I toured the US East coast on a non-Ducati V-Twin (no Dukes available for hire) last month before going to Daytona Bike Week. I did see some nice old Ducatis like this Paul Smart replica and at the incredible Barber Motor Museum in Birmingham, Alabama.
I also visited Confederate Motorcycles, suppliers of bespoke bikes to the likes of Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise while in Alabama. Lovely to look at, like many of the bikes at Daytona, but not my cup of tea to ride.
We also blagged our way into the Motus factory to see their V4 1800s being built. The engine is basically half a Chevvy V8, the owner/CEO/Chief Designer told me.
Originally sold by Moto Vechia in Colliers Wood, SW19 and now at Barber's. Every one of their bikes runs by the way.
Nice pics Dave. I fancy a go on that V8 Motus. Read a review once somewhere in the UK bike press and they're supposed to go unfeasibly fast and have preposterous amounts of grunt for something that looks like its powered by a 1960s car engine. And apparently it actually handles well. How did you get on riding America's finest ironware?
No sadly I didn't - I did sit on a Confederate though. Spent three weeks doing 3,500 miles on a Suzuki V-Strom. Actually it was bloody good - apart from a flat battery on an isolated, highway in N Carolina, where I had been pulled over for overtaking an unmarked cop car at 120mph when separated from my group and trying to outrun an unseasonable snowstorm. I left the ignition on while waiting to be dealt with, but it must have been a dodgy battery because it wasn't on for that long. Fortunately my British licence persuaded the cop I would be too much trouble to jail pending a court appearance so I was given a $218 ticket. A second cop pulled up ten minutes after the first one drove off and jump started me. Thank you officer BJ (seriously!) Taylor.
120 on a V Strom..! Not bad. Bet it was comfortable. Nearly considered one before buying my SMT but it was just too Japanesy. How many $squillion was that Confederate?? I quite like it. Nicer than that weird Hellcat thing. Even the workshops look bigger in America..
V-Strom rode well enough. Less grunt than a Multi but smaller engine. Handling was OK but I did have a top box and panniers on board. Confederates were $126,000. Too posey for me and probably not my style of bike anyway. I would prefer an Avinton if I was spending silly money. Cheaper too! avinton motorcycles
A priceless racing classic and with blue ceramic (or something) headers before coloured headers were trendy.
That's what I said: "this is what nearly half a million dollars worth of bikes looks like". New specs old boy?
Sure was. I haven't even posted pics of Bike Week, Toladego race track, Daytona Speedway Racing or Cape Canaveral Space Centre yet. Watch this space!
