Motorcycles
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The Panigale 959 is what I referred to as the baby. Sean Macdonald reviewed it for Jalopnik last year, and rated it very highly.
New bikes tend to be released in March or April, in time for the Northern Hemisphere riding season, so expect things like the Supersport to turn up around then. They might be a bit later, because it takes two or three months to ship stuff to Australia.
Ducati quote dry weights, and I suspect they leave everything they can off. Most 1000 cc sports bikes weigh around 200 kg fully fueled, and ready to go. A V-Strom is 220 kg, so not a huge difference. It probably also depends on things like where the centre of mass is.
Ducatis have a reputation for being expensive to run. I don't know about Aprilias, as I've never really looked into owning one.
The insurance cost of a sport bike will be really, stupidly high for a new rider. A hypothetical quote for a Panigale with less than a year's riding experience and zero no-claims comes out at $4700. With full no-claims, and five years of holding a license it drops to $1300. The S1000R for a newbie comes out at $3500, so shop around to see what cover costs before buying something.
The attraction of a Thruxton or R nineT over a vintage bike is that it's effectively a modern machine with old school looks, and actually has pretty similar specs to something like the Ducati Supersport. They're not for everyone, and I think that your heart is more with the sports bikes.
But do give me a shout when you're over in Melbourne. I should be around in mid February, and as I said, there's always space for you to crash if you need it.
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i did look over the 959 but did definitely consider it an option. the price jump to the 1299 (38k ride away) is definitely quite hefty. good thing is that the 959 comes in the price range of the 821 and 1200 monster. between the 959 and 1299, it's left to actually riding the bike to tell if the additional suspensions and tech on the 1299 matters, power aside. i'll definitely look into the insurance on that too. currently, my car sits at 1.3k annually. can't really believe a bike is almost 3times that amount :o
somehow when i hopped on the v-strom, i just felt it didn't fit me right. and f me, i'll have to take my full R license on that bike. perhaps i felt the bike was too tall even though it's been lowered or i could have been a little eager that i didn't really lift if off the side stand to see how it is, considering that was when i had just passed my R-E class..
i don't even know where my heart lies but if only we could have them all. i know i'd love a good sports bike but then i've the heart for models like the bullet, sportster or even the SR750 and especially the monster range. but maybe first love could probably be sports bikes..
i'll definitely give you a shout and i might take you up on that offer. only thing left is leave approval to book my flights!
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a turbocharged porsche :o :o :o no!!!! blasphemy!
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@Giles I've always had a soft spot for that 959.
@louisbosco your bike choice is entirely personal. But if you want something lightweight and agile then don't watch this video.
Actually, I don't know when the 790 Duke is coming out, so you might have a bit of a wait…
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a water-cooled porsche :o :o :o no!!!! blasphemy!
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you know, i've been hearing great things about the ktm dukes…. but damn, those racing lines...
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@louisbosco here's another suggestion. The bike and leathers would match your Iron Man helmet.
Actually it's a V8 land speed record bike, inspired by Britten's work.
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looks comfy. and i definitely wouldn't mind a v8
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It was 37°C / 99°F today, so I took my bike out to see how my leathers would cope with hot weather. Here's a photo of my in my get-up, but trying on my IHV-24 over the top. I left the vest at home, because I would have suffered heat stroke if I'd worn it.
The suit is made by BKS Leather in Exmouth, and they offer a full bespoke service. Mine is optimised for hot weather in the following ways:
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It's made of white leather, which is very Evel Knievel. However, it also reflects a lot of the sun's heat, which keeps me cooler. Yes, I know that the First Commandment of biking is "Thy leathers shalt be black"…
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The lining is an Outlast bubble-mesh. This is a smart fabric that regulates body temperature, so keeps you cool in hot weather, and vice-versa
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There are patches of perforations, which you can make out on the thighs and upper arms. The theory is that you need some airflow to evaporate sweat to cool the body. But too much ventilation will result in reverse windchill (i.e. heating) once the air gets hotter than skin temperature.
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I wore a set of Skins compression garments under the suit. These wick sweat away from the skin, and should help the evaporative cooling cycle.
The set-up worked well. I didn't get too hot, although people who saw me when I got off the bike at Altona Beach thought that I'd be cooking.
In terms of tweaks, I want to add a couple of rows of punch holes to the upper chest, as it felt a bit hot and sticky there. A little more airflow should make it a bit more comfortable.
I also need to get a hydration pack, and have my eye on the Mission Workshop Hauser. I didn't get a speed hump on the suit, which means I can carry rucksacks or wear cool vests over the top.
Oh, I managed to get a pre-production set of the Knox Micro-Lock armour in my suit. It's really comfortable, and I can highly recommend it.
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BikeEXIF have published their Top Ten Custom Bikes of 2016, and whilst there are a few things that I really like on their list (Revival's BMW Landspeeder, Auto Fabrica's gorgeous CX500, and the BMW R5 Hommage), a couple of the choices feel a bit safe and uninspired.
Here are a couple of bikes that I think should have been on it.
The Urban Motor Jawa racer. This competed at the Glemseck 101 sprints, and is a really radical build.
Optimus PRAËM. Whilst it might look like a 1970s or 1980s endurance racer, it's actually a BMW S1000RR underneath. One for @louisbosco?
The Ballistic Trident, by Rough Crafts. It looks like something from the 2050s, whereas most custom builds hark back to the 1950s. It might not be to everyones tastes, but I like the fact that they're trying something new.
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i have to say, i like that colour scheme. the way it's built with the front fairing and windshield looks amazing!!
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i've been seduced..
took it out on my off day on friday. absolutely a beauty to ride. way more comfortable than the 1299s i rode the week before and less stressful on the wrist. power output is pretty linear and smooth compared to the 1299s. i think this might be the one..
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damn. what happened? what caused the fire?!?! thanks for the heads up, i'll definitely check insurance…
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McQueen is oversold these days, and therefore not as cool as Lemmy.
. When I was a kid,seeing Steve McQueen in The Great Escape made me want to ride a motorcycle. Hence my soft spot for him. Never knew Lemmy rode before you posted. A couple of years ago Triumph had some Steve McQueen t-shirts,but I don't see much else over here.
