Mofo's 690 Duke

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Slow is the least of your worries - your physique is like mine.

Lockdown init or the stripes Although to be fair I don't think 13.5 stone is bad judging by most of my mates

Same weight as me, I bet you're taller than my 5'8"

[Supermofo]

Slow is the least of your worries - your physique is like mine.

Lockdown init or the stripes Although to be fair I don't think 13.5 stone is bad judging by most of my mates

Same weight as me, I bet you're taller than my 5'8"

Not a huge amount! Maybe an inch

My jacket still fits.....for now

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Lockdown init or the stripes Although to be fair I don't think 13.5 stone is bad judging by most of my mates

Same weight as me, I bet you're taller than my 5'8"

Not a huge amount! Maybe an inch

My jacket still fits.....for now

Mine fits round the shoulders, but is a bit snug round the stomach

[KungFooBob]

I haven't been 13.5st since my late teens, you skinny fuckers!

[Supermofo]

I haven't been 13.5st since my late teens, you skinny fuckers!

Sorry podge

Then again you're about 6.4 ain't you?

[Supermofo]

Original plan for my Saturday was taking the kids shoe shopping

So when my mate Steve texts saying he wants to take his 1190 Adv out for a shake down run, I bite his bloody hand off

Meet at 11 with my mate Steve and my brother on his Z750. Off to the KTM Centre for a coffee, natter and sit on all the new bikes. I was rather taken with an all black 790 Duke...I don't want another KTM, I don't want another KTM, I don't....

Heading off from there we ended up doing the Kop Hill climb and having lunch in Princes Risborough. Lovely day it was too. I'd put my winter jacket on but was too hot. Had a good chat and a sausage/egg bap and decided to visit the new Sportsbikeshop store in Harlow. Should be handy having that 15 mins away from me for trying stuff on

Got home about 5pm. Bloody awesome day.

[Skub]

Original plan for my Saturday was taking the kids shoe shopping

So when my mate Steve texts saying he wants to take his 1190 Adv out for a shake down run, I bite his bloody hand off

Meet at 11 with my mate Steve and my brother on his Z750. Off to the KTM Centre for a coffee, natter and sit on all the new bikes. I was rather taken with an all black 790 Duke...I don't want another KTM, I don't want another KTM, I don't....

Heading off from there we ended up doing the Kop Hill climb and having lunch in Princes Risborough. Lovely day it was too. I'd put my winter jacket on but was too hot. Had a good chat and a sausage/egg bap and decided to visit the new Sportsbikeshop store in Harlow. Should be handy having that 15 mins away from me for trying stuff on

Got home about 5pm. Bloody awesome day.

I'm jealous. I haven't ridden the bike for over two weeks now,as it has rained every day.

[Supermofo]

I'm jealous. I haven't ridden the bike for over two weeks now,as it has rained every day.

Won't be long before mine goes night night for the winter. We've had a lucky few days, but worth grabbing. Supposed to be dry tomorrow so will use it tomorrow as need to go into the office at a pants time so the bike will be much quicker

[Supermofo]

Possibly the last decent ride of the year



Weather was lovely so decided on a run up to Finchingfield on some of my favourite roads. Don't often stop there but decided it was too nice not to today, with some late Autumn warmth and the great view over the pond. So had a coffee and perused the metal on display. Had a long look at a Z9RS but I think the tank really is too big. Best were probably a couple of V4 Tuonos, they really do look the nuts.

Came back via my fav roads from Steeple Bumpstead via Saffron Walden and Wendens Ambo, such a cracking bit of road. Fairly decent surface and nice and flowing.

In all it's been a great biking year and I've really enjoyed the bike. The 690 needs some love as it's a bit dirty now so it'll get a proper going over and protecting before going to sleep for the winter.

Plan for next year is a new bike I hope but let's see. In an ideal world I'd keep the 690 forever but can't justify that. So fingers crossed and I get something sorted early next year.

[weeksy]

Possibly the last decent ride of the year



Weather was lovely so decided on a run up to Finchingfield on some of my favourite roads. Don't often stop there but decided it was too nice not to today, with some late Autumn warmth and the great view over the pond. So had a coffee and perused the metal on display. Had a long look at a Z9RS but I think the tank really is too big. Best were probably a couple of V4 Tuonos, they really do look the nuts.

Came back via my fav roads from Steeple Bumpstead via Saffron Walden and Wendens Ambo, such a cracking bit of road. Fairly decent surface and nice and flowing.

In all it's been a great biking year and I've really enjoyed the bike. The 690 needs some love as it's a bit dirty now so it'll get a proper going over and protecting before going to sleep for the winter.

Plan for next year is a new bike I hope but let's see. In an ideal world I'd keep the 690 forever but can't justify that. So fingers crossed and I get something sorted early next year.

I was too hungover yesterday to ride, so missed out... but nice job on getting out. If i'm honest, based upon what you ride, i think anything else may leave you wanting in some ways. As myself and @Numnut have found over the years, the 690s do get under your skin in terms of ownership and feel and you'll struggle to replicate it.

[Supermofo]

I was too hungover yesterday to ride, so missed out...

Still at least the footie would have cheered you up We turned over the Spuds again yesterday, but missed out on beers due IKEA furniture related dullness

If i'm honest, based upon what you ride, i think anything else may leave you wanting in some ways. As myself and @Numnut have found over the years, the 690s do get under your skin in terms of ownership and feel and you'll struggle to replicate it.

You may well be right. I have considered keeping it and getting something as a 2nd bike for the change over costs, but the price of 2nd hand bikes would mean something pretty old and not sure I wanna do that. Be interesting if the replacement lasts 6 years. Probably not. I wanted a 690 so much for a long time convinced it'd be my ideal bike and it is in so many ways. I totally understand why most people don't get them, but for me they are such involving bikes where the bike is absolutely central to the enjoyment that the ride brings. Replacement wise I don't have the same fixed bike in mind, just a list of possibles. I'm sure on a test ride I'll like all of em cos I love riding bikes, but be interesting how long the honeymoon period lasts. With most bikes it's 18 months, with the Duke it was best part of 5 years before my eye started wondering. Even this year when I really wanted to change I've not been unhappy still having the Duke.

[weeksy]

I'm sure on a test ride I'll like all of em cos I love riding bikes, but be interesting how long the honeymoon period lasts. With most bikes it's 18 months, with the Duke it was best part of 5 years before my eye started wondering. Even this year when I really wanted to change I've not been unhappy still having the Duke.

I agree absolutely with that, if you like bikes then you'll like riding pretty much most things unless there's a reason as to why not, like the riding position or something.
I think you'll need to find a 'something' about it to make it stay as long as you've kept the 690. As to what the 'something' is, only you can find that and it's been a struggle for many on here as we've seen over the years.

[Supermofo]

Yeah I'm starting to feel hopeful that I'll be able to change next year. So need some test rides. Camp is split between naked GSXS,Z9, MT09 variant and something with a bit of a faring as fancy some longer trips and a bit of a faring appeals for cracking out the odd motorway/faster A road but also don't want it to be dull or make it too easy to sit at 100mph with ease! So I'll defo be trying a Tracer 9 too.

A lot will come down to the feel of the bike and the 690 will be hard to beat in that respect.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

I couldn't get the enthusiasm up for riding my old bike yesterday, so I made space in my garage for the new one.

[Supermofo]

I couldn't get the enthusiasm up for riding my old bike yesterday, so I made space in my garage for the new one.

Must meet up in the new year when the big yellow thing in the sky heats up again. I'm bound to head Suffolk way at some point.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

TBH now I've got something new and super duper I'm going to be going further afield, I had some really enjoyable road rides on the old FZ this year, so the new GSX will be doing some miles, though I'm not massively keen on Finchingfield, I don't know why, I quite fancy a trip to Hunstanton in the spring, and weirdly I fancy visiting Skegness, just to appreciate the true horror of Skegvegas

[Supermofo]

Could meet at Krazy Horse in Bury, bit of a ride for both of us then.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Could meet at Krazy Horse in Bury, bit of a ride for both of us then.

Could do, they do nice burgers and I wonder if the waitress with big tits is still there.

[Supermofo]

Could meet at Krazy Horse in Bury, bit of a ride for both of us then.

Could do, they do nice burgers and I wonder if the waitress with big tits is still there.

Double the reason to go

[Supermofo]

Sun's out, not to chilly and I've booked the afternoon off

Think I might head to Ely for a change. No idea what's there (other than the Cathedral) but see Oliver Cromwell's House is there so might take a mooch round his gaff.

See ya later peps