Excellent succinct assessment Chopperbob. There is much value in your words and useful advice I will be leveraging. Thank you.
A tall guy's review of the 2018 ATAS
I went on my maiden voyage with my 5 day old ATAS to the Appalachians and the Blueridge Parkway. The only modification was the fork air deflector that most recommend. My round-trip mileage was 1440 miles and I took the bike in for it's initial service near Bristol, TN. (Update: 26Apr2020- I rode the bike 2,600 miles from Delaware to Colorado. I can now proclaim this set-up as nearly ideal. From NPS jeep trails to Interstate highways, it was very comfortable and compliant for me)
For reference: I'm 6-4 (193 cm), 36 in. inseam pants and wear XL tall shirts/jackets. I wear a Nolan N-44 with a visor.
Thoughts on:
OEM windscreen: With the fork air deflector in place, the stock screen worked a treat as the Brits say. I had no helmet buffeting and only some x-wind hits passing large trucks at extra-legal speeds. This will be the first stock windscreen that I keep since my 02 1150GSA.
OEM heated grips: I saw daytime riding temps between 32F-65F. The heated grips worked great, to the point that I had to LOWER the power setting because they were too hot. This was at 40F and 75mph!
Footpegs: While the pegs are still pretty small, they worked well enough that my legs weren't cramped after 8 hours of riding. I wear size 14 boots, so the exhaust plumbing did bother my right foot placement. (Apr. 2020- I upgraded to the Knight Designs footpegs. They work great for my standing position and allow me to move my feet in different positions while seated)
Seat comfort: Wow, nice seat that you can slide around on all day to prevent hotspots. I was able to ride for 2 hours and 15 minutes straight without monkey butt symptoms. Definitely a keeper!
Display: Meh! I'd prefer analog, and truly at my sitting height, the display is difficult to read in most conditions. Yes, the contrast is turned up.
Handlebars: I need about an inch higher and inch closer to be comfortable. The bars are a stretch for me and I have to sit with bad posture to ride the bike comfortably. (Update: Feb. 2020) I installed bar-risers (fixed Rox-Risers with AT off-set shims) that add one inch up and about one inch back toward the saddle. I had to loosen some of the hose/wire clamps on the right hand brake line and wiring to do this mod. With the risers and footpeg mods, it allows me to stand comfortably on the bike while on deep gravel roads. While sitting, my posture is so much better that my shoulders don't hurt from slouching.
Ride: I dialed in most of the rear shock pre-load and the AT was very compliant on the poor roads in the middle of Virginia. The bike handled great in the twisty sections, even loaded down with a big rider, both panniers stuffed full and a small rucksack. l love the engine and brakes!
For me, the 2018 ATAS is almost perfect in most respects. I was very comfortable during the 4.5 days of riding and I was delighted not to have to worry about finding an acceptable windscreen. The secret for tall riders like me, seems to be the cheap fork wind deflector mod. Try it before you agonize over other aftermarket solutions. YMMV. This opinion piece is aimed at tall folks considering purchasing a leftover 2018-19 ATAS, like I did!
For reference: I'm 6-4 (193 cm), 36 in. inseam pants and wear XL tall shirts/jackets. I wear a Nolan N-44 with a visor.
Thoughts on:
OEM windscreen: With the fork air deflector in place, the stock screen worked a treat as the Brits say. I had no helmet buffeting and only some x-wind hits passing large trucks at extra-legal speeds. This will be the first stock windscreen that I keep since my 02 1150GSA.
OEM heated grips: I saw daytime riding temps between 32F-65F. The heated grips worked great, to the point that I had to LOWER the power setting because they were too hot. This was at 40F and 75mph!
Footpegs: While the pegs are still pretty small, they worked well enough that my legs weren't cramped after 8 hours of riding. I wear size 14 boots, so the exhaust plumbing did bother my right foot placement. (Apr. 2020- I upgraded to the Knight Designs footpegs. They work great for my standing position and allow me to move my feet in different positions while seated)
Seat comfort: Wow, nice seat that you can slide around on all day to prevent hotspots. I was able to ride for 2 hours and 15 minutes straight without monkey butt symptoms. Definitely a keeper!
Display: Meh! I'd prefer analog, and truly at my sitting height, the display is difficult to read in most conditions. Yes, the contrast is turned up.
Handlebars: I need about an inch higher and inch closer to be comfortable. The bars are a stretch for me and I have to sit with bad posture to ride the bike comfortably. (Update: Feb. 2020) I installed bar-risers (fixed Rox-Risers with AT off-set shims) that add one inch up and about one inch back toward the saddle. I had to loosen some of the hose/wire clamps on the right hand brake line and wiring to do this mod. With the risers and footpeg mods, it allows me to stand comfortably on the bike while on deep gravel roads. While sitting, my posture is so much better that my shoulders don't hurt from slouching.
Ride: I dialed in most of the rear shock pre-load and the AT was very compliant on the poor roads in the middle of Virginia. The bike handled great in the twisty sections, even loaded down with a big rider, both panniers stuffed full and a small rucksack. l love the engine and brakes!
For me, the 2018 ATAS is almost perfect in most respects. I was very comfortable during the 4.5 days of riding and I was delighted not to have to worry about finding an acceptable windscreen. The secret for tall riders like me, seems to be the cheap fork wind deflector mod. Try it before you agonize over other aftermarket solutions. YMMV. This opinion piece is aimed at tall folks considering purchasing a leftover 2018-19 ATAS, like I did!
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... and when you stand up on the pegs you can see his mistress.
I'm not sure of the model, but here is the set I ordered from USA supplier- Revzilla. You will need to take off a couple plastic hose/wire clips to keep every thing from being too tight. I've had them for 6,600 miles now and they are fine.
Rox 1 1/2" Barback Risers For 1 1/8" Bars | 10% ($11.79) Off! - RevZilla
Rox Barback Risers are a great way to make your fat bar equipped bike more comfortable. Not only do these risers move your handlebars up by 1 1/2 inch…
www.revzilla.com
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