790 Duke

Deleted account 211025001 · Nov 25, 2019

Arsey said:
What you need is a Vitpilen 701 !!

Not as much power as 790 but having owned both Duke 790 and Svartpilen 701, I can say the latter is an utter hoot.
So so light yet goes like utter stink with 74bhp ! The Duke was great but if you were to keep the 1190, you could do worse than get a Vit ( I know you prefer it to the Svart).

You're really not helping

It would have to be a replacement for the 1190 as I've done the 'loads of bikes' before and finally got down to fewer bikes so have to be strong; it's now 'one in/one out'........... As much as I like the Vitpilen (and I really do) it's not (for me) a replacement for the 1190. It's, as you say, an 'as well as' bike. The 890R, however, I see as a practical replacement for the 1190. I like the idea of it's small size, weight, top notch suspension and a reasonably powerful twin....... Mind you, It's going to be significantly more expensive than the 790 (especially with deals) so who knows.......the arguments in my head continue!

Andres

Arsey · Nov 25, 2019

Outtomunch said:
You're really not helping

It would have to be a replacement for the 1190 as I've done the 'loads of bikes' before and finally got down to fewer bikes so have to be strong; it's now 'one in/one out'........... As much as I like the Vitpilen (and I really do) it's not (for me) a replacement for the 1190. It's, as you say, an 'as well as' bike. The 890R, however, I see as a practical replacement for the 1190. I like the idea of it's small size, weight, top notch suspension and a reasonably powerful twin....... Mind you, It's going to be significantly more expensive than the 790 (especially with deals) so who knows.......the arguments in my head continue!

Andres

My pleasure :aidan

Giles · Nov 25, 2019

Go for a test ride Andres .. !!

Arsey · Nov 25, 2019

Giles said:
Go for a test ride Andres .. !!

Or get the best of both . Sell the 1190 and by a 790 Adv R

Giles · Nov 25, 2019

Arsey said:
Or get the best of both . Sell the 1190 and by a 790 Adv R

Ummmmmm .... But then we're back to this idea of buying a bike for what you do. Do you go off roading? Is that a regular thing? If it is then yeah .... But if it's not, then why compromise what you want ? The adventure has spoked 21 and 18 inch wheels for example. Its down by 10bhp for better low end torque for riding in dirt. Those things alone will give it a completely different feel compared with a dedicated road going bike. You not going to find mega sticky rubber like a dunlop sportmax for that!
Get the bike for the riding that you do!

:beerjug:

Timolgra · Nov 25, 2019

So a smaller, lighter, powerful and good handling bike is much more fun for sport riding... who would have thought it?

Recently I've been using a school bike er6 for work, it's so easy to ride and reasonable fun but what's good for one rider and one type of riding doesn't compensate for the popularity of 'duel purpose bikes.

Duke's have always been good fun bikes if that's your flavour

Giles · Nov 25, 2019

Timolgra said:
Recently I've been using a school bike er6 for work, it's so easy to ride and reasonable fun ..

So ... as you know I used to DSA instruct (in my twenties ... I'm now going 54

)

I remember having a VFR750 but it was off the road for three or four months because I'd crashed it !! I was able to use a school two-stroke NSR125 to commute on, and did my commute with the branch manager who was a good riding buddy and lived near me. We finished at 6, but come 4 o'clock, I was already looking forward to the commute home which if i'm honest, was a just a race!

I reckon I learned more in those three months about bike handling than at any other time! In order to keep up with him on his 550, I would ab-sol-ute-ly rag the tits off this thing. But more than just pinning it, it was so tiny and light you could experiment with ideas that you wouldn't / couldn't do on a bigger bike. Every roundabout was a chance to experiment. Pull it, push it, put it under me, put me under it, weight pegs, pull bar against peg, push bar against peg, inside peg, outside peg, knee into tank, toes on pegs, inside toe on peg but outside instep on peg when its cranked over .....

You name it, I tried it, and I was able to, because you could get away with murder on it. After a while you sensed those little things that really worked, different ways of carrying speed into a corner, little handling gems that gave you confidence ....

It was a great lesson in learning what a bike can do, (what you can do on a bike), and then taking that with you back to your now fixed 750.

We all love our big lazy CC machines, but boy can going back to school on something tiny be good for you!!

:beerjug:

(You can see why so few SB riders don't make the swap to motoGP, and why the best motoGP riders have come up form the moto3 and moto2 classes ... ).

RedRick Esq. · Nov 25, 2019

Giles said:
So ... as you know I used to DSA instruct (in my twenties ... I'm now going 54 )

I remember having a VFR750 but it was off the road for three or four months because I'd crashed it !! I was able to use a school two-stroke NSR125 to commute on, and did my commute with the branch manager who was a good riding buddy and lived near me. We finished at 6, but come 4 o'clock, I was already looking forward to the commute home which if i'm honest, was a just a race!

I reckon I learned more in those three months about bike handling than at any other time! In order to keep up with him on his 550, I would ab-sol-ute-ly rag the tits off this thing. But more than just pinning it, it was so tiny and light you could experiment with ideas that you wouldn't / couldn't do on a bigger bike. Every roundabout was a chance to experiment. Pull it, push it, put it under me, put me under it, weight pegs, pull bar against peg, push bar against peg, inside peg, outside peg, knee into tank, toes on pegs, inside toe on peg but outside instep on peg when its cranked over .....

You name it, I tried it, and I was able to, because you could get away with murder on it. After a while you sensed those little things that really worked, different ways of carrying speed into a corner, little handling gems that gave you confidence ....

It was a great lesson in learning what a bike can do, (what you can do on a bike), and then taking that with you back to your now fixed 750.

We all love our big lazy CC machines, but boy can going back to school on something tiny be good for you!!

Going on 54 ??? is that plus VAT

Anyway you are right as i do not take any liberties with the 1290 GT that i did with the Hyper not many i admit but it was easier to risk safe in the knowledge that it would be easier to sort out and correct if i went a bit far.

The 1290 just says go on i dare you, i have no forgiveness in me if you do

Nutty · Nov 25, 2019

I’m seriously considering getting something smaller next, as the 10 day trip is just an annual thing, and most of the year it’s just long weekends on the bike.

I didn’t initially like the 790, but after a couple of days on it really enjoyed it, however, the ergos aren’t for me, as I have all sorts of health shit going on right now.

I’m interested to see what the Multi 950 is like, and also the new 900XR, but they are still quite heavy. How much work would need to be done to a 790/890R to make it comfortable? I’m getting twinges just thinking about being on one for 10 days! :comfort

Giles · Nov 25, 2019

The Nutty KTMer said:
....How much work would need to be done to a 790/890R to make it comfortable? I’m getting twinges just thinking about being on one for 10 days!

What is 'comfortable'?! It has bars (not clip ons), so you could find bar risers for it, and there's an ergo seat to be had, but other than that?

I know you have a dodgy back, and I know we've had this conversation before, but all I can stress is CORE! Half an hour every morning of pilates style core work.

And for bike riding, having a good core is paramount to being able to have the lightest of touches on the bars. Having the lightest of touches on the bars, is paramount to allowing a bike to do what it wants, and to disable, for want of a better word, the rider from fucking that up by allowing his arms to turn into steering dampers.

So by that I mean, if you (one!) in propping oneself up on the bike and using both arms to rest on and to 'relax', that will have a very negative input on the steering. (straightish arms prop us up, elbows become slightly fixed for support, steering as a result is now dampened).

A good exercise that we should all do from time to time, is to ride a nadgery B road for quite a few miles with just your right hand. Feel how easy the bike steers, even in the tightest of corners, just use one hand like a rodeo rider, and the bike will steer effortlessly. Notice how when we put two arms back on the bars, it doesn't steer so easily anymore - one arm is counter acting the other.

This is why race bikes over the years, have evolved the sculptured tank. Rides can grip it with their knees and 'hold on' without that 'holding on' being transferred to the bars. (If I have a proper tear up with my mates, its not my arms that ache afterwards, its my legs !).

What am I saying?

I'm saying by all means adjust 'reach' (bars, levers ... like getting a push bike fit ... ) but never adjust the bike so that it can support your body.
Work on your core to support your body, and the win win will be less aches and pains, and a better handling bike.

:beerjug:

(* I get hours on a motorway with locked out arms .... :thumb2

)

<a href="https://gileslamb.smugmug.com/Backtoschool/i-2t6bChm/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Backtoschool/i-2t6bChm/0/d341ec12/O/core.jpg" alt=""></a>

Mucky Helmet · Nov 25, 2019

The Nutty KTMer said:
How much work would need to be done to a 790/890R to make it comfortable? I’m getting twinges just thinking about being on one for 10 days!

All I've done to mine is fit the "S" screen for touring and it's as comfortable as my GSA to ride. I've had risers and setbacks on all my GS/GSAs but haven't felt them necessary on the 790 R and I've not adjusted the bars from new/neutral. There are more seat options coming out soon so I may change mine for something slightly lower 'cos they are a tall bike and I'd prefer to be a bit more sure footed. Other than that, I've found it all day comfy.

Deleted account 211025001 · Nov 25, 2019

Giles said:
What is 'comfortable'?! It has bars (not clip ons), so you could find bar risers for it, and there's an ergo seat to be had, but other than that?
...........................
<a href="https://gileslamb.smugmug.com/Backtoschool/i-2t6bChm/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Backtoschool/i-2t6bChm/0/d341ec12/O/core.jpg" alt=""></a>

You're looking good Giles, looking good :beerjug:

Andres

Timolgra · Nov 25, 2019

Outtomunch said:
You're looking good Giles, looking good

Andres

Yes and hasn't even got writer's cramp

Arsey · Nov 25, 2019

Just get a lightweight KTM

Giles · Nov 25, 2019

Outtomunch said:
You're looking good Giles, looking good

Andres

CORE !!

Giles · Nov 25, 2019

Timolgra said:
Yes and hasn't even got writer's cramp

Timolgra · Nov 25, 2019

Giles said:
CORE !!

<a href="https://gileslamb.smugmug.com/Cycle/i-4btQ9RJ/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Cycle/i-4btQ9RJ/0/f7fd7ff0/O/fullsizeoutput_7dd.jpg" alt=""></a>

What's receiving a prostate massage got to do with it?

Nutty · Nov 25, 2019

Giles said:
What is 'comfortable'?! It has bars (not clip ons), so you could find bar risers for it, and there's an ergo seat to be had, but other than that?

I know you have a dodgy back, and I know we've had this conversation before, but all I can stress is CORE! Half an hour every morning of pilates style core work.

And for bike riding, having a good core is paramount to being able to have the lightest of touches on the bars. Having the lightest of touches on the bars, is paramount to allowing a bike to do what it wants, and to disable, for want of a better word, the rider from fucking that up by allowing his arms to turn into steering dampers.

So by that I mean, if you (one!) in propping oneself up on the bike and using both arms to rest on and to 'relax', that will have a very negative input on the steering. (straightish arms prop us up, elbows become slightly fixed for support, steering as a result is now dampened).

A good exercise that we should all do from time to time, is to ride a nadgery B road for quite a few miles with just your right hand. Feel how easy the bike steers, even in the tightest of corners, just use one hand like a rodeo rider, and the bike will steer effortlessly. Notice how when we put two arms back on the bars, it doesn't steer so easily anymore - one arm is counter acting the other.

This is why race bikes over the years, have evolved the sculptured tank. Rides can grip it with their knees and 'hold on' without that 'holding on' being transferred to the bars. (If I have a proper tear up with my mates, its not my arms that ache afterwards, its my legs !).

What am I saying?

I'm saying by all means adjust 'reach' (bars, levers ... like getting a push bike fit ... ) but never adjust the bike so that it can support your body.
Work on your core to support your body, and the win win will be less aches and pains, and a better handling bike.

(* I get hours on a motorway with locked out arms .... )

<a href="https://gileslamb.smugmug.com/Backtoschool/i-2t6bChm/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Backtoschool/i-2t6bChm/0/d341ec12/O/core.jpg" alt=""></a>

Yep, I went through my core routine a few weeks ago and you didn’t reply!

Nothing wrong with my core at all, it’s the pressure on my neck caused when riding a naked bike that then goes down my back and into my legs that then causes big issues.

So, would a screen, and lower pegs sort that? If so, I’d need to try that set up first, but no dealer would do that.

Nutty · Nov 25, 2019

Giles said:
CORE !!

<a href="https://gileslamb.smugmug.com/Cycle/i-4btQ9RJ/A"><img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/Cycle/i-4btQ9RJ/0/f7fd7ff0/O/fullsizeoutput_7dd.jpg" alt=""></a>

Having a colonic won’t work your core, you need to do planks.

Giles · Nov 25, 2019

The Nutty KTMer said:
Yep, I went through my core routine a few weeks ago and you didn’t reply!

Nothing wrong with my core at all, it’s the pressure on my neck caused when riding a naked bike that then goes down my back and into my legs that then causes big issues.

So, would a screen, and lower pegs sort that? If so, I’d need to try that set up first, but no dealer would do that.

Ummmm .... It'll always be a naked bike short of putting the most ugliest of barn door screens on it. You need an RT !

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