Long-Term Update
Long-Term Update
HARLEY Dyna T-Sport One for the road
HARLEY-DAVIDSON'S DYNA SUPER Glide T-Sport is the most recent addition to the CWlong-term fleet. New for 2001, the Twin Cam 88-engined “sport-tourer” boasts a variable height/rake windscreen and expanding cordura-nylon saddlebags, not to mention triple-disc brakes and damping-adjustable suspension.
Early miles came by way of Harley’s quality-assurance group, after which the bike was demoed to journalists at The Motor Company’s official ’01 press launch in Denver, Colorado. Post-intro, company PR-type Paul James rode the bike to Sturgis, South Dakota, for the annual biker rally. Of the nearly 2800 miles we’ve added, most were amassed between Sturgis and the CW editorial offices in Newport Beach, California (“Path to the Pacific,” November, 2000).
We’ve since fitted Harley’s optional smoked windscreen, which is a full 2 inches taller than stock, and more supportive Sundowner Deep Bucket seat with matching sissybar, backrest pad and luggage rack. Total outlay was $625. Harley’s big-bore 1550cc kit is next on the list of planned mods, along with fresh rubber and an oil and filter change.
$14,720
SUZUKI DR-Z400E Shiftless in San Berdoo
WHEN LAST WE LOOKED IN ON our SuzukiDR-Z400E, we ex plained how long-term tests are meant to accelerate a bike’s lifecycle. Well, we’ve certainly done that with Old Yeller! In addition to numerous hardcore trailrides, off-road Grands Prix and
one short-track race, we rode the bike in both the Glen Helen 6and 24-Hours.
Prior to the latter outing, we installed a front disc brake guard ($34 from Cycra, 614/866-9662), new semi-metallic brake pads ($56 from Gaffer, 805/9672726) and a set of Bridgestone’s new Gritty knobbies and heavy-duty tubes ($229/set). And for improved nighttime vision, we rigged an auxiliary headlight using parts from the Home Depot bathroom-lighting department.
The good news is, the tires went the entire 510-mile distance. The bad news is, the tires lasted longer than the transmission! The culprit was a tiny shiftpawl roller, a 69-cent part that disintegrated, leaving the tranny stuck in third gear. Fortunately, we had a parts-donor bike on hand, and ace team mechanic Jose Nunez was able to strip and rebuild the tranny in just 90 minutes. With the shifter mechanism replaced, the DR-Z again shifted like new, and we went on to take the checkered flag-in 30th place, 31 laps behind the leaders. But at least we finished, which was more than some other teams could say.
$5349
MOTO GUZZI V11 Sport Quirky cool
SO FAR, NOBODY'S HOPPED ON OUR new long-term Moto GuzziV11 Sport and fallen right in love. But the best relationships take time. And when you’ve just climbed off a highperforming supermodel like a Suzuki Hayabusa or Honda CBR929RR, well, what the Guzzi does and how it does it seem oddly...odd.
After a few days, though, each rider has found himself strangely attracted to our groovy-green machine. A few notes from the logbook: “Certainly not the fastest bike, nor the most nimble, but it sure feels good to ride around on,” and, “The more I ride this bike, the more I like it. The riding position is perfect-sporty, but plenty tolerable for longer stints.”
So far, good times, then. But as noted in earlier riding impressions, handlebar vibration is a problem. One tester described it as, “A sensation not unlike that of a small-caliber automatic weapon firing continuously.” It’s not so severe as to deter people from enjoying the bike, but no one’s volunteered for a long trip. We had the throttle-bodies synchronized in hopes of some attenuation, but to no avail. We are looking for a solution.
A bad starter relay has been our only mechanical problem since the bike arrived with 1700 miles on the clock. Warranty covered the 5-minute labor and $ 16 part.
So nope, the VI1 isn’t perfect, which for most of us is what makes it just right.
$11,900
