Wyoming several times I can tell you there's no good place to break down there.

White Peacock, you said this is your first motor scooter. I was just hitting on a few of the high points on what to look for on your bike. Especially since its almost 30 years old.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying anything negative about chain drive or shaft drive. I've owned both. I like both. Chain drive just requires more maintainence. One of the nice things about chain drive is that you can play around with your final drive ratios. You mentioned a commuter bike. Say you ride in mostly in town traffic ... Surface streets, stop lights, etc. You can drop 2 or 3 teeth on the rear sprocket to give you more low and mid range punch. You sacrifice top end in the process, but you don't worry about that since that's not where ride the most. Or maybe you commute mostly on the highways, where a good top end is needed. You can increase a couple teeth to give you more on top. Of course, you loose some out of the hole when you do that. So it is versatile. And great for an all out perfornace bike.

Shaft drives are smooth, quiet, and very reliable. It does require some maintainence, but not as often as a chain. You do have to check your rear end lube from time to time. That GS850 That I mentioned above was a '79 model and it was shaft drive... Never had a lick of trouble out of it. And I rode the hell out of it. My ''85 Gold Wing... Shaft drive. As was my '06 VTX1300, and current 1800. They're great for long runs and touring.

A long time ago I talked to a guy who once was riding up in Colorado on a foreign make bike and threw a link in the middle of nowhere. A Harley rider and his woman rode by and stopped to check and see if they were alright. The Harley guy just happened to have one of his boots decorated with a length of the same size chain as the disabled bike had, so he sold the master link to the other guy for $20 and got him back on the road. In the big picture, that was probably the cheapest master link he ever bought.

I'm on my first shaft drive, it is one thing that I have never been concerned about what type of final drive is on the bike. Both are very reliable with proper care and maintenance.

I'm new to riding; my wife and I are going to the MSF class this weekend,
hopefully all licensed up by next week. We picked up a cheap old beater, an '85
Suzuki GN250, which we've been taking around in circles at a parking lot a
couple blocks from the house. Wish us luck!
Is it the one at OSU/OKC? I took it a few years ago and learned a tremendous
amount. You'll take the riding exam there then go to the ODOT to take the
written.

I've not taken the advanced course.

I ride a 2007 Suzuki Boulevard C-50T. Couldn't be happier.

[QUOTE=White Peacock;838879
We picked up a cheap old beater, an '85 Suzuki GN250, which we've been taking
around in circles at a parking lot a couple blocks from the house. Wish us luck!QUOTE]
When you're ready to upgrade, keep this Suzuki and turn it into a Cafe Racer.

I'm thinking of buying an early 70's Honda C350 4cyl and turning it into a Cafe
Racer.

By the way, you could cafe the HELL out of that bike.

What does this mean?

Café racer - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caf%C3%A9_racer)

Honestly, though, after digging around via GIS trying to find good examples of cafe conversions on that bike I think it works better as a scrambler or a street tracker owing to the lines.

Café racer - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caf%C3%A9_racer)

Interesting. Thanks for the link.

One of the nice things about chain drive is that you can play around with your final drive ratios. You mentioned a commuter bike. Say you ride in mostly in town traffic ... Surface streets, stop lights, etc. You can drop 2 or 3 teeth on the rear sprocket to give you more low and mid range punch.

Yep, I've considered tinkering with sprockets. I know a ratio change on the TU250X produces almost universally positive results. Seen more complaints about tinkering with the GN250, though, so it may be at its prime ratio from the factory.

Is it the one at OSU/OKC? I took it a few years ago and learned a tremendous
amount. You'll take the riding exam there then go to the ODOT to take the
written.

I've not taken the advanced course.

I ride a 2007 Suzuki Boulevard C-50T. Couldn't be happier.

This was at Brown's Driving School at SW 119th and Penn. I assume the curriculum is much the same, since both places are providing the MSF BRC course. However, at Brown's, successful completion includes both the written test and the riding test, so all you have to do at DPS is get it registered.

Honestly, though, after digging around via GIS trying to find good examples of cafe conversions on that bike I think it works better as a scrambler or a street tracker owing to the lines.

I agree. The upturned position of the tank makes it look more like a cruiser than a UJM (despite being a standard in terms of riding position), so while you can do lots of great looking things to it, proper cafe doesn't really work. Like I said before, I'm looking to go more of a brat style with it.

http://thebikeshed.cc/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Helles-GN250-1.jpg

Great choice.

Yep, I've considered tinkering with sprockets. I know a ratio change on the TU250X produces almost universally positive results. Seen more complaints about tinkering with the GN250, though, so it may be at its prime ratio from the factory.

You're probably right being that it is a small bore bike. Already set up for running around town, which was it's intended audience. But it's nice to know you can play with it.

Back when I used to ride dirt bikes a lot, I had a '77 Maico 450. .. A big bore 2 stroke single with a 40mm Bing carb , set up for cross country. It was a hand full, but damn fast. I finally had to put a 36mm Mikuni on it to make it a little less wild. When I sold it it had a 12/56 sprocket set up and was good for around 100 across the dirt.

Back to the street though. I like the idea of having a smaller bore bike to flick around on in town. Don't know if I'll ever get one, But I always did like the Triumph Bonneville .

I've got one. I recommend it.