Ample power ready at the wrist, combined with nimble handling make the Octane a great light-to-light, spot-to-spot cruiser. For relaxed riding around town this bike is near ideal. The initial brake check proved positive and from then on double finger pulls was all that was needed to halt the 528 pound bike back to zero. Point being, no matter what your height, the Octane will easily leave you flat footed. At 5’9” tall, this bike was the Goldilocks of bike height for me and was just right. After a short ride it appeared to be too short for her 5’2” frame. Motorcyclist editor Julia LaPalme was voted to be the runt of the pack and forced on the bike marked short with the optional lowering accessories. Seat height is one of the lowest of all cruisers and for the severely vertically challenged, closer controls and a different seat and bar choices are available. After a quick reposition, I found the semi-forward controls. My very first impression after taking off was that my feet were nearly hitting the ground while I was looking for some missing mid-controls. Simply by luck of the draw, I happened to sit my rump upon one of the few upgraded machines that included both upgraded shocks, louder exhaust, and analog tachometer (which would come in handy later.) As we left the storage lot to the “undisclosed testing facility” our group ride of 30 or so bikes provided an interesting opportunity to test the basics of the bike. When we arrived at the take off location to start the morning’s riding, there was a large gathering of bikes ready for each editor to fight feverishly for.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |