[alanmcorcoran]

Out here you gotta be able to cruise at 70-75 or risk being run off the road. The limit is 65 in the greater LA area, but very,very few people obey the limit. I suspect average speed is closer to 72 or higher. On the other hand, I rarely find the need to go 80 or above. In So Cal, freeways are where you are going to be riding if the bike is more than a weekend toy and it's best that you get one that is comfortable on them (with all due respect, the GZ is not a great bike for freeways.) If I stll lived in rural New York State, I think the GZ would be very happy on the state roads. I kind of agree with Easy - if you don't need the gears, there's not much benefit. I don't shift like an expert, but generally, I click up to the top, down to the bottom, up to the top down to the bottom. Rarely stay very long in any of the one's in between.

I'd double check on the "service" price differences between Japanese/HD. I pay pretty big bucks for dealer service on the Yamaha. Find it hard to believe that the HD guys would be that much more. HD guys out here are hurting - but I've not checked service prices. I bought my wife a real nice pair of HD boots for about 40% off - they were cheaper than the off-brand ones and better quality.