Four
The number of bikes I passed today as I enjoyed the 40 degree temps with a 60 mile trek. The Missus was certain I’d be the only idiot out on a bike today but I knew better! And after passing a pair of Goldwings within 15 minutes I was less than surprised (the other two were a Honda Shadow 750 and a CBR600).
Not that I needed any further validation in my choice of the VTX but I get it when in freezing temps its fuel injection system fires up every time without hesitation. I have never owned a carb’d bike that was happy starting at much of anything below 50.
The new hand wind deflectors certainly do their job and while my fingers were cold it was more than tolerable especially if I keep my fingers on the control levers. Better gloves would go a long way as would putting on the lower deflectors I built out of 5mm plexi to inset engine guards. But, they’ve not been drilled for mounting yet, only shaped for size and bend of the bars, and I do not want to install them in haste after the work that went into them.
With February on the horizon the winter months are passing quickly so its time to get on with the modifications I have planned to complete before spring. As the one real deficiency of the VTX is the stock seat I pulled it and the pillion at the end of the ride today. By the end of the week they’ll be on their way to Mean City Cycles for the “Double Decker” memory foam modification rather than spending $800 on after-market seats just yet.
The next step is to decide on an exhaust system. Originally I had not intended to replace the factory exhaust since it looks good and has just enough volume without annoying the neighbors. But the hard bags I’ve set my mind on simply won’t mount correctly with the stock exhaust. Something about the bags being 40 quarts each! HUGE! But while I need a lower mounting exhaust I don’t want a loud one and most of the after-markets are exactly that - loud.
There are currently 3 systems in the running, the HK 3″, the Cobra Speedster Longs and the Vance and Hines Big Shots with “Quiet Baffles”. Decisions… decisions…