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@nick_h.
I did a course at the Nordschleife. They made us lock up the front on a damp surface, at low speeds. V. useful. But I'd rather have done it in the mud on a scruffy dirt bike.
Dammit, you live in London? I understand your lust for a 916. I borrowed one for a lap of the Nordschleife and it was 1000% bliss, exceeding all my expectations. But apparently they're horrible in traffic, like many of the more extreme sports bikes. You bash your shins on the fairing, you can't weave properly because of the steering lock, you get so hot from underseat exhausts that it's effing torture, the clutch is a fuckpig, etc etc. To enjoy a 916 in London you have to do track days, or go to France, or get up at 6 am to get out of London before rush hour and do a lap of Hants and Wilts. Some people do this every Sunday in the summer. Lots of Ducati owners live in London, because of high salaries here, but the sad fact is they do fuck all miles, as you can see from the second hand ads. If they'd bought something practical like an SV650 or CBR600, maybe they'd have actually done some riding. Or maybe they wouldn't, because of partners and children.
Another way to enjoy a bike in London is to make London traffic into a sort of sporting challenge. There are some great roads for this. But maybe you need to be an ex-courier for this to float your boat. And if you admit to riding like this everyone will hate you and categorise you with the feral kids who do crimes on scooters. A 916 wouldn't be the best choice for this sort of thing. A super moto would be much better. Maybe a Ducati one? They are very pretty. Just as lustworthy as a 916 in some people's eyes. Other brands are available, just as droolworthy as the Ducatis. You can enjoy your lap of Hants and Wilts just as much as you would on a sports bike, but also enjoy the slog between your home and Robin Hood Roundabout.