Great subject.
I came off a Mean Streak. My first bike as I had given up flying and let my status lapse and put away my desire to bike while the kids were young and needed a pop around (my fathers words haunt me still). When it came time to follow my wants I took the Abate course and happened to have a 2007 Meanie fall in my lap for the cost of a friend's paternity test and his legal fees. $3k for a bike with 4K miles and he wont ride till his daughter is 18. I put 25K on that bike between Indiana and ALL OVER SOutheast Ohio the first 18 months I had it. Tried to write down impressions and recap every ride and harshly critique so I could keep getting better. Found lots of helpful bikers along the way who gave great tips and the Mean Streak forum is a pretty nice bunch of guys.
I rode those months waiting for my significant other to keep up.....on her rather slow Bike..... as compared to the Meanie of course.....
I had ridden on the back on many bikes as a USAT Triathlon official including working 2 World Championships. I favored the BMW's and the owners groups I met with at Shapiros and up in Chicago and agonized every time I had to climb on the back of an HD as I knew a 1-300 mile day on a race course was going to leave me sore. After lusting for 20 years after the Beemer I saw a 2008 Connie sitting at a local dealer in SEO that was having trouble unloading it. We came to a very good price and I put 12k on it the first 4 months. I did keep the Meanie but getting on the Concours and riding was so very natural. I picked up riding skills much quicker on this bike. Where I felt I could not do certain things on the meanie this bike let me do them and more. I am still going back and forth between her place in SEO and Muncie and really loving this bike. When I am over there I use the Meanie as the Concours just leaves her as a speck in the mirror and I can't take the Twisties of Ohio 78 and 56 through the Hocking Hills without using as much of the bike as I can......SOOOOOO....Since she can't stand over the Connie and I wanted her to feel the same thrill I have every time I get on the bike I found her a bargain for X mas that should keep us both much happer.....
After a run down to Indy to have the bike inspected even though the guy i bought it from has his picture inthe dictionary next to the word Anal......she put a sign on the Dyna Low and will never get back on it again exclaiming "this lets me do all those things i worked so hard to do but could never do on the Dyna" saying that "even taking a cloverleaf at speed is a thrill." I kind of knew things were going to be good when I looked back after passing the lone car in front of us and she was still there....as I edged up to the century mark watching the headlight in the mirror on a totally empty 4 lane she was holding steady on the proper stagger. Makes it all worth while....
I am still going to keep the Meanie as I have become accustomed to the feel of switching and enjoy the laid back ride at certain times.....but the Concours....that's a machine that calls my name each and every day. Hope you love yours as much.