# My new motorcycle comes Friday!
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-motorcycle-comes-friday/252755
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [June 29, 2004, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-motorcycle-comes-friday/252755 "2004-06-29T19:53:06Z")
**Posts on this page:** 17
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)
#### Post date: [June 29, 2004, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-motorcycle-comes-friday/252755/1 "2004-06-29T19:53:06Z")
Brand New '03 Triumph Speed Four in Roulette Green:
[http://www.hermys.com/downloads/SPEEDFOUR\_02.jpg](http://www.hermys.com/downloads/SPEEDFOUR_02.jpg)
So ugly, it’s cool.
Given the color, the country of origin, and it being a hooligan bike, I think I’ll refer to it in the masculine as “Limey.” My partner in crime. Can’t sleep until then.
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### Author:  [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)
#### Post date: [June 30, 2004, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-motorcycle-comes-friday/252755/2 "2004-06-30T00:47:36Z")
God _damn!_ that’s an ugly bike! Not the colour, but the headlight treatment. Needs a fairing.
Still… Sweet! Congratulations!
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### Author:  [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)
#### Post date: [June 30, 2004, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-motorcycle-comes-friday/252755/3 "2004-06-30T09:48:29Z")
> [@Johnny L.A.](#):
>
> God _damn!_ Needs a fairing.
It’s supposed to be a naked, aka, streetfighter, hooliganbike!
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### Author:  [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)
#### Post date: [June 30, 2004, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-motorcycle-comes-friday/252755/4 "2004-06-30T12:12:10Z")
It’s cool. No offense intended. (But it still needs a fairing! 😛😉 )
Seriously, though. Congratulations. It looks like a fun ride. How’s it sound? Have you ridden anything like it before?
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### Author:  [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)
#### Post date: [June 30, 2004, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-motorcycle-comes-friday/252755/5 "2004-06-30T13:32:39Z")
Supposedly it’s a blast. It even beat out the SV650 for best naked in a head to head:
[http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/Article\_Page.aspx?ArticleID=790&Page=7](http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/Article_Page.aspx?ArticleID=790&Page=7)
It’s a stripped down TT600 tuned for slightly more middle in the powerband. It’s a bit weak on the low end but the handling is superb. The engine has a meatier sound than a japanese bike and the exhaust tones are nastier. The intakes just howl. The suspension is outstanding for the price (OTD for 6300). I’ve never ridden a sportbike, just thumpers and V-twins. Personally, I can’t stand fairings. I like my bikes like I like my women: Naked! The clip-on handlebars may be a challenge for me at an old 35 years but I can always swap them out. I loved this line from the above review:
> [@](#):
>
> The Triumph’s worst-in-group fuel mileage (35.8 mpg) and shortest fuel range (170 miles) is a hooligan’s middle finger to the rest of society.
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### Author:  [@Jamlad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jamlad)
#### Post date: [June 30, 2004, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-motorcycle-comes-friday/252755/6 "2004-06-30T16:01:33Z")
I love that bike! The only thing it needs, IMO, is to be owned by me 😃
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### Author:  [@Wonko\_The\_Sane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wonko_The_Sane)
#### Post date: [June 30, 2004, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-motorcycle-comes-friday/252755/7 "2004-06-30T16:21:56Z")
What color did you get? Also, are those funky airscoops functional?
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### Author:  [@unclviny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/unclviny)
#### Post date: [June 30, 2004, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-motorcycle-comes-friday/252755/8 "2004-06-30T16:57:10Z")
Kid,
I had a '95 Speed Triple and it was awesome! (gobs of torque, Fireball Orange) and I am closely associated (over 20 years and counting) with a Triumph dealer (I used to sell bikes there).
When I was selling bikes I went to Dallas for the introduction of the second generation Speed Triple (the T-5 series, injected model) and I saw Roulette green paint for the first time, Jim McKenna? the sales director for Triumph in America (and MR. “Let the Good Times Roll”) told me that was the ugliest paint that he had ever seen and he loved it!, I could not order enough of them in Roulette green, they flew out of the store.
Congrats, but be aware that you are riding a shining beacon, if a group gets pulled over and scatters the Police will follow you! (don’t ask)
Unclviny
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### Author:  [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)
#### Post date: [June 30, 2004, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-motorcycle-comes-friday/252755/9 "2004-06-30T19:43:00Z")
> [@unclviny](#):
>
> Kid,
> I had a '95 Speed Triple and it was awesome!
>
> Unclviny
I think the Speed Triple is one of the coolest looking bikes in production. I thought it might be a bit too much motorcycle for me at 1000cc. I’m still a relative newb.
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### Author:  [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2004, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-motorcycle-comes-friday/252755/10 "2004-07-01T03:04:14Z")
You limey bastard! I officially hate you now. 😃
Tri-spoke wheels? Sweet!
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### Author:  [@wheelie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wheelie)
#### Post date: [July 13, 2004, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-motorcycle-comes-friday/252755/11 "2004-07-13T02:48:05Z")
> [@Wonko The Sane](#):
>
> What color did you get? Also, are those funky airscoops functional?
The colored airscoops are covers for “tuned length” intakes. The frame has openings for them.
BTW, according to the Triumph reps ,unofficially the best way to break it in is to baby it for 300 miles or so, then “ride it like you stole it” another 2-300 miles and then get the first service. Apperently following the official break-in doesn’t let the rings seat in fully and after switching to fully synthetic oil they will take a long time to seat.
I like the green one best 🆒
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### Author:  [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)
#### Post date: [July 13, 2004, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-motorcycle-comes-friday/252755/12 "2004-07-13T11:32:25Z")
> [@wheelie](#):
>
> The colored airscoops are covers for “tuned length” intakes. The frame has openings for them.
> BTW, according to the Triumph reps ,unofficially the best way to break it in is to baby it for 300 miles or so, then “ride it like you stole it” another 2-300 miles and then get the first service. Apperently following the official break-in doesn’t let the rings seat in fully and after switching to fully synthetic oil they will take a long time to seat.
Hmmm. I know everyone has their theories about break-in. Did the rep say there was some sort of advantage to having an abrupt change in rpm range or just to shorten the typical break-in method to fit within 500 miles?
BTW, due to delivery delays, I didn’t get the bike until this last Saturday. Now it’s supposed to rain all week here in NJ.
☹
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### Author:  [@blinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blinx)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2004, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-motorcycle-comes-friday/252755/13 "2004-07-15T15:06:08Z")
> [@KidCharlemagne](#):
>
> Hmmm. I know everyone has their theories about break-in. Did the rep say there was some sort of advantage to having an abrupt change in rpm range or just to shorten the typical break-in method to fit within 500 miles?
See here for the hard breaking method: [Break In Secrets--How To Break In New Motorcycle and Car Engines For More Power](http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm)
The basic suggestion seems to be that hard accelerations and deaccelerations (with engine braking) will seal the rings better.
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### Author:  [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)
#### Post date: [July 15, 2004, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-motorcycle-comes-friday/252755/14 "2004-07-15T23:42:39Z")
> [@blinx](#):
>
> See here for the hard breaking method: [Break In Secrets--How To Break In New Motorcycle and Car Engines For More Power](http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm)
>
> The basic suggestion seems to be that hard accelerations and deaccelerations (with engine braking) will seal the rings better.
Yea I’ve been doing a lot of research and asking around on this and the consensus is
that Motoman’s break-in would seat the rings better but to the detriment of just about everything else. I’m breaking it in at Owner’s Manual +1000rpms.
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### Author:  [@Wonko\_The\_Sane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wonko_The_Sane)
#### Post date: [July 16, 2004, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-motorcycle-comes-friday/252755/15 "2004-07-16T04:28:51Z")
What dealer did you get it at? Also, how was the purchasing experience there? I’m also in NJ, and I’m gonna buy a new bike eventually, and I’m lookin’ for info. Also, if you’re in the New Brunswick area, we could go riding sometime.
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### Author:  [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)
#### Post date: [July 16, 2004, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-motorcycle-comes-friday/252755/16 "2004-07-16T11:03:42Z")
> [@Wonko The Sane](#):
>
> What dealer did you get it at? Also, how was the purchasing experience there? I’m also in NJ, and I’m gonna buy a new bike eventually, and I’m lookin’ for info. Also, if you’re in the New Brunswick area, we could go riding sometime.
I got it at Cycle Connection in Lodi. I was not terribly pleased with the purchasing experience. My salesman went on vacation (without telling me that he would be) between the time I paid and took delivery, leaving me to deal with the utterly incompetent new owner whose idea of customer service is setting bear traps at the front door. Everyone else who works there (parts and service) is really nice and helpful. Cycle Connection deals in Triumph, Ducati, Aprilia, and Moto Guzzi. I’m near Caldwell; we should definately hook up some time.
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### Author:  [@Wonko\_The\_Sane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wonko_The_Sane)
#### Post date: [July 19, 2004, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-new-motorcycle-comes-friday/252755/17 "2004-07-19T02:29:04Z")
Sounds good to me. Let me know when you want to ride- Just email me to the email in my profile. I have a KLR 650, so I won’t be able to keep up, but I’ll do my best.
Have fun w/ the new bike, and thanks for the dealer info.