Is motorcycling allowed?

[Hairy]

If any of you are in CT, please do consider giving the Rider Table https://www.instagram.com/riderstable/ a spin. The rides are usually the second or last weekend of the month, well organised, great vide, zero attitude, a big mix of bikes and people ..... all in good time.

They also have a couple of photographers who take pics before, during (Convertible media car) and after the event again. This crew take great high res pics and circulate this for free (if you register for the ride, also free) for you to download.

Group sizes are decent, though this past weekend the group was only around 55 bikes .... I assume this was due to Harley Burn this weekend and that the route was a longer one leaving CT-Franschhoek, over to Elgin and Grabouw, then round Kleinmond and Rooil Els back to CT again.

Pic shown here was taken by Sam https://www.instagram.com/tonfitiina?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw== on the Woodstock Bridge over the N1 leaving town.

 

Edited April 29 by Hairy

[IceCreamMan]

One thing I do regret is never using earplugs when I was younger , riding with helmets not designed for noise reduction. I think the science was still in its infancy then and no one really cared. I now have the issue of hearing loss which is irrepairable, you youngsters don’t be like the ice cream man. But I digress. 
 

I started using earplugs a few years ago and used Alpine products but recently a mate of mine bought a set of Loop earplugs and recommended them so I thought I would get some. 40 quid is not cheap but it’s nowhere near the expensive ones so thought why not. 
 

well, sometimes products surpass your expectations and these certainly do. What a pleasure. 

[Hairy]

20 minutes ago, IceCreamMan said:

One thing I do regret is never using earplugs when I was younger , riding with helmets not designed for noise reduction. I think the science was still in its infancy then and no one really cared. I now have the issue of hearing loss which is irrepairable, you youngsters don’t be like the ice cream man. But I digress. 
 

I started using earplugs a few years ago and used Alpine products but recently a mate of mine bought a set of Loop earplugs and recommended them so I thought I would get some. 40 quid is not cheap but it’s nowhere near the expensive ones so thought why not. 
 

well, sometimes products surpass your expectations and these certainly do. What a pleasure. 

I have been using the NoNoise and it makes a real difference RE wind/road noise.

[Hairy]

Got really close to putting in an offer on a KTM 640 today, but after running the numbers and spend too much time scrutinising the pics I took of the bike, the final straw was when I asked why the bike only had one front rotor and yet there was a mounting to allow for 2 x brake calipers. The response was they came like this and the supermoto builds get the dual brakes.

Google spec sheets, and pics of other 640's say otherwise.

The long slow search continues then....and may end this weekend with another 640 I have lined up to look at

[IceCreamMan]

21 minutes ago, Hairy said:

Got really close to putting in an offer on a KTM 640 today, but after running the numbers and spend too much time scrutinising the pics I took of the bike, the final straw was when I asked why the bike only had one front rotor and yet there was a mounting to allow for 2 x brake calipers. The response was they came like this and the supermoto builds get the dual brakes.

Google spec sheets, and pics of other 640's say otherwise.

The long slow search continues then....and may end this weekend with another 640 I have lined up to look at

The first ones did come with only 1 disk. The 690 had twin disks and I think the later 640s. 

Edited May 1 by IceCreamMan

[Hairy]

5 hours ago, IceCreamMan said:

The first ones did come with only 1 disk. The 690 had twin disks and I think the later 640s. 

I looked and found a manufacturer date and noted 2004. 2004 showed dual discs up front and the fork had the caliper Mount, so it tells me the one brake was removed at some point. 

Did the math of what it would cost to get the bike right and it comes in a little more than the much better condition one I am wanting to look at over the weekend

[IceCreamMan]

3 minutes ago, Hairy said:

I looked and found a manufacturer date and noted 2004. 2004 showed dual discs up front and the fork had the caliper Mount, so it tells me the one brake was removed at some point. 

Did the math of what it would cost to get the bike right and it comes in a little more than the much better condition one I am wanting to look at over the weekend

Some definitely came with a single disk. The reason why it could have the set up for dual disks is because the forks were used in different applications and/or different countries got different set ups. For example, my Gammas came with twin disks but the Uk model only had a single disk. 
 

however, I would be very very careful in buying a 20 year old KTM 640. So make sure to check it out thoroughly. 

[mazambaan]

7 hours ago, Hairy said:

I looked and found a manufacturer date and noted 2004. 2004 showed dual discs up front and the fork had the caliper Mount, so it tells me the one brake was removed at some point. 

Did the math of what it would cost to get the bike right and it comes in a little more than the much better condition one I am wanting to look at over the weekend

I had many happy years with a 2006 640 Adventure and not 100% sure why I "upgraded" to a Husky 701 🙃. It did have dual discs, a bit overkill I think and if converted to a high mudguard (standard was a low one) sometimes one disc would be forfeited. As noted, this is quite an old bike and the engines are a little highly strung but mine was quite reliable (it let me down when the ignition wire chafed through) and when I cracked the front mounted oil filter in a deep ditch. Suspension linkage needs to be movement free as this can cost you money and one regular problem is a failure of the water pump seal, letting water into the oil, fairly easily remedied but usually needing a new shaft.

Headlight (s) is poor but easily converted, as are the indicator and tail lights (to LED). More a weekend adventure bike than daily droner.

 

[Hairy]

1 hour ago, mazambaan said:

I had many happy years with a 2006 640 Adventure and not 100% sure why I "upgraded" to a Husky 701 🙃. It did have dual discs, a bit overkill I think and if converted to a high mudguard (standard was a low one) sometimes one disc would be forfeited. As noted, this is quite an old bike and the engines are a little highly strung but mine was quite reliable (it let me down when the ignition wire chafed through) and when I cracked the front mounted oil filter in a deep ditch. Suspension linkage needs to be movement free as this can cost you money and one regular problem is a failure of the water pump seal, letting water into the oil, fairly easily remedied but usually needing a new shaft.

Headlight (s) is poor but easily converted, as are the indicator and tail lights (to LED). More a weekend adventure bike than daily droner.

 

Thanks for the feedback.

Bike No. 1 with the single front disk did have the front fender mod.

Bike No. 2 has the std. fender, but overall body work is really good.
Mechanically, the following has happened recently as per this long thread.

 

[Hairy]

Link attempt no. 2

https://wilddog.net.za/threads/2006-ktm-640-adv-price-drop.277019/

[Hairy]

The intention would be as a play bike and a bike to turn to when the Harley is in for a service, or the roads are a mess with rain. The Fat Bob deserves a kinder hand vs being hammered through another winter.

My other option is a 2010 Tenere XT660Z that will become available end of May (Hopefully not much later than this) from my neighbour who works offshore ... as in legitimate offshore :P.

Just that I am a little impatient now, and the KTM's always look to be more "performance based" against the Tenere.

[IceCreamMan]

16 minutes ago, Hairy said:

The intention would be as a play bike and a bike to turn to when the Harley is in for a service, or the roads are a mess with rain. The Fat Bob deserves a kinder hand vs being hammered through another winter.

My other option is a 2010 Tenere XT660Z that will become available end of May (Hopefully not much later than this) from my neighbour who works offshore ... as in legitimate offshore :P.

Just that I am a little impatient now, and the KTM's always look to be more "performance based" against the Tenere.

I had a tenere 660z. It is a great bike. Lil heavier and down on power compared to the KTM but more reliable and can go many miles before it needs attention. Plus it looks the mutts nutts. Only time I did not like it was on long Karoo roads. 
 

but it ain’t hardcore like the KTM. 

[Hairy]

2 minutes ago, IceCreamMan said:

I had a tenere 660z. It is a great bike. Lil heavier and down on power compared to the KTM but more reliable and can go many miles before it needs attention. Plus it looks the mutts nutts. Only time I did not like it was on long Karoo roads. 
 

but it ain’t hardcore like the KTM. 

Thanks, you just made me more indecisive 🤣

Biggest issue is that this would be my first venture into the "dirt" world on a motorbike, so I have zero experience to work off other than knowing I like long mountain bike rides into the sunset with a liberal sprinkling of tech and flow trails and that a good solo 24hr MTB event is a weekend well spent.

[IceCreamMan]

Just now, Hairy said:

Thanks, you just made me more indecisive 🤣

Biggest issue is that this would be my first venture into the "dirt" world on a motorbike, so I have zero experience to work off other than knowing I like long mountain bike rides into the sunset with a liberal sprinkling of tech and flow trails and that a good solo 24hr MTB event is a weekend well spent.

How tall are you?

reason I ask is both these are fairly tall motorbikes 

[Hairy]

Just now, IceCreamMan said:

How tall are you?

reason I ask is both these are fairly tall motorbikes 

1.78m tall, but seem to be more legs than torso

KTM 640 no. 1 I could get both the balls of my feet solidly down on the ground, and when sitting on some other dudes 660 it was a similar experience.

[IceCreamMan]

15 minutes ago, Hairy said:

1.78m tall, but seem to be more legs than torso

KTM 640 no. 1 I could get both the balls of my feet solidly down on the ground, and when sitting on some other dudes 660 it was a similar experience.

Perfect

Interesting choice, me being risk averse I would go Yamaha. But of course it’s not my money. 
 

so long both been serviced regularly, and are in good condition. The tenere had very little grease in the head bearings and these were known to fail. Quite an expensive repair so ask the owner if this has been done and the Cush drives need regular replacement. ( but I guess that would be the same for the KTM ) 

EDIT : forgot to add. If you do go for the Yamaha make sure you get the red key as well. There should be 3keys for it including a red key.  

Edited May 2 by IceCreamMan