KTMrad 507 Posted October 10, 2012 OK, this is a year old write-up....I'm catching up on posting stuff Last October, I had to work in Reno for 4 days and had a day off in between, so I trucked up with my Codyboy and the XR1200 in the back of the truck. On my day off, I took Cody to a local pet-sitting place, and took off into the mountains on my XR1200. Went up towards Tahoe, then towards Ebbetts Pass (route 4 across the Sierra Nevada). I have been up to Ebbetts Pass quite a few times, and earlier that year was there on my 950 in June. Here it is on my XR1200 in October.... COMPARISON PICs - earlier in June same year.... Back to October...... Sorry for all the XR posing photos, was just trying to get the best angle...and this was my first ride on it outside of SoCal, plus it's such a purty motorcycle. This is one of my favorite passes in the Sierra Nevada...the road is tight, twisty and steep grade going up. In parts, the road is not much more than 1 lane wide. Pacific Grade Summit on Ebbetts Pass.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KTMrad 507 Posted October 10, 2012 I wanted to keep going, but had to turnaround to get back to Reno. I stopped to chat with this guy Machek. He had an accent, so I asked where he was from....originally from Poland, living in San Francisco, out for a few day jaunt on his bike. Yeah, I'm a poser Heading back down the steep grade.... Almost down to the 395.... Man, I was pushing it for time. I had spent longer than I expected up on Ebbetts Pass. I had to be back in Reno by 6pm to pick up Codyboy at the pet sitting place. I had a lot of miles to cover going up the 395 in a short time. I had to make a decision to either take a chance of getting a ticket while haulin' ass to get there in time, or not take the chance and then I definitely would not make it there in time and Cody would have to spend the night there. So, I took the chance....and I was movin' up the 395, even thru the small towns I had to haul....got back to the motel at 5:55pm and picked up Cody at 6:05pm just before they closed the doors. Whew....I made it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KTMrad 507 Posted October 10, 2012 Here's some comparison pix of what Ebbetts Pass looked like earlier in the year, in June when I was up there. This is the same lake as the first few photos with the XR....frozen and covered by snow. More pics of what it looked like earlier in June, same year..... Quite a difference between these photos in June, and the XR1200 photos in October of the same year.... THE END Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sandiegoland 0 Posted October 10, 2012 Same lake, June 2005... Bishop, to Bodie, to Jackson. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bagstr 287 Posted October 10, 2012 OK Randy, I know the Harley is Purdy and all, but how does it stack up to the 950 on Hwy 4?? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KTMrad 507 Posted October 10, 2012 OK Randy, I know the Harley is Purdy and all, but how does it stack up to the 950 on Hwy 4?? Dave, the 950 handles a bit better in the really tight stuff...otherwise, the XR is fine, I had a blast on the XR on route 4. Local riding, I go faster on Engineer Rd. (tight road by Cuyamaca) on the XR than I do on the 950. I got used to the XR and how to work it to so it cuts thru the corners better. Just to clarify, the XR1200 is the BEST handling stock Harley ever made for the street. I love the XR and have tons of fun riding it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites