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| Archives - Production Motorcycles |
New Bike Tests: 2009 Johnny Pag Pro-Street - From RoadBike September 2009
 Street Cred By Steve Lita, Photos by Bob Feather So you’re on a budget (who isn’t?) and/or you’re a new rider who wants a bike that’s cool looking and will get the job done but won’t break the bank? Add Johnny Pag motorcycles to the top of your list of choices. From a distance or up close, the Pag Pro-Street has all the right proportions. The alloy wheels have a custom look. The all-steel bodywork, aircraft-style fuel filler, and contrasting rally stripe scream muscle car. And the blacked-out trim and upsidedown front end add to the strong stance. Just about the only chrome on the bike is the dual exhaust and a couple of trim items. Look closer and you’ll pick up on some more cool cues: forward controls and a cat’s eye taillight that look like they came right out of a custom billet parts catalog; dual front brake discs with huge vents and a scalloped, “wave rotor” look; and a 21" front wheel and a proportionally correct, fat 160 profile rear tire. On the fat black handlebar rests a single round gauge. That’s all you need to add more muscle. I probably couldn’t have built it more attractively if I’d picked the parts myself. Based in Southern California, Johnny Pag motorcycles started out in 2006 with just a couple of offerings. But today its lineup includes seven models of various styles, including a chopper, a tourer, and even a naked standard. At the Indy dealer show earlier this year, I met with Johnny “JR” Pag and accepted his offer to take a ride on one. He hooked me up with Dax Sursely of Action Orlando Motorsports in Apopka, Florida. Dax supplied a tested Pro-Street while I was in Daytona for Bike Week, and went to great lengths to make sure I was taken care of. The several days I spent riding the Pro-Street were filled with thumbs up and positive acknowledgment from the tough Bike Week crowd. So you already know I like the looks of the Pag Pro-Street. And that’s important. After all, who wants to ride a bike that looks like you’re just starting out? With the Pro-Street you get instant acceptance, with modern equipment and styling. Previously, your only other choices were smaller cruisers from some of the Japanese manufacturers (which pretty much all look like they’re getting long in the tooth). The Pro-Street is a full-size bike and will cruise between 70-75 mph for light highway duty. It’s DOT and EPA compliant, and gets around 65 mpg. The twin-carbureted, liquid-cooled JPM 300cc twin putts along with a bit of noticeable buzz at the higher rpm, but you’re not going to spend all your time in that rev range. With a conventional oil bath clutch and five speeds, I found the transmission shifted nicely, and the fifth-gear ratio was a slightly overdriven 0.913. The clutch is cable-operated.
Weighing in at well under 400 pounds, the bike is light, nimble, and easy to handle. The Pro-Street has a softail-style rear suspension. The hidden rear shocks are adjustable, and the 21" front wheel and inverted front forks soak up the bumps. There’s plenty of ground clearance for having fun in the twisties. I mentioned the distinctive look of the twin front disc brake rotors, but there’s a matching third disc out back. Three twin-piston calipers do the stopping quite well.
Like all the Johnny Pag models, the Pro-Street comes with a one-year manufacturer warranty; an extended warranty is available through your dealer. While riding the Pro-Street I thought how cool it would have been to have one when I started riding, but they didn’t build them like this back then. I’ve definitely taken to suggesting the Johnny Pag line, and the Pro-Street in particular, to friends and acquaintances who ask about starter bikes these days. RB Many thanks to Action Orlando Motorsports, 407/889-7300, www.ActionOrlando.com.
Tech Sheet List Price $4,699 |
