Yet another STW immigrant
- Ditchfinder
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Yet another STW immigrant
Was clearing out some old emails yesterday and realised I had registered but not posted here yet so thought I best get to it!
After 15 bikeless years I joined the Mid-life crisis money pit owners club by way of a Duke 390 which was hellish fun scooting round the Dales for a couple of years. I never really got on with the looks though and it made you want to wring it's neck all of the time and I have previous knowledge of where that ends up. So I started mooching about looking for something bit more grown up and cruisery and got sucked in to looking at the new modern retro hipster specials - Ducati Scrambler and xsr700, (that Faster Sons Super 7 is proper drool-worthy) but there was something not quite right and they were a lot of money for what they were as they were still new on the market.
Went to have a look at a RE continental and outside of the dealers saw this:
beauty parked outside. 20 mins of a test ride and I was smitten.
Then last October spotted a potential project not far from me which is going to have some aesthetic improvement over the next couple of years.
.
I've only ridden it up the drive so far as I bought it on the last dry day of the year but plans and parts are already in motion.
Flat bars on risers, fairing is coming off and single headlight going on, got some lighter exhausts quite cheap which I'm going to mount with more upsweep and then the back end is going to get shortened a little and the arse tidied up. It's a shame it's a grey frame and engine as I think a black frame and engine would look better with what I have in mind but hey ho it was a billy bargain with most of the usual required jobs already done.
After 15 bikeless years I joined the Mid-life crisis money pit owners club by way of a Duke 390 which was hellish fun scooting round the Dales for a couple of years. I never really got on with the looks though and it made you want to wring it's neck all of the time and I have previous knowledge of where that ends up. So I started mooching about looking for something bit more grown up and cruisery and got sucked in to looking at the new modern retro hipster specials - Ducati Scrambler and xsr700, (that Faster Sons Super 7 is proper drool-worthy) but there was something not quite right and they were a lot of money for what they were as they were still new on the market.
Went to have a look at a RE continental and outside of the dealers saw this:
beauty parked outside. 20 mins of a test ride and I was smitten.
Then last October spotted a potential project not far from me which is going to have some aesthetic improvement over the next couple of years.
.
I've only ridden it up the drive so far as I bought it on the last dry day of the year but plans and parts are already in motion.
Flat bars on risers, fairing is coming off and single headlight going on, got some lighter exhausts quite cheap which I'm going to mount with more upsweep and then the back end is going to get shortened a little and the arse tidied up. It's a shame it's a grey frame and engine as I think a black frame and engine would look better with what I have in mind but hey ho it was a billy bargain with most of the usual required jobs already done.
- weeksy
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- Noggin
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Re: Yet another STW immigrant
I'm guessing that wringing the 390's neck isn't the way to go??? Damn, I loved that part of owning a 390
Life is for living. Buy the shoes. Eat the cake. Ride the bikes. Just, ride the bikes!!
- Ditchfinder
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Re: Yet another STW immigrant
Ringing the 390's neck is a very fun way to go but the last time I rode a bike like that (a gpz 305 of all things ) it ended entangled in a gate in a field just a little to the side of the business end of some ploughing equipment
Riding a big pushrod 2 valve twin is so much more relaxing, not to mention tuneful
Riding a big pushrod 2 valve twin is so much more relaxing, not to mention tuneful
- Noggin
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Re: Yet another STW immigrant
Aah, I went from thrashing a Blackbird and then a TL1000s to a 390 Duke (first small bike!)!! The madness was hysterical and addictive!! And, weirdly, I had much less fear despite riding a lot harder (well, riding the little bike to it's limit - something I never did on the big ones!! I rode hard but never on the limit!! )Ditchfinder wrote: ↑Fri Jan 29, 2021 4:25 pm Ringing the 390's neck is a very fun way to go but the last time I rode a bike like that (a gpz 305 of all things ) it ended entangled in a gate in a field just a little to the side of the business end of some ploughing equipment
Riding a big pushrod 2 valve twin is so much more relaxing, not to mention tuneful
Life is for living. Buy the shoes. Eat the cake. Ride the bikes. Just, ride the bikes!!
- Ditchfinder
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Re: Yet another STW immigrant
Wasn't the TLS supposed to be a bit of a pant browner? and you thought the 390 was mad
The Guzzi just seems to be more calming, doesn't really matter what gear your in going into a corner it will always pull on the way out but the duke seemed to reward you being on it all the time in an addictive way. God knows how (if - more like) I would have survived 80's 2 strokes
The Guzzi just seems to be more calming, doesn't really matter what gear your in going into a corner it will always pull on the way out but the duke seemed to reward you being on it all the time in an addictive way. God knows how (if - more like) I would have survived 80's 2 strokes
- Noggin
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Re: Yet another STW immigrant
Apparently the TLs was a widowmaker I didn't have any issues with the handling (and took the steering damper off too!!). Bloody loved it but didn't ever ride it to it's full potential! That was why the 390 was so awesome, slower, smaller, way less power but I could thrash that all over the place and hit the limiter, have no chicken strips front or back and not have any fear!! There was always a point on the bigger bikes where fear kicked in and stopped me going further - something I tried hard to work at on track, on the road that was useful, on track it was just F,ing slow!!Ditchfinder wrote: ↑Fri Jan 29, 2021 4:36 pm Wasn't the TLS supposed to be a bit of a pant browner? and you thought the 390 was mad
The Guzzi just seems to be more calming, doesn't really matter what gear your in going into a corner it will always pull on the way out but the duke seemed to reward you being on it all the time in an addictive way. God knows how (if - more like) I would have survived 80's 2 strokes
I missed all the 'fun' older bikes as was a late starter. But I've loved what I've had - just need to do more on little bikes and some off road when I get back on this summer and then rebuild the knowledge
Life is for living. Buy the shoes. Eat the cake. Ride the bikes. Just, ride the bikes!!
- Trinity765
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- Skub
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Re: Yet another STW immigrant
Welcome in man.
I assume it is 'man'?
I assume it is 'man'?
"Be kind to past versions of yourself that didn't know what you know now."
Walt Whitman
https://soundcloud.com/skub1955
Walt Whitman
https://soundcloud.com/skub1955
- Ditchfinder
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Re: Yet another STW immigrant
Do the bikes give it away? could we get #girlsonguzzis trending on Instagram
Re: Yet another STW immigrant
Hello
Can I suggest this to start us offDitchfinder wrote: ↑Fri Jan 29, 2021 7:02 pm Do the bikes give it away? could we get #girlsonguzzis trending on Instagram