[Clint]

What a great bike. I've been reading up on them and watching prices the last year or so in sort of a what-if shopping venture. I had it in my head what I thought that bike might feel like, and it fit my preconception like a glove.

First, it's EFI, so warmup was almost non-existant. The dealer started it, I put on my helmet and rode away. Second, the combination of a smooth clutch (despite being mechanical) and gobs of torque down low make this a very easy bike to ride. It felt much like my Bandit with regard to launching. Not once did I have concerns about stalling it. It pulled away smoothly and with good modulation.

The sound is magnificent, even with the stock pipes. Power is very linear and always available. The combination of its short wheelbase and sparse front end hardware make it quite easy to wheelie. Even in my modest 20-block ride I managed to lift the front tire a bit. There's lots of hooligan potential there.

Toward the end I started to feel heat under my thighs. The radiator fan had run some and it was no doubt blowing right at my legs. It wasn't a problem, but sitting at a light I could feel it.

Ergos are much like my Bandit up top, but the foot position is rearward more - not so much that I felt cramped, but definately further back. This gave me a straight-backed posture that felt quite comfortable. My inner thighs hugged the tank to anchor me in position. It felt sporty but not contorted. I really liked it.

I was only on the Triumph for a few minutes, but I didn't find one thing to complain about. It's a very fun bike that left me with a big grin. The dealer, Moto Primo in Minneapolis, apparently purchased a large number of S3's by mistake and is offering them at $8999. I wasn't intending to buy a new bike as a second, but man....