Hey alancorcoran, Look here

[alanmcorcoran]

I think this is another one of those religious arguments, like helmet vs. no helmet, ATGATT vs NEATGATT, Harley vs metric, where there are strong feelings on either side and not much point of discussion because neither side is going to budge. I've mentioned several times why I felt the GZ was not enough motorcycle for me and even explained that it may be related to the infrastructure, topography and weather where I live. I didn't mean to disparage everyone that is riding it, but I admitted I might have been in a pissier than normal mood when I posted about it being an eccentric novelty. Sorry again.

No matter how much one loves their GZ, for me it is not fun to ride in the hills, it is too slow for the highway, it is too light for windy and is also too light for the hacked up concrete that passes for freeways. My wife and I were carless for a day and a half as the Suburban needed brakes and I had lent my daughter's '95 Camry (200K) to a friend whose car was also in the shop. Had to ride two up down about 12 miles of freeway to collect the SUV today. Guess which bike I took?
The GZ is, however, a very adequate bike for going to work and flatish backcountry roads with 50 mph speed limits. It really shines in the areas of:

1) Gas mileage
2) Initial cost
3) Ongoing cost, especially insurance
4) As a bike to learn on
5) As a bike to work on
6) Maneuvering in tight spaces, such as parking lots, garages, and anywhere it must go backwards and/or uphill.

I've learned to ride at this point, and with the exception of the insurance and the occasional tight spaces, the rest are not priorities for me at this stage. I wanted to learn how to ride to live out the fantasy of the open road with the wind in my hair and, well, if the opportunity presented itself, kill victims infected with the T virus. I don't think the Strat is necessarily the perfect bike for that, but it was a lot closer and was somewhat of a bargain. I think the Resident Evil chick had a BMW and I suspect there will be one in my future. I hear it has a 7.5 gallon gas tank!

[mr. softie]

Originally Posted by mr. softie

I think the little GZ is a better bike in one big way than most bigger bikes. It is just plain fun to ride.

Thank you Alan for clarifying your views on the GZ. You have made good observations. Not everyone is going to be able to enjoy the GZ equally for lots of the reasons you state.

Small bikes in general are dissed usually by people who don't know any better. To lot of riders my 672cc 65hp 560lb Silverwing is uselessly tiny, not being at least 1000cc, 100hp, and 900lb. Our days of excess, may we glory in them while we can!

For another perspective check this cool video out, a man and his 250 ninja...
http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=RVxoVEMTXp8#GU5U2spHI_4

[patrick_777]

That guy's a prominent poster on ninja250.org. The founder of that site lives in Tulsa and I've ridden with him several times.

[Moedad]

Originally Posted by mr. softie

For another perspective check this cool video out, a man and his 250 ninja...
http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=RVxoVEMTXp8#GU5U2spHI_4

Awesome adventure! :rawk:

[alanmcorcoran]

Originally Posted by mr. softie

Small bikes in general are dissed usually by people who don't know any better. To lot of riders my 672cc 65hp 560lb Silverwing is uselessly tiny, not being at least 1000cc, 100hp, and 900lb. Our days of excess, may we glory in them while we can!

Thanks for not hitting me softie! I think probably the one bike style I never really considered was the sportbike. I haven't ridden one, but I was treated to an endless stream of 75 foot wheelies from sport riders that were razzing us newbs when we were taking the MSF in the car auction parking lot. I sort of figured sport bikes require a higher level of skill, are quicker, and, possibly, deadly, if you don't know what you are doing. Plus, I'd done the crouch over style of riding on my road bicycle and I thought I'd go lawn chair style in my dotage. My brother had a crazy fast Kawasaki - this was before I got a bike - and he gave it up after a few near death experiences.

One thing you guys have over me is the ability to tell that a bike is a piece of shit or not. Lacking such ability, I was limited in my search to new bikes. If I had any real motorcycle mechanical knowledge I would likely have explored a used machine. Knowing I didn't, I didn't want to end up with a "project" bike, searching for parts, bruising knuckles, reading service manuals and basically, not riding the thing.

[music man]

:bang: I understand that the GZ is not ENOUGH motorcycle for you and your riding situation Alan, but saying it is not enough motorcycle for you, and what you said several times to get this whole thread started are night and day different. If I lived in Little Rock (the only city we have big enough traffic and fast speed limits all over to compare to you) I wouldn't even consider a bike that wasn't at least a 600cc (if I would even consider riding one at all in that madness), so I understand that, and I look forward to having a bigger motorcycle because it is easier to go on an extended trip on one.


So enough talk about this, hows the gas mileage on the Stratoliner. And the Stratoliner would make an awful choice for a zombie fighting bike, it would be too hard to make a fast getaway, especially if you had to back up (your brain would be screwed) but on the other hand, if any zombies got in your way, it would probably be the perfect bike to knock them out of the way with.

[alanmcorcoran]

Gas mileage and cruising range are not where the Strat shines. I'm not 100% sure what the gas mileage is - I think it depends a lot on highway vs in town. I think it does close to 50 mpg on the highway but a lot worse in town (30's). It has a 4.5 gallon gas tank, but it shows "E" at about 3.5 gals (to fill it.) I already had my debit card put on hold once cause I bought like 7 bucks worth at two gas stations about 150 miles apart the same day (when I went to Joshua tree.) Apparently this is "suspicious activity."

Bottom line, I've only gassed it up about 9 times and it's got about 1400 miles so it's not fully broken in. I generally don't take it much past 75 (I recently got Yet Another Ticket in the Suburban going 75 on a 65 - which is actually pretty slow out here, so I have to take it easy now anyway. CHP gets a piece of each ticket and let's just say the state is out of money.) The Strat seriously "purrs" at 70-75. I will bet that is where the mileage sweet spot is. I think if I drew the reserve down on a cruise, I might get as much as 180 or a little more out of a tank. Someone, Easy or Sarris, told me about a trick with carrying a bottle of gas and riding it dry to see it's max range, but I haven't tried that yet. Now, the Suburban... it's got a 45 gallon tank. And reverse. At a combined 15 mpg, you can kill zombies for almost 700 miles between fillups!

[alantf]

Originally Posted by alanmcorcoran

Had to ride two up down about 12 miles of freeway

I actually do a lot of "two up" riding. Apart from the sheer fun of being on two wheels, my wife rides behind me out of sheer necessity. Over here the traffic is so heavy that a lot of the time it's at a standstill. If we were in the car, a 10 minute ride would take an hour. Also, when we get to wherever we're headed for (like a town or big village) parking places are often impossible to find, so with the bike we can just park on the pavement (sidewalk). Nobody bothers about that sort of thing.
As for freeway riding, though, that's entirely different, & I agree totally with Alan. Last week we went on the autopista together for the first time. We only needed to go one exit, thank goodness, but never again. Luckily the traffic was light for once, as there was no way the bike would get up to the speed I normally ride at when I'm on my own. Luckily I don't do much autopista riding (& especially not two up) or I would certainly have to consider getting a more powerful bike, which would be a pity, because the GZ is PERFECTLY suited to every other condition over here.

[Sarris]

Just remember, with EFI, it may take a few minutes of cranking to get the fuel system pressurized after you run her dry.

As I stated, I always ride my bikes dry once (after break-in). Just don't put the pint of gas in your saddlebag until you are getting close to E. You don't want to have a whoop-shit with that on board.

It's the only way you'll truly know.

BTW, BMW's are a very comfy ride if you have a 38" inseam, no nutz (you lean over on them... OW!!!!) and you have no wrist problems or arthritis.

You bear you weight directly on your perineum (no mans land) and your wrists. I've ridden several and I hate the riding position.

:techy:

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by Sarris

Just remember, with EFI, it may take a few minutes of cranking to get the fuel system pressurized after you run her dry.

Hmmmm......it may take a few minutes of the fuel pump running and you might want to cycle the ignition on and off a time or two but cranking the starter/engine won't get it up to pressure any quicker.