New Member

["Mike Bostock" <mike@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi

I am about (I hope) to become the proud owner of a Sprint ST having just
paid a deposit, subject to road test, on a May '99 ST, 7,500 miles,
immaculate condition.

Brief history:

I am a 46 yr old, 225 lb, work and computerholic who ceased motorcycling
13 years ago and my last bike was a Honda GL650 Silver Wing on which,
commuting, I did >30,000 miles in 18 months.  I have been encouraged (it
needed very little) to rejoin the human race by one friend who owns a Pan
and a Thunderbird and a neighbour who owns a Fazer.  Both are oldies, like
me :-) - the friends that is, not the bikes.

Anyway to cut a long story short, SWMBO reckons that men of my age either
have an affair or get a motorbike and with my figure if it were the former
I had better be nice to her guide dog :-( - in any case the motorbike
option is cheaper!

Last Sunday - in the worst weather in the UK for the last decade, I did a
refresher on a Kawasaki 500 (a birthday present from SWMBO - the refresher
not the bike). So with an instructor blasting advice into my right ear
from the radio I spent a day re-visiting old skills and learning a few new
ones (who said old dogs can't learn new tricks).  The ride up a twisting A
road onto Dartmoor was more of a tiptoe across a lethal carpet of wet
leaves and surface water serveral inches deep whilst being buffeted by
50mph winds and turned into a survival exercise but in spite of the
conditions I knew I just had to get back on two wheels.

So I delved around a bit on the Internet, wondered aimlessly around our
local dealer's showroom and spoke to few other bikers. Since I essentially
wanted something to ride the short 8 miles into work AND have some fun at
the weekends AND be able to accompany my friend down to the South of
France with him on his Pan and me being able to walk after being 300+
miles in the saddle I really had to go for a comfortable sports-tourer. 
The final decision appeared to rest on a VFR800 or the Sprint ST.

The VFR's reliability seemed to have the edge but the sentimental part of
me considered that it would be just 'nice' to own a bike with a British
name even if most of the bits were made in Japan, Italy, France or Outer
Mongolia.

So when I walked into our local dealer and they had only just finished
pressure washing this pristine example I was sure I wasn't going to leave
without laying claim to it (subject to test ride yet to come).

The price, judging by the 2nd hand adverts in MCN is fair, and, although I
had my heart set on a brand new green model, the advantage of buying this
second-hand red one should I decide to re-sell in a year or so has won
favour with the more realistic part of my brain.

I have a few questions but I suppose asking you assembled converts "Have I
done the right thing?" would be a waste of time :-))

Here are the rest of my questions:

Will it live up to my expectations/requirements?

What modifications have Triumph made in the last 18 months which could be
critical in deciding between new and 2nd hand?

What faults/worn bits should I be concerned about at 7,500 miles and maybe
ask the dealer to replace?

Is the taller screen a 'must' for the British winter?

Any suggestions for clothing for a. the British winter and b. the fuller
figure?

Thanks for your help.

- -- 
Mike Bostock
Home: mike@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Work: mike@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.toothfairy.co.uk/


     *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *
      The ST/RS Mailing list is sponsored by Jack Lilley Ltd.
          http://www.TriumphNet.com/st/lilley for more info
   http://www.TriumphNet.com/st for ST, RS and Mailing List info

=-=-=-= Next Message =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=