I closed the thread asking to be put off buying one of these because it’s too late now the bike is in the garage so here we are starting again.
The bike in question is the limited edition Tribute Black version so it’s gloss black, matt black and gold pinstripes with a few extras bunged in to justify the extra cost. I’ll be removing the pannier frames for day to day use because if I’m honest they look a bit crap and who rides around with panniers they’re not using
It’s been sitting in my garage for a week because I’ve been working away from home but I got up this morning with great plans to put some miles on it only to see them thwarted by heavy rain so after lunch sat down with a beer and watched the F1 qualifying thinking I’d be going nowhere only for the rain to stop and everything started to dry out. Game on
I popped in to the nearest garage to brim the tank only to be pleasantly surprised to find the dealer hadn’t done the normal trick of putting in the absolute minimum so it only took 4l to fill.
Riding it was a revelation, the last time I rode a bike with no brakes it was on Scunthorpe speedway oval and there weren’t any cars or traffic lights to interfere with my progress. Hopefully they’ll improve as they bed in but right now they’re shit and if they don’t bed in I’ll have to try different pads.
The engine feels really nice, totally devoid of outright power but it does have plenty of torque and is very easy to ride at the ridiculously slow 40mph suggested for the first 250 miles. I don’t think it’ll need the tank filling again before the first service but I’m not complaining if it’s cheap to run.
The internet suggests that a change of air filter and an iridium spark plug are worthwhile additions so I’ll order them ready for when I’m next home and it might be gifted a slightly more ‘open’ exhaust to free things up a bit. It’ll still be slow but might be slightly more offensive so it’ll be money well spent.
The ride was surprisingly comfortable because it’s got the leather touring seats fitted as standard and between the shocks and the springs under the seat the back end soaks up any bumps very well. The front end bottoms over bumps but you can’t have everything.
It doesn’t go fast enough to get cold so doesn’t need heated grips and I dug my matt black open Davida crash helmet out of the roof so I could casually take a puff on my eTab while riding making for a very relaxed 30 mile ride.
Overall I’m more than happy with it as a way to chill out and have a nice pleasant ride on country lanes, I might go fully retro and buy a waxed cotton jacket then stick a pipe in the pocket so I can have a puff while chatting to tractor drivers and cyclists when I’m out for a Sunday bimble.
Everyone should have a bike like this if only so they appreciate other bikes they may own
The bike in question is the limited edition Tribute Black version so it’s gloss black, matt black and gold pinstripes with a few extras bunged in to justify the extra cost. I’ll be removing the pannier frames for day to day use because if I’m honest they look a bit crap and who rides around with panniers they’re not using
It’s been sitting in my garage for a week because I’ve been working away from home but I got up this morning with great plans to put some miles on it only to see them thwarted by heavy rain so after lunch sat down with a beer and watched the F1 qualifying thinking I’d be going nowhere only for the rain to stop and everything started to dry out. Game on
I popped in to the nearest garage to brim the tank only to be pleasantly surprised to find the dealer hadn’t done the normal trick of putting in the absolute minimum so it only took 4l to fill.
Riding it was a revelation, the last time I rode a bike with no brakes it was on Scunthorpe speedway oval and there weren’t any cars or traffic lights to interfere with my progress. Hopefully they’ll improve as they bed in but right now they’re shit and if they don’t bed in I’ll have to try different pads.
The engine feels really nice, totally devoid of outright power but it does have plenty of torque and is very easy to ride at the ridiculously slow 40mph suggested for the first 250 miles. I don’t think it’ll need the tank filling again before the first service but I’m not complaining if it’s cheap to run.
The internet suggests that a change of air filter and an iridium spark plug are worthwhile additions so I’ll order them ready for when I’m next home and it might be gifted a slightly more ‘open’ exhaust to free things up a bit. It’ll still be slow but might be slightly more offensive so it’ll be money well spent.
The ride was surprisingly comfortable because it’s got the leather touring seats fitted as standard and between the shocks and the springs under the seat the back end soaks up any bumps very well. The front end bottoms over bumps but you can’t have everything.
It doesn’t go fast enough to get cold so doesn’t need heated grips and I dug my matt black open Davida crash helmet out of the roof so I could casually take a puff on my eTab while riding making for a very relaxed 30 mile ride.
Overall I’m more than happy with it as a way to chill out and have a nice pleasant ride on country lanes, I might go fully retro and buy a waxed cotton jacket then stick a pipe in the pocket so I can have a puff while chatting to tractor drivers and cyclists when I’m out for a Sunday bimble.
Everyone should have a bike like this if only so they appreciate other bikes they may own