Yeah I guess that 186MPH is just too slow to ride on the Mass. Pike these days. You better add a nitrous bottle along with the eliminator so that you can pass grandma on her way to the grocery. I enjoy a nice ton run, but I call it quits anywhere past 120. I can't imagine 186 on the road. Saltflats maybe, drag strip maybe, simple highway never - not for me Ben. I don't have nine lives anymore.
Sparty
Have to agree with you there - maybe 35 years ago. But that doesn't mean that I wouldn't like to own a bike that had a little more potential than my cb750. I do kind of mis the old 1100 Sabre.
Here's the rub, from only slightly competetive eyes. At first it seems like way too much speed, you resist really blipping the throttle and you slip first gear because you're not sure you can maintain control as you enter traffic. The seat position feels severe, hunched over whether you want to be or not. As you ride a little bit, and I've only been out for about 125 miles, you become acclimated to what the bike's potential is. Top speed in itself means little, doesn't it? Gearing can create a bike that takes forever to get up to speed, but then will go very fast.
When I saw that the bike was reported to have just over 100 ft/lbs of torque, I became interested. What sealed the deal for me was riding with Mike on his Busa when we went out for the SOHC ride last month. I realized the bike could be ridden slowly. It doesn't mind going 2 or 3k, and wasn't noisey or noticeable, at least until Mike demonstrated a wee bit by passing me and making me feel like the world's slowest tortoise.
I guess my recently discovered point is that with experience, we get used to pretty much whatever we have to work with. I can sense the limitations of the bike, impressive as they are. The seating position has become comfortable. What becomes most important to me now is smoothness and the discipline to use the bike moderately, causing as little notice as possible. You can go slowly on these bikes, but can sure pass anytime and anywhere you need to, which is a very nice thing. It's such a good bike that you want to discover it's potential, hence the TRE. Really the same thing as what we are all trying to do with the CB, just 30 years in the future. The big question for me is what is it going to feel like in 30 years. I won't know, but hope I'm around to ask questions!
All best,
Ben