Faults:

Carburetion issues.

General Comments:

I enjoy riding the bike, but it's not all I hoped for. It's heavy, though acceleration is adequate for my needs. It does not handle well at low speeds, with excessive steering 'flop' when maneuvering in tight spaces. I swapped out the US high and wide handlebars for a 'Euro' style bend and mounted a custom seat. Those help.

The suspension is indifferent, even with progressive front springs and aftermarket rear shocks. Brakes are not adequate for high speed riding. The rear drum is sub-par, as is the single disc front. If there was an easy fix for the brakes, that is the next place I would invest in the bike. Stainless steel hydraulic brake line?

I enjoy the power curve and rarely exceed 4,500rpm since vibration increases above that point. I put on some weighted bar end/sliders, but if they made a difference it's negligible. I get some hand tingling and fatigue. But I rarely ride for more than 2 hours at a stretch so, with a custom seat with gel insert, it's just mildly annoying. I would like to use the bike for some longer rides, but I wonder if it's in the cards. I sometimes reach for another gear and may replace the drive cog with a tooth up when the original starts to show signs of wear.

Stock mirrors gave me a great view of my elbows, and not much else, so I replaced them with long stem circular units, which are smaller, but still a big improvement. The side stand has a too small 'footprint' and invites disaster when parking on a loose surface.

If I keep the bike, I may try different tires without such a big difference in cross section between front and rear. I may also try a fork brace to see if that results in more confidence inspiring handling.

All that said, I do like the bike and mainly wish it was lighter weight and had better sorted steering.

Faults:

Incorrect main jet size in right carb caused fouling until corrected. Kickstand safety switch went out and had to be bypassed.

General Comments:

Having owned an 80's 600 single beforehand, even though it was a "retro" bike, the leap in sophistication was phenomenal. It was absolutely bulletproof reliable while I owned it, capable of 110mph, could cruise all day on the highway, and yet was fun to fool around on in town or country roads.

It had excellent acceleration, although gearing was slightly annoying (2nd too low, 3rd too high). The seat was extremely uncomfortable (fixed in the 2001 model year) and the stock handlebars were "buckhorn" making long distance high speed travel extremely uncomfortable. That said the bike performed excellent averaging speeds of 90-100 mph on I-40 from Oklahoma to California without a hiccup. It was always fun to see the look on the Goldwing/Harley dresser rider's faces when I passed them on a small old looking bike.

I did not baby this bike, I rode it in Oklahoma ice storms, LA traffic, on gravel roads, dirt roads, offroad (mud, pastures, etc) and it always started first press of the button or first kick (yeah, it actually had a kick starter, great for a dead battery) and it was always ready for more. I also stored it uncovered outside year round through four brutal years of Oklahoma weather, and the finish remained remarkably beautiful. It was a tough machine, and with a 2001 model or aftermarket seat and low bars, it's hard to think of a better overall motorcycle, as it can honestly be used for any purpose except motocross.

If you are lucky enough to own one, don't sell it. It has much more charm and versatility than the new Triumphs. I sold mine because I needed the money and I certainly regret it. If you want a "standard" motorcycle that can do it all (motorcycling has degenerated into genres) with great classic looks and cross-country dependability, get one if you can find one, they were only imported for two or three years.