Sorry things have been rather quiet on this blog lately. I recently purchased a Scion iQ - trading in my smart ForTwo - and have been focused on getting that set up as I'd like it. It's also motorcycle season again and I've been adding gear to my Suzuki V-Strom 650 to get it ready for my summer vacation; a two week long ride to the west coast and back again.
My e-bike project has been shelved for the moment. Just not enough hours in the day. -.-
I'll be making further posts soon about the car PC that I was working on soon, as I'm getting ready to install it into my iQ. Just a few more technical details to sort out first...
Showing posts with label suzuki. Show all posts
Showing posts with label suzuki. Show all posts
2013-04-13
2012-08-22
end of my relationship with a machine
Not much to look at, but parked out on the street there - almost completely hidden behind the lamp post and my coworker's big Harley - is my wee Honda CBR125R, who I call "Arthur".
I bought him third hand, about two and a half years ago, and since then he's been my work-horse of a bike. Getting me to-and-fro on my daily commute, weather permitting. Much like this photo he's done the work in an unobtrusive manner, no drama, no show boating, just head down and getting it done to the best of his abilities. Which were uncomfortably pushed to their limits once I began riding on the highway rather than sticking to side streets. His tiny 125cc four stroke can just barely keep up with traffic if I thrash it for every cubic millimeter of power that it can produce.
So it's time for Arthur to be replaced.
Yesterday I took this photo of him from the lunchroom window of the office I work at, to remember the last day I rode him. I had to drive in my smart car today as the motorcycle insurance swaps over to the new bike, which I'll be picking that up this evening; a shiny new Suzuki V-Strom DL650A ABS.
Arthur will soon be sold to his fourth owner. Thank you, faithful steed. :)
2012-07-29
motorcycle shopping
After looking through the bike ranges of every company that sells motorcycles in Canada, there are three bikes on my short-list: Honda NC700, Suzuki V-Strom 650 and Triumph Tiger 800.
Yesterday I drove four hours to North Bay Cycle & Sports to take part in an official "Ride With Us" event put on by Honda. I spent 45 minutes riding the NC700X in a group of about a dozen other test riders, all on different bikes, including my friend & room mate who rode an Aero Shadow. Then another four hours drive back home.
It was worth it! Bombing around the hills and lakes around North Bay on a beautiful, strong bike with a great riding position. So very, very much more comfortable and fun than my CBR125. To get up to 115kph on my current bike I have to crouch very low, my chin up between the handle bars, and thrash the engine in sixth gear. On the NC700X I was sitting up comfortably, in fourth gear, and it was purring along.. and it's a six speed, so there's plenty more power and gearing for high efficiency cruising.
Only thing I would change is giving it a taller wind screen, which is one of the available options. I also had a look at and sit on the "S" model, which has a lower seat and is more sporty in how it's set up, so I prefer the "X".
With the taller windscreen, shipping, tax, etc. it would cost me $11,039 If I financed for 60 months through Honda it'd be another $2,707. Might get a bit for my CBR125 as a trade-in, or if I sell it privately, but I only paid $2,300 for it two years ago so I'm not expecting much.
I would still like to ride the V-Strom - it has a bit less grunt than the Honda and costs a teeny bit more. I went to the Niagara Falls Motorcycle Show last weekend, but even though it was only noon on Sunday, the Suzuki crew were packing up the bikes to leave. So I didn't get a test ride. The rest of the show was nothing of interest to me; it was a waste of a 3 hour drive, $40 admission for me and my husband and another 3 hours back. Not a great potential customer experience. Looking at their events page on the Suzuki website, looks like the only remaining test ride this year is not until the end of August and I'd have to pay for admission to the Canadian Superbike Championship event to get my hands on a V-Strom. Nope.
I'm all but decided against the Tiger as it costs significantly more and - from the reviews I've read - has more grunt than I need and is less fuel efficient. Two weeks ago I filled out the forms on the Triumph Canada website to "Request a Test Ride" and I have not heard anything back. I doubt I'll be getting onto a Tiger any day soon...
Yesterday I drove four hours to North Bay Cycle & Sports to take part in an official "Ride With Us" event put on by Honda. I spent 45 minutes riding the NC700X in a group of about a dozen other test riders, all on different bikes, including my friend & room mate who rode an Aero Shadow. Then another four hours drive back home.
It was worth it! Bombing around the hills and lakes around North Bay on a beautiful, strong bike with a great riding position. So very, very much more comfortable and fun than my CBR125. To get up to 115kph on my current bike I have to crouch very low, my chin up between the handle bars, and thrash the engine in sixth gear. On the NC700X I was sitting up comfortably, in fourth gear, and it was purring along.. and it's a six speed, so there's plenty more power and gearing for high efficiency cruising.
Only thing I would change is giving it a taller wind screen, which is one of the available options. I also had a look at and sit on the "S" model, which has a lower seat and is more sporty in how it's set up, so I prefer the "X".
With the taller windscreen, shipping, tax, etc. it would cost me $11,039 If I financed for 60 months through Honda it'd be another $2,707. Might get a bit for my CBR125 as a trade-in, or if I sell it privately, but I only paid $2,300 for it two years ago so I'm not expecting much.
I would still like to ride the V-Strom - it has a bit less grunt than the Honda and costs a teeny bit more. I went to the Niagara Falls Motorcycle Show last weekend, but even though it was only noon on Sunday, the Suzuki crew were packing up the bikes to leave. So I didn't get a test ride. The rest of the show was nothing of interest to me; it was a waste of a 3 hour drive, $40 admission for me and my husband and another 3 hours back. Not a great potential customer experience. Looking at their events page on the Suzuki website, looks like the only remaining test ride this year is not until the end of August and I'd have to pay for admission to the Canadian Superbike Championship event to get my hands on a V-Strom. Nope.
I'm all but decided against the Tiger as it costs significantly more and - from the reviews I've read - has more grunt than I need and is less fuel efficient. Two weeks ago I filled out the forms on the Triumph Canada website to "Request a Test Ride" and I have not heard anything back. I doubt I'll be getting onto a Tiger any day soon...
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