New here. Got my '13 Hyperstrada yesterday

Hi all.

After being left stranded a few times, plenty of scary braking moments, and a general uneasyness I looked around for a very short time for something else to replace my 2010 KTM Duke 690. Yesterday on a whim I went and sat on a Hyperstrada. Never rode one. But it seemed to fit the bill for me. Riding position, equipment, power, ABS, DTC, etc. While I didn't score a deep discount on it like some have (bad negotiation, pitfalls of a trade... cash might have been a better incentive), I didn't do too badly. I got $1000 over book on my Duke, the first service on the HS for free (no idea what that costs), free heated grips ($295 retail) no freight, no prep. Just tax and tags. No money changed hands, I got a great interest rate and rolled the remaining balance on the Duke into a payment I could live with, so now it's just a matter of enjoying my new bike. I know better but didn't care (midlife crisis mode enabled). I bit, they reeled me in. On to the bike...

Giving up the Duke had me concerned because it rode like no other bike I've owned including my Gold Wing. Soaked up everything. No need to unweight your body to go over bumps. I knew I'd miss that. And I do. It had adjustable everything and was great right out of the box. The Hyperstrada hurts. Kinda disappointed with that. I'm going to need to do something with the suspension - sad considering the cost of the bike. I am 6' tall and 220lbs. I don't know where the shock is set now. Or where it should be for me. The Duke had a nice manual with listings of setups for different situations.

The windscreen will need to be addressed too. Some, but not much better than the little screen I'd put on the Duke.

I need to come up with a solution for my topcase mount. I just need a plate with a bunch of holes so I can put the attachment bracket on for my SHAD topbox. I put my KTM tankbag on. That works. Maybe I'll color in the orange KTM logos. The luggage that came with the bike makes it wider than my Gold Wing was... lol.

Now that the gripes are out of the way...

It sounds like ***. Day-um. It pulls like a train. The ergos are perfect for me. I dig the adjustability of engine modes. Gonna commute on Urban and blast upstate on Sport. It's white.. and pretty. The seat's pretty good. I got used to the Duke and that hurt at first. This one hits me in different places but I like that it doesn't make me slide forward. I like the power outlets. Self-cancelling signals are good. I tend to forget to turn 'em off. I'm a bit scared of it. But so far it seems to handle well. The Duke was almost too easy to ride in the twisties. It was light and would lock the brakes in panic situations despite how many times I'd practice. This bike has brakes I can literally live with. I haven't hit any backroads with this bike yet, but look forward to seeing what's what.

So I'm gonna peruse the posts here. Looking for accessory info and suspension setup. I hope I don't come across too many more posts about the deals others got... I see something about making sure recalls are done and flashing the ecu with latest software. I guess I'll ask when it goes in for its 600 mile service.

Thanks all.

I'm rationalizing my way into not worrying about what I paid, so I can just enjoy the bike. ECU issues, huh? Is it related to the firmware? How can I check the version my bike has and whether it needs to be flashed with an update? I'll ask 'em at the time of the first service I guess.

I rode into work today. Some things will be done to make it "mine", and suit me best, but overall I'm happy. I was sure the suspension was gonna really bother me after I found it doesn't ride like my Duke did, but on today's commute it was fine. I just remembered to stand up a bit over the big speedbump sized humps between sections of pavement. Gotta love NY. That engine and exhaust note are bellissimo.

My post was taken in a direction I never anticipated. I was going to comment about seminal fluid vs. mentrual bleeding (I am an RN, after all), however I'll pass. Oh wait...

I told my wife that the white is angelic (me officer? 110 mph? surely you're mistaken) and the red is devilish (lights and sirens even while parked). heh heh.

I was at the dealer yesterday, they said they hook the bike up to the computer at prep time and the system checks for updates and recalls. They said they do the same at the first service, and any other stuff I bring it in for. So I'm hoping I have the latest. So far so good. 46 mpg for now. Lots of stop and go though.

gatdammit said:

Black on White has always been my favorite color combo on cars. Super cars in white always pop with huge wheels and all the vents/intakes.

I'd just never own red. I grew up reading all the statistics about red cars and higher ticketing rates. I like under the radar.

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Yeah, flying under the radar is good. That and a red Italian machine is so cliche'. I like being different than mainstream expectations.

porkrind said:

It was the continuous state of brokenness that was my least favorite thing. WP stickers were #2.

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Uh, yeah. Brokenness ranks at the top. I'd been stranded a few times by the Duke. The Austrians, in their infinite wisdom, placed the fuel pump inside the tank on the right side, right above the exhaust header. Stop and go traffic meant the pump would cook, seize, and the bike would die. Wait a half hour and it'd start again. I spent good money on a new pump that was more heat resistant, but it came with a hose that wasn't gasoline resistant resulting in a one mile push home when the hose popped off the pump inside the tank.

I liked the bike for the most part... But there were things about it that got me looking to get away from it.