This is a collection of experience and incidents such as I can remember some of my misspent youth and thrash through my later years.
The beatings will continue until moral improves.
The Search
I had always maintained this was my last motorcycle. After retiring I’ve ridden less and less. I took a couple of long rides that managed to cover at least one weeks worth of horribly hot weather. One of those rides over nearly a month covered nearly three weeks of 100°F weather. That is no fun on a motorcycle. The bike is hot, I’m hot the world is hot. Nothing about that is fun. I was about ready to finally throw in the towel ,sell the motorcycle and all my gear and equipment. It has been fifty years of mostly good stuff, but retirement bringing no need to commute, fewer and fewer riding partners, I’m about convinced I’m done with it all.
If a person sits down and really considers all the stuff in the house and garage that are specific to the motorcycle being there and its use, the pile comes to quite a lot. Removing that will leave a big hole.
I figured I was close to creating that big hole. I went so far as to create a “For Sale” post and began planning “For Sale” glamour shots and videos. Yes, there is a list with shooting locations chosen. Then of course in the process of all this planning I was tripped up by my own inspiration for another ride. I was off planning. That planning was taking inspiration from the Northern California Backroads Discovery Route. But, I was not planning an offroad adventure. I’ve grown tired of that after finding far too much deep sand and steep rocky sections I’m not willing to ride. Given my reduction in dirt riding over the last part of my working career thanks to time available being dear and no one to ride with, my already meager skills have gone rusty sitting disused in the back of my mind. But, a paved backroads ride could be fun. I mean that is where my motorcycle travel roots began. The interstate travel only came about due to time restrictions and the distances required. The old, “long way to go and a short time to get there” problem. Not all roads can be like the one below.
Sometimes, far too many times the road is a long high speed interstate.
I strength isn’t what it once was. Even cycling has not kept my leg strength up and my back has worsened over time. The 2010 KTM 990 Adventure R is very tall. In my stiffer riding boots it is more of a stuggle to get a toe down. I work on my balance when cycling and that helps a good deal. I don’t need a 265mm suspension. The steep or broken tracks have never been a draw to me, but I’d ridden them. I’m more of an easy graded gravel two lane pavement guy. For that a standard suspension is fine. I’m not going to be jumping anything, so no need. That thought is what got me thinking more about going back to a 17/19 wheel set up like I had on the BMW Adventure, but without the additional suspension travel of the big, now even bigger and more extreme adventure bikes.
As it happened I was having coffee with an old friend and since the tiny little shop were at did not have restrooms, I decided to stop by the local Ducati dealer to use their facilities and have a look around. We met up there.
I was immediately drawn to the super bikes and race replicas. Well, they are sexy. Then I remembered how my body doesn’t fold all that comfortably into that riding position these days. I had passed a Desert X on the way into the parking lot and that bike pulled up and parked. It looked every bit as tall as my 990R. And it looked really nice. I was standing inside next to a Multistrada V4 S with a low saddle in the low position as I was informed by the sales and finance manager. After being invited to try the seating I did and was surprised at how low I was to the ground. Of course the lower seat in a lowered position also shortened the peg to seat space to an uncomfortable bend. Outside I tried the standard seat in the big position on demo model of the same bike. Very good fit for me. We talked through the features. I liked the sound and feel of the motor at rest. I didn’t bring my gear so no test ride. (A good strategy for defense against those $30,000 impulse buys). Ha!
This visit of course fueled more discussion over lunch then a week’s worth of research across the web. More online discussion and my field had opened a bit more. I mean if I’m going to shop, I may as well shop it all.
The Choices
- First up is the easiest, least interesting and lowest cost; Sell the bike, the maintenance equipment, sell or donate gear and be done.
- Next up is keep the 990R and ride it until it is dead and scrap it. Not overly exciting but requires less effort than any new or new to me purchase and relatively low cost.
- Sell the 990R and buy something else. This is where things get more interesting. But, of course what to buy? The contenders or choices in either new or nearly new. 2022 – 2024, (maybe 2025 since I’m one to take my time with such decisions). Everything I’m looking at has luggage, heated grips and cruise control of some sort.
- Ducati Multistrada V4. There are three choices of trim/model I’d be interested in.
- S
- Rally, or Rally lowered
- Grand Tour
- I like the motor in the Rally over the other two based on video reviews of the greater economy. But, I’m not excited about the extra suspension travel or the color choice of the Rally. I prefer the red in the S. Cast wheels are fine and easier to clean. I prefer the aluminum top opening bags of the Rally of the side open plastic bags of the others. The tech and comfort is interesting. They are all around $30,000
- BMW GS
- Maybe a lowered 1250, or 1300, but I’ll need to go by a dealer to know more specifics about choices. It has been a long time since I’ve sat on a BMW. Around $24,000
- Honda Africa Twin Adventure Sports ES
- I know very little other than Honda and a friend that is happy enough with his after some suspension work. This model might be right. Around $20,000
- KTM 1290/1390 Super Adventure S
- Yes, the S, for cast wheels and more street oriented wheel sizes. No idea about cost of this thing. But, I’m guessing close to the BMW but not as much as the Ducati
- Yamaha Tracer 9 GT
- A good bit different from the rest, but close to what I’m looking for. I don’t like the plastic bag option, but I spent a lot of my life riding with side opening plastic BMW bags so it can be done. No idea of the cost, but suspect it is around the Honda, or a touch more.
- Ducati Multistrada V4. There are three choices of trim/model I’d be interested in.
That’s where I am so far. My heart says the Ducati, but engine heat and dismal economy reports are working hard to push me away. A premium price tag and I suspect matching insurance costs are not doing the Ducati any favors. In the coming months I’ll investigate all these aspects for these and maybe a few other options.
Along The Way 