SLINGSHOT: RANDOM THOUGHTS, BON MOTS & CHEAP SHOTS
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do.~Mark Twain
So not long ago I did a bad thing. A terrible, awful thing. Without my wife’s knowledge, or consulting her, I went ahead and pulled the trigger on a 2016 SL metallic titanium with white and gray accents. The next thing she knew, the delivery truck had come and the trike was sitting in the driveway. She wasn’t pleased, but accepting as she knew I needed a) projects to do and b) fun to have. The SS is great on both fronts.
Now that she’s over the shock — she still won’t ride in it because of no doors or air bags, yet she is obsessed by convertibles. Go figure; I’m having a great time. Or was, till….. a scheduled nephrectomy (kidney removal) due to a cancerous tumor. So for the last two weeks (10/5-19) I’ve just been gazing at the machine longingly through the kitchen window. But now I will am basically healed and back in the saddle. Meanwhile, some random observations and comments.
- “Bucket of bolts.” If you’re of a certain age, and have watched your dad, grandpa, uncles, etc. shoot the breeze, you’ve almost certainly heard this expression. In the SS’s case, it really is true! Bucket of seats, cockpit, & space frame held together by Allen bolts. So take no umbrage to this intended smear!
- “Batmobile.” Those with other colors might not get this as much, but the color scheme of mine lends itself strongly to such comparisons. With Halloween approaching I’m sure I’ll get more of this.
- “Cool car!” Nice older lady, 75-80ish, at a four-way stop sign. I had pulled over to fuss with the new (to me) stereo and that’s what she yelled at me approvingly. We had just enough time for me to explain, to her shock and surprise, that it was technically a motorcycle, not a car.
- Thumbs up. We’re fortunate to live in a neighborhood with lots of elementary and midde-school-aged children. Sometime I end up being out during pickup hour and I get lots of waves, smiles, and thumbs ups. My son’s karate training partner’s mother was ready to abandon her BMW X1 & the boys and climb on in! She’ll get a ride eventually.
- Slingshot vs. MX-5 comparo. I’ve had both. Trust me, the SS is way more fun — I think a combination of almost completely open-air motoring and the potential trouble one can get into with a single rear tire. (Plus the SS is faster.) The Miata had been “modded” (poorly), the most notable item being big, heavy 17” wheels and tires, which I returned to stock or better — for example, new lightweight Enkei 15” wheels, sticky Toyo tires, 9.5 lbs. weight savings per corner, and wham! Back to the perfect 50/50 weight balance handling. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the Miata and with a real roof and trunk, is obviously way more practical. Fortunately my brother-in-law bought it from me and it sits in a nice cozy garage in Denver. And yes, I have visitation rights!
Mods (combination previous owner* and mine)
-Silver belt guard* (factory option? no idea)
-Red safety cage tubing* (factory option?)
-Assault flat-bottom QR steering wheel* with NRG short QR adapter
-Assault “mesh” e-brake cover* (removed and replaced with the Status/NRG combo; MUCH better both visually and operationally)
-Assault pedal covers*
-PRP seat belt pads* (since removed on driver’s side)
-PRP mesh storage, passenger’s side*
-Audio screen visor*
-Interior LED lighting*, white or blue selectable
-Stereo lower-cost upgrades (PM me for more)
-Windscreen center stabilizer/rear view mirror* and RAM ball-mounted cell phone bracket
-Carpeted floor mats
-Assault driver’s side foot rest cover (to match pedals)
-Red lug nut covers & valve stem caps (just trying to add a little spice!)
-SS glove box badge
-Replaced headlamps with ultra-bright units — PIAA
-Carbon fiber round shift knob and Status marine-grade gearshift boot
-PRP soft-sided luggage bags
-Paramount Plastics hood vent
-Carbon fiber gas cap — why not? (Rationalization: Now I have a spare!)
-License plate frame & “tuck” mounting bracket
Likely to come over time:
-CAI
-DDMWorks slotted rotors and Hawk ceramic brake pads (or other brands/models as recommended)
-Upgrade tires for pure dry traction — thinking Nitto NT05R, basically a street-legal racing slick ( I do NOT drive the trike in the rain!) Would love the Yoko ADVAN NEOVA AD08-R but no 20s!
-Nicer seats should some become available used, cheap & local pickup only
-Head end unit, amps, speakers — WAAAAAY down the line, if at all
Hope you enjoyed this lengthy rumination!
(Cross-posted on the ss-forums.com.)
