Leaving Norwich at about 6:45 AM the temperature was a cool 41 degrees according to the Dime Bank. The sky was mostly clear and the sun had just made its entrance, so I expected this to improve. The demo ride was first come, first served and started at 9 AM; so it was essential that I get up there A.S.A.P. That meant riding the super slab. I395 up to Rt. 2 to I91 to I90. There were very few vehicles on the road and I was able to make good time.
Having neglected to resolve the issue of a faulty Easy Pass transponder, it was necessary for me to stop at tolls. I have to admit, this has been going on for some time and I'm getting pretty good at getting through the tolls. I use a tank bag to hold the toll ticket and a few rolled dollar bills. This allows me to make the transaction without removing my gloves. As I coast up to the window in neutral I throw on my left signal to make myself more visible. The tank bag has large zipper pulls that make it easy to open and close and pockets to hold the toll ticket and cash.
SIDE NOTE: There were flashing highway signs on I90 in Massachuessets indicating that as of 10/15/13 they would again be collecting toll fees at exits 1 through 6. No more "Free Lunch". CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS
The ride was quite smooth and the view of the changing leaves being lit up by the morning sun was spectacular. Especially coming into a valley on I90 where you could see the other side of the valley in all its glory.
After a quick visit with the family, Rob lead the way to Menneto's Powersports where he had purchased his 2011 Victory Crossroads. I90 to NY787 to NY87 to exit 9. We arrived at about 10 AM and had to wait to pull into the parking lot while a demo ride was pulling out onto Rt. 9. We went through the usual registration process and took advantage of the assorted pastries and coffee.
They had 16 bikes to choose from:.
5 Chief Classics
5 Chief Vintages
6 Chieftains
The Chieftain has a steeper rake than the Vintage and its handling was noticeably better, but both of these bikes handled very nicely in the twisties. At 800 lbs. the Chieftain is not a "small" bike, but I did find it felt smaller than a Road King I had ridden in the past.
The fit and finish of these bikes was very nice to my untrained eye. I found the instrument panel on the Chieftain very easy to read with a dial speedometer, a dial fuel gauge and a digital display with the current gear, ambient temperature, clock, and a number of other features that I didn't think to ask about. I should have looked at the website before heading up. All of this was mounted into the fairing which also included a stereo that is Bluetooth and smart phone compatible. The Vintage has a dial speedometer and most of the other functions are on a slightly smaller digital display; both of which are mounted on the tank. Rob found it challenging to take his eyes off the road to read the tank mounted instruments, but I did not. That may be due to the fact that I'm only 5' 5" and he's 6' 1".
My only complaint was with the height of the Chieftain's windshield which was at just the right height so that all the turbulence hit the top of my helmet. If I stood up in the saddle, the turbulence was much less noticeable. After the ride I complained about this to the staff and they showed me how the windshield was in its top position and could be lowered a full four inches. I really should have done my homework!
We were told to ride in staggered formation except for when single file was signaled and not to pass any of the riders. I was on the outside of the lane and the ride to my left was playing with all of the controls while we rode. This caused him to slow down considerably while the four or five bikes ahead of us left us in the dust. Finally I couldn't take it any more and passed him only to find the rider directly in front of me looking back at this guy. Evidently they were together because the rider in front of me started to slow down and hold back as well. I decided to pass him too and enjoyed the remainder of the ride. I had totally forgotten that part about not passing other riders, but remembered it as we pulled back into the parking lot. I thought for sure that someone would have spotted my maneuvers as their was a mid-section escort and a tail gunner, but nobody said a thing.
They also advised against sling-shotting, but on the second ride I was again on the outside of the lane and the rider to my left was two-up with his wife who was fine with his riding but it was clear that he wasn't as he practically slowed to a stop at every corner. Once I realized what was going on I gave him plenty of room and we both enjoyed our rides
In between the rides we were treated to burgers, hot dogs, cold salads, baked beans and a roasted pig. With out bellies full we decided to take the long way home. We headed North to NY67 East which took us across the Hudson. Before connecting with NY22 South, we stopped for gas. I mentioned to Rob that my clutch lever felt like it was out of adjustment because I was having to let it out much further than I remembered before it would catch. He replied that he had the same sensation. We chalked this up to the fact that the Indian's clutch lever was so responsive and comfortable to use.
Rob grew up in this neck of the woods and I followed him down a number of back roads until we arrived at his house. It was a terrific day of riding with good weather and good company. As we reminisced about the day over dinner we each decided that we weren't ready to trade in our rides for an Indian, but if we could afford a second bike, it certainly would be in the running.
You'll have a chance to see for yourself this weekend (10/18-10/19) when the demo truck will be at Wagner Motorsports in Worcester, MA
Click Here for Details on Wagner Motorsports Demo Ride
Click Here to go to the Official Website
Click Here for Cycle World's First Look Article and Video
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