Talon...

Wow, I thought Montu was the most boring B&M of them all. Talon is good, though. It's my third favorite inverted coaster (behind Fire Dragon and B:TR).

-Nate

The library?

I like Talon. I prefer it slightly to BTR, but that may be because I've ridden some many BTRs. Note: I think BTRs are excellent. I particularly like the amount on action that Talon has right down at ground level. In this respect it reminds me a lot of the original Bat.

yes gator, could you explain "the library" sil vous plait?

Is it really that far of a stretch?

Libraries are supposed to be QUIET places...much like the queue under Talon, where the "whooshing" of the train is almost eerie. Perhaps I'm just used to the ROAR of our Beemers, but it was kinda neat to stand under a coaster and (almost) hear crickets chirping...;)

Talon, for me at least, ranks RIGHT up there with Fire Dragon, Great Bear, and TG:TJC...inverts with unique layouts ROCK! :)

As of now its easily my least favorite B&M invert. I liked the layout and all the uniqeness of it, but I felt like the whole thing from start to finish lacked the punch of others out there. That being said, I felt the same way about Raging Bull at first, but then had a really good night ride at the end of my trip a few years ago, so it may have just been the day and time. The way it was running that day though, it just seemed pretty....bland. Still fun, though.

I've felt for a long time that Fire Dragon is the best there is, and my rides a few weeks ago only confirmed it. The layout is just so fun and funky (the air hill! the wrap around immelman! all that straight track!), the visuals are so amazing, and it seems to track perfectly no matter what the time of day or year. What more could you ask for?

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rollergator said:
Is it really that far of a stretch?

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I got what you meant when you said "library." Wasn't too far a stretch ;)

Talon looks like it's the happy medium between the sheer intensity of Batman, and the swiftness of Montu. For me, Batman is the perfect steel coaster. The only inverters I've ridden which come close are the Dragons. I've never seen Talon in action, but if the ride has great pacing and speed throughout the course, I'd love it. I'd love to see an on-ride video, but if not, I'll just let the anticipation build until 2005 when I get to ride it, and hope it doesn't turn out to be an anticipointment. :)

Bah. While Great Bear has a unique layout, I just found it lack luster. It felt way too much like it was spending too much time weaving in, out, and around other rides and not enough time doing anything productive. ;)

BullGuy, there is an on-ride video of Talon at the park's official website, on the Talon page. As for the ride, Talon is my favorite invert. It has a unique twisted layout of its own, and is anything but forceless. As others have said, the little airtime is a plus as well ;).

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ApolloAndy said:
Bah. While Great Bear has a unique layout, I just found it lack luster. It felt way too much like it was spending too much time weaving in, out, and around other rides and not enough time doing anything productive.

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I've been trying to figure out what was wrong with Great Bear for the last two years, but I think you hit the nail on the head. Now I suddenly hope that Storm Runner doesn't have the same feel.

Back to Talon, it gives it's most exciting rides in the dark. It's almost a spooky kind of quiet. To compare it to a Vekoma SLC like in the first post is just plain insulting.

I like Raptor and Montu over Talon. Talon and Batman the Ride at SFMM are somewhat comparable. Raptor and Montu seem to provide more G-force.

Having never ridden Talon, I can't really compare it to other inverts, but I can't help but wonder why so many people feel that inverts are meant to provide massive postitive g-forces, or else they are not good. Alpengeist has awesome speed, and while it may not smash you down in your seat going through the inversions as much as smaller inverts like Batman, I find it more thrilling, and just as (if not more) intense--in other ways. In fact, Alpie is my second favorite steel coaster.

To me, it's the same mindset that all woodies must have massive airtime to be good. Perhaps if you ride every coaster with a completely open mind, you won't be disappointed. For example, if you're expecting Alpengeist to not be 'forceless' (I can't stand that term), you're probably not going to enjoy it. Who said all inverts have to have massive 'forces'?

I've never understood the Alpengeist thing myself, either. Between being YANKED down the back side of the vertical loop, but tossed and thrown around all over the place in the cobra roll, and SLAMMING into the MCBR, I think Alpengiest is as physical and wild as Beemer's get.

But whatever. My 60 year old mother gets off SOB giggling when other people are holding their ribs. Must be a genetic thing.

Allpie's Drop, Diving Loop, Vertical Loop, Cobra Roll combo is amazing especially in the front seat. Its my favorite steel coaster by far, while I understand the criticism that the final half is too slow I really dont see why people diss the first half.

Talon the only invert with air, I dont think so, Allpies Diving loop has a great pop as does the vertical loop (so does B:TR, Montu, and any other invert that transverses a loop at high speeds). I think the problem with Alpengeist/Montu is people see these gigatantic structures and set too high an expectation for themselves.

As for air on the B&M inverts, my pick would be Fire Dragon, but then again its my favorite over all, too. In the back seat there is good stuff on the first drop, over the camel back, and on the drop before the last inversion. Good stuff.

I don't think people necessarily feel that inverted coasters have to have strong g-forces to be good. For me, it's just a preference (and it's a preference for all coasters). Personally, I enjoy really intense rides to those that are light on the forces. That doesn't mean I never like rides commonly referred to as "forceless" (for instance, I adore Kraken) but in general I do really love intense, forceful rides more.

Now, could someone please tell me where Talon has airtime? :)

-Nate

Touchdown:

Alpie has an immelman, not a dive loop.

I don't know how you can claim Alpie has air in either of those elements. Maybe some hang time, but the curvature of the track is always convex through the first half.

First of all I cant spell, nor have I memorised how to spell "immelman." immelman=inverted dive loop on a BM, I figure that if I say dive loop more people are going to know what Im talking about virues me slaughtering immelman.

To me any time when your body feels like its floating, you have air time, on the immelman (i love copy paste :)) the quick rotation from the inverted position to the normal postion coupled with the imidiate drop creates a feeling of weightlessness for me, as does the top of the BM inverted vertical loop (since the radius changes dramatically).

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DorneyDante said:I got what you meant when you said "library." Wasn't too far a stretch

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Well I have never ridden Talon so I wouldn't know. Plus shouldnt there be a squeal or two from the riders? Or are they just enjoying the soothing ride.