Thought I'd do a quick check-in here with a post-purchase summary. I've done over 1000 miles on this machine since I rode it home on 4/21. It's been my commuting vehicle, around town errand machine, and for spirited weekend day rides in the Finger Lakes region of New York state (where the best riding roads in the area are).

For good measure, and so I had a baseline on fluids and such, I put in a new battery (the old one was barely putting out 12v while running), new coolant, new brake fluid, and fresh full synthetic oil and filter. The four screw-type push rivets that hold the lower fairings together on the bottom of the bike were toast, so they were replaced as well. I also spent a half hour going around the bike doing a torque check on all nuts, bolts, and fasteners.

As for adding that personal touch, I installed a Scotts steering stabilizer, Power Commander III USB, K&N air filter, 520 conversion kit (520 chain with new Vortex sprockets -1 tooth in front and same # of teeth on the rear sprocket - this takes off some top end but adds some grunt/acceleration off the line), Mivv Suono bolt-on can, and then had a custom map done for her. My *** has raised the white flag of surrender so I have a Corbin seat on order.

It may be physically impossible to twist the throttle on this bike and not have a ****-eatin' grin form on your face. I'm certain that newer sport bikes are quicker, more powerful, etc. but I'll take this bike, it's superb handling, amazing brakes, 150HP, and 370 pounds dry weight for $4K any day of the week. I've done some long rides on it and have no complaint about comfort (aside from my rear end balanced on the plank that Honda calls a seat). Riding the expressway is like using a scalpel to slice through traffic. Out on the back roads is where the fun really begins though, and for a bike of this caliber, it's actually very forgiving. You don't have to push it through the turns. You can practically will it to go where you want it - steering is very neutral and I rarely have to make corrections in my lines. Overall I'm getting an average of 38-40 MPG although I don't really care what the MPG is on this bike because that's not what I bought it for. At the end of every ride, I thank my lucky stars that I made this choice, have the financial means to do it, and love that my wife says I look "hot" on it. :rofl

And to top it all off, I treated myself to a new lid that matches the spirit and color of this 954. Never had one of these before and may never ride with anything else again - a Shoel X-11 Kagayama:



LIFE IS GOOD!