From: svoboda@rtsg.mot.com (David Svoboda)
Subject: Re: SECA II  Advice?
Organization: Motorola Inc., Cellular Infrastructure Group
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 30 Jul 1992 20:57:37 GMT

In article <1992Jul29.185246.963@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU> cdw2t@dayhoff.med.Virginia.EDU (Clifford David Weston) writes:
|In article <21672@sybase.sybase.com> alexb@sybase.com (Alex Burmester) writes:
|>Does anyone have a good reason not to get one of these?
|>So far everything I've heard has been praise but I'm getting
|>a little wary because of all the pro's and no con's.
|>Would someone review some con's for me and any pro's that
|>aren't obvious?
|
|as the proud owner of a bright-red (but not drop-dead-ducati-red) seca2:

Well, I test rode a Seca II when the Yamaha truck was around here.  I
was less than impressed.  Here's my impressions.  (Sorry, Cliff, I don't
mean to disparage your ride, this is just my riding impressions.)

|pro's:
|
|+nice-looking

Agree.  I like the way you can *see* the engine.

|+handles well

Handles fair.  The one I rode had suspension problems (slushy front,
mainly).

I would say it was on a par with my (now ex) KZ550.

|+great gas mileage and 4.5 gal fuel on-board (200 mi before reserve)

What is the gas mileage?

|+flat, decent powerband (see below)

I was pretty disappointed in the power, for a 600.  Again, my near
stock 81 KZ550 felt more powerful.

|+comfortable (two trips of 1000 and 700 miles, *no* sore spots)

For you maybe.  I thought the seat a bit hard.  (But then, I ride
a Concours.)

|+easily rides two-up comfortably

Didn't try.

|+low initial cost

Higher than a mid 80's UJM in good condition.

|+not classified as sportbike by ins co

Neither is a mid 80's UJM.  And the UJM will be cheaper
to insure yet.

|+no side fairings to scratch in case of tipover

Yup.

And one more of mine:

+it sounds *really racy* when revving up.

|con's:
|
|-makes an attractive barrier if you're engaged in a fight with two guys

:-)

|-can't hang with the katana crowd (you know who you are, dave and sean)

Rider skill means more than what moto you ride.  Get stickier tires.

|-only 53 horses at your call

Feels like it, too.

|-leg position a little too bent for some

Probably part of the uncomfortableness I felt.

|-rear tire (130/70-18) hard to find

Bummer.

|-buzzes at 4-5k rpm in pegs and, lesser, in grips

Inline 4.  Comes with the territory.

|-probably used bikes out there with equal/better performance for <$3800

My point exactly.

|-i'm not sure, but i think it's shim-under-bucket :-(

Yup.

|-centerstand optional, but available

I would put it "no centerstand, but available aftermarket".  I take it
you bought one right off?

And 

-that little fairing does very little to get you out of the wind, rain,
etc., although it does smooth the flow.  The thing is, with it there, you
can't really put on a better fairing if you want to do some touring (or
in my case, winter riding).

-the brakes are less than overwhelming (single disk at each end)

|overall, it's a commendable beater that responds well to some weekend
                             ^^^^^
I hate the idea of a spending that much money on what is basically early
80's technology, but without the character of a classic bike (my nod to
the HD,BMW,MG crowd :-).

|touring/ canyon-running.  if you want a sportbike, though, this ain't it.
|i'm mighty happy with mine, though i still drool at ducs and fjs, et al.

At the time that I testrode the Seca II, I was helping to critique the
bike for a buddy who was looking at buying his first street bike (after
years in the dirt).  After both of us riding the bike, he rather liked
it, but I didn't.  I suggested he look at a Honda Hawk GT (a favorite
of mine, along the same lines as the Seca II), and he found a brand new
90 model for just over $3000, quite a bit less money, and quite a bit
more motorcycle.  He bought it, and loves it.  I have ridden his, and
was quite impressed.  Similar riding position, still no fairing (but
aftermarket available), better power, better brakes, better suspension,
and it just seems like it's a bit more refined, from an engineering
standpoint.

Dave Svoboda (rubis@gagme.chi.il.us)        | "I just can't take
90 Concours 1000 (Mmmmmmmmmmmm)             |  this weird shit
No ratbike at the moment.  Suggestions?     |  before breakfast!"
AMA 583905      DoD #0330    COG 939        |   -- Evo Woman