Euro Fetish

Where did we leave off? Oh yea my expert evaluation of the suspension of the 14 year old 919 compared to that of a 12 year old sport bike. I determined I needed a more sporty bike for touring on. The 919s stock suspension was just too soft and the lack of saddlebags made it harder for me to pack for longer trips. I needed a proper sport touring bike, but not just any sport touring bike, one that leaned heavily on the word sport. Doing research on bikes in my measly price bracket, I was left with the Ducati ST series, the Honda VFR800 and the Triumph ST. Me, being an elitist snob, decided on the Ducati. I missed the power delivery of the twin, and just being able to say “Yea, I own a Ducati” while I sipped on my gin and tonic. After a failed start, I bought a 2002 Ducati ST4s with only 7500 miles on it. I loved the bike, and still love it. I put 20K miles on in a few years, riding it down the Skyline Drive, the entirety of the Blue Ridge Parkway, Tail of The Dragon and the Cherohala Skyway. It was at this point I owned 3 motorcycles and I needed to sell one so I listed the 919 for sale. Instead of selling it, I ended up trading it off for an Aprilia.

The guy had owned a 919 before and sold it when he moved from one coast to another, but couldn’t find another. He had bought a 2009 Aprilia Dorsoduro 750, but it just wasn’t the same. I’d have been an idiot to turn down the trade as the Aprilia was 7 years newer and had half the millage. I ended up selling the GSXR for a little more than I was into it and off it went to be ruined in Providence. The Aprilia was an interesting bike, it’s a hypermotard; a street bike that looks like a dirtbike, but with stiff suspension and a big motor. It was great at nothing besides bringing out your inner hooligan. Jumping railroad crossings, riding up on sidewalks, off sidewalks, over grass, whatever you wanted to do. It had awful fuel range and was shit on the highway. I enjoyed the season I had it but decided to sell it to get another sportbike. To this day it’s the only bike I regret selling.

I ended up buying a 07 GSXR750. I didn’t get a deal, and I crashed it twice, both times someone pulled out in front of me. The first time it got fixed and was minor, second time the bike got totaled and my foot got ran over. Between the two accidents I did a couple track days and got a minor addiction to them. I sold it to my friend and bought a semi obscure Austrian bike. Notice how I’m not bloviating on the GSXRs? It’s because they’re boring. Not in a bad way, they’re reliable, the I4 is a tried and proven engine layout, but theres just no character in them. The people in The Big Bang Theory have more character than japanese sport bikes. Now excuse me while I get off my soap box and I’ll wrap this up.

The insurance company paid out, enough to for me to buy a 2016 KTM 1290 Super Duke GT. It’s a replacement for the Ducati as before my last trackday, a belt had snapped, allowing the piston to high five the valves. I’m still waiting to get the head back from Dunbar so I can rebuild the bike and sell it. The KTM does everything the Ducati does, but faster, and much more orangier...Is that a word? with 50 more horses, a damn near constant 100lb ft of torque and less weight, i’m sure next time I crash ill be dead. I’ve already powerwheelied in 3rd on it by accident, with the traction control on. My only bitch so far is the bags seem quite small. Hopefully 2021 will hold a better situation for me and us all and I’ll be able to go on more than one trip.

I’ve already started planning some trips for next season. Ones already planned. My friends and I have a pipe dream of renting a cabin down in the Appalachians and just riding the hell out of the area. I still want to ride the Cabot Trail in Nova Scotia, and visit family in Southern Indiana. But for now, I’ll be content to sneak out this winter when the weather and salt trucks allow. Now if you excuse me, I need to go clean the bugs off my visor and clean the salt and dirt off the KTM

Wanderlust

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