2021 IMS Outdoor Ride Reports

holligl

Find the road less traveled...
Joined
Nov 13, 2015
Messages
2,212
Location
IL/AZ
Got a free ticket from a local Harley Dealer yesterday, and spent the afternoon at the Progressive International Motorcycle Show in the country northwest of Chicago. This outdoor event gives you the opportunity to ride many different bikes. Some rides were accompanied group rides, others let you ride solo on a preset route. Got five rides in:

First off: HD Pan Am

Solo ride. Nice bike but the ergonomics are way different than the S10. Foot pegs sit high and further to the rear. Handlebars are low and swept rearward. Would take some mods to fit me I think. Only rode pavement so can't comment on off road capability. Power comes on above 4k rpm. Lots there, but I am used to the S10 torque down low, so I am not used to revving to find it. It was a warm day and the heat off the bike was significant. Really uncomfortable at slow speeds/in traffic. Might be a contender if you can sort out the ergos.

Next up Zero FXE

This was a group ride. My first experience on an electric motorcycle. I elected to ride the smaller of their offerings as I would consider it as a dual sport. This is a really cool experience, highly recommended. No noise, no clutch, no shifter, instant torque through out the range. No problem keeping up with the bigger bikes, up to 65mph anyway. It is a small bike, so ergos are scaled down but not uncomfortable. It was a blast to ride. Obviously you would need to be comfortable with the battery range and charging restrictions but I think I am sold on the concept for specific conditions.

Next up Yamaha T7

Most predictable ride, meeting all expectations. This was a little longer group ride. Tall bike, good power, again with higher revs. Again, ride was pavement only, which is not where I would spend alot of my time on this bike. I do like the gear indicator that works all the time, unlike the S10. Lack of a cruise control would be an issue for me.

Next up Indian FTR 1200

I have always love the looks of this bike so had to give it a go (plus there was no waiting for a solo ride). This is NOT an old man's bike. Sits too low and foot pegs too far back for me. My hips were killing me immediately into the ride. I had more trouble staying smooth with the steering dynamics too. Transmission seemed a bit clunky, and the fueling seemed inconsistent. Tons of power above 4-5k rpms.

Last ride of the day: Livewire

After enjoying the Zero so much, and having watched The Long Way Up, I had to give this bike a go. This was another group ride, and a real joy. This bike likes to try to RIP your arms from your shoulders. It feels like it could wheelie at 60mph. Again, no clutch or shifter. Ergos were pretty comfortable. The regen settings seemed to be dialed up, with considerable regen braking. Not sure what this bike weighs with the considerable batteries, but it didn't seem heavy, given the power and low CG. After riding several hot bikes on a hot day, this baby was cool as a cucumber!

This was a great riding opportunity, and if the Outdoor IMS comes to an area near you, I highly recommend it. I am heading to Iowa for the weekend, otherwise I would have opted for a full weekend pass. Traffic was not great (I'm sure the locals in the area are swearing up and down), but it sure beats the indoor convention center formats of the past.

I did run into Cluecheck, good to see him again after the rally. I hope he got a few rides in too.

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StefanOnHisS10

Converting fuel into heat, noise and a bit motion
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Global Moderator
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Apr 8, 2020
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The Netherlands, Friesland.
Got a free ticket from a local Harley Dealer yesterday, and spent the afternoon at the Progressive International Motorcycle Show in the country northwest of Chicago. This outdoor event gives you the opportunity to ride many different bikes. Some rides were accompanied group rides, others let you ride solo on a preset route. Got five rides in:

First off: HD Pan Am

Solo ride. Nice bike but the ergonomics are way different than the S10. Foot pegs sit high and further to the rear. Handlebars are low and swept rearward. Would take some mods to fit me I think. Only rode pavement so can't comment on off road capability. Power comes on above 4k rpm. Lots there, but I am used to the S10 torque down low, so I am not used to revving to find it. It was a warm day and the heat off the bike was significant. Really uncomfortable at slow speeds/in traffic. Might be a contender if you can sort out the ergos.

Next up Zero FXE

This was a group ride. My first experience on an electric motorcycle. I elected to ride the smaller of their offerings as I would consider it as a dual sport. This is a really cool experience, highly recommended. No noise, no clutch, no shifter, instant torque through out the range. No problem keeping up with the bigger bikes, up to 65mph anyway. It is a small bike, so ergos are scaled down but not uncomfortable. It was a blast to ride. Obviously you would need to be comfortable with the battery range and charging restrictions but I think I am sold on the concept for specific conditions.

Next up Yamaha T7

Most predictable ride, meeting all expectations. This was a little longer group ride. Tall bike, good power, again with higher revs. Again, ride was pavement only, which is not where I would spend alot of my time on this bike. I do like the gear indicator that works all the time, unlike the S10. Lack of a cruise control would be an issue for me.

Next up Indian FTR 1200

I have always love the looks of this bike so had to give it a go (plus there was no waiting for a solo ride). This is NOT an old man's bike. Sits too low and foot pegs too far back for me. My hips were killing me immediately into the ride. I had more trouble staying smooth with the steering dynamics too. Transmission seemed a bit clunky, and the fueling seemed inconsistent. Tons of power above 4-5k rpms.

Last ride of the day: Livewire

After enjoying the Zero so much, and having watched The Long Way Up, I had to give this bike a go. This was another group ride, and a real joy. This bike likes to try to RIP your arms from your shoulders. It feels like it could wheelie at 60mph. Again, no clutch or shifter. Ergos were pretty comfortable. The regen settings seemed to be dialed up, with considerable regen braking. Not sure what this bike weighs with the considerable batteries, but it didn't seem heavy, given the power and low CG. After riding several hot bikes on a hot day, this baby was cool as a cucumber!

This was a great riding opportunity, and if the Outdoor IMS comes to an area near you, I highly recommend it. I am heading to Iowa for the weekend, otherwise I would have opted for a full weekend pass. Traffic was not great (I'm sure the locals in the area are swearing up and down), but it sure beats the indoor convention center formats of the past.

I did run into Cluecheck, good to see him again after the rally. I hope he got a few rides in too.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
That sounds like an awesome day, I am a bit jealous now. Thanks for the write-up!
 
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