Hopefully we can have a TZ ride out later this year!
Took mine for its trip to get serviced and MOT'd on Wednesday. The driest day of the week the weather site said when I booked it which is great because there's two 60 mile round trips to drop off, pick up the hire bike (850GS) and return to collect it.
In over 40 years of biking it was the heaviest rain I've ever ridden in, the bike was spotless when I set off!
Fair play to Rukka gear and Daytona boots though as when I stripped off the only failure was a tiny damp patch on each sock where the boots had slightly let by. I had to remove my glasses on the ride home as the constant misting up of them combined with the torrential rain on my visor and dusk descending meant I was better off seeing relatively clearly but out of focus than seeing nothing at all. The joys of biking.
Fear not Ian, it's spotless once more! I have a handy cleaning tip too, don't accidentally drop a microfibre cloth on to fully warmed up headers, it takes hours to remove the mess....
Had a delivery today... happy does not come close! Thanks so much Greg
I like to personalise bikes but this one came with so much not sure what else there is to do...
A lovely bike, congratulations! Tony did it up a treat but the only thing I'd change if it was mine is removal of the number plate bracket and relocation of the number plate.
I’m just over 6ft too and it seems fine, the racer I tried was a totally different thing and killed my back!
Both bikes had a full valet, ACF treatment, and ceramic coat today. Amazing job by a local guy!
Well that's my CBT re re rebooked. This time for the 13th of April.
Fingers crossed
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I cant wait for the weather and rules to change as well. Need summat to cheer me up. Them roads in North Wales should do the trick, I know Enoch will second that. Need to get the RS serviced first though, and a new set of tyres will be needed very soon as well.
Stuart
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It is a striking bike with great aesthetics. I read this week that the R nine T was designed by the same person that has designed the new Indian Chief models - Ole Stenagard. They’re his first efforts for Indian since he joined them in 2018.
Thought I’d take the Fireblade onto the public roads yesterday, for the first time since Winter started...quick check on the Tax and MOT online. Oops. Tax is fine. MOT less so, expired 2 months ago. Took the car instead. Booked in today at 1130. Fingers crossed.
That Pan America ain't no HOG, despite being an ugly pig.
And that photos is its best angle. The front is diabolical.
I happened to find myself in my local Harley Dealership today (OK, not in as that would be illegal, but they were happily wheeling bikes outside for me to sit on and go potato potato) and they are quite excited by the imminent arrival of the Dirt Glide.
The looks are unusual but I suspect that after a while when we become familiar they'll look fine. The current Fat Bob front end looked unpleasant at first but now is fine (to my eye at least) and at least the front of the new HD is sufficiently different from the BMW and the KTM competitors. And the Ford Sierra looked positively space age in 1982...
Price wise they've brought it in below the BMW which is a smart move.
Local dealer is convinced that they'll sell well, but only if they can get folk through the door to ride them. As they are multi-franchise across the group they are thinking of doing combined Triumph, KTM and HD adventure bike demo days to get riders out on all 3.
It's definitely growing on me. I don't think there are many (any?) "adventure" bikes that could be called good-looking, but I like the purposeful design of my GS and I reckon I could get used to the Pan-Am. Having said that, the front is definitely unusual...
My local HD dealer in Chester is in the same building as the BMW Motorrad so it'll be easy to take a look and run for the hills if the HD AD experience proves too much.
I am torn on the HD, I like the look from most angles, but the front is so ugly it makes it attractive. I am looking forward to seeing one in the flesh, but don't see me parting money for one.
On a separate note, what a great day, bike is off for a service, so I am taking the long way there to get a bit of a ride in.....
some people think the MT10 is fugly but thats on another level imo.
*looks like its been designed by the same guy who does the robots in futurama
It's an uncompromising 'form follows function' approach, I guess - unless the designer actually thinks it looks good - but I like it.
I'm not sure I'd buy it but I'm not lined up for any of its rivals either at the moment.
I wonder if they will be at the Adventure Bike Rider Festival?
The problem with that design is that they have just believed the mantra that "an adventure bike is an ugly bike".
It needn't be.
Look at that (enormous) exhaust. Why doesn't its line follow the fame line immediately above?
Why is the end vertical, when there is both a sloped cut on the tail tidy and an overhanging one on the tail lights?
None of the radiator lines or protective frame lines follow the front cylinder or anything else.
It is a mess
And it needn't be, they've just decided that the "functionality" can be an excuse to make it look like the engine got magnetised on its way though the parts store.
Ugly - way beyond other 'adventure' bikes.
Remember the Buell Ulysees ? Had a lot of accolades from some owners, despite some shortfalls (exhaust cracking etc).
I don't expect that HD to make any sort of dent in the market.
Amusingly enough, I find the front quite acceptable. Yes, a definite nod to SW / Marvel worst droids, but with a certain "je-ne-sais-quoi"
However, the side view is clumsy, the weight looks perched quite high. Worst of all seems to be the console on top of the tank, [irony]as a nod to a low rider, surely[/irony]. It's definitely not for me.
Last edited by Saint-Just; 24th February 2021 at 12:33.
'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.