I am home. Camped at Willville on Friday and Saturday nights. My cellular broadband router did not connect from there so I couldn't post. I thought I would go back to the Lafayette last night, but there was still more than an hour of daylight when I got to Marietta, so I decided to shoot on home. Rode the last few hours in the dark, but doing that on flat land, on a slab I know like the back of my hand, and with a known bed waiting at the end, is not nearly so wearing as hunting for an uncertain motel room in a less familiar area.
So... details...
1. The cool vest is a Hyperkewl brand, and it works well. But carrying it around wet, if it's not used for a few days it gets kinda funky. This morning I'll find out how it tolerates a trip through the washing machine. Assuming it makes it through OK, I suppose that long term I will need to learn to take it out and air it every night even if I don't use it that day. Can't really pack it dry while traveling because it never seems to get dry. Which I suppose has to be considered a feature, but it's still kind of a nuisance. It soaks up a LOT of water without dripping! It takes time to soak up all that water, though, so you can't just wet it when you need it; you do have to carry it wet. Packed wet, it is yet another heavy object in the luggage. I think putting ice in the bag is overkill. Just water is enough, though I suppose keeping it iced reduces the chance of funk.
2. The Super Tenere. I like it. I like it a lot. It feels lighter than the NT and it fits me better. The wide bars make it feel more agile, and they're closer to the rider than on the NT. There is more leg room and my feet are under me where I like them. The tank feels very narrow between my knees, like a dirt bike. You can't tell how a seat will feel after a long ride, from a 14 mile test ride, but it felt fine on the test ride, nothing bad was apparent. Getting on the SuperTen after a couple of long days on the NT had beat my body up, I felt instantly more comfortable on the SuperTen, with its better leg room and comfortable wide bars. Less wind protection, but I've never been as enamored of big fairings as some people are. I'm always wearing full gear and most of my past bikes have been closer to naked; the NT has far more fairing than I have ever had before. In motion, there was a little less vibration than the NT and it didn't seem to give any more wind noise, even though the windshield is so much smaller. More air found its way into my jacket vents though. There are two modes, "Sport" and "Tour", which you can change using a button on the right side. Both modes have way more power than the NT. There is a noticeable jerk on and off throttle, which is common to bikes with FI - the NT does it too but with our lower power/weight ratio, it's far less bothersome. My old V-Strom 1000 had that jerk. You get used to it, to some extent, but it's the one thing I dislike about FI as opposed to well-sorted carbs. In motion it felt like a firmer, smoother, more powerful TDM - and I adore the way my TDM rides, the handling is why it stays here year after year even though I don't think it's good for traveling (engine is too busy at highway speeds, which is tiring on a long day). I could see the SuperTen replacing every bike in my garage - I could become a one-bike woman again. (At least until the next shiny thing comes along.
) I liked it so much that the only thing that would stop me ordering one next winter, is if Honda brings us a new choice in that category, for me to also consider.
3. The trip. I rode lots of twisty roads. My friend Phil (different Phil) can reel off route numbers until my eyes cross; I'll spare you that. But some highlights were US250 in WV, and a road called Squirrel Spur near Willville. The weather was pretty good, apart from the heat on the first few days, heavy rain on Saturday morning, and some intermittent light rain yesterday. I slept well in my tent; the temperatures were comfortable. Glad I came home today - it's a scorcher out there right now. On Friday night we went to Floyd VA and listened to some of the bands that play on the street, which was fun. As usual I carried my camera all the way and failed to take any pictures. I need to update my NT map, color in Pennsylvania.
