New bike on the way...
Posted: Sun Jun 22, 2014 10:21 pm
Ive been thinking of getting back on bikes again for a while, but Su insisted she can only pillion on an auto as her back cant take the gear changes ( even smooth ones ). I thought I would test this theory...
I did test the MT09 a while ago and loved it, proper hooligan bike and ideal for my 17 mile commute from Thornton to Preston, so I arranged for Su to come to my dealer and we would take it out , as soon as she got on she was gripping me like mad and was shouting there was no grab rail, we hadnt even set off yet !! We got about 300 mtrs down the road and her Bottle had gone, we had to turn round....even though she thought it was an auto as my gear changes had been so smooth, Damn !
I also tested an NC750x DCT solo, from Preston Honda last week, I was quite surprised how pokey it was compared to the 650 Burgman, very nice even on the motorway, but didnt like the fork dive under braking, I rang my local dealer and asked if they had one with a topbox, this would make Su a lot happier if she could lean on it, pity the MT09 didnt have one !!
Blackpool Honda this morning said they had a manual 750 with a top box on demo, so we went down, she claims she could feel the gear changes and to be honest, it was a bit cramped for me 2 up, We went back and sat on a Pan european, 06 plate, bit heavy. Next we sat on a BMW K1300GT 10 plate and an 12 Plate BMW K1200 RT she like these, me especially as I knew the K1300 had about 160BHP, but then she pointed out they were not auto, and i thought they were prob just as heavy as the Burg and I was trying to get a bit lighter as the long backwards push down the driveway seems to be taking longer, a Kawi SX1000 the pegs were to high for her, she sat on the Crosstoured...she HAS been on a demo with one, but found it hard to get on and off as it was so tall........next the VFR1200, I always wanted one of these, but when my shoulder was bad we went to the NEC bike show and I was gutted that it was uncumfortable to sit on it with my bad shoulder, so didnt think of it again,(I had my shoulder op last year) Su sat on it today and said it felt ok, A demo was very quickly arranged ! she couldnt feel the gear changes and said she was only holding on with one hand, it cant be this easy I thought
I opend it up a cpl of times getting up to 100mph in a very short distance and she didnt complain .....I got upto 70mph over the mountain on the TT and she was shouting to slow down on the Burg a few weeks ago
I did read on the VFR forums last week, (didnt join honest !) that heli bar raisers make a big difference, so when the nice Honda man started to crunch some numbers I asked for Heli bars and a large top box for sue to lean on to be added , after an age trying to agreen numbers he came up with in his words..an amazing deal, great I said...."now throw in a free touring screen and its a deal"
he had to phone his boss on his day off, but boss said ok...so in about a week, I get a 14 plate silver VFR1200 DCT, cool.....pics to follow 
I did test the MT09 a while ago and loved it, proper hooligan bike and ideal for my 17 mile commute from Thornton to Preston, so I arranged for Su to come to my dealer and we would take it out , as soon as she got on she was gripping me like mad and was shouting there was no grab rail, we hadnt even set off yet !! We got about 300 mtrs down the road and her Bottle had gone, we had to turn round....even though she thought it was an auto as my gear changes had been so smooth, Damn !
I also tested an NC750x DCT solo, from Preston Honda last week, I was quite surprised how pokey it was compared to the 650 Burgman, very nice even on the motorway, but didnt like the fork dive under braking, I rang my local dealer and asked if they had one with a topbox, this would make Su a lot happier if she could lean on it, pity the MT09 didnt have one !!
Blackpool Honda this morning said they had a manual 750 with a top box on demo, so we went down, she claims she could feel the gear changes and to be honest, it was a bit cramped for me 2 up, We went back and sat on a Pan european, 06 plate, bit heavy. Next we sat on a BMW K1300GT 10 plate and an 12 Plate BMW K1200 RT she like these, me especially as I knew the K1300 had about 160BHP, but then she pointed out they were not auto, and i thought they were prob just as heavy as the Burg and I was trying to get a bit lighter as the long backwards push down the driveway seems to be taking longer, a Kawi SX1000 the pegs were to high for her, she sat on the Crosstoured...she HAS been on a demo with one, but found it hard to get on and off as it was so tall........next the VFR1200, I always wanted one of these, but when my shoulder was bad we went to the NEC bike show and I was gutted that it was uncumfortable to sit on it with my bad shoulder, so didnt think of it again,(I had my shoulder op last year) Su sat on it today and said it felt ok, A demo was very quickly arranged ! she couldnt feel the gear changes and said she was only holding on with one hand, it cant be this easy I thought
I opend it up a cpl of times getting up to 100mph in a very short distance and she didnt complain .....I got upto 70mph over the mountain on the TT and she was shouting to slow down on the Burg a few weeks ago
I did read on the VFR forums last week, (didnt join honest !) that heli bar raisers make a big difference, so when the nice Honda man started to crunch some numbers I asked for Heli bars and a large top box for sue to lean on to be added , after an age trying to agreen numbers he came up with in his words..an amazing deal, great I said...."now throw in a free touring screen and its a deal"
he had to phone his boss on his day off, but boss said ok...so in about a week, I get a 14 plate silver VFR1200 DCT, cool.....pics to follow 
the vfr 12 is an exellent " mile munching road warrior", I had a vfr 800 vtec a few years ago, bar risers made a huge difference to comfort. 
