I Blagged Myself a Wee Test Ride .....

[Wee Jack]

As an "EX" TA 650 owner , who loved the bike, but felt it lacked a bit of power when two up and fully loaded, I was very curious to know what the 700 felt like. I have to say I was very impressed. the extra 30 CCs and FI make it feel a much more powerful machine than the small increase in cubes would suggest.

It felt planted on the road and handled well, the test bike had 6000 miles on it and was shod with Tourances.

[largewayround]

I had a demo bike out of Eccose (Aberdeen) last monday , (650 in for service)

I had a awful time of it.. back tyre was bald (not so good in rain)

The chain was as tight as a bow .....

The Hiss light came on as I was doing 70 on the dual carriageway and the engine cut out.. Lucky I was near a parking spot and freewheeled to a stop.
Flicked engine cut out switch off / on,, then everything was back to normal

The bike felt uneasy at slow speed through traffic. But good turn of speed..

I pointed out all the faults to the sales and head mechanic .. and they said the bike did have a cutting out fault but they could not get it to do it in the workshop.

And told them I stick with my 650 !!

Would be interested to drive a properly set up 700 to see the difference..

[graeme0309]

I had a shot on a 700 last year in Paris.

I liked the fact that I could cross tram lines, road joints (rubberised repair gaps between two broken bits of asphalt) and wet plastic painted white lines without the wobble.

It's my biggest criticism of my 650. When I am off road in the Highlands or taking the back down a gorge for camping purposes in the Ardeche I don't mind that thin front wheel. It does what it was designed for.

But when I am tanking along in the city and hit obstacles I really hate the disconcerting wobble and the effects on balance on the 650.

The smaller fatter wheel of the 700 gets my vote. Much more stable around town.