NBT: And now for something completely different!

[Taipan]

Wasn't expecting them to mid/late afternoon, but they just rang and said they'll be here in about 45 minutes!

[the_priest]

Wasn't expecting them to mid/late afternoon, but they just rang and said they'll be here in about 45 minutes!

And you have perfect weather to do a test ride as well!!!

[Taipan]

Looks better IRL than the online photos, snd sounds sweet as the proverbial. Will tax it and then get out for a ride on it!

[weeksy]

Looks better IRL than the online photos, snd sounds sweet as the proverbial. Will tax it and then get out for a ride on it!

It's still a complete mystery to me as to 'how does it ride' etc... but it's a funky thing, in a good way.

[KungFooBob]

Get the wife to take a pic of you sat on it, we need to see the ergos!

[Taipan]

Looks better IRL than the online photos, snd sounds sweet as the proverbial. Will tax it and then get out for a ride on it!

It's still a complete mystery to me as to 'how does it ride' etc... but it's a funky thing, in a good way.

I'm probably not the best to showcase it , but this chap shows off some of its capabilities...

[Taipan]

[Mr. Dazzle]

You've only had it 5 mins, seems a bit drastic to be abandoning it to the sea already.

[Taipan]

3 words. Piece of shit!

Yup, that's what I trod in when I stepped back to take that photo! Where do I start. First thing I noticed was its bigger than I thought it was, much bigger. After the MT, the bars are so wide that I felt like I was riding at full stretch in a star jump! Your legs can be positioned as if you were sitting in a chair out in a feet forward position. Now I normally favour this, but have obviously got used to the more prone position of the MT. So it felt quite odd and even pulled at the muscles of my inner things to stop me from riding in a frog like position! All in all it felt really odd and I felt very out of place on it. I didn't dislike it, it just felt weird.

On the move it was instantly noticeable that things have been improved over the 700X DCT. The gearbox changes are much smoother and noticeably quieter on the downshifts and less like a toolbox falling down the stairs. On the 700 I'd use sport mode a lot more, but for the first 30 or so miles I never even touched sport mode and even then I only made a point of trying out sport mode to see what it was like!

This bike is a lot, lot heavier than the MT-07 and weighs about a tugboat more, so I wasn't expecting much, but I put it into sport mode to see what it was like. There are actually 3 sport modes. You hold the selector mode down and an indicator adds bars (think fuel gauge) to show if you're in 1,2 or 3 mode. I messed up and went into S3 mode whilst selecting it at a T junction whilst waiting for a gap. A gap opened up and I shot out. And I mean shot out. Well, a lot quicker than I was expecting an nearly hit the opposite keprb! Whilst it would never trouble the MT, I was actually quite shocked at how well it went! Very pleasing.

Anyway, 30 miles turned into 50 and that turned into 70 before I decided to head for home. By this time I'd sort of gelled with it very well and realised an auto is deffo for me. Also by then the ergonomics had been got used to and I found myself very comfortable and just enjoying the ride. Thoroughly enjoying the ride!

Downsides? Well, it's bigger than I expected and getting on and off is nowhere near as easy as I was expecting and hoping for. New bike excitement has overridden that for now, but with decreasing ability due to my fooked knee, it may be that what sounds the death knell for it, only time well tell. But for now, I'm really pleased with it.

[weeksy]

Due to my right knee not exactly being wonderful, i always read your posts with interest.... this as much as any other.

[Taipan]

Due to my right knee not exactly being wonderful, i always read your posts with interest.... this as much as any other.

Cant for one minute imagine this would suit any of your biking needs mate. Knee aside, what I want, or need, from a bike is probably totally different to you.

[weeksy]

Due to my right knee not exactly being wonderful, i always read your posts with interest.... this as much as any other.

Cant for one minute imagine this would suit any of your biking needs mate. Knee aside, what I want, or need, from a bike is probably totally different to you.

Dunno really fella. I think we're in not too dissimilar places in some ways, we've both tried many things, we both ride solo and both ride when/where we want. In many ways i only ride because, well, i own one. It doesn't fulfill any particular purpose these days apart from existing.
My days of track are over, my days of 150mph are over, so really, i dunno.

I know where my brain/heart is going... but my wallet won't go with me.

[Taipan]

One thing I would say about this bike is I didn't feel for one minute it was a scooter. Well, arguably it isn't anyway, but despite having ridden many different scoots and many maxi scoots, I wouldn't say this is one. Riding ins a straight line I felt more like I was on a GS or suchlike!!

[Taipan]

Due to my right knee not exactly being wonderful, i always read your posts with interest.... this as much as any other.

Cant for one minute imagine this would suit any of your biking needs mate. Knee aside, what I want, or need, from a bike is probably totally different to you.

Dunno really fella. I think we're in not too dissimilar places in some ways, we've both tried many things, we both ride solo and both ride when/where we want. In many ways i only ride because, well, i own one. It doesn't fulfill any particular purpose these days apart from existing.
My days of track are over, my days of 150mph are over, so really, i dunno.

I know where my brain/heart is going... but my wallet won't go with me.

Where? Do tell!!

[weeksy]

Cant for one minute imagine this would suit any of your biking needs mate. Knee aside, what I want, or need, from a bike is probably totally different to you.

Dunno really fella. I think we're in not too dissimilar places in some ways, we've both tried many things, we both ride solo and both ride when/where we want. In many ways i only ride because, well, i own one. It doesn't fulfill any particular purpose these days apart from existing.
My days of track are over, my days of 150mph are over, so really, i dunno.

I know where my brain/heart is going... but my wallet won't go with me.

Where? Do tell!!

But they're £9400. Even a 2 year old one is mid/low 8s..... Which just isn't happening. Not when the MT07 is as good as it is.

It was a shame your higher seat never came up as i'd have jumped on that and it could easily be the difference for me.

But anyway... this is your thread, not mine

[Couchy]

Good buy, I really like them and should get a go on one some time

[Taipan]

Dunno really fella. I think we're in not too dissimilar places in some ways, we've both tried many things, we both ride solo and both ride when/where we want. In many ways i only ride because, well, i own one. It doesn't fulfill any particular purpose these days apart from existing.
My days of track are over, my days of 150mph are over, so really, i dunno.

I know where my brain/heart is going... but my wallet won't go with me.

Where? Do tell!!

But they're £9400. Even a 2 year old one is mid/low 8s..... Which just isn't happening. Not when the MT07 is as good as it is.

It was a shame your higher seat never came up as i'd have jumped on that and it could easily be the difference for me.

But anyway... this is your thread, not mine

Seats yours if you want it Bud, but I wont be able to post it until Saturday. Bloke at work wants all my stuff for a tracer that he hasn't got yet (not sure he ever will lol) but I cant see him needing that anyway as he's a lot shorter than me.

[Count Steer]

Lots of surprises in the write up. Last thing I expected was any comparison with riding a GS!
How does the can sound? Will the wide bars hinder you filtering like an eel on amphetamines? Brakes any good?
My interest is tickled.

[Taipan]

Lots of surprises in the write up. Last thing I expected was any comparison with riding a GS!
How does the can sound? Will the wide bars hinder you filtering like an eel on amphetamines? Brakes any good?
My interest is tickled.

Can is useless, or quiet as some people put it! Baffle needs to come out and will be. But they are a low revving engine anyway...

I think the wide bars will hinder the filtering ability. Can't remember what bike it was but I had another bike with really wide bars on and I cut 2" off each end and redrilled for the switchgear. So I may end up doing that? Probably won't though and will just get used to it?

Brakes have more initial bite than the MTs did!! Don't know the compound of either though.

Remember what I normally ride, before getting too swayed by my enthusiasm! That said, these bikes are certainly not without merit and worth a test ride at least. I seem to recall you enjoying a ride on a 650Burgman many years ago, so I think you'd at least get the bikes purpose!

[Count Steer]

Crikey! You remembered my Burgervan experience! I thought it was a hoot but, at the end of the day, just too expensive for an additional bike in the collection at the time. (I wouldn't have given up the others but it would have been great for the daily commute - which included a fair stretch of M25). I thought the novelty might wear off too but on most counts it was a
This sounds more bike-like in some ways and with a bit more oomph. May have to find my local dealer (Dunno where Honda are apart from Coulsdon, South of Croydon).

(I'll look forward to your longer term reviews ).