Long-Term Update

Long-Term Update

CYCLE WORLD

HARLEY

Dyna T-Sport

Travel in' mach line

PRIOR SERVICE HANG-UPS HANDLED, our long-term Dyna T-Sport is back on the road-in a big way. Keith May, art director for CW specials Harley-Davidson Power & Performance and Motorcycle Travel & Adventure, unwound from his stressful deadline schedule with a 30-day, 6500-mile tour of the southern U.S. He even chronicled the ride on his website, www.mayphotoanddesign.com.

“Silver paint, black motor and chrome pipes-the T-Sport is a tasteful combination designed with purpose,” May noted. “It’s at home on highway or scenic byway, and accommodates anything short of roadracing. The accessory backrest and luggage rack were welcome additions, providing extra storage capacity.”

Criticisms? “As for the adjustable windscreen, buffeting is seemingly unavoidable, but sweet spots exist,” May commented. “The shift rubber fell off miles from nowhere. Luckily, I found it. Also, one of the baffles in the Screamin’ Eagle slip-on mufflers came loose. It’s now held in place with a bolt and nut.” Shortly after May’s return, Sportbike contributor Jason Black and his wife Amy packed up the T-Sport and headed north to Vancouver, Canada.

With any luck, we might get to ride it ourselves someday.

$14,720

MOTO GUZZI

V11 Sport

Prodigal fun

IF THIS WEREN’T SO SAD, IT’D BE FUNNY. Last March, about two weeks after we dropped off our long-term V11 Sport at Pro Italia Motors, we called to see how the 6000-mile service was going.

“You mean the green one?” the service manager asked. “We sold it.”

We thought he was kidding, but it was no joke. P-I does press-fleet prep for M-G, and mistakenly interpreted the bike’s return as our being through with our test, whereupon it was promptly sold. It took a few months for Moto Guzzi North America to negotiate the bike’s return from its new owner.

We’re happy to report the Sport is as sweet as ever. Sweeter still, in fact, now that we’ve affixed the accessory Tekno saddlebags. The design and convenience of these $250 expandable nylon bags is excellent, and the black-wire bolt-on racks arc as unobtrusive as they come.

Bike so equipped. Executive Editor Brian Catterson took the Guzzi on its third trip to Laguna Seca, this time for the World Superbike races. He was happy with our homemade sport-tourer until he picked up the new VI1 Le Mans, and found that the Dunlop-shod Sport didn’t turn quite as sweetly as the Bridgestoned Le Mans. We’ll wear out the Dunnies as quickly as we can and take care of the tire change ourselves. We don’t want this thing sold out from under us again!

$11,900

BMW

F65OGS

Baggin' the miles

WHILE SINGLE-CYLINDER MOTORcycles are typically good for ringing up miles within your local area code, we've found the F65OGS also offers viable long-distance service. After equipping our bike with BMW's accessory three-piece hard luggage system ($1093) and tankbag ($171), we set out on not one, but two extended weekend trips to Sears Point Raceway in Northern California. New editorial staffer Mark Cernicky and photographer Jeff Allen reported the level of comfort was surprisingly high thanks to a cushy saddle, roomy ergonomics, excellent wind protection and very little engine vibration relative to the Singles set.

With 4800 miles on the clock, the street-biased Michelin Sirac dual-pur pose tires that came on our bike looked to have another 1000 miles of life left.

However, a low-speed spill while engaged in some mild off-road riding prompted us to mount a set of DOT-approved Pirelli MT21 knobbies before venturing into the mud again.

Unfortunately, the crash ripped a mounting lug off the back of the rightside saddlebag, and damaged the latch. A tic-down strap secured the bag for the long trip home, where we learned that while the bag halves are sold separately, the latches aren’t, so we’ll have to replace the entire bag-a $313 ding.

$8600