Is motorcycling allowed?

[Hairy]

1 minute ago, sawystertrance said:

Spokey,

Great post and I can just hear the biker passion in your analysis. For what it's worth, I think the most telling phrase you used is "it really depends on what you want out of the bike." I think correctly identifying that and what you want to use the bike for will correctly determine which bike you get. On the odd occasion you use it for something else, it may not be ideal but a short term compromise is always a good chance to learn. Once you've identified what you want to use it for, it's then a matter of listing strengths and weaknesses of each bike and matching them to requirements. Remember, too, that if you feel you made the wrong choice you can always sell and change to the next option in your list. 

Whatever you do, it's biking and you can't go far wrong. 

What he said .... and then get a Harley

[sawystertrance]

Haha. Which raises the question. What is it that Harley riders want to use the bike for? 

[Hairy]

1 minute ago, sawystertrance said:

Haha. Which raises the question. What is it that Harley riders want to use the bike for? 

Everything

[BigDL]

15 hours ago, Hairy said:

Can you rent a bike with a license that is less than a year old?

Nope - 2 yrs to rent a bike lol 

 

[BigDL]

3 hours ago, Spokey said:

All lovely bikes. I shall offer my thoughts based on 1000’s of kms of riding in all all terrain, tar, jeep track, and enduro type track (within the limitations of a large motorcycle)

I am lucky enough to have a KTM 1190 and a 690 Enduro Rally. The big beast for two up use or those days when a fast blast on Karoo dirt roads is my therapy. The small one for solo riding and it is fast on almost any terrain. 
For me it comes down to pillion or solo riding and what kind of trips and terrain. As light as possible is the answer to bike handling for regular peeps like me. Of the bikes you have mentioned I would choose the Yam T7 if solo, the Honda AT for two up. Both very capable. 
Heck, the T7 can carry a pillion, my old KLR can, but it really depends on what you want out of the bike.  I would love a T7 but find that my 690 enduro offers what I need in that mid size bike, very few HP down on the Yam and and a lot of kgs lighter with very good suspension. But yes, a single V a tremendous parallel twin. But I like it. 
If you ever find yourself in Hoekwil you are welcome to pop in and ride one of mine…..just for an idea. 
When I do Baviaans I am going on my KLR. If I were to ride across Africa……my KLR…..but the two KTMs put a stupid smile on my face!

If I were to give up all my motorcycles and buy just one, my heart would say KTM 1190R  second hand or the new 1290 Adventure , my brain would say Africa Twin, I think the 2019 model or whatever was the last one prior to the few hp upgrade. On the Honda I would also look at the DCT version, a bit heavier but I believe it is a dream in the dirt.

Rambling now, sorry!

Thank you so much for the thoughts. Makes a lot of sense.  Think the "what do you want to do with it" question is the biggest for me as well and I'm quite stuck. We're in a position from next year where the kids will probably be doing their own thing in the summer, so we will be having a holiday as a just a couple for the first time in 21 years, so I'm really keen to get a bike that's comfy for two, pack the panniers, chuck on a tent and head to Europe for 3 weeks next June, with no real agenda other than to explore some remote places. At the same time, I want the capability to go and ride trails here on the weekends and ride to work occasionally as I don't have a car.  That's the thinking anyway. 

In reality, riding much in Winter is unlikely as the weather is so *** here, so the bike is likely to sit in my barn for most of Winter. Trying to maintain and manage a smallholding and a cycling habit and a job in Summer is fairly hectic, so I am unsure of how much time I would have to galavant about on a bike during the good months. What I'd hate to do is buy an all singing all dancing bike and then not use it for much other than commuting, so I need to decide before I cough up £12-14k. 

 

[BigDL]

2 hours ago, sawystertrance said:

Spokey,

Great post and I can just hear the biker passion in your analysis. For what it's worth, I think the most telling phrase you used is "it really depends on what you want out of the bike." I think correctly identifying that and what you want to use the bike for will correctly determine which bike you get. On the odd occasion you use it for something else, it may not be ideal but a short term compromise is always a good chance to learn. Once you've identified what you want to use it for, it's then a matter of listing strengths and weaknesses of each bike and matching them to requirements. Remember, too, that if you feel you made the wrong choice you can always sell and change to the next option in your list. 

Whatever you do, it's biking and you can't go far wrong. 

Good point - wrong bike, sell it in a year or two and try something else. 

[Duane_Bosch]

6 hours ago, Hairy said:

Everything

I just thought I'd drop this here. There's a bi annual Harley festival in Morzine. It finished up about 2 weeks ago. It's been on twice when I've been there. Even tho I'm not a fan of French tw@ts trying to act like american tw@ts It adds a great vibe to the town. There's generally a couple of concerts over the festival. This year I beleive the main act was Status Quo.

Oh and there's the small matter of the biggest link trail network on the planet as well........

https://en.morzine-avoriaz.com/morzine-avoriaz-harley-days-2022-dates-announced.html

[Hairy]

5 hours ago, BigDL said:

Thank you so much for the thoughts. Makes a lot of sense.  Think the "what do you want to do with it" question is the biggest for me as well and I'm quite stuck. We're in a position from next year where the kids will probably be doing their own thing in the summer, so we will be having a holiday as a just a couple for the first time in 21 years, so I'm really keen to get a bike that's comfy for two, pack the panniers, chuck on a tent and head to Europe for 3 weeks next June, with no real agenda other than to explore some remote places. At the same time, I want the capability to go and ride trails here on the weekends and ride to work occasionally as I don't have a car.  That's the thinking anyway. 

In reality, riding much in Winter is unlikely as the weather is so *** here, so the bike is likely to sit in my barn for most of Winter. Trying to maintain and manage a smallholding and a cycling habit and a job in Summer is fairly hectic, so I am unsure of how much time I would have to galavant about on a bike during the good months. What I'd hate to do is buy an all singing all dancing bike and then not use it for much other than commuting, so I need to decide before I cough up £12-14k. 

 

Kids leaving home .... well this one is for you

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid0HxeWLMcw154gFM5LeyHjxWvyhHURENug7ZVPr5LBKLnK7Kk9rFgMn4Bz1i6TfiUTl&id=100032695419579

1 hour ago, Duane_Bosch said:

I just thought I'd drop this here. There's a bi annual Harley festival in Morzine. It finished up about 2 weeks ago. It's been on twice when I've been there. Even tho I'm not a fan of French tw@ts trying to act like american tw@ts It adds a great vibe to the town. There's generally a couple of concerts over the festival. This year I beleive the main act was Status Quo.

Oh and there's the small matter of the biggest link trail network on the planet as well........

https://en.morzine-avoriaz.com/morzine-avoriaz-harley-days-2022-dates-announced.html

The Harley crowd seems to have a good vibe to them ...... I am just not a fan of the cosplay biker outfits with cheesy badges sewn to the jackets and any bit of clothing or accessory with a HD tag or with sculls ... but I can look through that to the person behind the costume.

[Hairy]

1 hour ago, Duane_Bosch said:

I just thought I'd drop this here. There's a bi annual Harley festival in Morzine. It finished up about 2 weeks ago. It's been on twice when I've been there. Even tho I'm not a fan of French tw@ts trying to act like american tw@ts It adds a great vibe to the town. There's generally a couple of concerts over the festival. This year I beleive the main act was Status Quo.

Oh and there's the small matter of the biggest link trail network on the planet as well........

https://en.morzine-avoriaz.com/morzine-avoriaz-harley-days-2022-dates-announced.html

I call fake news, everybody knows a HD can not ride around a corner ... those must be Japanese cruisers .................. or Triumphs 

[Duane_Bosch]

18 hours ago, Hairy said:

I call fake news, everybody knows a HD can not ride around a corner ... those must be Japanese cruisers .................. or Triumphs 

Haha. They don't like it when you overtake them going down the hill on a bicycle.

Truthfully tho the whole area is so stunningly beautiful that just putting along on a Harley taking in the sights and stopping at all the cafe's might be the 2nd best way of getting around the area.

The best way is obviously riding the ski lifts and your bike.

Edited August 5, 2022 by Duane_Bosch

[Hairy]

I just bought a set of basically brand new pegs for the HD on Facebook .... after I did the purchase I realised that this can quickly become a slippery slope the same way one drops cash on a bicycle .... going to have to be careful, and I trust you lot of sensible people will help keep me in check if I start asking questions about stuff.

 

[Hairy]

Just now, Hairy said:

I just bought a set of basically brand new pegs for the HD on Facebook .... after I did the purchase I realised that this can quickly become a slippery slope the same way one drops cash on a bicycle .... going to have to be careful, and I trust you lot of sensible people will help keep me in check if I start asking questions about stuff.

 

EDIT: but the new pegs are shinny, and I like shinny

[sawystertrance]

Typical Harley rider. I'm just surprised you haven't chromed them. Yet.

[Steven Knoetze (sk27)]

4 hours ago, sawystertrance said:

Typical Harley rider. I'm just surprised you haven't chromed them. Yet.

Pre-chromed I assume.......

[Hairy]

32 minutes ago, Steven Knoetze (sk27) said:

Pre-chromed I assume.......

Exactly .... this is not a metric bike wanting to be a HD, and going about chroming things to look like a HD.

And all the "cool kids" on HD's have been blacking out their bikes anyway.

Had to step out this morning to the mall to get something, when I got back to the bike there was a dude parked next to the bike and walking around looking at her.
We got chatting and he sold his HD 48 earlier in the morning and has been looking for a Fat Bob for a while now, let him sit on the bike as we are the same height, and the bike fit him just right. We got chatting. Dude has, and had a good couple of bikes.

All in a good encounter.

[Hairy]

So the shinny things = better feel and connection with the bike vs the std off the shelf rubber logs that was on the bike.

With the broader platform, and ability to angle the pegs to your preference the feel is great.

The shifter peg was the real surprise, far more feel again, and a positive feeling when shifting through the gears, and I would go so far as to say it is rather easy to find neutral on the HD now.

All in a rather good little upgrade.