Uke's in Kenosha had free test rides today, plus a sale on most of their stuff, so me and mrs. o went up there for a visit today.
I spent $100, mrs. o a bit more. She got a nice fancy lightweight jacket, 20% off. Real sporty. P/N 98386-11VW.
I ended up takin' a new Ultra Classic for a demo ride.
I was curious as to engine vibrations, as compared to my '06, plus I wanted to see how the 103 compared to my slightly modified 88. Never rode a bike with a tour pak, lower fairings and some other doo dads, so I wanted to see how that all was.
Bike had a tick over 2K miles on 'er.
Riding position, for me at least, felt a bit cramped. I still have the cop seat on my bike, so I sit a little higher and a little farther back. The stock seat felt comfy, tho.
I decided I didn't like the lower fairings as they block too much wind and I whacked the side of the right one with me boot when going to cover the brake pedal.
I listened to the radio for a minute or two and decided that it wasn't for me. The clock is nice, tho.
The engine felt a lot smoother than my 88, especially around 2K rpm. Still has a slight buzz around 3K. My 88 feels a little peppier. The 103 felt a little numb. Maybe it's because of the stock exhaust. Both engines have the same mechanical tick in the top end.
The new transmission has a different whine to it, but I didn't find it offensive. Thought it was cool, actually. The clutch and shifting part of the deal were nice.
Tour pak had a little rattle/squeak in it. Sounded much like an unlatched saddlebag lid, but everything was latched correctly.
The 103 seems to pull overdrive well. We got up to 70 for a moment or two and the bike felt good at that speed.
In a lot of respects, the '12 felt a lot like my '06. I felt pretty comfortable, overall, on the '12.
That being said, a '12 ain't in the cards for me. I liked the bike, tho. A set of slip-ons would serve it nicely.