One thing it took me a while to get used to is the lack of a fuel gauge! I spent a few times filling to the brim and doing sumses to work out how many earth miles to the gallon when I filled up next time. Settles on about 34mpg, so I aim for 30. Then I know how far to go without filling up. Not something you have to be thinking of in more populous areas, but up here (and in quite a bit of Argyll too) it's worth bearing in mind.
Been up and down the Rest and be Thankful quite a few times, when it's not closed to rockfall that is! They've done quite a bit of work on the hillside over the last few years so closures done seem to be as frequent as they used to be. The Dalveen Pass on the A702 further south in D&G is a favourite route of mine.
I agree with you about the fuel gauge @Big Sandy I live about 12 miles from my nearest fuel station and the two roads into my village both climb up to around 1,000 feet before dropping back down on the way out in either direction to get to the nearest petrol stations plus they are pretty steep in sections so, if you don't have more than a minimum amount of gas in the tank you won't make it over the top even though what is in the tank could easily take you as far as the petrol station on the level. I make a point of keeping a four gallon jerry can at home that I fill up when I am out in 'civilisation' with the car and keep at home in case of emergency or when I am just not going as far as a petrol station in any direction. One thing I always struggle with is keeping track of which gear I am in and I loved the fact that my old Suzuki's showed you what gear you were in on your clocks. I wish the Sprint had something like that for idiots like me to stop me kicking the hell out of the gear lever when I am already as high as I can go!
Marty: I've got an older Sprint in my little squadron, but I don't ride it much anymore. They are a great bike if you want something with some "legs". ...J.D.
I was actually attracted to the original Sprint @Wire-Wheels as they were a bike that I had seen around a lot, though there was no way I could afford one back then, before I was forced by cruel fate to give up riding 'back in the day' but the 955i came up at a price, at a time, and nearby enough (it came to me from Alexandria) to be 'right place, right time and a very decent price'. To be honest, despite being a 'plodder' and more 'Ogri' than 'Valentino Rossi' I am actually rather enjoying the race(ish) riding position on the bike and I am actually looking for a set of the original RS bars as someone in it's history changed this one for what I think are Sprint ST bars. I still haven't got to be really good friends with her yet and I haven't been brave enough to push her past about 105mph (on a private road of course ) as I am still getting a feel for how she reacts to road bumps etc. at speed, but I think me and the old girl are getting on fine. Not sure what she tops out at but, given that she is hauling my six foot three, twenty two stone frame I very much doubt she would take me anywhere near the claimed 150mph even with a tail wind and a twenty mile stretch of straight downhill, billiard table smooth road
Mine is a 900. Over here in the states they are pretty rare, but still.cheap. I have owned that one since 2002. I have had it to an indicated 125mph once. She will cruise all day long at 90. I buy these older bikes because it leaves me money to improve and modify them, and I don't put a lot of miles on them anyhow. ...J.D.
I can't deny that I really have taken a shine to my Sprint and want to keep it not to mention that bikes hold their prices in Scotland in a way that cars certainly don't. I do worry that, as far as I know, Triumph don't support these older machines with spares so anything that I might need will need to be used parts.I am keeping an eye out for a decent one going cheap to use as a donor for when the time comes plus I am after a tank and plastics to customise to my own personal taste.