Motorcycle and Scooter appreciation

Honda CB/CX?

Kawa z600?

New ones? Don't really see them as much more characterful than my ktm.
Old ones? If I go the old bike route I'd want it to be air cooled and preferably single cylinder to make life as easy as possible.

@DethBeard nah don't need it at all. The Duke is coming on 4 years old* and has only done about 6k miles. I think the problem is that like I have different bicycles for different uses, I want that with motorbikes too, the Duke for fast blasts and an old bike for slower runs and posing.

*Fuck, must be over 4 years old now. How do you find out when your mot is due/when it expired?

https://www.check-mot.service.gov.uk

And that's why I have my 990 SMT. It does everthing, but nothing perfect.

Though it's not really for slower runs, it just won't let you ride slow, it's a hooligan.

https://www.check-mot.service.gov.uk

Cheers, turns out I moted it in February!

I'd vote to keep your Duke. Maybe a different exhaust? Or some body mods?

If you're insured on other bikes you can try my Triumph Scrambler. It's now at the same height as a bonne and other than the engine pretty much the same.

IMO if you've only got one bike an Enfield is a bit of step too far.

Otherwise, I'd try out something like an XSR 700 / 900 for a balance of character and street hooliganism.

In the flesh I think all v7 look good, mods or not. Not sure how fast they are though.

This time of year I'd just map out a list of dealers and go for a load of test rides. There's a Yamaha dealer somewhere near Kingsbury I think that also sells Moto Guzzi. You can also ride straight out towards Hertfordshire or Bucks.

farrrkkkk 'box full of neutral'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjZXaUwYoog

Thanks for the offer of trying the Scrambker but I'm in Glasgow so...!

I think ima put a tail tidy on the Duke and paint the wheels black. As much as I hate the lack of noise, I like how neatly tucked away the can is and it seems like anything other than the ktm approved akra kit loses hp and the akra stuff is about £1k and only gains you 3hp so I think I'll leave the exhaust as is and just deal with it.

Not forgetting

https://youtu.be/46KuqaehOHc

Really enjoy Cameron Donald trying his hardest to not say "What the fuck?!" On the commentary.

^ oof

Incidentally, how many other riders apart from Hutchinson and now using thumb rear brakes?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQRZCBqVL0M

Hutchy's crash. Front puncture apparently.

Was going to suggest a sportier exhaust - I've got a Duke 3 with the the Akra system and it's a complete hoot - the stock can sounds like a sewing machine.

You should try a few other bikes before you put yours on ebay - for city riding and a bit of b road messing about I think the 390 is hard to beat. The lightness, quality of the chassis and punchy little engine are quite intoxicating and confidence inspiring - I had a right laugh weaving around the Chilterns on an RC390 courtesy bike last Summer.

@andy.w my mate booked ferry tickets for next year and I remember you saying you or your fam had accommodation for the TT? Any chance you could hook him up?

How many for?

Just the one, not sure I'll make it out with him.

Not sure what we're doing yet, as we're about to put the house on the market.
We're looking for something bigger, with land for a little business venture re holiday lettings etc.

Will keep you posted.

Cool, thanks bud.

We're running these first aid courses for FREE and you get some swag apart from life saving skills. Go go go! (You can book online)

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Is anyone going to dirt quake? Thinking of racing.

Where and when?

I second that, where and when @ObiWomKenobi

.

thanks for that, ill have a look.

Thanks man, signed up.

good to hear!let me know how it goes..

Looking for some spring / summer / fall gloves, preferably under 50 euro's as i'm a poor student. Right now i'm sweating my hands off with some 10 year old gloves if it gets over 10°c..

Yesterday sucked.

About 8.50am, i was heading north of Ludgate Circus. A cyclist blew the red light (by at least 3 or 4 seconds) of the southbound cycle path that crosses traffic opposite the building site (stonecutter street), crossing both lanes of traffic. I was at the front of the queue at the lights (closest to the curb) along with four other bikes / scooters.

As we moved off from green light, the other three bikes to my right narrowly avoided him but i couldn't.

I hit him square on (at about 15-20mph) and went down hard on the right hand side. The bike slid about 20ft, i slid about 10ft. The cyclist flipped over and landed on his head / shoulder (from others have said). He was wearing a backwards cap instead of a helmet but was up again before i was. The first words out of his mouth: "my apple watch is fucked". Worse still, his bike flew across a cycle path and took out another cyclist who was minding his own business.

Fast forward a couple of hours; the cycle paramedic has been and gone with the two cyclists, my bike has been recovered to a dealer (£120 inc vat) and the Police have been. I can't move my right knee so off to hospital.

I got out of hospital about 5.30 yesterday with a severely swollen, but not broken, right knee. On crutches for a week...

I'm not sure I can bounce back from this.

It's not that my confidence on the bike is shot or that i've lost my appetite for riding but i'm fucking sick of other people. I've had years of trouble free biking and suddenly, just this year, someones knocked over my bike and driven off (no cctv), stolen the same bike (no cctv) and now, after getting back on the road at considerable expense, some prick has tried to shave 30 seconds off of his commute and wrecked my brand new bike.

Still waiting for the damage report from the dealer but i estimate at least £3.5k inc labour etc.

FUCK. OTHER. PEOPLE.