Motorcycling.

Burnham said:
The Multistrada 1000 doesn't make 150hp, more like 95, I believe. Still, a good ways ahead of the 65 or so my old Norton Commando turned out, so your point is valid Tim.

Worth considering, 'cause I have no wish to paint a tree. I'll have a look at the bike you suggest. I also could look for a Ducati Multistrada 650, the Rotex version might be nice.

You have to admit though, between a Ducati and a Suzuki, there really is no comparison on so very many levels :).
Click to expand...

Sorry Burn didn't realise you were looking at the older model. Presumed it was the newer 1200.
Why not go too a few shops and try some for size?
 
Jasper seemed like a bit of a free wheeler. He probably would have enjoyed riding with you if it were possible.
 
He was funny about never, and I mean just about completely never, wanting to put his head out of the window of the car. Only dog I've ever heard of that was like that. No nose smudges on the windows in 10 years.

So I kinda doubt he'd have liked a ride in a sidecar, or whatever. Except then he'd have been able to be with me...that might have been enough to tip the scale.
 
Yes. Losing one is awful.

My bad one - A whole group of friends had been out carousing on their bikes, pretty normal stuff when we were in our younger days. They were heading home on a nice twisty road probably clipping along pretty good. One bike plowed into and two more glanced off a black boat with a black outboard motor that had been running with no trailer lights. Good friend and his girlfriend died and one friend had badly messed up leg. He was in the hospital quite a while and had some operations but still never as good again.

The guy running the trailer was trying to get his lights working before the cops got there.

The friend that got killed had recently moved right down the road from me. I was just getting to know his girlfriend. He was the kind of guy that everyone seemed to like. Kind of the patriarch of his siblings family as well. It does seem like the scumbags live on and the good are easier to lose.
 
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/BNNUYHhoDiU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 
Oh, yeah! Thanks, Stig. Brings back some memories :).

Been expanding my possibles list a bit, found a pretty 2006 BMW Dakar 650 up Seattle way...but that might be a little too offroad oriented for me, dunno. Fun to explore the possibilities, for sure.

My best friend M is not so enthusiastic...she keeps remembering the death of the husband of one of our good friends, a few years back. A hard to understand low speed loss of control and crash into a small tree...should have been just an embarassment, but a limb pierced his heart, instant death.

Hard to argue with her about it. The point is valid.
 
Burnham, you have seen my ride and know I cover all road surfaces with it.

The 650 Dakar is very much the same style bike. Very capable of any road you need to travel and have fun while at it. Tire selection will be your choice to make a particular surface better. Shod it with a 90/10% road tire and burn up the twisties. A 50/50 knobby and take to the dirt back roads.
The all roads style have the advantage of extra suspension over a road only. Which smooths out rough roads nicely.
The Dakar shouldn't be confused with a true off-road bike, I would not want to take one single tracking.

My buddy Shawn just up the road from you had a Dakar 650 then a Tiger 900. Now he is on a freedom machine(Harley) we try not to hold it against him. :lol:
Let me know if you ever want his contact info. He was a MSA instructor also.


And as you and I have talked in the past, M's concern is a valid one.


Chasing another friend on a GS1150 thru Rattle Snake in Oregon/Idaho.

 
I had a 650 Dakar I sold last April, then bought my STI. It was a great bike. Total workhorse. Fine on the road and good on gravel to. I ran hiendau tires which were awesome on pavement, with open tread pattern for gravel.

I don't miss it to much since I replaced with 305hp all wheel drive.
 
Guy is selling a Ural here in town and it is killin me. I would love to have one ever since I saw Dave's.
Perfect for up here doing estimates and some solo work.
 
Study up on those Ural's. They are a quirky machine in some of their design.
Not saying they are bad, just different in a USSR way. :)
 
So Wally...what would be your impressions of the Ducati Multistrada 620 vs. the Dakar...and the Duc Multistrada 620 vs. the Duc Multistrada 1000. And the Duc Multistrada 1000 vs. the Dakar?

Dare I ask to have you throw the BMW GS650 into the mix? Looking at a 2007 model.
 
Burnham said:
So Wally...what would be your impressions of the Ducati Multistrada 620 vs. the Dakar...and the Duc Multistrada 620 vs. the Duc Multistrada 1000. And the Duc Multistrada 1000 vs. the Dakar?

Dare I ask to have you throw the BMW GS650 into the mix? Looking at a 2007 model.
Click to expand...

The Duc's are going to be a much quicker steering and handling bike on a hard surface road like asphalt.
The Dakar's steering geometry and tire size will make it a little slower in response on asphalt, but on gravel makes them very nice.

Performance, well the 620 is a good runner that needs to use rpm for power. The 1000cc is a semi pro race bike with a faring.

The Dakar will be much more tractor like in how it lays the torque down. By no means slow, but won't rev out, or be quite as smooth as the Duc's at higher rpms.

The maint schedule on the BMW will be pretty forgiving. The Rotex motor is a workhorse.
The Duc's aren't bad but the valve adjustments are quite a undertaking the first couple times.

Are you familiar with the Duc dry clutch sound at idle?

If I have missed some thing ask away.
 
Good stuff all, Wally. If you had to rate them, with the idea that I'd ride a mix of back roads, definitely some agg surface, but likely more asphalt, with the possibility of a secondary highway pretty frequently, but not often freeway type highways...how would you stack them?

I know a bit about dry vs. wet clutches, good and bad...but sound? Not sure on that specific point.

Dakar vs. GS model? Any thoughts?
 
The first .30 of the vid gives you an idea of the sound.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/bYVBikN0A5U" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 
Burnham said:
Good stuff all, Wally. If you had to rate them, with the idea that I'd ride a mix of back roads, definitely some agg surface, but likely more asphalt, with the possibility of a secondary highway pretty frequently, but not often freeway type highways...how would you stack them?

I know a bit about dry vs. wet clutches, good and bad...but sound? Not sure on that specific point.

Dakar vs. GS model? Any thoughts?
Click to expand...

Start with the Dakar to GS difference. The Dakar has a 21" front tire and high mount fender meant for more off road bias. Along with a little more suspension travel which translates to a higher seat height.
The GS was the more All roads model. With a 19" front tire.

In a ranking #1 based on what you describe would be the GS 650.

#2 the Multi 620

#3 the Multi 1000

#4 the Dakar, because of lack of street handling.

#1 and #2 could easy swap back and forth in position for me based on changes to how much gravel is ridden, and your comfort with maintenance.

A note on Duc Multi's, the seat is often referred too as Vinyl covered plywood.


Another to look at is the Suzuki Strom 650. It is a 90 deg twin like the Duc, so it is smooth but with a 19" front so it handles All roads well. Plus maint is less than the Duc's, more like the BMW 650 single.
 
Fix It Again Tony?

I'm partial to German engineering, but I don't know anything about bikes. I had a Suzuki DR650 that was a lot of fun, but I think it is pretty primitive compared to what you are looking at.
 
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