Raptor Chapter

I went for the first longish ride on the 650ie in the last few days. The new seat was a help but I'd love to soften the suspension more. Performance-wise, the motor is great, but the handling wasn't confidence-inspiring, especially on slow corners and starting from a standstill, where I'd wobble just like a novice. I knew the tyre pressures were correct and the steering felt free, but then discovered that the Conti Road Attack front tread had gone all ratchety, such that the bike would have been jumping up and down on slow corners. Not good!

Can't wait to get my fave Avon Storms on it! They transformed the handling of the Gran Canyon, turning a fairly-big bike into a ballet dancer.

Nick

Tyres always make a big difference to a bike. It's worth taking time to set the suspension up as well.