Any other bikers on here ??

[sunny-dave]

Current pride and joy at sunny-dave towers is my Honda XL1000 Varadero - mainly for summer touring (although it does get the odd outing on sunny winter days) - North Wales & the Peak District are my favourite haunts.

Hoping for a trip to the continent next year - applications for the pillion seat opening soon :=)

[sunny-dave]

Black - ABS - 59 plate - didn't fancy the 'drug dealer orange'

[joggerjayne]

I haven't ridden a Vara.

I've ridden the BMW, the GS something or other, the Ewan McGregor one.

[sunny-dave]

Crumbs - the BMW is even bigger/heavier - the Vara is a pussycat when riding - just don't EVER let it start getting away from the vertical when you're wheeling it - not funny & potentially hernia inducing

[joggerjayne]

Thing is, Dave, I don't want a stereotype girl bike.

I like the idea of a big, blokey bike, and then other bikers see you riding it, and think ... "Oooh!"

Okay, "Oooh" is not a very "biker" thing to say, but you get the idea.

"In with the in crowd" right?

[sunny-dave]

Yep - I know exactly what you mean - I just don't see you as a "high heels & pink paint job" sort of girl

< or your bike > ;=)

[Slapshot]

Ride off road, have done since I was about 5 years old. Nothing beats the buzz of going flat out off road and it teaches you far better bike handling skills than on the road.

For road bikes, they should be British preferably pre 1975 or Italian, the 916 Ducati is the best sports bike theres ever been.

[joggerjayne]

I don't often wear high heels.

I'm 5' 8" so in heels I'm 6ft, which I hate.

[joggerjayne]

That sounds dangerous,slapshot.

[sunny-dave]

So a transalp or the new crossrunner would fit you very nicely.

But I'd miss the screen/fairing - the Vara is surprisingly effective even at 6' 22

[sunny-dave]

Have done 'Italian' - lovely to ride, but just a tad on the temperamental side for me - rather have something that will start more than once a day

[joggerjayne]

What's a crossrunner?

[sunny-dave]

New Honda model - http://www.honda.co.u...nture/#!/crossrunner/

[joggerjayne]

Oh, jolly.

That looks a bit like the current Triumph Tiger.

[sunny-dave]

Rather more 'butch' in the metal than the pretty pictures make it look (which is no bad think I think). Not sure about the current vogue for 'pointy bits' below the headlight though.

Have you ever sat on (or ridden) the big KTM

(http://mcblog.eu/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/
ktm_990_adventure_r_1.jpg)


... was a tight decison between that & the Vara for me - lovely lovely bike, just a bit less 'domesticated' for routine road use.

[joggerjayne]

I've only sat on a KTM at the Bike Show, but they sound so sexy.

I read about how Charlie Borman wanted to use KTMs on the trip with Ewan McGregor, but KTM wouldn't donate the bikes and support, so they used BMWs instead, and the BMW became the biggest selling bike in the UK.

I presume the Marketing Director from KTM is now living in Siberia.

[sunny-dave]

aaargh - multi-tasking elephant

you nearly got my music post - and horrible it is too

I think you should get a matcing black Vara - we could get Ab Editor to sponsor us for some sort of publicity tour round the Europe :=)

[joggerjayne]

Yeah, really cool until I dropped it at the first traffic lights, trying to get my foot down, ha ha.

[sunny-dave]

haha - yes - but at least (unlike many women) you'd have previously been able to get your leg over ...

[Slapshot]

It's no more dangerous than hammering down a strip of tarmac. You learn better bike skills and it's just sexier.

Now all this talk of bikes and JJ getting her leg over......

[joggerjayne]

I'm stuck for a reply.