Re: Going the Bonnie way, advice? EDIT: Sultana - My Bonneville T100 Update at 500 km:
Going through a break-in phase so you know how it feels but then Sultana is learning the turf and her master while lubricating its mechanics through this time. The usual problem of staying within rpm limits, patience through every thought of speed followed by corrective action and all that's required during engine break-in. A problem for sure but a good one to have for she shall yield delightful rewards in the long run if reared carefully. It's been a special 500kms on the saddle 'ever' to say it simply (as expected I think since I've been an RE owner most of my life with brief stint on N300)
Experience so far: Highs:
The engine's rev push that I had mentioned earlier is quite a help in the city. For example, the bike when accelerated in 1st gear till 40kmph (say) and due to engine braking the speed reduces but then eventually holds on to 15kmph without letting the bike jerk. Likewise, it keeps the bike at 20kmph in 2nd gear, 40kmph in 3/4/5 gears.
The first 400 km were nice and easy for the engine with max rpm being 2.5k-3k across all gears. After 400kms on the odo, stage 2 of break-in has started where the engine is being "exposed" to peak 4-5k rpm range per gear. The bike is accelerated linearly and sometimes quickly (not wheelie kind of acceleration) to reach and is purposefully held at 3, 3.5, 4k rpm for up to a few minutes at each. This exercise makes the engine work out of its "comfort zone" over a sustained period. Doing this with a mix of gear changes at optimal rpm range is showing its results. While early on the bike felt a bit stressed at 3k rpm in lower gears, now the engine doesn't feel stressed with increasing rpm resulting in refined acceleration.
It's a distinct high for a rider when he feels the engine perform & is building itself the way the rider intends to.
Ride Experience: Silky smooth, refined and perhaps a bit too perfect. I love the bike's performance in urban conditions (in sparse traffic) where oodles of torque is available in everyday usable rpm range making overtaking, lane changes and likewise so much easy and refined that it speaks volumes about her pedigree. Cruising at slightly higher speeds is a bliss, there are zero vibrations and distances are covered fast. Riding my RE over long distances wears me out soon because with RE 'Speed' is mostly static so it’s the time that increases while here on Bonnie I end up taking more breaks as I cover lot more distance in shorter time but then physical exhaustion is replaced by mental exhaustion as it requires being super alert at high speeds which Bonnie gets me to, too soon.
Exhaust Note: the stock peashooter exhausts delivers low bassy thumps with much appreciated, dignified quieter notes in higher gears. During long rides as the engine warms up the bassy sound intensifies and is a great aural experience when rev'd then after. Sighs
Out there on highways I attempted to find that elusive 6th gear at times. Should I have bought T120 instead, I half-heartedly wondered then. But now after 500kms I think T100's 5th is doing just fine. Sultana's engine now in “my” stage-2 break-in gathers up high speeds in 5th without feeling stressed at all. I'm sure if my RE can do relatively good speeds in 5th after break in, Bonnie will be a delight in times to come.
Gear changes: Have tried all the 4 clutch lever positions but the gear changes aren't smooth, there's a "cluDD" sound like the gear is engaging with a rubber pad on (during 1-2-3) and many a times I;ve found myself stuck in N while shifting from 1-2. In comparison, my RE Electra's gear shift change experience has been perfectly smooth since day 1 (ditto like my CL500 few years ago). It's a first point to be probed during upcoming first service.
Overall so far so good. More later as and when there's to update,
cheers!
Last edited by Rehaan : 11th April 2017 at 17:39.
Reason: As requested
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