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Re: Character!



I'm really enjoying reading the comments about the 'character' of our
bikes.  A few bikes ago I had a Kawasaki GPZ900R which back then was the
'king' of sports tourers..(ok arguably anyway).   It had about 50,000Km
on it when it left my possession and I had replaced quite a few chains
and sprockets as well as tyres etc.  I also had a few brackets welded up
after they had broken.  My exhaust had just about 'rotted' away and was
literally held together by aluminium drink cans and muffler putty!  It
gave me great service and I still think of it with great affection.

I then went onto a BMW K1100LT (the full dress tourer).  It also had
'character' with things like master cylinders that had to be completely
replaced because BMW didn't make a kit for them, plastic pannier
brackets that would snap or wear so as to make the panniers wobble or
even come off the rail,  back rests that would fly through the air after
they separated from the top box,  exhausts that would crack under the
footpeg, a $2,000 radio cassette player with $5 speakers, a shaft drive
system which I always expected might fail one day...(and it did!) as
well as a few other 'characteristics'.  I traded it in with 111,000
kilometres on it on my ST and I still can think of it with great
affection.

Now I have a shiny red ST with 10,000Km on it.  It has had the fuel
sender replaced, has spongy front brakes and here's a new one, the
exhaust is cracking just under the footpeg ! (which my mechanic picked
up at the service) Oh but I still think of it with great affection.

My point?  I've loved riding every bike I had..even my 71 Ducati 450
desmo single that would just stop because it felt like it. (ah the old
Duke lectrics!)  As someone else pointed out in an earlier post, bikes
are bikes and have their own characteristics not like cages have
become.  The most excited I can get about my car is when I get in it and
the kids have left me some petrol!

I'm sorry for those that are having problems with their bikes but geez I
love my ST.  Not to say I won't have a whinge if mine fails me but I'll
still think of it with great affection...


Tux
Oz



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