Hehe Jean, funny you mention my Popeye grip, discovered that in elementary school contests with bigger and older dudes, both in fun game and knock down fights. When C'do well tuned they should fire off on first TDC piston pass so kick lever just out races a karate kick or arm punch. A swami told me its not the size of the muscle mass so much as the pressure it can develop. I have digital grip meter for neuro exams and find I can match most big guys grip but do get beat now and then. If neck spine not too decayed then full nerve firing can get through. i've lost weight down to 150 lb so trying to fill out some more again, ugh. This hand start did not fire off till full stroke so only had a few attempts in me if it didn't start pretty normally. I and others had em start on just key on with Boyer when they happened to land just right and still warm enough mixture was still ignitable.
Wes and I had a mild blast and a meal into late after noon to dusk. Then he went home and so did I - but took 50 extra mile crooked way back, half Gravel, half new paved hwy. i am very pleased with Trixie's completely factory brake, minus the factory stupid restriction to mimic a dumb drum brake action. Low effort ease for sane hwy pull downs yet caution not to lock up on hard hwy speed squeezes. Tire grip is only limiting factor now not Lockheed art deco sculpture.
Trixie will idle back after a delay now and can use engine drag instead of speeding up in low gears going down loose sloped turns. She's got her Combat spirit back too - no end to the pull up to indicated ton so far. That's about as fast as I care to rake an ordinary Combat in perfect conditions but may press her to about max out at least once to know what she can do, just to say I have again but no desire or intentions beyond that - if I even ever do. She is what she is and rather nicer handier than my spiffed up SV650 in all ways but holding sweeper leans under power, BIG TABOO on ordinary iso'd C'do, BEWARE!!!
15W-40 grade diesel oil seems about right for floppy eared clearances in factory Roaholders. No more bike hop easing into turns, just normal suspension and tire bounce. Got to work up a bit of the sharp angled corner attacks I like, up to point Trixie's rear stepped out a bit so I now know what to avoid on this ordinary iso C'do. Also got to kick up heels a bit on the wider milder Gravel turns, getting front to skip/slide out against the straight steering falling over states, so I know what to avoid on this ordinary iso'd C'do fine as they are to everyone else.
Operated like an ordinary iso'd C'do Trixie is a sweet treat now that tempts me out in uncomfortable conditions as so fun again instead of scary work out.
Only real scare was on leaving hyw to narrow paved path to see two deer in time with high beam, one on each road edge, both spinning to face and leap across to each others side and my path. I SNORTED them to suddenly change their tiny minds just in time as i passed between them through impact point. No time to brake no time to tap useless horn, just Gladiator aggressive thrusting at them. Ugh wife just read over my shoulder and told me another deer biker death here and TV warning the tar crack repairs are giving way under bike tires in summer heat, UGH.
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8wV-alJABA[/video]
