MSerfozo

Sounds like you have broad hands like I do. If the fingers are the right length, they're too tight at the thumb. I bought a pair of IXS RS 200 X gauntlet gloves at Iron Pony last spring and they fit my fat hands like I want them to. I liked them so well I bought a second pair a month later. They run really small - I think I bought 2X but they fit really nice. Looks like IP still has them on clearance for $45. https://www.ironpony.com/ipd/pi.asp/ImageName/RS200_GLV.JPG/Brand/IXS/c2/Riding-Gloves/c3/Street-Gloves-Mens/c1/Street-Products/KitKey2/RS-200-X-Gloves

Thanks for the boots idea, durk. I went back today to look at the JR boots but my high arched feet wouldn't fit inside anything close to my size. Got Firstgear short boots instead for $20 more. Sizing issues (waist/length ratio) kept me from buying the IXS pants but I got a summer jacket for under $80. Of course I was $3 away from a free tshirt so I threw in a coffee mug at checkout.

I picked up one of these at Iron Pony last night. Seems like a solidly built (DOT & ECE, but not SNELL) helmet and I couldn't pass up the $79 price. Sizing runs on the snug side. I usually wear a L but XL fit better in this. I got the red/white/black one. It was 24o this morning so no ride report. Maybe Friday... https://www.ironpony.com/ipd/pl.asp/c3/Full-Face-Helmets/c2/Helmets/c1/Street-Products/Brand/Fly-Racing

'bout time

As a former Michelin engineer, I found this very interesting. It's not often I watch an entire 20 min video.

Looks like a dual sport version of the RZ250. With sticky street tires it would be a hoot to ride at the gap. 18" front might be a problem. For $1500 US, it's a good deal if you want a 2 stroke. Those things are getting rarer all the time. I wish I still had my old RD. Too bad about the color though. I'd probably piss off the purists and make a naked hooligan bike out of it for that price.

We were planning to use the 20 ton hoist but the safety guys locked it out before they left for the OSHA class. 😕 Rear tire is on, we'll balance it on afternoon break in about 20 mins.

Yesterday I brought my HF tire changer to work and set it up out of the way in the corner of the shop. At lunchtime I helped a buddy change the front tire on his Ninja 650. He doesn't have a front lift that will work with the fairing so we put a strap around the upper triple and lifted it with the forklift! Should have got a pic... We knew we could get away with it because our two safety guys were at an OSHA class all day!!! 😀 He brought the rear wheel in today and well do that one at morning break.

4.0" x2.9" so pretty much oversquare. Peak torque at 6KRPM so 125hp must happen quite a bit higher up.

Mine has had everything short of cylinder machine work done to it. Holeshot header & slipon, Holeshot stage 2 jet kit, and both GSX-R cams. Here's what Dale Walker's dyno showed on his similarly built Bandit (but no cams on Dale's for this series of pulls) I had mine on a dyno once when the Dynojet guy was at Mid-Ohio for the AMA races. It pulled 115hp (Stage 1 & slipon at the time) but the dyno guy wasn't taking time to attach a spark sensor so no direct RPM and torque measured. However, my hp curve was shapes similar to Dale's and would imply at least 80-90 ft-lbs in that state of tune. I think you were selling your Bandit short. My surprise at the FTR's torque numbers was because I expected they'd put a v-twin tractor motor in it with peak torque at 3KRPM like another US bike maker does. The difference between the FTR's torque & hp numbers implies that it revs more like a Ducati than a Harley. Could be a fun motor.

I searched because I thought I saw a thread about this recently but here's info on the official debut at Intermot. Lots of pics on the "View Gallery" link. Looks like it'll be a GSX-S underneath with vaguely Katanaesque bodywork. Can't say I don't like it, but I was hoping for more... https://newatlas.com/2019-suzuki-katana-launch/56565/

Nope, only 85 ft-lbs @6000 rpm - my 17 year old Bandit does that! And 43o lean angle? I guess it really doesn't need sportbike wheels & tires.

Agree! Lack of 17" wheels is a deal breaker IMO.