KTM 300EXC, a perfect bike for commuting ---------not, how was your backside after the ride into town Did you compete on it ?
ye. I raced and beat every schmuck on their superbike. Couriers? pissed em. The thing was insane and needed a new plug every 1.5 journeys. I used to bump into a guy nr stockwell each morning on his ktm 525 motard and we'd race into euston. Great fun. No idea who he was but we both had a good laugh. He used to pull amazing rolling stoppies on that. Which surprised me at first as I was on his rear wheel. I was on knobbly mousses too. It was amazing in wet, all sideways and foot down. Then one day a bmw did a u-turn and I put her down and broke my wrists. 2months later and 1 week outta plaster, a fat guy ran across a set of green lights and I twatted him. I broke my wrists again. I thus sold her before I died. It was probably the best fun I've ever had commuting or indeed on 2 wheels. I sold her and bought a husky 510R as it was a tad milder. I sold that too not long afterwards before I died again on b-roads and lanes. Besides I took a job local and didn't need to commute anymore. Lot less wedge, but a lot safer for me. Then bought 1198. If I ever get an 2st enduro or crosser again, and I do adore them, it'll be a 125. Thats plenty. 300 was either on/off on throttle. I did some lanes on the ktm but blimey, thats exhausting. Fair play to the guys who do it. Owning one gave me an appreciation of enduro guys and motocrossers. Its a tough and brutal pastime and those guys are hard as nails. I bottled it before I expired spectacularly.
I'd be on a Vespa GTS 300, honestly for the work slog it would be perfect.. Sod chewing throught traffic with gears..
I did my test on a Px200, registered as a 125. Was an Italian import in a really nice deep blue colour. Sold it to a guy called Jocelyn.
796 hypermotard , the bars go over the mirrors of most cars and if you want a bit more out of it the de-cat , cans and a remap on a Dyno
You sir are a first class nutter What the hell were you doing on mousses--------on tarmac Used to love doing enduro's (didn't have to worry about any bloody horses) or the boys in blue, unless you were somewhere you shouldn't perhaps have been Had to pack it in though gutted, new knees are needed
I was on mousses because i never knew what they were. I bought the bike on impulse. I only figured out what they were when i tried to change tyres for something more suitable. Id never heard of the things prior. I wanted an enduro to commute with. I thought a 300cc bike was reasonsble. I grossly underestimated what it was. In short, i fucked up. But continued to use it as id spent the money and had to make do. Those plugs are shorties and fucking expensive for plugs. Plus i had to pull up nxt to the kerb. Daft bike. Stupid impulse descision. I was out of my deprh on it.
Scooters and ducati's get stolen in London so you want a boring looking bike, hornet 600 or bandit 600?
when I commuted in to london I used a Street Triple R, it was perfect for threading though traffic, light, well balanced and the triple engine is simply brilliant. I had so much fun on that bike, I really miss it, would go out a buy one tomorrow but having moved out the city I now use my Africa twin for commuting duties.
I work local now. Best decision I ever made. Salary went down 40-50% but I am home at 5:45pm. I could get up at 8:15am but Im still up at 7am. I rock in at 8:45pm. I also walk home for lunch and watch bargain hunt coz its innocuous.
Nightmare. I can't recall exactly how, but I wouldn't be surprised if I cut the damn things off with my dremel and hacksaw. I do remember looking up what they were after discovering I couldn't get the bastards off. I only had normal tyre levers. Actually prob only long screwdrivers back then. Twas 15yrs ago or so. My only recollection was that it was a whole weekend affair rather than the quick 2hr job I'd envisaged. I can be a right moron sometimes. Actually most times.
Thats about the average time, you can get it down to half a weekend, with practice though , mate of mine managed to break his nose changing tyres
C90, Vespa GTS, Burgman/Tmax. There is a reason that these things are popular (Barcelona, Milan, Paris, Madrid, London etc)........they work. Just got back from a couple of weeks in Croatia - hired a Kymco 125 thingy on Brac island - handled me and Mrs GH (25 stone?) without a problem. Bit sluggish climbing the 1200 ft corniche out of Bol but that was about it. Helmets went under the seat and top box, beach bag on the hook in front of my knees.....perfect.
I just got a blue Piaggio MP3. So far hating it Get caught out when trying to accelerate fast from lights, does not do fast. Same when overtaking. Handling at speeds up to 30mph is ok, front feels like floating but no real issue. It leans and scooter turns as one expects. Basically 1 to 1 ratio on lean vs turn. Over 30 the 1 to 1 ratio changes and you need to lean much more then you used to. Run wide few times now ups. I have a boot, boot light, helmet does not fit under as I use full face but all in all I hope it will last 2 years. Got it for 1200
