113 mph for a nice little country ride

[Corn Oil Kid]

Thats all the computer said I hit, with jives with my speedo. But only because I backed off. The Breva was still pulling hard, significantly harder than my Bassa would have at the same speed. Great ride through some of the better country roads of Northern IL. The Breva absolutly kills the Bassa on handling, its so good I was howling with joy in my helmet.

I put a Givi fairing and the hugger on, I'll see if i can get some pics up soon.

 

[Dean Rose]

Keep it up Chad and you'll have more tickets than I do. And that was on the EV, I haven't rode the BIG Breva that much yet.
Hope to put some miles on it this year.

Dean

 

[GTM®]

Corn Oil Kid wrote:

Thats all the computer said I hit, with jives with my speedo. But only because I backed off. The Breva was still pulling hard, significantly harder than my Bassa would have at the same speed. Great ride through some of the better country roads of Northern IL. The Breva absolutly kills the Bassa on handling, its so good I was howling with joy in my helmet.
I put a Givi fairing and the hugger on, I'll see if i can get some pics up soon.

No debating the stock Breva might be a little quicker then a stock-ish Cali... but I'll put a lightly modded Cali up against a Breva any time in the handling dept.
The suspension is the limiting factor, followed by the center stand (here in the land of corners).

Glad to hear your enjoying it Chad. Please do post pics when you can.

 

[GrahamNZ]

Todd

From this land of corners and often less than perfectly smooth road surfaces, I'd rate the centrestand as the worst culprit by far. Mine is set as high as possible with a stop rubber about 3mm thick and all steel bits of the stand itself which can be ground off have been using an angle-grinder, but still it grounds all the time in left handers and often in rights too. Still I prefer bikes with a centrestand so I put up with it.

Despite the complaints I read here about the Breva's suspension I am pretty happy with mine now that the forks have heavier oil and a bit more of it. The rear unit could do with impact damping adjustment, but other than that it seems fine to me. Maybe something better would be needed for a sports bike but to me the Breva is not one - it's a comfy naked bike which excells as a cruiser and tourer.

Yesterday I rode the new Suzuki Gladius SFV650, which I'd rate as a fine little bike in most ways, but getting back on the Breva reminded me of what a super comfortable ride it provides.

Graham

 

[Corn Oil Kid]

The only real suspension mods I had on my Bassa where a set of Ikon shocks, and they where a real improvement over the stock White Power that came with it. However, rear shocks alone in no way made it handle as well as the stock Breva.

Perhaps I should preface this by saying, the Breva rides much better and turns in far quicker than the Cali. And it seems to flow through sweepers with less effort than the Cal. However, being that this is IL and I have not yet got it into and tight switchbacks I can't speak from experience on how it compares in that situation.

 

[Geordie]

I've grounded my centre stand once and that was when I dropped the bike while at a standstill! I do not have the panniers though so the exhaust is in a higher position and most riding is without luggage so just light weight me.

THe problem I have with the Breva suspension is tat it is seting it up for the road conditions. Great if you have nice road surfaces I can "stiffen" the suspension enough to make it a great ride. This is all fine and dandy but 80% of the nice roads are pot-holed and/or rutted so having softer suspension is essential. I set it so it's managable without bouncing all over the place on the rutted roads but then you do get a slight wallow when blasting through turns on good surfaces.

It's pointless setting a bike up with perfect sporty suspension unless you have perfect sporty roads. So where can I go for those nice roads?

Compromise.

 

[yanto]

Geordie wrote:

I've grounded my centre stand once and that was when I dropped the bike while at a standstill! I do not have the panniers though so the exhaust is in a higher position and most riding is without luggage so just light weight me.

THe problem I have with the Breva suspension is tat it is seting it up for the road conditions. Great if you have nice road surfaces I can "stiffen" the suspension enough to make it a great ride. This is all fine and dandy but 80% of the nice roads are pot-holed and/or rutted so having softer suspension is essential. I set it so it's managable without bouncing all over the place on the rutted roads but then you do get a slight wallow when blasting through turns on good surfaces.

It's pointless setting a bike up with perfect sporty suspension unless you have perfect sporty roads. So where can I go for those nice roads?

Compromise.

hi geordie, I agree with you. I do think the breva wallows a little (its disconcerting rather than worrying) when you push it in da bends but this is a compromise for the average UK roads. Although in powys the roads are generally excellent. However, on my griso (now gone) which has 'firm' suspenders and is quite sporty, no wallowing but boy was I beat up after a couple of hours. All in, I'm just learning to ride as smooth as possible as this greatly reduces the wallowing - until I can afford some better suspension (very unlikely to happen me thinks - more likley another bike!!).

 

[londonrob]

my 1000S absolutely pees all over the Breva on handling, maybe after i get Todds springs things might change, huh, huh, Todd? :laugh:

 

[Corn Oil Kid]

Really? That makes me wonder what is going on?

I have found the Breva to be Way more reactive, that is flickable. Yet you and Todd have found otherwise. The differences for me is so dramatic that I can't write it off as just seat of the pants interpittion, and it sounds like you can't ether.

Perhaps we should just be happy with great bikes? I know I am.