You gave the Harley back, or you trashed it?
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Sold it.
The ride home convinced me that, however much I'd wanted one, it wouldn't do what I wanted it to. I could have spent a lot of time and money tweaking it to make it closer to what I wanted, but decided, as there was someone keen to have it, to cut my losses, step back and reconsider.
Real shame as it was the nicest Road King Special I'd seen and the spec was phenomenal, but I needed to be able to enjoy riding it, not just enjoy looking at it.
As I typically keep my bikes for 5 years plus, 5 days is a bit of a turn around.
For the best Ian, if it's not for you then it's not for you!
As posted on another forum...
(I'm told that) watching adult content on the Internet, one can be drawn to the flawless, athletic, enhanced but pristine actresses and be amazed and astonished by the activities that they indulge in; considered depraved by many but entered into by these Amazonian creatures with seeming enthusiasm and abandon.
Naturally (I'm told) a chap could find himself thinking that he'd like a lead role in that picture, with a woman like that doing those things with him. Acts that seem so natural on screen but that his current and previous partners, none of whom were exactly A-list material, would certainly reject out of hand.
But then, on a night out, in a very unexpected turn of events (I'm told) he ends up with a woman that reminds him of those he has seen on screen. Tattooed, athletic, waxed to perfection and a with a moral compass that's been smashed with a sledgehammer.
(I'm told) it all starts well, but before long he realises that what he has seen on screen is a fantasy; not completely separated from reality, but a reality created by highly experienced and capable professionals in what you might refer to as closed course conditions. And those professionals are supported by a large team to ensure that things can and do happen as expected, and then the whole activity is cut together to deliver the desired, flawless scene.
Unlike on screen, (I'm told) the chap realises that the male part in those films - one he has for some reason completely ignored to this point - shares some of the characteristics of the actress, and despite his current partner's similarity to the fantasy, he realises that he may have bitten off more than he is able to chew.
Rather than the lifetime of erotic delights that he had (perhaps) envisaged, after but a few minutes - which seem like hours - he is exhausted and his battered nether regions are crying out for mercy. But that respite doesn't come, and he and she continue relentlessly into the night.
The following day (I suspect), he awakes a broken man. Rather than rising to the occasion desperate to relive the expected aerobic splendour of the previous night, he lies sore and still tired, throbbing head and aching groin, hoping his "conquest" will slip quietly away into the early morning sunlight.
(In all probability) he realises that what he saw and wanted so much was an unrealistic and fabricated dream.
And thus was the tryst with the Road King Special. Seduced by endless videos of perfect people riding perfect bikes on the sunny, open roads of Florida, Texas and So Cal., a flawless, beautiful and enhanced bike presented itself and I believed I could make that fantasy a reality. And true to life, this vixen of a bike demanded more from me than I could give. I woke the next day with pains in places I didn't know I had.
Knowing that Ermintrude wasn't the sort of bike I could take to meet my mother, I realised that we were never going to grow old together. OK, I could try and change her in ways that might make her easier to live with but that would be missing the point. She'd never have the freedom to do what she was made to do, and I'd always be pretending that my relationship with my trophy motorcycle was marvellous and just as it is in the movies.
So here I sit, disappointed that my fantasy did not become a reality, but hoping that the man that's just strapped her into a van can give the bike the life she truly deserves.
At least your nuts are still intact, possibly!
Bit of a long shot.. but does anyone have any idea or had any luck getting an older bike ULEZ compliant? My 1990 BMW isn't compliant and with the ULEZ area expanding this September (absorbing my office) my daily commute will get slightly more expensive!
Bonus photo of bike https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...21ab059f5c.jpg
Have you checked the NoX on the V5C as if below a certain level can appeal. Otherwise it is a test although I think most bikes pass so it could be worth getting the bike tested or at least talking with the testers and seeing if passing is a realistic expectation ?
https://www.nationalemissionstestcentre.com/
I was taking my 1989 R80RT into central London before the ULEZ came in so contacted them to see if it would likely pass. They said it would be close but probably OK (or could be achieved with a few tweaks) so it's worth asking
As it was, the job changed meaning that I needn't do that journey any more so didn't actually get the test done.
It was painful enough. I was never going to get back what I paid a dealer for it 5 days earlier, but I priced it fairly with a mind to moving it rather than optimistically with a mind to taking 6 months to move it.
I reckon at the moment having the Street Scrambler, R80RT, R65RS and YBR125 (son's but I'm on the insurance) might be enough.
Part of me thinks a Street Glide or Road Glide would have worked where the RKS didn't, but they are even heavier, just as poorly suspended and also wouldn't fit in the garage.
Of course, there are a few ex-dem Z H2s available now and there's the new KTM Superduke RR and the...
Hahahaaa......brilliant.
I do most of the servicing on my mates bike....I hate having him around when I'm working...
Typically:
Me: During last oil change (4 ltrs in catch tray) - "Dave...please stand clear of that oil tray mate..."
Dave: 'Yeah...sure ...ok"
Me: *goes to get suitable container for disposal of said oil*
Dave (yelling!) "Where do you keep your spare rags and stuff"?
Me: Eh?
Dave: "The oil tray has tipped over!!"
Me: Whu?
Dave: "It caught my foot"
Me: *returns to shed...oil everywhere*
"It caught your f***ing WHAT?"
I reckon he's the clumsiest bugger I've ever come across.
6 years old and Spencer has already knows what motorcycle he wants.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...0990a22052.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...d7f4b17a74.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...ad6f0fed0e.jpg
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Took my new (to me) MT 09 into Yamaha on Monday as we noticed a leak when we went out on Friday.
Just got the call and my oil cooler is cracked. Trying to get the part on warranty apparently.
looks like it's 2 weeks before I get the bike back!
When I had a Seadoo everyone used to tell me Yamaha were super reliable.
I've had Harleys and KTM's before with zero trouble and I get a Yamaha and it's broken straight away :welcoming:
You've got to laugh
I’ve recently bought a Yamaha XJR1300 and can honestly say that I still think Kawasakis are better engineered.
Cracking bikes around here (R9T on a WTB list since it got released...)
Here’s my two beauts, more than 20 years apart:
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...6660cb81ed.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...f606eb3d5b.jpg
Yamaha’s reliability has come a long way.
XT600 won’t let you stranded but requires many hours of TLC to keep it running (needed a complete strip after this trip, hehehe). I guess compared to other bikes of its age it’s still pretty reliable.
XT1200z built like a tank, solid gets you everywhere even without all the gimmicks of electronic suspension etcc
Sad I didn’t ride them much last year, hopefully this year will be better!
Ride safe
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My only real experience is with FJR1300 blood bikes. The group I ride for has a bunch of them and they all do 25-30,000 miles per year. I've not seen or heard of any major mechanical defects and the fleet manager seems to like them for their low running costs and longevity. Personally I'd like him to get some RT's but there you go.
I suspect the Japanese 4 are all pretty much of a muchness now days when it comes to reliability. I have a bike cop as a near neighbour and his bike is an FJR, which he tells me is pretty much bullit proof.
I actually agree with your fleet manager, I’m not a BMW fan at all..
Perfect day to be on the bike today, so that's what I'll do :playful:
Ditto- got a day off work so going to see a friend in Wiltshire shortly [emoji16]
Ditto here in Sussex. Very enjoyable commute on my sensible commuter 90’s Fireblade.
Finally got round to doing something about getting back into bikes.
Rode quite a bit in the early 80's and shared a 250 with my brother. Had planned on doing the test, but a careless driver pulled out in front of him and he ended up in hospital for 3 months and that was that.
Did the CBT last Tuesday, but got the dreaded Theory and Hazard Perception to do next Saturday!
Hopefully will do the DAS sometime this summer and get back to enjoying riding again.
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I was just going to post a similar experience. I’ve ridden FJRs professionally since 2001. Tough as old boots. The one in my garage now has 110k miles and is as sweet as a nut. My previous one was only retired at 189k as I was hit from behind by a double decker on Regent St. and it wasn’t viable to repair. It was still going strong.
That’s the Ducati mods finished.... (for now)
https://i.postimg.cc/tCFgPJ0q/1-B3-E...0217-C7-C7.jpg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jl4w...ature=youtu.be
Awesome - good luck!
I’ve been riding bikes now for 45 years, and couldn’t imagine not enjoying a ride out. The old man is close to 80, and still very quick - he’s had a 2nd place finish in the Southern 100, but never raced the TT.
Im looking forward to. Relaxing of local lockdown, and getting out for another ride very soon.
You can tour on them, but I'd stop short of saying that they make a good tourer (even the early ones).
I have done 320m days on my R-1 with light luggage- an 'overnighter' and back next day, on fast Scottish roads - but I wouldn't like to do that every day for a week or more. Maybe OK-ish on major roads, but not on fast A-roads.
Met the owner of this (later) Blade down in the Provence Alpes 3 yrs ago. He wasn't touring per se - but hoofed it down to Provence and then went on day-trips (much like we do).
Not sure what the weight was in his 'tailpack' - but probably lighter than a fat pillion.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...e5e3b23e_b.jpg
I wasn’t being entirely serious, it was in response to the comment re commuting on a blade.
That said, my 98 ZX9R C model with a g ft ounce bubble screen was certainly capable of right hour days for weeks on end. I did many weeks long trips in France on that bike and it was superb. It was pretty good at track days too!
Ah - missed that - like most apex...........
BMW S1000XR - tours all day, and will do a track day too.
And unless you are John McGuinness (or the bunch of Italian sportsbike riders I saw in the Gorge de Verdon)- you’ll be a Lot faster on the twisties and hairpins.
We were hoofing up a snaking road in the alps one year and a guy on a litre superbike came down the hill on a Left-hander (to him) - he was cranked right over, knee on the ground, and managed to take his left hand off the grips to give a nonchalant acknowledgement......... I’d kill to be able to do that!!!!
Took my bike in for a service this morning and took the opportunity to try out the new Tiger 900. I had a Tiger 800 before my T120 so was keen to see how the new one rode.
Initial thoughts after a cold, rainy ride.
The unmistakable triple sound and feel are still there although it sounds more twin-like at low revs.
Seems to have a decent amount of torque lower down vs. the older 800.
Just as easy to ride as the 800.
It was a lot more vibey through the pegs and grips than I remember on my 800.
Needs some bar risers although that could just be my shape!
Still feels top-heavy.
The new large TFT shows a lot of information and is clear to read. However - too much is shown and it is too big/distracting.
The seat was rock hard!
So - in my very humble opinion if I was still looking at a tiger I would find it hard to justify the considerable extra for a 900 over a well-sorted late generation 800.
https://i.ibb.co/jM6KGSj/20210412-094915.jpg
Cheers mate... nearly wasn't looking so good yesterday, coming a around a roundabout, and a Mazda 6 decided he needed the bit of road I was on. Swung straight across me, I braked and he clipped my front wheel. Luckily I stayed on. He didn’t even stop, he was completely unaware of me even being there.
But I have to say that the Ducati ABS saved the day. It was wet, I was slightly banked over when he started to encroach into my path, I braked hard whilst still slightly banked and the ABS did it’s stuff. I’m sure that without it, I’d have been off.
Good to hear you and the bike remain unscathed, Enoch.
I had not such drama but today was the first day of a week's holiday and we're going away for the rest of the week so it seemed rude not to nip out for a quick spin.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...f272aa0c_b.jpg