Excellent year. Two bikes, 4500 miles and still counting. Started off with Speed Triple, finished up with a 1098 SF. probably the most fun road bike I've ever had. Looking forward to next year and some trips to a European track or two.
The Multi hasn't been put away. Got caught in a snow storm once in January and rode in temperatures of -5 although it was a lot warmer when I started the ride. 3 days at Cartagena, 2 dry days and 1 wet day at Brands and a dry day at Siverstone on the Ducati day for the 748R. For the first time in 40 years I've actually used my annual leave to go away so probably only done 4000 miles so far. Motorcycling is my pleasure, Ducatis are my passion and I've done a lot of both . Andy
Hoping to get out on mine next Spring. Still waiting on bodywork and sending back parts that don't fit as advertised. I might actually get to experience what riding will be like after staring at the fruits of my labour since April.
2014 - Plenty road riding on the 848. At last a dry Donington trackday after several visits. Silverstone was a blast on the Ducati track day too. Only downside, to busy to finish rebuilding my 916. Must try harder.
Not a lot of days out just riding like previous years, but now I look back on it, 2014 has been bloody good Jan - Three days on track at Almeria Feb - Did some off-roading in Feb March - Got my enlarged fuel tank and 17" rear wheel fitted to the D16 in March April - Did Prescott Bike Festival, three days on track at Portimao and the Bristol Italian day May - I did Compton Abbas Italian day June - Sold my DD bike and bought an 848 track bike in June July - Did WDW including a few laps of Misano on my D16, and four days away in Scotland with Ducati Manchester August - Missed a few days on track at Spa because my old man had a heart attack, but made up for it with a great trip to Germany including a clear lap of the Nurburgring and a VIP weekend at Silverstone for the MotoGP Sept - Did some off-roading with my brother for the first time in years October - Got out for a bit of a blat on my Superduke November - have a day of off-roading planned on the 15th December - I need to work something out!
Oh yeah, off roading! Tried that for the first time in decades....Fell off a lot! Bashed my head on a tree, saw stars and decided it wasn't for me! :Bag:
Cool, saw it at the Ace on Sunday. The season started with me beginning to commute to work. I had started a project in Angel and the public transport commute from Putney was hellish. So I put my RC36 into service on a daily basis. This went well until 3 months later when some blind twit in a headscarf decided to stamp on the brakes and turn right and my pretty Honda was smashed to smithereens. The impact was so violent that some of the fairing parts shattered into red powder and my ears were ringing for a week. I also took out the screen with my chest. I ended up selling the wreck for £600. I then sold my R1200GSA, a bike I loved for years and replaced it with a Pikes Peak. I also replaced the VFR with a CBR and continued to commute, switching between the Duc and the Honda. I did CSS level 1 on the Honda which was a blast and the the Duc went on a great tour taking in 3000km of Europe's finest roads including the Ardennes, B500, all the passes near Interkirchen and the Vosges. I can highly recommend the routes you get on Ride Magazine's website. All in all a pretty good year bike wise.
Best biking year for me by far. Road miles on the 848evo as soon as it wasn't freezing ! 2 best mates got bikes for the first time Almeria for 3 days in April TT for 5 days in May/June Atlanta to Knoxville and back on the most amazing roads on Harleys in July for 2 days Turned the 848 into a track bike Bought a 2004 Fireblade for the road Went offroading for the first time on a KTM 250 endure 3 days at Mugello in August Almeria again for 3 days 2 weeks ago. That's going to be a never repeated year for me I reckon........... Never say never though I've just signed up for Mugello again !
Past my test, bought a great bike, 1600miles. Looking forward to next year. I can't complain and feel fairly privileged to have what I have.
Started the year with a 900ss then bought a Moto Guzzi V11 to share the garage with, then added a multistrada 1000 s ds, then sold the guzzi then the 900ss and ended up with an 851 and the fugly. Went to france to the d day celebrations, done a couple of classic race meets (spectating), missed the Manx, missed the lads germany trip, done about 4500 miles and have deffo got to get to more of the classic races on the continent next year. All in all a great year.
What a year picked my 1st Duke a Multi in April managed 6000 miles including 2 week trip to the Italian Lakes just stunning. Enjoyed every minute of the bike especially since getting Angel GTs fitted so much better than the Scorpions. And a bonus weather forecast is great for Saturday oh well the kitchen decorating will have to wait !
Not too bad, did a couple of track days, Yas Marina and Dubai Autodrome. Bought a KTM 500EXC which is a real hoot on the sand. Problem is the roads are arrow straight where I live and the locals in Toyota Landcruisers drive like nutters. However, Friday & Saturday mornings are awesomely quiet and, if I'm off work, I out at 05:00, do a couple of glorious hours and get back home before certain death. I miss Europe for biking though, maybe I've had enough of living in the sandpit.
I keep the bike 748/853 on the road all year round and take it out whenever i feel like it, the start of the year was disappointing as i couldn't get a ferry for the IOM TT, never mind as I had a few trips to race days to look forward to. Met a few of the lads of this forum for the first time and had a short run out with them, a bacon sandwich in Monyash and a run over the Snake Pass, then my biking year came to an abrupt end in the middle of August when I had an accident breaking my shoulder blade and the bike, I then spent a month looking at my pride and joy and ordering parts, it was at this time I found out just what a great forum this is when I put out a request to pick up a fairing side panel which I purchased of E-Bay but was pick up only and 150 miles away, this request was answered by two forum members and the first one Sev duly picked it up packaged and posted to me with no charge, what a gent. The bike is now back together and other than a little paint needed looks as good as ever, just waiting for a bit more movement in the shoulder before I take to the roads again. Steve Our little forum run out with bacon butties at Monyash.
My biking year ends in December as I commute, albeit not far, do blood biking and RoSPA tutoring. Started the year with two BMWs, will end it with one BMW, Panigale and an MTS. Probably rode about 11k miles, not used the Panigale as much as I'd have liked, but still hopeful of getting her out this year. MTS and F800GS had the all year biker treatment but in reality the MTS is not likely to see much action for the rest of 2014. Failed to get to IOM, WSBK, BSB or MOTOGP, had two weekends away in the UK with wife and one in France with a mate. Overall an 8/10
Actually a great one, did a 5 day 2k trip over to the Belgium/ Lux/Black forest/and France then 1 month later back to France to do a track day at the Follembray circuit total miles so far this year racked up nearly 4.5 k better than last year first ride out in April, 3 miles from home got rear ended 3 thou of damage to bike 5 months to get back on road, season over! did manage i think 1200 miles, still smiling
