The future's bright, the future is

[Trinity765]

Duke 690, 1300 miles, £3900, new chain/sprocket/tyres. Good deal? Looks mental.

What year is it? And yes, they are mental (in a very good way)

2012

[mangocrazy]

Thanks, just followed the link and saw the model year. That is the model that sometimes ejects its rocker arm, although not all do it. I'd be tempted to go for the one with the secondary balance shaft (later model - 2016 and onwards) as they are smoother and make a bit more power. But you won't get one for £4k unless it's been to the moon and back.

[mangocrazy]

This is my 2017 690 R - the R suffix adds more £££s to the cost price.

DSCF2527.jpg (1.08 MiB) Viewed 511 times

[Trinity765]

This is my 2017 690 R - the R suffix adds more £££s to the cost price.


DSCF2527.jpg

That's pretty.

[mangocrazy]

I love it to bits. It's the most 'fun' bike I've ever owned. Get it on a twisty A or B road and you won't be able to wipe the grin off your face. But if you do a lot of Motorway riding I'd look elsewhere, that's not what they're about.

[Yorick]

This is my 2017 690 R - the R suffix adds more £££s to the cost price.


DSCF2527.jpg

That's pretty.

Have you been drinking?

[Trinity765]

This is my 2017 690 R - the R suffix adds more £££s to the cost price.


DSCF2527.jpg

That's pretty.

Have you been drinking?

Sober as. No one buys faired bikes these days

[Skub]

This is my 2017 690 R - the R suffix adds more £££s to the cost price.


DSCF2527.jpg

Nice. Is it a delicate little thing?

[mangocrazy]

This is my 2017 690 R - the R suffix adds more £££s to the cost price.


DSCF2527.jpg

Nice. Is it a delicate little thing?

'Delicate' isn't a word I'd immediately associate with it, I must say. It loves revs, in fact it's rather 2T-ish in that respect. It's kind of a grown up 350LC that's had a sex change and been on the steroids. So not really delicate, then...

[Skub]

This is my 2017 690 R - the R suffix adds more £££s to the cost price.


DSCF2527.jpg

Nice. Is it a delicate little thing?

'Delicate' isn't a word I'd immediately associate with it, I must say. It loves revs, in fact it's rather 2T-ish in that respect. It's kind of a grown up 350LC that's had a sex change and been on the steroids. So not really delicate, then...

Fickle then?

[Taipan]

Duke 690, 13000 miles, £3900, new chain/sprocket/tyres. Good deal? Looks mental.

Edit: mileage

Oil level critical engine and they hold a thimbleful. Needs checking every ride is the best advice. TBH as much as I liked mine, I wouldn’t have another. I’d get a xt660x over one. I wouldn’t want to do any long rides on one either and I think you do some long rides don.t you?

[mangocrazy]

Nice. Is it a delicate little thing?

'Delicate' isn't a word I'd immediately associate with it, I must say. It loves revs, in fact it's rather 2T-ish in that respect. It's kind of a grown up 350LC that's had a sex change and been on the steroids. So not really delicate, then...

Fickle then?

Not as fickle as a 2T (any 2T...), but a bit more fickle than a Jap 4T. Not much though. It's a party animal and might show up with a bit of a hangover some days.

[mangocrazy]

Mr Tiepin makes a good point - it only has 1.7 litres of oil and you need to check oil level every time you go out. I'd also change it at half the recommended interval just because of the tiny oil capacity. I've heard some people say they drink oil, but mine doesn't. The oil level stays pretty much constant between oil changes. I put this down to me not babying the motor when running in and draining the factory oil after 100 miles and refilling with running in oil, so the rings bed in properly to the cylinder walls. I think I changed the oil twice before it went in for its first service.

[weeksy]

Best bikes ever. I did 20+ Trackdays on my ones. Epic fun.

[Trinity765]

Duke 690, 13000 miles, £3900, new chain/sprocket/tyres. Good deal? Looks mental.

Edit: mileage

Oil level critical engine and they hold a thimbleful. Needs checking every ride is the best advice. TBH as much as I liked mine, I wouldn’t have another. I’d get a xt660x over one. I wouldn’t want to do any long rides on one either and I think you do some long rides don.t you?

I do but probably wouldn't tour on it. Changing oil every ride sounds like a Triumph to me.

I changed the oil on my other Street RS in between services, so about every 3000 miles. I had a mechanic friend with the same bike who changed his every 1000 miles so maybe that's where I was going wrong.

I'm not getting rid of the Street btw. As I've said, I'll do the Pico's on it in May and see how it goes. I don't need a second bike but there's room in the garage so it would have to be a silly, spare of the moment, bargain type thing.

You lot seem pretty quick with the come back so if I find myself looking at something I'll be sure to ask on here first.

Please don't try and sell me a bike - I'm very weak.

[mangocrazy]

I'd recommend getting a test ride on a Duke 690 if you're even tentatively thinking of one, as they are a singular experience (pun only partly intended). I wouldn't have one as an only bike, but as a second (or third, or fourth) bike they are brilliant and bonkers fun.

[Yorick]

I'd recommend getting a test ride on a Duke 690 if you're even tentatively thinking of one, as they are a singular experience (pun only partly intended). I wouldn't have one as an only bike, but as a second (or third, or fourth) bike they are brilliant and bonkers fun.

I went to buy the GasGas 700 with a pocket full of money.
3 hour test ride in the Gran Canaria Hills put me off. Just dull.

IMHO

[KungFooBob]

You've got a few quid burning a hole in your pocket and fancy a 2nd bike, something a bit left field and 'different' to the stripple...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/155809166524

They always look massive in pictures, but they're dead wee IRL.

[Yorick]

You've got a few quid burning a hole in your pocket and fancy a 2nd bike, something a bit left field and 'different' to the stripple...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/155809166524

They always look massive in pictures, but they're dead wee IRL.

*plonk*

[mangocrazy]

I'd recommend getting a test ride on a Duke 690 if you're even tentatively thinking of one, as they are a singular experience (pun only partly intended). I wouldn't have one as an only bike, but as a second (or third, or fourth) bike they are brilliant and bonkers fun.

I went to buy the GasGas 700 with a pocket full of money.
3 hour test ride in the Gran Canaria Hills put me off. Just dull.

IMHO

They're absolutely not for everyone, which Is why I said get a test ride. But you like big IL4 road bikes and 2T off-roaders, so I'm not surprised you didn't gel with the GasGas.