XTreme

The Strom is now on Death Row.....so for it's swansong I took it to Las Santas. No Dark Motorcycling on this one.......let's just remember him as he was!

Cheers Bob! The thing is, until you actually get to this sort of stage, it's difficult to understand. But everybody's going to get there.......whether they want to admit it or not! I'm convinced there are many 60+ riders who are riding round on bikes that they're struggling to cope with at low speeds because of their bulk.....but they don't want to admit it. The other thing is that the type of riding I do has changed over the years......there's more and more remote exploration. But unlike you and @Sir Fallsalot I'm not looking for offroad areas to ride. But given the region I live in, and the places I want to access, offroad riding isn't a choice.....it's a necessity.

Brilliant as always Eric! You reckon this will be the last one of the year for you?

Strange how things turn out! I went out this morning (only for an hour) and the Strom just didn't click with me. Didn't feel natural......bit like I was riding someone else's bike. And the bloody dead weight of it is killing my knackered knees when I need to manoeuvre it about. I've felt like this for a few weeks now but it was definitely more pronounced today because I was on smaller roads. Sometimes you just gotta go with your gut instinct on bikes......it's served me well enough since 1971. The two bike thing is an option.......but not in my case! Everybody's circumstances are different and I think mine are pretty well documented: My eldest boy walking out on the business 4 years ago and dumping everything in my lap.......and just keep in mind the Internet doesn't close so I'm always on call. There is no cop-out in that area! Then there's the wife's arthritis condition which is progressively deteriorating.......she now has limited mobility and no longer drives. So with no family here that responsibility falls on me as well. All this plus the fact that I'm not as young as I was.......and of course there's always the ominous thought of hitting 70 in just over 3 years time in the back of my mind. Of course I still want to ride bikes.....the break between the last XT and the Strom drove me crazy! Not to mention the 9 week lockdown. But I've got to be realistic......I'm old now, and I need to get something that'll be enjoyable to ride and also make my life easier. @Lone Amigo knows where I'm coming from on this! So Monday morning I'll be phoning Towca Honda in Granada....... ......and seeing if we can put a deal together for a new one of these! As @Tym knows.......I've been on about getting one of these for years. I was just about to pull the trigger on one early last year but then the Strom turned up! So all I can say is watch this space!

If I got another bike it would be a CRF250L.......different type of bike obviously, and used for a different purpose.

Incredible! Dilemma for me is that I fancy changing the Strom........but I've got this nagging doubt in the back of my mind that I'll be making the same mistake that I did with my two previous Stroms. After both of them went I kept thinking it was a bad decision.

.........so there's hope it may last until Xmas! I just saw this on FB......2004 V-Strom 650. That's in kms so that's about 125K miles. No engine work needed and he has only replaced the clutch fairly recently.......as a precaution. He bought it in 2012 with 30K kms on it......and he's never even checked the valves! In fact, I've seen 650's with even higher miles with no engine work done. As for the 1000's I've seen one over 400K kms......over 250K miles. They're bloated, ugly, budget parts bin specials......but the motors are as tough as it gets!

I came across this on YouTube and it's given me quite a few pointers on how to make my vids more interesting. I don't think any of us have the sort of pro equipment this guy has.......but there's a whole lot more to it than just the video quality. Take a look and see what you think!

Well when @Earache's riding season comes to an end, the rest of you are going to have to step up to the plate with Ride Reports! Or we're going to look like a bunch of fucking Casuals on here!

Just download a video editing program @Tym......I use THIS!

Wife announced she wants to go to the shops tomorrow!

Pics and/or Vid or it never happened Ray!

In principle.......I wouldn't rule out getting another Beemer! But I'm not so sure about the G650GS because of the motors being built in China by Loncin. If it was the original Rotax then I'd be fine with it.....but the Chinese connection worries me a bit. Thinking about it......one of the Twins may be a better option......like the F650/700/750/850GS. They're all lighter than the Strom and with a lower COG. But the main factor for me is that as far as I'm aware there's no Chinese connection with these motors. Unless anybody knows any different?

What about these......the carriages look like something out of an old movie?

Amazing shots Eric......is that some sort of retro or vintage train?

Supposed to rain itself out today, and weekend looks clear with manageable temperatures at last. Not sure if the wife is going to drag me to the shops tomorrow (I'm not mentioning it just in case) but Sunday I'll be out. Hopefully to that remote abandoned village in the Sierra de Segura that's been on hold for the last couple of months due to the heat! What are you guys up to?

Literally anything which can remotely be construed as Adventure or Trail is now stupid money......and yet the overwhelming majority of them never leave the tarmac! Also.....it really is stretching the boundaries when things like a Tracer or NC750X are marketed as adventure bikes when they have 17" front wheels.

If a decent low mileage Tenere turned up then I'd be very interested in one Ray. But you know what it's like here......usually high miles and cheaping out on maintenance.

I'd put my money on fucking lazy Dago myself!

Would you believe that the Dealer is closed on Saturdays?

Well.....it's cat amongst pigeons time. Another dealer came back with a good price for the Strom.......not as good as Rafa's......but not too far off it. And it ain't against a fucking Beemer! I've said that I'll go and see him Saturday morning in Granada.