Motorcycle and Scooter appreciation

Sometimes not the best fit, do a compare and contrast with the expensive ones and there isn't much in it.

Got to ride a Multistrada 950 for a week. Fuck a Lemon this thing goes. Now I want a quickshifter too.

Whats the view on the new Vitpilen? Everyone is having a raging boner about it, same as when the MT07 came out. You'd think no other bikes have been released since.

I'm not madly enamored by the Vit, I'm sure it would be fun but I'd struggle with a big single as an only bike. 790 Superduke looks way more exciting, albeit it's not exactly a looker. (Unless you like the KTM looks.)

Quickshifters are dope.

Ignoring the obvious under skin stuff, I feel like it'll be one of those sibling rivalries for future debates. For proper use, the KTM, for looking good, the Husqy.
I reckon the Vit will be more successful as it'll piggyback off of the Yamaha's steps and continue the whole cafe racer cum street fighter look that's reeling in Belstaff wearing, top knot trust fund wankery.

I'd rather spend the money on hacking at an old Monster or something.

Someone turned up to my work the other week on a vitpilen 701, and it was as comfy as it was good looking to be fair. Comes with odd brakes which was a bit weird, one magura and one something else

Single rotor Brembo. What's so odd about that?
Looks comfy for cruising, but for tucking back, not really much to hold you.

A Vit, with the 790 twin engine would be a more interesting prospect. I suspect it'll turn up sooner or later. The whole KTM / Husky relationship is odd. Husky just beat KTM to the US Supercross championship, which is a massive deal in the dirt bike world. They're also cleaning up in the Enduro segment. I can't decide whether it's clever or stupid to have competition like that under the same ownership...clearly makes for some good bikes though.

It was the mismatched levers that bothered me more, not even the same colour IIRC

I suppose it wouldn't be if the brake is an OTP Brembo and the clutch is from parts box. Strange though..

@Jung Does it really matter in the grand scheme of things though? I mean...it's a case of market domination through diversifying brands isn't it? I.e Lexus/Toyota etc.
Since their Indian shareholders have a massive cut, they might want Husqy as the bling version to KTM for the Western crowd.
I do know that I started seeing more and more KTM's when I was out in SE Asia.

Yeah, there's a great deal of crossover but a quite different philosophy. You're probably right.
CA is festooned with KTM and latterly Husky - they were well ahead of the curve with 50 state legal dirtbikes you could dual sport. After being out for 13+ years, Honda are only just releasing a 450 dual sport. Nuts.

And a quick motorcycle phwoar! Fully farkled, Cheney framed, CR500 tracker. Beaast.

Did some more tet this evening.
Photos from old coach Road across matterdale common, starts off gentle gravel track, then the gravel gets larger. Few short climbs through washed out galleys that are at the limit of what an overweight "dual sport" bike with moderate Street kmobblies can deal with (bottomed out various bits of frame many times). Then right at the end the descent isn't that steep, but long and very large chunks of rock, slip and slide for sure! Kept it shiny side up by only just.

Some of the smaller roads that the Tet guides you through are just fantastic though, it's a very well thought out route from what I've done so far (like 50 miles lol) and a bike like this is about right for it (occasional faster roads)

Also speeding camera wagons, they get bike? My speedo is shit, showed 65/70 but pretty confident it was more than that, 70 dual carriageway but knowing my luck...

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Ktm smt is off to pastures new Saturday. Think I'm going to really miss it.

Looks like good riding!

singletear.jpg

Off to a good home?

Whilst cycling this morning noticed a motorbike & sidecar approaching in the other lane. Side car was clearly ornate, and as it passed me I realised it was a hearse side car, and the cortege consisted of other motorcyclists. Too surprised to note marque of motorbike.

On ebay, seems a nice guy.

Anyone painted their bike a new colour and done the paperwork with the dvla etc?

Tell your insurer too?

DVLA bit seems pretty easy but my insurer just charged me £50 to change the bike on my policy, how much they gonna charge me to change the colour?!

Doing it would probably be a winter project and my insurance renewal is Feb I think so perhaps I can just do the dvla bit like the week before changing insurer?

I’m going to look at a 1982 Moto Guzzi V50.
Any specifics to look out for or ask about?

DVLA form is as simple as sending off the logbook with a change of colour, I'm not sure you need to tell your insurer though. I had a look at my policy and it doesn't actually mention the colour of the bike anywhere. I'd expect you wouldn't be able to claim on the insurance for a fancy paint job if you didn't tell them but if you're just respraying it I can't see a problem.

A bit of googling returns lots of people stressing how you absolutely positively must inform your insurer and how a hundred puppies will be slaughtered if you don’t but as you have, I’ve noticed that colour isn’t mentioned on my insurance docs and I don’t remember the colour being specified when I entered my reg number to bring up the bike details when I was fucking about with insurance recently.

Log book might say "blue" when actually it's purple. And then was changed colour to more like grey. Still "blue".
Most insurers will try very hard to wiggle out of their obligations no matter whether you put a foot wrong or not, honestly can't stand state of UK insurance industry, proper organised mass fraud is what they are.

If your new paint is classed as 'custom' (which may be as simple as not being a standard colour) it may increase the cost of any repairs or alter the market value of the bike - not necessarily something you'd find in the insurance schedule, but could be used as an excuse for not paying the full amount if you make a claim.
Most brokers / insurance companies will hit you with an admin charge for altering policy details mid term, but not for changes at renewal time...

anyone help me out with scooter rental insurance question? clueless about these things. renting scooter out in spain, offering this ---" You have two options for the deposit: leave the excess of the scooter (350€) and have a basic insurance cover, or pay for the full insurance (7€/day more) and leave a 150€ deposit in cash or blocked from a card." which is better option?

How many days? Basically if you’re gonna crash it or damage it pay the extra daily, if you’re not going to crash it then don’t. How do you know? Well, you’ll know better than us.

It’s an easy way for them to make more money, unless you damage it.