Well my HP2 will soon be going to a new home.
Although flawed, it really is/was the ideal bike for me, but after 10 years a change is needed to keep my interest and I just have to try something different.
And as I prefer to have only one bike in the garage there’s going to be a certain amount of compromise involved in choosing its replacement. A bike that’s capable of those 80mph slogs up the motorway and able to negotiate the rock steps of the Peaks nadgery trails is going to be hard to find.
The shortlist:
BMW Seratoa/Dakar 650 – same weight as the HP2, capable “off road” but doesn’t handle the motorway work very well.
KTM 690/Husky 700 – nice and light, but a little too dirt orientated to have as an only bike. But I love the Rally Raid fairing kit look, I’m really tempted.
Triumph 800XC – I imagine getting grip in boggy going from a smooth 3 cylinder engine is tricky, but the smoothness ideal for the road miles I do. However, the demo bikes I looked at in February were rusting badly – are they a summer only bike?
KTM 1190R – far too much electro trickery, far too much power and too heavy for the dirt. But makes a great road bike I hear, even with its 21” 18” wheels.
KTM 1050 – just enough power and slightly lighter than the 1190, but road only wheels. Could be converted (£££££££) to a good all round bike. A contender.
BMW F800GS – now you’re talking. Just enough power, not too overweight, copes well “off road”, but (from the 250 mile test ride I did) a bit vibey at high speed making distance uncomfortable. Probably the bike I should buy, but it’s just sooooo much less than a HP2.
Honda Africa Twin CRF1000 – overweight, but good sized wheels, seems to like the dirt and has good reports of mile munching abilities on tarmac. I think it looks (and feels when sat in it) a bit bananary with the high rear end. Another contender though.
And I’ve always fancied a Triumph Scrambler – crap for both the trails and motorways, but looks like a motorcycle should look.
But really from that shortlist there’s only one bike approaching the sheer lunacy and engagement of the HP2. Yes it’s got far too much electro trickery, far too much power and it’s too heavy for the dirt, but it’s the only one I want as opposed to think I should have.
Wonder if I’ll keep this one for 10 years?
Missed it the first time round
