Long before I started spending too much time and money on coffee, I started spending too much time and money on motorbikes. Specifically Harleys. It started as a fun way to avoid the tube for my commute for years living in London where I rode Hackney to Soho basically every day unless it was snowing! Any other riders here? Here’s some of my bikes past and present: 2004 XL1200 1994 FXDL 2020 FXLRS

Yeah man. Although I think chrome is better on a coffee machine hahaha! Had Vespas in my teens, (with a lot of chrome, which may account for my statement above, having spent too much riding time with a cloth and polish). Then finally after a break got a full licence mid 90s. Kwak GPz500s, FZR600R, ZX6R J2, two FZS1000s one after the other due to serious mileage, and now I have one of the earlier Street Triple 675Rs, twin round lights, twin underseat pipes, short 1st gear (‘factory streetfighter’). I rode the FZR600R round Snetterton, all the twisties within a 100 mile radius, and to work in London every day except snow. Also rode it to Denmark, Czech Republic and most of western Europe before realising I ought to get a more practical bike! Did much the same on the Fazer Thousands. Took one round the Nürburgring Nordschleife which was the only time I ever maxed it out. An indicated 160mph which probably was more like 145 if you allow for speedo error. I have 2 mates with Harleys though. One has had a Road King, then a Breakout, and now some kind of Heritage Softail Deluxe or something like that. Warning: May contain traces of tassels. My other Harley riding mate has quite a cool but rare-ish thing called a Switchback. 1700cc, removable hard luggage, big frame (not Sportster based). Within minutes you can turn it from CHiPs bagger to 1950s Duoglide lookalike. It is surprisingly quick, it’s the steering and slowing down that take the time! (especially when he got ACF50 on the brakes!) He’s had it painted in the same grey they used on war planes (he’s pretty geeky about that kind of thing and knows the exact colour). He did look slightly crestfallen when he showed me, and due to my lack of knowledge of WWII planes I described it as “filing cabinet grey” 🤣 🤣 Fazer 1000 Nürburgring Me and the guys just setting off on tour of Germany. Mine was the white and purple FZR My 1st Gen 1 Fazer 1000 on the way home from Spain (this is obviously Mont St Michel in France, nearly home after almost 3000 miles in baking weather. ZX6R J2 The Stripler

I had bikes a few years ago. First was a FSZ600 and that was unfortunately run over (fortunately with no one riding it) and I ended up with a 1250 Bandit for a while. I got fed up of refilling the tank on that so I got a Hornet 600 with the first bikes insurance moneys. Loved it but sadly the engine went bang in quite an expensive way so I ended up bikeless. I had been using it less and less with getting a work van so not needing to commute, and taking up running (a lot) so have not gotten one since. I miss it. My old commute was along a great Devon road that was about 2 miles through Plymouth and about 10 on a brilliant bit of road. Needless to say I could do the 10 almost as quickly as the 2 on a good day!

@Hotmetal Nice! Love the ZX! Sounds like you’ve done some serious mileage! We do a fair few UK tours but yet to cross the channel. I have a long list of Europe rides I’d like to do. I had a very similar age Street Triple! 2010 model, red, under seat pipes and round lights. Always preferred that to the later fly-eye lights. Loved it, probably the best all round bike I’ve had. It was actually the last bike I had before Harleys. Living in Hackney when the Striple was just about the most stolen bike and a 20mph speed limit all the way to work meant a different bike was more appropriate. I know what you mean about the corners being the slow bit for Harley, that black one above is a 1900cc with engine work and remap. It’s an absolute rocket in a straight-line but a handful on twisties! I sold it after 6 months though, the new Harleys are comfy and smooth but for me they lack all the character of the older, carburetted models. I also like to be able to fix them without plugging them into a computer!

Street Triples were a “wunnnhunnndredandeiiiightyyy” for Triumph. A triumph one might say, 😂. Daytona chassis with class-leading handling, all day comfort (comparatively, for the rider at least), great riding position for road observation, streetfighter looks which hit the spot for their target market, and that fantastic 675 triple engine that delivers more torque than it has a right to, perfectly linearly and predictably, so that if you came from a 900 or 1 litre straight 4 you would miss nothing but the insane top end rush of a big 4IL, while being so linear that they were easy to ride for people getting their ‘first big bike’. Instant power, loads of fun and it flatters the rider. They literally covered all bases with that bike which is why it sold so well, and also became a target for the scrotes who nick them. Certainly did a lot to boost the brand. I love mine even though its a bit long in the tooth. I don’t mind that though, with only 36k on the clock it still feels almost new to me. About the only downside is the turning circle, because the frame is from the track focused Daytona and headstock is quite big and strong which limits the angle through which you can turn the bars (no issue for track bikes where stiffness is more important than turning circle). They improved it on the subsequent models 2013 on. That and the ‘adequate’ electrical system which is barely enough to run any accessories and can lead to burnt out stator. It’s ironic, but I actually bought the Street Triple R because my commute was from Windsor to Kentish Town and I thought it would be easier to filter through central London rush hour on than the Thou. But then I discovered how desirable (to the wrong people) Streets were, so I never rode it to work until I moved jobs. I agree about the ability to do home servicing. My STR is the first fuel injected bike I’ve had, all the others in my bike history had carburettors (and the ZX6R used to get carb icing in winter!) Even so, the Street (as you know) didn’t come with ABS until the later models, by which time it had lost its looks (IMO) and the short first gear. I like to be able to at least change oil, filters, brake pads and brake fluid without needing a computer, apparently you need to plug modern bikes in to disable or reset ABS if you change the brake fluid? I fancied a Ducati Supersport but they made it a ‘dealer tools required’ job just to tension the chain ffs! That’s basic maintenance that you need to be able to do yourself, so it put me off. They obviously only want the sort of customer who can afford to have the shop do every stupid little thing, or who racks up 250 miles a year and trades in before first MoT. I have basically disregarded Ducati as a brand since then. But its inevitable. If I ever have spare cash I’ll probably get a Triumph Tiger for more adventures and pillion comfort, or one of the Bonneville range, like a Speed Twin. No doubt that will need the dealer computer for loads of things too… sigh.

Hotmetal Exactly, I guess they’ve gone the same way as cars. These days what’s under the bonnet of most cars is barely recognisable as an engine. As you say, a way to get people back at the dealership spending service money. You’re right about the ABS. It’s another reason I got rid of the 2020 Harley. I wanted to put taller risers on as I’m quite tall. Half-hour job on previous bikes, maybe a couple of hours if I needed to do longer cables and internal wiring. But as soon as you change a cable or bleed brakes on the ABS system you have to plug it in to the dealer tool! With £85 of parts Harley wanted £750 to put new risers on… No thanks! Those Triumph 1200 Bonnie engines are really really good. Stacks of torque low-down and fun short wheelbase. I’ve had my eye on the Speed Twin too.

Ernie1 £750 to fit a pair of bar risers? That’s criminal. No wonder the accessory catalogue sells more than the actual bikes. Sheesh!

Hotmetal Indeed! Warr’s must’ve had a crystal ball when they opened their Harley dealership on the King’s Road in the 1920s!

My current 3 bikes <img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Dep2omPINz3n7XrgGPY8CwKoo86Q9OWZ2O-QJuPSxenwye3BnWwIeA4ejhk9_UKPq8PpOmkJyiOUC15Rn3voqTNhNtvocXPXhijRnMijZBJO37lYl9tv87nD1PS4RU4_ASJzler3RMC-LCBg2hbIDKwDzaJl10BjKfin4yQmCgPUSE8vuev0sA1ziVyyzyY9EyQp-z-NHedTWpcnb9cBbyK_NPHHQBQBD3ILSrMGhtf87DoNawqZ-Aw753KumtDjIMPOJYAb2s2xVTu8tdMzor-Anp5JuoDMdQEQsQt6zwubPDrl0PgYe-y3RaB3l6QueZ48oiREFnlvXF8pYtX7BissmdVQyewovo7s7N5okTzd1P1qAZY3bV-zPuTwS3GIVNWn4R4UgNkXcPG9WPRgcXkPMgdQWAaCqblCzi0kbZNYG3oykYuoTIoPa2vBn0OXCDliwj1EqyKEcNNUyt7e5Fv7M74ngpAHI2OsCP1ecxf3RdKrWcMLc6EXAdojnqMdzIe05WC-5CSnkBCEoXBV-svPtdcATY6HDv-O6sdwX1yJ1AaaQSeBNEoEg8EsvffrbqVFMA0QjCq9wXgqXXd_IFASi2NspddtYPh90FW0-48fbxqC_si875sQWTDj-ozxDf_56gqQj5KtsADn2fYN7sFuw2eHv0qOvi9Xtl26c6CyrDHzfHmZugIHs5W7VPM3ANRKQZEjq-Ioi5dI9kDcicqA=w2027-h1263-no?authuser=0" title="" alt="">

My Harley (Fatboy) back in 2003 and I had a Honda CBR1000 FJ as well. Noawadays I no longer ride a motorcycle.

DavecUK Look at that! Such an iconic bike. I know everyone raves about the Evolution version from the 90s but I love the twin-cam engines, fantastic looking bike.

Any fellow motorbiking coffee fans?

Hotmetal

I knew a couple of guys years ago called Sid and Bill. They were comrades in WWII and one married the other ones sister so they were brothers in law and brothers in arms. One had a Sunbeam S7, the other one had the S8. Last time I saw them was at a bike rally, we were up all night drinking round the camp fire. They’d been kicked out of the local boozer for saucing up the barmaid. We ‘youngsters’ fell asleep at about 2 or 3am, so they went and slept under their bikes. When I woke up, they were trying to ride a penny farthing round the car park! Absolute legends.

-Mac

Ernie1

The KTM Super Adventure is all those bikes in one :)

-Mac

Apropos of nothing, just going to leave this here 😉

https://youtu.be/ipDmsxQVxIM

Ernie1

It’s quite amusing sometimes how far people will go to hate on Harleys… never really understood where the chip on the shoulder comes from.

Not saying there aren’t Harley riders with an attitude problem but there are a lot of people on the road with an attitude problem…

Ride what you wanna ride!

Something that does get my back up though… people who drive while on their phones… texting, scrolling, Tweeting or whatever. I rode back from the southwest yesterday, and the number of people looking down, sitting at lights when they turn green as they’re too busy on their phones.

I’d be in favour of an instant ban for anyone caught.

DavecUK

Ernie1 It’s quite amusing sometimes how far people will go to hate on Harleys… never really understood where the chip on the shoulder comes from.

In the olden days, we would all go down to box hill and marvel at the variety of machines…never would anyone hate on a bike. If we all rode the same bike we wouldn’t gone to box hill to look at the variety of machines. which was what made it interesting.

CafeNoir

Ernie1 IMHO, it’s partly envy and blind prejudice…. For me, ever since seeing Easy Rider at an impressionable age, always desired a Harley.

I’ve owned over 50 motorcycles in my past, from a 1949 Matchie 500 (First bike, barn find) through a host of Japanese, several boxer twins and a couple of Harley’s - an evo 1200S and a customised Evo Springer, the only bike I’ve ever enjoyed doing the speed limit on. Corners how I like them were just off the menu, but while all my mates rode HDs, I could cope. When they all started giving it away bought a 1200 Bandit, which was a lovely bike, but a licence killer. Last bike was a monolever R100RS which I ended up trading for a boat (beach life)..

Gave it all away years ago and although I do miss the fun, getting too old and rusty and sure don’t miss the rest.

Ernie1

DavecUK

On a 1952 Vincent Black Lightning?

(Hoping someone gets the reference!)

Norvin

Ernie1

Richard Thompson?

Ernie1

Norvin

Yep! Can’t read about Boxhill without thinking of that song.

I’ve been to Boxhill a few times over the years, weirdly never seen Richard Thompson or a 52 Black Lightning 😄

-Mac

Traded my 3 bikes in for this. Got it today :)
May be an image of motorcycle

Ernie1

-Mac

Nice, looks like you could ride it all day long, proper mile muncher!

I’ve just put my last Harley up for sale. Spent the winter riding the Bonneville and as much as I’ll always have a soft spot for ‘old’ Harleys up to about the mid-90s, I think my days of obnoxious noise and bone shaking engines are behind me. I’d love a Panhead one day but it’s likely to be a while before I’ve got a spare £20k…

I also cringe a bit every time I see the blacked out 883 Sportsters roaring up and down the high street with the guys all kitted out in black clothes and a perma-frown.

I’m going to get a new Triumph Scrambler to complement the Bonneville, always liked the look of the scrambler style Triumphs and I think they’ve done a good job with the new ones. I actually prefer the looks of the Street Scrambler but need to try the 900 engine to see if I’ll miss the extra pull of the 1200.

Amberale

Ernie1
Damn, when you said Street Scrambler I thought that they had finally made a triple Scram with legitimate horsepower.
I’ll keep my 06 SpeedTriple and continue to lust for a 900 Tiger.

Ernie1

Amberale

Sadly not! It’s a measly 900!

They do the 1200 Scrambler but a totally different bike and I like the geometry of the little Bonneville frames for negotiating Soho and a gridlocked A40 on my work trips into London.

Having had a STriple, the idea of that engine with single front discs and knobbly tyres terrifies me 😂

Agreed on the Tiger, although I do wish they made an updated version of the 1050 Sport.

Hotmetal

Well my Stripler has been in the shop waiting for the fork stanchions to be rechromed after one started peeing oil everywhere, not weeping, I mean total dripping, seal totally gone and the chrome too. Silly money for new legs and because they’re upside down forks it’s even worse apparently, so I’ve been bikeless during all the nice weather. I would be thinking of changing to a T120 or a Tiger but seeing as Sadistiq Khan is wanting to extend the ULEZ right out to fairly near me and in between mine and somewhere I visit frequently, I may be forced to chop in the old oil burner for a newer car, which I am not too chuffed about, not just cos I would rather spend it on a bike, but because I can’t afford to right now anyway, and besides I actually rather like my Tiguan even if diesel is rapidly approaching the price of beer.

Ernie1

So I sold the Harley and got on the phone to a couple of dealerships about finding a new bike. Firstly what happened to decent service when you want to buy a vehicle? I’m there trying to spend £10k on a bike and I may as well have been a nuisance caller…

“Hi there I’d like to try ‘x’ bike please, would it be ok to make an appointment?”

“Sorry we don’t have that on demo and we can only get two of them new before the end of the year and they’re both ‘insert unappealing colour here’”

Looks like I’ll be buying used!

DavecUK

Ernie1 “Sorry we don’t have that on demo and we can only get two of them new before the end of the year and they’re both ‘insert unappealing colour here’”

I see motorcycle dealers have not changed much in the last 25 years…some used to be good, but too many like that.

Hotmetal

Amazing. You would think they don’t have targets to meet. I suppose if the manufacturer won’t allocate enough units then they can’t sell them, but I don’t understand the logic of that. Mind you almost every bike I’ve had has been a couple of years old and low mileage, I’ve never had new, and can’t see much reason to spend the extra, especially with that sort of customer service!

Ernie1

Hotmetal

Totally agree, especially with how much some new bikes depreciate in the first year. Although that gap has closed with production shortages pushing used bike prices up.

I usually just buy new if I can’t find a used model in the colour/model variant I want. The warranty is also a nice bonus. Although most manufacturers sting you for a first service after you’ve barely ridden it home these days so that’s another £250 to add to the cost!

Our current car’s first service was due at 12,000 miles or two years (we haven’t even done 12,000 in three years) and I think my Bonneville was 500 miles…

-Mac

Trouble is, £10K only gets you a 600cc these days and they’re more interested in selling £18-25K 1000cc+ bikes. The manufacturers are still feeling the effects of loss of production from COVID/Ukraine too.

Ernie1

-Mac indeed, I suppose £10k isn’t a lot of bike money these days.

I noticed Harley’s Lowrider ST (which MCN surprisingly quite liked!) is £20,000 in its base spec… I notice their CVO Road Glide starts at £39,000…

I would say that’s car money but the Road Glide basically is a car.

Amberale

Covid tax down under.
It is almost impossible to buy a new car/bike/jetski/caravan etc.
With covid stopping interstate and international travel, those with $$ have raised the prices of used models above that of new ones as the new ones are unavailable for up to 2 years.
Car yards are almost empty, numpty salespeople don’t have to work for a sale.

CafeNoir

Ernie1 Except a car can go around corners without fear, lol lol

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