Took her bike out for a spin on Saturday. I must agree with her wholeheartedly -
!!!!
IMHO, it's where the bike should have been geared from the factory. It's a street bike, not a trials bike. It settles into a groove right about 60mph and ~7700rpm and it feels "happy". Acceleration isn't quite as snappy, but overall I think it's a wash because you don't have to shift like a trucker with a 13 speed Road Ranger who's in 6th by the end of the intersection.
I think the swap makes the bike a lot more friendly for the "average" rider looking for a more relaxed, longer distance bike. I don't think I would want to ride it on the expressway for hours on end at 75mph, the seat is too hard for my bum, but the bike would certainly handle it. I can't help from getting a big grin every time I ride it - it's amazing how well it handles for such a basic bike. I can't come up with a good enough excuse to buy one and also keep my Buell, unfortunately.
Chris