The problem is it has dominated. Like Harleys in america and adventure bikes. But if a retro bike goes like a stabbed rabbit and corners like a Blade, then it is not guilty of being fake. It's the real deal. There are only three that do that:I'm afraid as another unreconstituted motorcyclist from the 70s era - I'm on the same track. I've never quite been able to articulate what's wrong with the whole 'Hipster' thing, but that pretty much nails it
Them's the pillocks. Don't forget they all use road tyres too. I'd gladly set fire to every GS in sight. And Multistradas etcDon't start me on 'Adventure' motorcyclists with the two grands worth of empty panniers and CharlieMcBoorface tailored suits standing up on the pegs going over the speed bumps on the way into Tesco for the half-litre of milk of a Saturday morning...
Insufficient sales, and too close to other 1000cc bikes, I suspect. The 650 was the best selling bike in Europe for a while, IIRC.What was wrong with the 1000 version?
I go for ride-outs with a group down here (Devon and Cornwall) and on some of the goat tracks of roads we have I can't keep up with them. A bit like Chelsea tractors; they make sense here.Don't start me on 'Adventure' motorcyclists with the two grands worth of empty panniers and CharlieMcBoorface tailored suits standing up on the pegs going over the speed bumps on the way into Tesco for the half-litre of milk of a Saturday morning...
In this case I recommend a Husqvarna 701 Enduro, KTM 690 or a Yamaha T7 at biggest / heaviest. But these guys will go out and get the biggest and most expensive lumps possible, touching 20 grand, who is going to ride a 20 grand adventure bike on the trails with any verve? Not me. Even the Africa Twin looks much too heavy. And I understand it feels light. But that will count for nowt when you skid out on gravel. It's going down hard. And expensive.I go for ride-outs with a group down here (Devon and Cornwall) and on some the goat tracks of roads we have I can't keep up with them. A bit like Chelsea tractors; they make sense here.
I go for ride-outs with a group down here (Devon and Cornwall) and on some the goat tracks of roads we have I can't keep up with them. A bit like Chelsea tractors; they make sense here.
Once in Southern Ireland I made the mistake of taking the scenic route from Kerry to Cork.... now even the main roads there are like a country B road here but this was basically a mud track and had deep pot holes, ruts the lot... two up on Honda CBR1000F (the first one not the poncy retro) and to pull over and let a Landrover overtake as 30mph would have been impossibly fast on this road!...
Don't start me on 'Adventure' motorcyclists with the two grands worth of empty panniers and CharlieMcBoorface tailored suits standing up on the pegs going over the speed bumps on the way into Tesco for the half-litre of milk of a Saturday morning...
The roads are a lot better now, in fact in the main roads are excellent and the back roads are a lot better than they used to be.
Lol, they're very popular around here, if you go to Newcastle any Sunday it's 50/50 adventure BMWs or power rangers on the latest fantastic plastics !
Where in Newcastle? Some biker haunt I need to know about?
Newcastle in NI, South Downs biggest seaside resort, a lot of bikers congregate there on a Sunday for coffee, beer, ice creams, fish & chips etc. There's a lot of nice roads which lead to Newcastle.
The Chelsea tractor is a good analogy though. Both they and the Adventure bikes look like they should be purposeful in the dirt, but really aren't for anything other than the mildest off-road excursion.