Motorcycle and Scooter appreciation

Single seat for me.

I think the big seat looks better, but I generally do on most bikes to be honest

Liking the single seat look.

Gorgeous bike. Imho the single looks rank the gap to the rack, stickers showing etc all looks shite and the double seat is my all time fave BM seat.

I prefer the double seat because it looks like a bike I’d want a pillion on.

That said, on the Indian-side of the scale if you compare it to the Royal Enfield 500’s with a solo seat, like their military/“trials” replica models, I can see the same appeal here on yours.

Really needs an S nose cone and S or RS bars. Double seat is better from a practical point of view, especially if you need to do longer rides as you'll want to reduce the frontal area. Otherwise you end up needing massive neck and shoulder muscles.

Maybe it's just me but I've had my R80 for 20 years and the nose cone and sports bars make all the difference for me.

I did some IAM. I'd recommend it. All about making safe but good progress.
My driving instructor back in the day was IAM instructor too (and police trainer), was great. My experience is they're all solid good people and love riding or driving. Good group to hang out with.

I have the itch again... Then I'm reminded how rubbish insurance is when you don't have a garage near your house. I can insure a 6.3 litre V8 mercedes (I've had my car license for less than 2 years) for less than most of the bikes I'm interested in.

Going to book myself in to a day of green laning and see if I want to go down this route.

Really obsessed with the husq 701.

Don’t have a garage

Husq 701

That bike is getting nicked faster than you can drink an espresso.

I do have a garage it's just not attached to my house, it even has an entrance gate to get in.

Surprisingly the Honda CRF300 Rally is more expensive to insure

I would say be wary as not all IAM groups are like that. Some get very upset about crossing the white line to improve the view on corners.

Order the expresso.

Solid choice! They were surprisingly popular during the 90's dual sport movement. Way more reliable and better against corrosion (engine casings and frame) than the 2000> models, and the fork dropouts don't snap off like basically every one of the 2000's models have by now or folk are terrified of them snapping. However the injection system on the newer ones is stop, heard of folk retro fitting onto the OG just for fun. Loads of project bikes and information on the US forums.

You got an actual funduro, later on they made a funduro and a stelvio (?) one which had smaller front wheel and slightly different fairings. I've got that type with the sticky out plastic indiciators that break off every time you drop it or ride past a bush.

Mine has done massive mileage, at least 60k, 35K+ under me, and plenty under about 20 different previous owners. Make an excellent B road and C road with gravel all over the place, type of touring bike, strap some luggage or panniers on and your good. Change the bars for something more modern and you can get a reasonable standing position, but these 90's dual sport 'style' bikes ride better sat down if i'm honest, pegs are in the wrong place for standing unless you make drastic seat, riser and bar changes.

Seat IS too damn low. I dunno if they were all sold with the low seat in the UK, but damn peg to ass heigh is short, your knee's are like nearly 90 degree's the whole time. Mine was recovered already, un did some staples and fired a 30mm thick wedge of firm memory foam across the ass pad, comfier and reduced knee angle just enough. However a proper new bit of foam with much much less ass indent, and so to increase ass to peg height would help massively in the dynamic of the bike.

Stock gearing is too steep for anything off-road apart from fire roads, 1st it won't putter along at idle usefully and 2nd is too high.

Rear shock, often the hydraulic preload ring is leaking or has lost its prime. So half of the rotations your putting into the master knob, isn't affecting the slave ring. Easy enough to take off, bleed using shimano mineral oil or citroen LHM fluid you can get it basically perfect with zero fancy tools, just with a bit of clever topping off of oil and holding the different parts of it in the right orientation to bleed air. Front and rear suspension is too soft for off road unless you weigh 40 kg, but fine for aformentioned puttering about.

You can raise the ride heigh by swapping in a Dakar shock off the newer model. Theres a few versions, I got the longest one with resivoir + hydro preload and it fits with some air box modification and a tiny bit of grinding on the frame. However centre stand will be useless (won't touch ground, and then also fowls chain and swingarm's new reach) and side stand will be too short, coupled with a firmer spring in front it makes it WAY WAY nicer to ride off road (except geometry of rider is still all wrong) and on road the damping is so much better controlled feels 20 years newer in the ass.

Screen. This bike aerodynamically is a pig. It looks smooth and aero at the front and maybe a taller, wider, or some kind of amazing screen might make it more tolerable above 35 mph right? Wrong. Spent fecking years whilst riding as a courier to make this bike not buffet your head above 35 mph. Yes 35 mph this thing just whacks you in the head with popping tupperware boxes all the time.. Tried various screens, only one that worked I think was a Givi or a UK made one? Then cut some holes in it low down and fiddled with the angle massively, added winglets and two devices inside the fork tunnel. Its now bareable at 60 mph for about an hour, anything higher than that and its just torture to be honest. ABS plastic winglets along sides of tank and along sides of below the screen made the most difference, but still never perfect. I never buy bikes unless I can actually test ride them, have laughed at several folk who don't allow test rides (new bike dealers included!!!) as cannot fathom how folk can make a purchase not knowing if its even tolerable to ride the bike at normal speeds.

Even tried no screen, not even the speedo cover. Nope. Like someone blitzing you with anti aircraft flak all around your head. Nope not my helmet, tried several folks helmets, same turbulance, differing levels of noise transmitted to ears.

Becoming a scooter guy now, big burgman with monster screen all the way

Surprisingly the Honda CRF300 Rally is more expensive to insure

Shockedpikachu.gif

Sounds equivalent to the DR350 conversations. Forever trying to update a bike that is firmly of its time. Most of the same qualities.

Tell me this would be a stupid idea for a commuter

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/bike-details/202402256933616

How many miles are bikes expected to live for these days?

No, as long as the belts and valve clearances both open and close have been done. Will be fine.

Look who did the servicing, a Ducati specialist is better. But reasonably simple to replace the belts and the 2v are simple to do the clearances.

The most mental bike I’ve ever owned. Warp speed before you’re three breaths deep.

most mental bike

Warp speed

a stupid idea for a commuter

Confirmed then

When are you collecting?

Ha! I'm not, still daydreaming and paying through the teeth for trains

I had the 1000 and it was great, I recommend replacing the wheels with the lightweight marchienese ones. Improved the handling no end.

I had to replace the wheels after they were damaged an oe multistrada were more expensive than the posh wheels. So was done under insurance

Possibly my final ride on this today, advert live on autotrader shortly!

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Whoa, how comes?

@PhilDAS I’m waiting for the 950’s with spoked wheels to drop in price.

To be fair, I still want something that at least looks a bit more off roady. Purely for tart reasons. But I did see a guy in the city in a suit on a multistrada the other day and it did look pretty swag as a posh commuter but I think Ducatis are a bit rich for my common blood.