    Swiss Army Knife, 1.18.2012
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Reviewer: Mark Torre (Roanoke, VA)
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As is, this bike is pretty amazing, but with a few easy changes, the bike can fill multiple roles. Gear it down, swap out the battery & foot pegs, lose the mirrors & the 1lb 5oz cannister, and you'll have a serious off-road machine. Take the weight loss a little further (maybe remove the signals and headlight)and change out the tires, and you've got a very capable racing machine. (at 40+mpg you could go 1/2 gal lighter on gas and shave another 3lbs if the race is less than 50mi) The lightened crank and piston have dramatically improved the agility, and have also made it more rev responsive. The only drawback to this bike is the tall stock gearing and the weight, the latter of which is a trade-off for the "street legal" title. The XCW would be the better starting point if racing was your number one objective, but if the idea of riding to your ride appeals to you this bike is perfect. |
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