Collected T-Max on 1st Sept, pretty much the only wet day in September
- therefore ridden the 60 miles home very gingerly on brand new tyres & brake pads. Screen was rubbish on low setting, stopped halfway and moved it up to 'high', not much better but I was so wet by then my visor was filthy anyway!Have gradually got to know it over the following, dry, month. Handling is as good as everyone says - I no longer give any thought to cornering; it just goes around any given corner and the chicken strips on back tyre are nearly gone. Sharp bumps mid-corner are a bit unsettling, but that's the same for many bikes. The ride quality was rather 'sharp' and rubbery at first, but that seems to have settled down now. For a bike of this price not to have adjustable rear preload is unbelievable...
The performance is still surprising me - for 'only' 46bhp it goes very well indeed; overtakes have been no problem and it's never felt lacking. Haven't been on a motorway yet (hate the things...) but equivalent speeds have been reached in comfort... The transmission characteristics are excellent; it's a delight to be free of the tyranny of constant gear changes.
Comfort - seat is fine, screen less so. Have added an MRA X-Creen which has reduced the buffeting, but actually most of the wind noise comes up around the lower front of the fairing, and there's not much can be done about that except riding with your knees spread out wide! Earplugs essential. One of the selling points for me is that there's plenty of room to stretch legs, which I like.
There's enough storage space for me, with top box added. I can, for instance, go for a walk and leave all my bike gear in the bike after changing into walking boots etc.
Checked the speedo against GPS after collection and it reads 37 at a true 30...this is ridiculous and probably illegal. Dealer said there was nothing wrong at first service...if that error is duplicated in the mileometer, it makes a complete nonsense of mpg readings which according to the computer have been around 62mpg during running in; according to my maths of filling to brim against miles recorded it's around 58. So it could be about 50!
Dipped beam was rubbish on delivery - too low, and there's no angled beam on the nearside to light up the kerb. Queried at first service and was assured it couldn't be raised any higher because it would be 'too high'...took me 5 minutes when I got home to raise it to a level where I could see where I was going; and it could still go higher without dazzling anyone.
Despite the minor niggles, I'm delighted with it and looking forward to really getting to know it now that it's 'mine' and out of dealer clutches! Hope you've all managed to stay awake...
