Motorcycle and Scooter appreciation

Get your cheque book out!
https://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/1988-yamaha-tz250-3ak-model-reverse-cylinder-extremely-rare/1388493010?utm_campaign=socialbuttons&utm_campaign=socialbuttons&utm_content=app_ios&utm_medium=social&utm_source=ios_social

I think I'd spend the same sort of money on a 2 stroke 500, if I had a garage. Garages round my way are expensive.

Finding a good 500 wouldn’t be easy and the cost ….
My mate saw a 0 miles NR750 yesterday- the owner wouldn’t let him take a pic. He had three other 0 miles bikes too. That’s lottery win territory too.

I think my 'motor' bike future will be electric. Maybe a quicker model for distance too, a least once they're lighter with removable batteries.

That's a long long away.
We're the only modal form that's lagging behind on the EV scale.
Not enough space for batteries and if it was so, too heavy. Makes motorbikes very awkward for electrification. Which is a shame, as I'd be well down for it.

Nearest affordable one is 20k, weighs about 250kg real world, and has a range of 160 miles with iffy charge locations.
Again, I really really want to go electric, but it's a bit slow going at the moment.

Spent a day on saturday remembering how fun dirt bikes are. Many failed stops. Much fun.
Considered selling the big bike for a van and a small bike.
Probably do some more- maybe a MX skills day.

All the range anxiety.

@lowbrows go for enduro or some other kinda offroad training/experience days. ‘Hard Enduro’ is the future. At least a road legal enduro gives massive freedom.

Cheers! Not so mint close up! It had a 'sympathetic' gentle resto before I bought it in 2002 but nothing since. Its a working machine not a museum piece though and that's why I like it, a bit used and abused!

Looks a beaut matey.

That's the spirit.

A real beauty and nice pictures!

Damn. I need me one of those!

Cheers!

Very sexy. I'd love another sports bike, don't think it will happen for a good while

How do you find it on the road, unbridled joy or too much like hard work? Still think about trading in my RSV for an 1198s. The RSV is pretty uncompromising but aware an 1198s is even more so.

The engine / exhaust gets smoking hot, it doesn't like city traffic much and imo it's definitely not passenger friendly. It can be a bit jerky on the throttle in both 1st and in 2nd gear at low rpm which can make for interesting hairpins.

The saddle is thin, slippery and doesn't do a great job of protecting your arse from the exhaust heat. Might be nice in winter but not so much during the Italian summer time.

Suspension is top notch and so is the front brake. I've hardly used the rear brake simply because the lever is just a tad short for me to reach haha. I really need to look for it. I'll guess I'll have to opt for a rear set to modify it to my liking.

The sound is music to my ears (quite deafening actually even with earplugs) and I've grown to appreciate the sound of a wrench that's bouncing around in the engine bay at the traffic light, aka the dry clutch. You really need to pay attention when downshifting as the rear wheel locks up easily and your crown jewels will get smashed against the tank over and over again. The riding position can be considered "aggressive" and I like to compare it a bit with riding in the drops constantly on your road bike. Guess those hours on the turbo are finally paying off...

I can literally bring a disc lock and a credit card, that's all that I can fit in its "cargo" bay. Fuel tank is a tad small to my liking and it's not very fuel economic either.

But all of those things don't really matter to me as I bought the bike purely for myself and any negative is completely transformed into a positive as soon as I walk into the garage to fire it up, open up the throttle, let it rip and you get enjoy the sound of the Termi's.

I really enjoyed the Aprilia but owning the RSV felt like owning an RSV... Owning the Ducati, to me, feels like owning something beautiful, timeless and special. I guess that's what it's all about.

This all compounds what I've been thinking... it doesn't make much sense on paper but that's not not why you buy a Ducati. Also it's something that you have to do once as opposed to thinking 'what if...'. I do love how the RSV, albeit a tamer beast, requires 100% concentration to ride on the limit. You certainly feel like you're getting your monies worth for that Sunday morning ride, which is predominantly what it'll be used for. Much appreciated for the honest review!

Just mounted and tested this little boy on the gear selector, it has improved the reactivity of the shifting by a 10%, very satisfied!

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I also bought a hexagonal grill for £2 and shaped for the bad boy end, the sound of it is a deep tone on the low rev, strangely not much difference on the medium revs compared with the original exhaust, and very high howling between 8000 to 15000rpm. (F# in the 8th octave)[I try not to use it much]

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Haha, it’s not that quick thankfully.

Unfortunately it turns out the place that had 2020 stock on their site and told me they still had some, do not. So if I want new it just got a bit more expensive anyway (albeit on 0% finance so it doesn’t really matter)

Versys is probably better all round except on looks maybe.

Yeah, I’m still in my 20s (just about) so this isn’t doing it for me 😂

Go with whatever you want, but I'd say early on, go for cheap practicality. Get used to power/ergo's/feel. Dropping that 701 looks like it'll be pricey.
Shred the first couple of bikes, but something you lust after with the ones after.

Solid review this.
How I feel about the MTS1200.

Sunday worship though, I'll take an RSV4 with a GP exhaust though. Aural excellence.

401 is what I’m looking at not the 701, but yeah, I get your point!

Unfortunately I’m a little stuck having a bathroom to pay for having scrimped the last year on a trainee teacher bursary. I don’t get paid from my new teaching role till September so I need something on finance really or super cheap (nothing super cheap is doing it for me and I’d be worried buying super cheap second hand)

My current thinking is finance something that I’m genuinely pleased to own and spend a bit more in the hopes I’ll enjoy, keep it longer, and hope not to drop it too hard haha.

Still in your 20's! Enjoy your impractical and expensive choices while you still have time to make up for them :)