Last Saturday I put around 300 miles on a 2008 1200 RT. I checked the bike out at 0845 and brought it back early afternoon.
Impressions:
The first thing I noticed is the difference in gearing between the RT and the ST. The RT needs more rpms to keep it from stalling (my guess is it has a taller first gear). Also, the vibration from the RT motor is much more noticable at low rpms than the ST. Once underway the footpegs are in a slightly different position that seemed odd at first but I quickly got used to them. The shift lever is a little longer on the RT and I had to search for it when shifting. Torque was about the same as the ST and if I kept the rpms above 3K the bike seemed much happier.
The first 85 miles were interstate miles and the RT proved to be quite capable as a "mile eater". The cruise control and all other controls are perfect on this bike. My only complaint is that the stock windscreen flopped quite a bit at highway speed (75-80 mph).
Passing quickness (60 to 80 mph) was also about the same for the RT as the ST. I simply downshifted into fifth gear and passed with ease.
The rest of the trip was spent riding familiar twisty roads in the Ozarks. I ride these roads often and am familiar with bumps, dips, etc.... This is where the RT really shines. You immediately notice the reduction of 150 lbs in the RT over the ST and the suspension of the RT glides over bumps mid-turn without upset. I really enjoyed riding in the curves with this bike. The RT doesn't seem to pull quite as hard out of the corners but it makes the speed up in the corners.
When I returned the bike the temp. sensor was reading 100 degrees and NO I did not feel any heat from the bike's motor. I immediately felt the heat from the ST as I rode away from the dealership.
All in all I found the RT to be a great ride even with the stock seat. If I could put the V-4 in the RT I'd gladly pay $20K for the bike. I wish Ma Honda gave us cruise control, heated grips and ABS standard.
So what is keeping me from pulling the trigger and purchasing an RT? Reliability issues (real or imaginary), price, difficulty in electronic farkling, and the dealer is 80 miles from the house.
Just my two cents worth,
Mike
Impressions:
The first thing I noticed is the difference in gearing between the RT and the ST. The RT needs more rpms to keep it from stalling (my guess is it has a taller first gear). Also, the vibration from the RT motor is much more noticable at low rpms than the ST. Once underway the footpegs are in a slightly different position that seemed odd at first but I quickly got used to them. The shift lever is a little longer on the RT and I had to search for it when shifting. Torque was about the same as the ST and if I kept the rpms above 3K the bike seemed much happier.
The first 85 miles were interstate miles and the RT proved to be quite capable as a "mile eater". The cruise control and all other controls are perfect on this bike. My only complaint is that the stock windscreen flopped quite a bit at highway speed (75-80 mph).
Passing quickness (60 to 80 mph) was also about the same for the RT as the ST. I simply downshifted into fifth gear and passed with ease.
The rest of the trip was spent riding familiar twisty roads in the Ozarks. I ride these roads often and am familiar with bumps, dips, etc.... This is where the RT really shines. You immediately notice the reduction of 150 lbs in the RT over the ST and the suspension of the RT glides over bumps mid-turn without upset. I really enjoyed riding in the curves with this bike. The RT doesn't seem to pull quite as hard out of the corners but it makes the speed up in the corners.
When I returned the bike the temp. sensor was reading 100 degrees and NO I did not feel any heat from the bike's motor. I immediately felt the heat from the ST as I rode away from the dealership.
All in all I found the RT to be a great ride even with the stock seat. If I could put the V-4 in the RT I'd gladly pay $20K for the bike. I wish Ma Honda gave us cruise control, heated grips and ABS standard.
So what is keeping me from pulling the trigger and purchasing an RT? Reliability issues (real or imaginary), price, difficulty in electronic farkling, and the dealer is 80 miles from the house.
Just my two cents worth,
Mike
