and nowhere is that more obvious than in the suspension . It sports 41mm front forks and preload-adjustable twin shocks on the rear . Despite the fairly plush leather seat , you will feel the bumps in the road reverberate through the fairly stiff suspension ; not something my ass loved . You ’ re rewarded for that with very predictable and stable cornering performance . On some similar bikes I ’ ve found that sacrifices towards plush , comfortable suspension over the bumps can amount to unpredictable handling in the corners . Not something I love in a motorcycle . This was a characteristic I found absent in the Gold Star . Similar stability can be found in acceleration and braking ; the bike doesn ’ t lurch forward or backward during either . Ergonomics are solid : a lovely long leather seat is a pleasure to park up on , and has plenty of room for a passenger . Granted , the tank doesn ’ t lend itself to gripping with your knees , and you
can find yourself slipping forward under heavy braking . The handlebars are a little narrow for my taste , but that is easily overlooked . The mirrors are in a lovely spot in my periphery and reveal much of the world behind me . The rear grab-rail does the job and is present , more than I can say for some competitors , plus the front brake and clutch levers have a wonderful notch / kink in the middle of them that allows you to comfortably rest a forefinger on either while riding . I may be betraying my naivety here , but what a small but genuine revelation . Why don ’ t all bikes do this ? Speaking of what all bikes should have , the 320mm front brake disc paired with the twinpiston Brembo caliper is absolutely fantastic . It is one of the first things you ’ ll notice should you give one a test ride ; exceptional front brake performance . This is contrasted by the performance of the rear 255mm disc with its
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