All the issues with this bike are resolved and it's been my commuter bike for almost two weeks while the car is in the shop.
A v-4 engine like on this bike has a lot of torque, so it accelerates really fast. Handling is neutral but responsive without being twitchy. I have learned that I need to temper my driving and slow down so the cage drivers have time to see me and respond. It's hard enough on a normal bike to be seen, but when you're riding a fast bike like the Honda Interceptor, the rider must slow down so that the drivers see more than a blurry streak or the sudden appearance of a vehicle where there was nothing before.
For a little while, I was riding without instruments and judging speed by flow of traffic and wind resistance. Once I got the replacement instrument cluster, I realized how fast I was really traveling. The bike is very smooth and quiet, and the small fairing displaces enough air over the top of my helmet so that I was not able to correctly judge my speed or acceleration. Also, I can now calculate my fuel efficiency, which is just under 50 MPG in city driving.
Not bad for a $900 bike.
