Russ' Sprint ST 2005/06 Home Page

Why I bought my Sprint ST

Here's that view:
....I understand your dilemma. The ideal is a bike for each day of the week. The reality is 1 bike for commuting, scratching and touring!

The S3 is a hooligan bike (in a good sense) but not great for pillions or touring. The 1050 motor is a gem. It has 5 more hp than the Sprint in a bike that weighs 15kg (33pnd) less and a shorter wheelbase. Woo hoo - mad.

The Sprint is a little more sane. It is a great overall package. The 1050triple has linear power (and torque) from 3000 to 10000 RPM. You can do mountain twisties in 2nd or 3rd for mile after mile using engine braking equal to a twin and without changing gear just use the rev range. It will tour anywhere (inc gravel roads but not off road), and is a fine commuter. I've racked up over 25000Km in the last 11 months. It's a lot like the old ZX1100 (ZZR1100 in Oz) but about 25KG lighter and better handling. Don't worry about the riding position. I'm 5'10" and about 250lb and was riding a TDM (very upright position) before the Sprint. For the first month the riding position seemed extreme. Now I'm totally used to it and even Blackbirds and the Suzuki SV1000S don't feel as if they have very aggressive seating positions compared to the Sprint. I've done 1200km days and 100-200k city commutes and the Sprint is very comfortable. There's alot of talk about gel seats, Corbin or Sargeant seats. Personally I think the 1050 ST has the most comfortable OEM seat of any bike I've owned.

The Rocket, well it does everything well, but is a heavy cruiser so needs to be ridden with the requisite amount of respect in the twisties :-)

Whatever you get, ride it and enjoy it!
Russ. 20 Nov 2006.