The Native Iowan

Day 5 in the saddle behind me. Let’s see… It’s my best “distance-day” yet. As a ol style Cafe Racer I do indeed rejoice…

546 miles from 630am to 330pm. 9 hours of effort, I’d say a total of 7 hours riding giving 2 hours to refuelling, breakfast at Emma Jean’s in Walnut, drink n pee stops. A bit under 80 mph average. A good, good ride.

I am thinking that I can simply do another “big” day tomorrow n see where it puts me…

The Thruxton is so easy to ride. It is so comfortable and light that once you learn how to ride this bike, you will ride more, ride better and get that long distance-rider bug. Most people believe these mid-weight bikes are too light for cruising. And I may agree if “cruising” means riding with more than 10/12kgs or 20/ 25 lbs… I’d say the Thruxton is not a cruiser, but rather it is a mid weight ride. . The Thruxton is not a fun ride if you strap a tent to her arse. Last year I rode heavier by a good 10kgs. This year I feel I have over packed.

And the bike is still performing so well. I can drop a couple kgs and be even better.

Note: The heavier the bike is loaded the more the rider works do “ride” the machine.

I can’t say enough about Triumph’s 900cc engine. I find that the gearbox has a nice range of power and, strangely, 5th gear has a long-legged and responsive power bandwidth. I find that 5th gear does a lot of work for me. This is revision of my earlier comment per the Thruxton’s gearing. As it stands, now, as a package: I would not change much on the Thruxton. I will modify the exhaust and maybe change the rear brake. I want to look at stretching my ride further backwards, but anything else I’d change would simply be cosmetic.

I stated earlier that the front brakes were brembo. I am wrong.

I was inspecting the brakes before I took off today and find the rear to be nice n new and the front is used but not abused.

As a package the Thruxton is my current, favourite ride. It is a great, sweet, majestic, sexy and fun, fun, fun ride.

I can compare to the 2013 Tesi 3D: 

Which is a 160kgs with 130hp vs the Thruxton’s 220kgs with 70hp. And it is an interesting ride but I cannot do 2hours on it without feeling, used, abused and a tad bit foolish. It is nice, nice, nice for a quick hour or plus up through the ridges. If I ride it on weekends I shock all the light n sporty ducattti and honda and other such types. Few have seen and even fewer have ridden a 3D. And it ain’t for the faint of heart.

I can compare the 2014 Thruxton to the 2014 BMW R NINE T…

The R9T is a sweet ride but I prefer the Thruxton. I have said before that I find the stock handle bars and foot pegs to be not quite right to suit my needs.

I think I am going to tank to Carpy about moving the Thruxton’s rear pegs back. I want to stretch out even more… Do you remember… ??? ….

If he had a tank bag he’d be running very similar to how I ride.

My brother, Monk, just bought a classic Bonneville…

Very pretty bike. very pretty…

But the Thruxton (in the background) is my choice. I like the idea that I am a minority. either you be or not.

I am -still- a cafe racer. I am riding a sweet, sweet cafe racer…

And I feel great.

More later