Reply With QuoteThe sun is shining.
The Triumph is clean.
The BMW is booked in for MOT.
And I've tested positive.
So the MOT is cancelled.
And the Triumph is sat in the garage.
While I look at the sun through the window and clutch my duvet.
Arse.
I’m out on Saturday as the bike’s going for it’s MOT.
The sun is shining.
The Triumph is clean.
The BMW is booked in for MOT.
And I've tested positive.
So the MOT is cancelled.
And the Triumph is sat in the garage.
While I look at the sun through the window and clutch my duvet.
Arse.
I’m out on Saturday for the first proper ride in ages. Weather looks great and it looks like I’ll be bumping into Ian (Gyp) at a certain Coventry based bike manufacturer. Can’t wait.
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Oh…..maybe I won’t be seeing you there then. Get well soon.Originally Posted by skmark
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Sorry to hear about your test but why punish the Beemer? You have another rider in house don't you?
'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.
(Un)fortunately the other rider now lives in a flat about a mile from the Norton factory, so he's not at home to take the bike for MOT.Sorry to hear about your test but why punish the Beemer? You have another rider in house don't you?
I'm MOTing it as, apparently, I can ride that when we're out and he's on the Triumph.
A sunny evening ride and still absolutely loving this bike!
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Pic!
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Get well soon mate , then give those bikes some berries:)
Finally bit the bullet and went clean, snowfoam, wax, ceramic coating etc
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That's an absolute beauty Woobly!
I am not normally a fan of vanity plates, but that one makes me smile! Gorgeous bike too.
Great plate for that. Imagine getting in an at-fault accident and having to give your plate though
Went on my favourite scoot to Barmouth last Sunday to take advantage of the sunny but pretty chilly day. Met up with one of my mates Colin on his 1260s. Stopped at Bala for a brew and stretch as usual. Unfortunately the cafe was closed, which was odd as there was a few bikers about and quite a few cars parked up as well. Carried on to Barmouth and had a nice feed in The Last Inn, before heading home over the hills round Blaneau.
Hey Enoch, firstly I hope your recovery is on or ahead of schedule. Secondly, I hear they are planning on charging for the bike parking at Bala??. Anyway, it'll be good to catch you out n about again soon. Haha, and the chippy by the harbour was closed, AGAIN !!! Hey and we stopped at Rhug for a brew on the way home. Deffo last time for me, qued up for 14 mins to place an order, and then a further 8 mins for them to make it. 22 Mins for a Latte, REALLY??
Stuart
Pic!
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The GP is a lot faster. Surtees is tricky, easy to apex too soon. Hawthorns can be really quick if you don't scrub off too much speed, which is easy to do as the braking zone is up hill. Where you really notice the extra speed is Clearways and you'll carry that extra speed all the way down the start / finish straight, so brake a tad earlier into Paddock for the first session or two. It's less busy / physical than the Indy, but much better IMHO. Ease yourself in & enjoy.
Andy
Wanted - Damasko DC57
Looks like my new bike is coming in sooner than expected. Hopefully be at the dealership late next week!
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Talk to me about touring bikes...
I know you can tour on anything and I'm sure someone's been to the Antarctic (via Everest Base Camp) on an FS1E but I'd like something that's suited to touring not 'possible to tour on'.
I suppose touring bikes fall into three categories:
- Sports Tourers
- Adventure Tourers
- Cruisers - Gold Wing, Massive HDs etc
I already have something you could class as a 'sports tourer' an ER6F but it was bought for my wife and would have been a great bike for her but it's not the bike for me.
I really don't fancy a 'cruiser'
That leaves 'adventure tourers'. Breaking it down again, there are those that are capable off-road and those that have the looks but are essentially road bikes. I think I'm in the latter camp. I have no real interest in going off road on this bike, do a bit of soft-roading on my Caballero Scrambler but basically do all the rough and tumble stuff I want to do on a mountain bike.
I don't want to buy new - looking at maybe 3-6 years old (for cost reasons)
So, if you're still with me, I find myself drawn to the Triumph Tiger Sport 1050.
I should obviously take one out for a test ride but:
a) what do you think of my thinking?
b) what else should I be considering?
Thinking is good. Sitting good and upright with a decent view of the road is sensible for touring.
Tiger 1050 Sport a bit long in the tooth but definitely a bit better than the earlier Tiger 1050 (though I had no problem taking that 2 up to Amalfi and back). Might be able to get some good deals as it's now discontinued.
Africa twin? R1200GS? F850GSA? Multistrada? Versys?
Lots to choose from
Doesn't quite fit the brief but the BMW RTs are fabulous bikes for mile munching. And whilst new and not massive, the Tiger 660 is getting good reviews and isn't too spendy.
The world is your hamster as they say
Triumph seem incapable of making a bad bike these days, and the Tiger 800/900 is very well built
The 1050 sport is by all acounts - a great bike, and of course wears road/sport wheels and tyres.
Other bikes to consider:
Yamaha Tracer GT
BMW S1000XR
BMW R1200/1250GS
BMW R1200R/RS**
BMW F900XR
Ducati multistrada in whatever engine you fancy
Then you have the lower-stance Sports-tourers (which are returning, I feel to the style/function of the old VFR750/800 for their take) Kawasaki and Suzuki have good offerings
The thing about those (** exc)bikes - are that they generally have a great riding position, slightly higher than a 'naked' and can cover great distances without tiring the rider.
There are so many options, but I would suggest that a bike with a 200mile tank range is a good place to start.
I've had two R1200GSA and have had the same S1000XR for 5 years now - and am glad I made the switch and struggle to find any negatives with it.
As a 1050 Tiger Sport owner I will say it’s a cracking bike that is more than capable of touring with one or two caveats. The standard seat is not very comfortable after an hour or so. I got a custom seat made, then customised it a bit more myself. It’s now armchair quality. The screen seems to develop a lot of wind noise. Ear plugs are a must. The luggage options are not so great. The standard panniers are unobtainium and have a large cut out on the rhs to accommodate the high level exhaust which renders it tiny inside. Aftermarket panniers have to be put on stilts to clear said exhaust which makes them look like an afterthought. As a one bike fits all, it’s pretty good. I can ride it quicker on todays pot hole riddled roads than the 1050 speed triple it replaced. It’s sporty enough, comfortable enough, practical enough. B+ in every category. As a pure tourer, maybe look at the ubiquitous GS.
Not sure I would peg the R1200GS as a pure tourer - They are plenty-sporty for real roads too.
Lots of people decry them with "people buy them and don't even go off-road". The truth is - they are fantastic do-it-all bikes, which with the telelever suspension - is very forgiving.
Fit some decent sports-touring tyres and enjoy the miles.
I know someone (me) who is about to trade his June 2019 R1250GS…… one owner, 25k careful miles. ;)
Last edited by downer; 25th March 2022 at 15:41.
One of my friends is selling his R1200 GS on UKGSER If you have a membership there.
He’s moving to China so has given it to his dad to trade in and has it offered at the trade price which I think is about 9k or a bit lower.
Cheers Andy, I love speed but I am still somewhat unsure about how fast it’s safe to take Paddock, and the best line in to it, so will defo wind it in a bit.
Ok, yes, I had the Triumph comfort saddle and touring screen.
For day to day I had the standard luggage set and Arrow can but for touring I used a set of Givis and the stock can. Standard luggage was ok for a trip to the shops but too compromised where capacity was more important than a slim profile
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It's one of the best bikes I've owned Mark and easily the one that's had the most compliments. Taking it to France this year to bimble around on.
Thanks all for the input about touring bikes. Particularly about the Tiger 1050 luggage - some of the ones I've seen for sale have Triumph luggage, some don't - all other things being equal I guess it would make sense to buy one with luggage included.
Anyway, I nipped out this afternoon to take another photo of Chrome Hill.
Finally got the Blade out today (after a bit of a debacle refitting the battery last weekend, dropped the little square nut on to our gravel drive never to be seen again...🙄)
Didn't start first time...but did second time when I remembered to pull the choke out 🤣
Could feel my spirits soar with every mile, bring one the summer 👍
Down here in the south coast the whole weeks been pretty good- I’ve managed to get the bike up to 250 miles just locally
Often overlooked, the Tiger 1050 is a nice, capable bike.
For 2 up touring, pop on the touring screen, big luggage and comfort seat
If you're taking the missus, you can go for a 5-case solution to create the space for some of her "essentials"
Or if solo touring, use the smaller Triumph luggage and fit a back rest
One thing I’ve remembered from seeing Gyp’s photos above:
The pillion perch is way up there - in relation to the rider. A friend of mine tried one and his wife was not happy with the orientation.
Worth bearing in mind if you do intend to do 2-up travel - try one out with your pillion.
What kind of tank range do you get on the 1050 on a run (say touring)?
From looking closely at the Tiger 800/900 of my pal - who doesn’t take fastidious care of them, the crackle-finish on the frame and the engine bolts seamed better lasting than equivalent BMW ones.
It depends but mine usually does 200+ on a tankful under normal riding conditions.
Although if you’re serious about touring, you want something like this…
Last year a load of mates did a week away on 16H Nortons, 3 of them ranging from 1932 to 1946. None of them missed a beat. I would have gone on the Velo, but I’m not insane.
Last edited by Groundrush; 27th March 2022 at 10:05.
I popped into Lind's adjacent Triumph and Harley dealerships in Watford with Howard yesterday. Couldn't believe the Triumph showroom... no more than a dozen bikes in stock due to the chip shortage (and four of them were Speed Triples!). It looked like an empty expanse of space, and I can only imagine what it must be doing to the sales team's morale.
It depends but mine usually does 200+ on a tankful under normal riding conditions.
Although if you’re serious about touring, you want something like this…
Last year a load of mates did a week away on 16H Nortons, 3 of them ranging from 1932 to 1946. None of them missed a beat. I would have gone on the Velo, but I’m not insane.
That takes commitment ! I think the same when I see the ‘scooteristas’ travelling a few hundred miles in the rain - to a rally.
I wanted to check out the Tiger 850 before I bought my Tenere- went to Laguna in Ashford- despite adverts saying they had 2 the salesman said he might possibly get one in late April and possibly another in early July - only possibly
I've seen 1970's Fiats parked next to the sea for years that seem better lasting than the BMWs of the last few years!
That aside, those Tigers are well finished, I'd agree
A mate had a vinyl wrap done on his speed triple, it cost a fortune to have done and the end result was awful. The seams and edges started getting wider, some started peeling and it looked like air bubbles started forming under the wrap, it got worse as the weeks went by.
That's my only experience of wrapping a motorcycle so it may just have been that my mate had a poorly executed job done on his, but it was spectacularly bad!
Took my bike 'home' on Saturday.....lovely sunny ride up there too. First proper ride this year.......just lovely!
Had the best riding day of the year this past weekend, blatting around Suffolk and Essex with a good mate. Stopped through Finchingfield on the way home. Couldn’t have had a more enjoyable day’s riding.
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Doesn't sound good, but it does seem that anyone applying vinyl wrap to a bike needs to be specifically trained to do so. Probably the reason it was such a naff job, Duncan.
How was the tour, Mark?
Had a nice first ride of the year yesterday for its MOT.
I hadn't ridden this for about 3 years and had forgot the charm of its old 4 speed box and torque.
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Got the new paintwork back last week for my much modified 78 Kawasaki Z650, now with a big bore 1170 engine. Started with a cut up frame and a damaged set of cases...
Stunning!Got the new paintwork back last week for my much modified 78 Kawasaki Z650, now with a big bore 1170 engine. Started with a cut up frame and a damaged set of cases...
If you’re ever thinking of selling it…..
That is rather lovely. Depending where in Cheshire you are I'll keep an eye out for you.
Lovely, can't beat an updated late '70's superbike!Got the new paintwork back last week for my much modified 78 Kawasaki Z650, now with a big bore 1170 engine. Started with a cut up frame and a damaged set of cases...
Now that is looking sweet and right up my street.
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Wish I had the skills to build a bike like that. Beautiful bike bud
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