Friday, February 20, 2015

Rocket's Replacement

I shouldn't call it a replacement because Rocket isn't going anywhere.  It is simply not reliable to take on the long club rides and next year's Cannonball.  Nothing worse than stopping the entire ride so I can repair the variator or messed up engine.  Well, yes, there is something worse, not having the parts and tools to make the repair.

So my friend Mike and I have been talking about me buying his pristine GT.  I believe it is a 2006 like Rocket but it might be a 2005.  It doesn't matter to me.

But it is perfect with around 5000 miles on it (Rocket is currently over 66,000)  It might be too pretty for a Cannonball bike, but I am going to use it anyway.  The GT has a significant handicap advantage on the 250 GTS, and with a tour tank, might be able to run near the front.

Rocket is turning into my around town hot rod.  With the Leo Vince exhaust and fly screen, it likes to be seen and heard wherever it goes.  But I would rather keep it within "Sarah, please come to pick me up" territory for now. Maybe a new engine will go into it one day or we can find a cure for the ills of this one.  

A little sad, but we move on.


Mike riding the new (soon to me) GT in North Carolina in September.

3 comments:

  1. Bill, now that bike, with a properly fitted auxiliary tank, and you'd be one hard dude to beat on the 2016 Cannonball.

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  2. Congrats to the new addition in the stable. I wish I still had my GT200. However, I ride a 300cc now, and it makes quite the difference in long distance touring.

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  3. David, The new GT should be good for the 2016 Cannonball. I will get Boris to fit a five gallon Tour Tank and it should be good for 400 miles.
    Sonja, I am getting another GT because of the Cannonball rules. They limit entries to 250cc. The handicap system in place gives a 198cc GT a nice advantage over a 241cc GTS, about 30 minutes per day. Because it is almost as fast, that is all gravy. I would love ti have a 300, and maybe will one day, but this one is perfect for me now.

    As for the handicap, a Yamaha Smax would be unbeatable. Almost as fast as a GT with another twenty minutes a day on the handicap. But it is not comfortable, small cockpit, high feet with low hands, and it is not a Vespa.

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