Varadero

[dirtydog]

Wine at the table too......snobby Bastards!

I also noticed knives and forks too!

I see two filthy looking farm hands managed to get in through the back door and drink all the larger. This 'DO' must have been somewhere in North Wales

Hey Will, best not go back on the Vara site and tell them what's going on over here on the 'darkside', it will be feckin gang warfare between the camp Vara boyz and the Tosser's

Feckin deserter

 

[Gas'd Off]

Someone say Valeries don't do off road? Marky C taking a bath...........

 

[Tobers]

I'd be interested if Honda "Firebladed" the Varadero i.e. lighter, ridiculously powerful, excellent handling, more off roadability etc. Surely there's a huge market of GS-types who'd go for something like that, with higher reliability & build quality than BMW provide.

At the moment, the only contender in this area is the KTM 990 Adv, and that is a bit of a leap of faith to buy to be honest - few dealers, reliability worries (maybe unfounded), strangely orange etc.

Come on Honda, do a KTM 990 Adv beating bike dammit. They'll be queueing up at the dealers to buy one.

 

[Timolgra]

Come on Honda, do a KTM 990 Adv beating bike dammit. They'll be queueing up at the dealers to buy one.

The problem many have with bikes like Honda is they are just so bland, ok they may be fast and reliable. When I buy a Honda it's generally a lawnmower

 

[Red]

The problem many have with bikes like Honda is they are just so bland, ok they may be fast and reliable. When I buy a Honda it's generally a lawnmower

Hmmm...
.............so you prefer something that's not bland, not fast and not very reliable?

I keep hearing this "character" thing about various bikes, Africa Twins, Ducati's, BMUU's, etc.
So what's your definition of bland? Or alternatively, what's your definition of character?

 

[Timolgra]

.....if you feel you need to ask the question, I doubt you'll understand the answear

 

[MMC]

Hmmm...
.............so you prefer something that's not bland, not fast and not very reliable?

I keep hearing this "character" thing about various bikes, Africa Twins, Ducati's, BMUU's, etc.
So what's your definition of bland? Or alternatively, what's your definition of character?

I got an ST1100 Pan recently. Great bike. Comfy. Powerful. Great for motorways. Doesn't break (ever, it seems). The GS is comfy, but not massively powerful, OK on motorways and breaks, well, now and then. Sometimes horrifically expensively too.

But the GS keys are the ones I look for nearly all the time. The Honda's a more competent bike for much of the riding I do, but it just ain't got the same character as the GS with all it's faults.

But the faults are what make the character of the bike. They tie you in with the machine. Actually, the faults are - somehow - half the fun of the GS. It involves you (you don't have a choice) in knowing how to fettle and fix it. You have to get involved, know how it works, know the little tricks. And it's the satisfaction of that that gives the bike 'character'.

Took the GS out at the weekend, and as soon as I'd hit the end of the road, the damn oil light came on. I could hear that the engine was OK, so took it home and had a rummage on here. Took the oil pressure sensor cable off, cleaned the contacts, put it back on. No light - result. I got a real sense of satisfaction from just that little job. That's the sort of thing that gives a bike character.

 

[Sea Lion]

Having had a Transalp before my GS, the Varadero was a natural progression.

Just did not like the looks and the fact they are so thirsty.

Gs (and early Tigers) have a more appealing industial/brutal look

 

[jnrobert]

Yabbut, for some reason I imagine the conversation would be a little different

Varadero crowd:

Bloke on right: "And then this oik on some BMW thingy came by and draped across the tank were what I could only describe as Shite bags. "

Bloke on left: "No! Extraordinary".

Bloke in middle: "I didn't know BMW made motorcycles"

Bloke on right: "Apparantly so. By the way, do you know you're wearing two shirts?"

 

[Cie]

But the faults are what make the character of the bike. They tie you in with the machine. Actually, the faults are - somehow - half the fun of the GS. It involves you (you don't have a choice) in knowing how to fettle and fix it. You have to get involved, know how it works, know the little tricks. And it's the satisfaction of that that gives the bike 'character'.

Took the GS out at the weekend, and as soon as I'd hit the end of the road, the damn oil light came on. I could hear that the engine was OK, so took it home and had a rummage on here. Took the oil pressure sensor cable off, cleaned the contacts, put it back on. No light - result. I got a real sense of satisfaction from just that little job. That's the sort of thing that gives a bike character.

I love my Africa Twin

 

[Timolgra]

Great Bikes even though it's a Honda

I love my Africa Twin

Last year on the 'Tossers on Tour' trips around the Baltics (which Greg did a brilliant job on ) one of the party was on an Africa Twin.
I believe he had changed the gearing but it did everything all the GS's did. When he was behind me I'd pull out to overtake a truck giving it everything, look in my mirror and the little fecker was still right on my tail

Towards the end of the trip he was asked if he would get a GS now, he said "What for?"

 

[jnrobert]

Yabbut, for some reason I imagine the conversation would be a little different

Christ, not even one smilie?

 

[dirtydog]

I'd like to thrash that big bastard of a Vara off road, bet I could break something in the first hour 'where the feck has my belly pan gone?'

 

[Snooky]

Sods law, but I happen to be in this one

An no never had a vara, but got invited to this meet, luckily not met many Tossers so guess I could be safe, till the Vara boys shop me...

 

[Deleted account W]

Are you the ugly one Snooky?

 

[sharribee]

The problem many have with bikes like Honda is they are just so bland, ok they may be fast and reliable. When I buy a Honda it's generally a lawnmower

I love my transalp, it has loads of character.
Maybe it's just the way you ride

 

[Bigtwin]

My mate's got one (cuttently awaiting repair after "kissing" the back of a disco) which I rode for a day.

Great road bike, would be great to tour on. Shite off road preposition, but it doesn't pretend to be anything else does it - cast wheels etc?

One of those with BMW suspension on, and I'd order it blind.

 

[daj]

I love my Africa Twin

Agreed...I loved all mine. Wish Honda done the AT 1000 that we were expecting at the time. Bit sad when it turned out to be the Varadero. (No offence guys.... )

 

[Steptoe]

some of them have the right idea

They haven't got a clue - this is more like it

 

[Deleted account W]

That photo cost me a double vodka and coke which she drank in one