Cheerio Falco - Sorry Guys

[whoosh]

I have hankered for a new bike for a while now but other than the Ducati ST3 (which I have ridden and liked) I could not find another V twin to suit. I am vertically challenged in the leg length department and really want to be able to put both feet dwn when I stop. I also wanted some fairing protection for the long fast blasts. I really didi not want an a**se up head down sprots bike.

Someone suggested a triple so....

I went to Eddy Wrights's in Leeds on Sat am for a demo on a Sprint ST 1050.

Here you got they said - it's got about 90 miles of fuel in, if you want any
more, feel free to put some in.

Shortish! review
It's about the same height as my Falco. The seat is comfier. The riding
position is a smidge more upright - but still nowhere near BMW/VFR
territory. Bars seem a bit wider. Rear brake well placed. Can't turn the
lights off. Handles very lightly in town traffic - up the A65 to the airport
30/40 speed limits (How many speed cameras? - lots). Gearbox very smooth and missing the clunks I get from mine - and hear from most other bikes - esp when selecting first from neutral. Neutral easy to find. As it's a bit more upright it's easier to look back too. Very smooth engine in town stop start.

So far impressed. Nice engine note. Turns in very nicely into slow corners. Bit of a dead spot on the throttle, but I hope it's just cable slack. Get used to it.

A61, get out past Harrogate town traffic to A59 over Blubberhouses to Skipton and open it up - it accelerates so quickly - pulls massively right through to the red line with a hint of front wheel lift. The exhaust note is now a real crackle with a super burble popping thing noise on overrun. Well out accelerates an ST3s with aftermarket cans and ECU - I know as my mate Mark was trying to keep up with me. Wind protection better that the Falco.

Gearchanges silky smooth up and down - stop for more fuel, pillion seat not as high as Falco, so easier to get legover on/off. Hey it's got a new fangled trip computer that tells you how many more miles you can do when you put petrol in. Dip beam is two lights and main beam puts the third central one on too - looks cool.

Off again - it leans into bends like a real leany thing - inspires real confidence, not recklessness. Turns in on high speed corners quickly and
smoothly. It keeps on line, under power, really well with no skipping of the rear on poor road surfaces and rockets out when exiting. This seat is very more comfortable. The reach to the bars might even be a bit less than mine, so less wrist pressure. My short legs fit the pegs well - but anyone with legs over 30" might find it a bit cramped.

Weighs 10kg more than mine but can't tell - even pushing about (at stop for bacon butty and cup of tea and a good look over it at the van near Skipton Golf Club). Single sided swingarm looks great on one side, but it's a bit messy on the chain side. Those 3 underseat cans look good, but no underseat storage. (big minus). Find a tiny 7"x3" inches lockable box on the right. At least it's got decent hard panniers.

It does look good not as angular as the VFR, which I don't like the looks of. This one is black, 1400 miles on the clock but the paint is already looking a bit swirly.

Stops quickly really well - very balanced and the rear brake is actually very effective. Non ABS this one. OK past the golfballs and up the twisty rise to the moor top - it flicks effortlessly from side to side and I'm not doing any threepenny bit corners and I don't have to push it in to turns.

My head is a bit more upright so I do not have as much of a looking up
angle. It's very well balanced and I feel as if the centre of gravity is
much lower than the Falco - there seems to be much less tendancy to leaning on stopping.

It shows up my Falco in the suspension department, the engine may only be about 5bhp more but it actually seems to have more torques right through the range. (makes my old Firestorm seem positively agricultural)

I'm really liking this now - on the way to Leeds I was thinking it's a lot of money just for a new bike, I think I was secretly hoping to find lots of things I did not like! Now I'm thinking I'm not really looking forward to riding mine home.

Now into Skipton - a real test of slow, stop start, market day riding and it's a lot nicer at low speeds and low revs - makes mine feel a bit brutal, in town, in comparison.

OK back on the A65 and A660 to Leeds, and it appears I have upset some power ranger sprots bike riders by overtaking them - they catch me by speeding massively in 30/40's but I lose them again on the open road (perhaps they were just rubbish riders - but it felt good!). It seems to pull really well in any gear at any speed and changing down and twisting just gives meteroic progress.

This bike is great. I know I wanted another V-twin but this triple is smashing, lovely, brilliant. I've now decided I want one.

Get lost coming back to Leeds and end up on the Headrow - I'd be a bit tired of the town centre on mine - but this is more relaxing so I'm not so bothered.

Get back to Eddy's and after some chatting and stuff and haggling I order an 07 in Tornado Red ABS, (SWMBO tells me I have to get the ABS) with
Scottoiler and tank cover, to be picked up the Sat before my birthday - 3rd June. Unfortunately we're on hols for 2 weeks till the 2nd, so they can't organise it sooner. Still I'll get it run in and serviced before the boys Lakes weekend trip on the 22nd. They did me a good deal.

Sorry - I'll be sad to see the 04 Falco go. But I think I'll be happy with this for a few years now.

So off will come the racks and panniers, the Aprilia cut out heel plates, the tank cover (red/black), the gold mesh oil cooler and radiator guards and they will join my spare new offside black silencer on fleabay.

[Viking]

Hiya Woosh,

Nice review of the 1050.

I'm sorry to hear you're going to sell the Falco. There's no shame in changing bikes, so good on you.

I looked long and hard at the 675 before buying the Falco. Except there weren't any in the country at the time so I couldn't test ride it.

[hornetrider]

A good choice. I was considering one but they were just a little too rich for my blood, so opted for the Futura instead...but then when I was comparing the Futura and Falco I preferred the looks of the Falco... which is how I got here!!

[EEEP]

Good review, had the old ST before going for the falco was a good bike.

I am now tempted by the Speed Triple 1050 or maybe even a buell.

[sl1000_dk]

the gold mesh oil cooler and radiator guards .

Could you give a link on e-bay for the guards.

[fastasfcuk]

how much for the rack and panniers.

[whoosh]

pm's sent

[whoosh]

falcoholic
hornetrider
sl1000_dk
fastasfuck

Hi guys - I seem to be having problems with pms - could you mail me on falco@yorkj.freeserve.co.uk please
Jim