Another motorbike.....Ducati.... am I mad

[Screwdriver]

Surely ONE bike will never tick ALL the boxes it has to be a bike for each box.

I used to think that and over the years I have had a huge range of bikes from Fireblades and R1's to SuperDukes and SuperMotos.

ONE bike has lasted throughout the decades, my trusty Gen 1 Fazer Thou. It really does it all. Commuting, touring, track days, stunting. Very high top speed, very comfortable, great handling and while no "allrounder" can excel in any one area, it just has to satisfy my needs which with the advancing years, become less extreme...

 

[GRW]

I used to think that and over the years I have had a huge range of bikes from Fireblades and R1's to SuperDukes and SuperMotos.

ONE bike has lasted throughout the decades, my trusty Gen 1 Fazer Thou. It really does it all. Commuting, touring, track days, stunting. Very high top speed, very comfortable, great handling and while no "allrounder" can excel in any one area, it just has to satisfy my needs which with the advancing years, become less extreme...

IMO the first Fazer Thou is a brilliant bike. I rode one quite a bit. In my experience the best-balanced, easily-controllable big-wheelie bike ever.
I only never had one myself - because it was just too easy to be a daft sod on - and I knew I'd end up getting banned for "riding dangerously"

 

[GRW]

Why think of selling if it satisfies the need ? You know that in a years time you will be kicking yourself. Just remember K.I.S.S.

Because I'm not actually riding it. My limited free time over the recent years has been invested in Mountain Biking to get my adrenalin buzz and meet a needed exercise quota.
I love motorbikes and have since I was a kid - but the draconian war on the motorist (& the total ineptitude or dangerous attitude of "fellow motorists") has been relentlessly sucking the joy out of being on the road at all - and instead of a feeling of freedom on the bike - it was becoming an exercise in OTT clock-watching & waiting to be ambushed by some bell-end with a Hairdryer.
If I had the time & money to go ride the continent a lot, then I'd use a bike. But in Welsh drizzle and a very overzealous DPP..... its just not much fun anymore

 

[Greeves246]

If I was 6'3" (I'm not) then for sure it'd be one I the taller bikes. I'm 5'9"
I wish I was 5’9”. At 5’6” finding bikes with a low enough seat height isn’t easy nowadays. Doesn’t help being of an age where joints don’t bend like they used to and muscle strength isn’t what it was. Older bikes tend to a lot lighter and have lower seat heights which can be a bonus.

 

[GRW]

If I was 6'3" (I'm not) then for sure it'd be one I the taller bikes. I'm 5'9"
I wish I was 5’9”. At 5’6” finding bikes with a low enough seat height isn’t easy nowadays. Doesn’t help being of an age where joints don’t bend like they used to and muscle strength isn’t what it was. Older bikes tend to a lot lighter and have lower seat heights which can be a bonus.

A mate was 5'6" (sadly passed). One of his last bikes was a Triumph Tiger 800 - but fitted with a set of shorter "dog bone" rear shock link arms, and the forks dropped a few miles through the yokes - so these kind of mods and a modified seat if needs be can bring bikes into your realm.

For sure I see why (apart from the "proper" look and nostalgia) bikes like the Enfields have appeal for many older riders. Narrower seats, lower seats, lower-down weight and riding positions that are upright enough to allow you easier leverage to hold up the bike all count for a lot.
The easy-going engine nature and power etc also encourage a more sensible pace - where sporty stuff is so out of their operating zone at normal speeds.

 

[stuvy]

there is a restored black and yellow one going around across here looks superb , the old paris dakar sonauto gauloise team bikes were awesome .
had a late r100rs and did over 50k miles on it never found it underpowered ,in fact the kind of power needed on rural roads around here ,cagiva elephant is a very underated bike too another dakar winner
always fancied a home made v twin with r 100 top ends they are made for the job perfectly

Like the one I saw at cadwell yesterday

Surely ONE bike will never tick ALL the boxes it has to be a bike for each box.

Is this how you justify it the to missus?

 

[redlig]

Because I'm not actually riding it. My limited free time over the recent years has been invested in Mountain Biking to get my adrenalin buzz and meet a needed exercise quota.
I love motorbikes and have since I was a kid - but the draconian war on the motorist (& the total ineptitude or dangerous attitude of "fellow motorists") has been relentlessly sucking the joy out of being on the road at all - and instead of a feeling of freedom on the bike - it was becoming an exercise in OTT clock-watching & waiting to be ambushed by some bell-end with a Hairdryer.
If I had the time & money to go ride the continent a lot, then I'd use a bike. But in Welsh drizzle and a very overzealous DPP..... its just not much fun anymore

I'm sorry to say that you have summed up my feeling exactly.

 

[redlig]

A mate was 5'6" (sadly passed). One of his last bikes was a Triumph Tiger 800 - but fitted with a set of shorter "dog bone" rear shock link arms, and the forks dropped a few miles through the yokes - so these kind of mods and a modified seat if needs be can bring bikes into your realm.

For sure I see why (apart from the "proper" look and nostalgia) bikes like the Enfields have appeal for many older riders. Narrower seats, lower seats, lower-down weight and riding positions that are upright enough to allow you easier leverage to hold up the bike all count for a lot.
The easy-going engine nature and power etc also encourage a more sensible pace - where sporty stuff is so out of their operating zone at normal speeds.

You didn't mention the new era footrest positioning,especially pillion which means that trying to walk after getting off the bike is a step into the unknown. especially if you are " of an age".

 

[redlig]

Like the one I saw at cadwell yesterday

Is this how you justify it the to missus?

View attachment 358799

That and other sob stories coupled with a degree of crawling. Actually that's not true as I have never had a problem with any hobby purchases. I came home one day from visiting a dealer with a free year old TZ250 h on my trailer.virtually brand new , and kidded her that I had bought it . Her only comment was " It would have been nice to have finished the roof first but you have always wanted a proper racer "

 

[GRW]

Like the one I saw at cadwell yesterday

Is this how you justify it the to missus?

View attachment 358799

That Dakar BMW is a lovely bike. The R80/R100Gs (not so much the later PD faired ones IMO) are ideal all-round enjoyable bikes. You don't need to be a basketball player or an East German Shot-Putter to straddle or lift one, uber-reliable and as simple as Lego to tinker with. I just wish I'd bought one before they got trendy and very pricey - I'm at an age now where kicking-back a bit more and enjoying the ride of one I these is something I might adapt to.

Years ago, a guy I knew had one of the R80 full-on off-road Dakar type bikes - lord knows where he got it from. Beefy forks, the huge Acerbis long-range tank, single seat, Acerbis flyscreen and body panels - it even had the proper Kickstart etc. If it still exists, that bike would get worth a mint now, and actually be a brilliant bike for today's roads and riding.

The OP at 6'3".... well, who wouldn't want one of THESE???

 

[Rannsachair]

I’m running this ‘Gummi Kuh’ as the Germans call them (rubber cow). Had loads of Ducatis too inc an st2View attachment 358789
A lot of bikes are a blank canvas like modern bonneville and the monsters and this is R nineT too. Didn’t want the ugly double decker GS with all its dangling pots n pans as there’s no need for that look in my life. Tested the new V7 guzzi 850 and although it had loads of soul it was too much of a wet lettuce for me.

Pretty bike, the original R90S was a great bike. Detail and finish on your retro look good.

I see the V7 850 Guzzi is rated at only 64 hp, whereas the V85 TT is 79hp from same basic engine.....

 

[roofman]

Surely ONE bike will never tick ALL the boxes it has to be a bike for each box.

It all depends how many and what boxes you require ticking...so to answer your question, my current bike ticks all my boxes but just starting to show its age.

 

[Rannsachair]

That Dakar BMW is a lovely bike. The R80/R100Gs (not so much the later PD faired ones IMO) are ideal all-round enjoyable bikes. You don't need to be a basketball player or an East German Shot-Putter to straddle or lift one, uber-reliable and as simple as Lego to tinker with. I just wish I'd bought one before they got trendy and very pricey - I'm at an age now where kicking-back a bit more and enjoying the ride of one I these is something I might adapt to.

Years ago, a guy I knew had one of the R80 full-on off-road Dakar type bikes - lord knows where he got it from. Beefy forks, the huge Acerbis long-range tank, single seat, Acerbis flyscreen and body panels - it even had the proper Kickstart etc. If it still exists, that bike would get worth a mint now, and actually be a brilliant bike for today's roads and riding.

The OP at 6'3".... well, who wouldn't want one of THESE???
View attachment 358871

I could hardly feel speed bumpts on my KTM 950, that would be even better

 

[Tinbasherdan]

I’m hopefully picking up an s1000rr on weds. I look forward to the sheer stupidity of the thing. 183whp, there’s no good reason for that

 

[Hood]

I’m hopefully picking up an s1000rr on weds. I look forward to the sheer stupidity of the thing. 183whp, there’s no good reason for that

I suppose the good thing about all that hp is spiders will not be able to hang on

 

[Tinbasherdan]

I suppose the good thing about all that hp is spiders will not be able to hang on

That bloody thing could pick the bike up and carry it off

 

[Guzrik]

Off to work in a minute.

 

[Hood]

Me too, well not work as such, away to pick up some welding consumables in the big city, do I take the van or the bike? The bike of course

 

[Hood]

Bit cleaner than it was on Saturday after it decided to lie down in a pool of mud on a dirt track in Glen Clova

 

[redlig]

Bit cleaner than it was on Saturday after it decided to lie down in a pool of mud on a dirt track in Glen Clova

View attachment 358922

Braver man than me Gunga Din.