September 1995 What Bike? CLOSET HOOLIGAN Suzuki's VX800 is a big twin with shaft drive, clean styling, excellent build quality and genuine, real-world competence. So why does everyone think it's so boring? Maybe it's time for a re-think, argues Kevin Raymond. For a bike that's been around for so long (since '88, if my increasingly defective memory serves me well) the VX hasn't exactly generated a huge amount of column inches in the specialist press. It hasn't even been slagged off, as such. If it got a test it was always given to the office junior, or written off as being too dull and safe to bother about. More often, though, it's just been quietly ignored. Well, I want to change all that. I want to make up for all those years of indifference by telling you now, straight, that the VX is only as boring as the person riding it. Which tells you more about us motorcycle hacks than we'd probably like you to know. Maybe the VX has a sort of negative force-field around it or, something. A couple of times people made comments I couldn’t square with what I saw as perfectly obvious reality. John Westlake, Editor of Ride (see News pages), said, "What, you like it? I thought you hated all that custom stuff." And so I do, but not by any stretch of the imagination could you call the VX a custom. Closer questioning revealed he'd clocked the big, shiny engine and slightly kicked-out front end, and simply not looked any further - that was enough to get it filed in the pigeon-hole marked 'Custom Crap'. The other comment that came up from time to time was, "God, it's ugly." Is it? I keep looking at the pictures, and I think it looks lovely. Maybe I'm getting old or something, but the combination of lots of anodised alloy, just the right amount of chrome, and that deep cherry-red metallic paint is, as they say, a winner. >From the rider's seat, too, it looks good. Those white-faced clocks are beautiful, especially lit up after dark (the headlight's good, too). They won't be showing any big numbers, either on the speedo (120mph is your lot), or the tacho (even the lowly eight-five redline is somewhere you don't need to visit too often), but if there was a clock there too, it would show you don't need huge speed or revs to equal short journey times. What you need is smooth, consistent progress, and that's something the VX is good at. There are two reasons for this. Firstly, any twin is a good bet for the kind of backroad where you're continually rolling off the power and rolling it back on. Secondly, if the engine encourages that kind of style, the chassis demands it. Try and throw it around like a race replica and it'll fight back. The first time you try to brake hard, turn in and power out even harder, you won't get spat off, but you won't enjoy it either - the VX just ain't made that way. Instead, choose a line, knock off a little speed on the way in, then maintain that speed all the way to the apex before quickly but gently getting back to full throttle. Anyone who's ever been chased by a copper on an ill-handling BMW will know that's the way to ride fast on the road... The VX is one of those bikes that makes a lot of its tyres. It comes fitted with perfectly respectable Metzelers - state of the art ten years ago and still going strong. Again, they're not made for the kind of instant vertical- to-banked-over transition that modern sportsbikes have inherited from the race track, but they suit the VX's old-fashioned handling to a T. One thing that would be nice would be some more brakes. Ride the VX the way it likes, and the front brake's OK, but it's a bit suspect when it come to emergency stops. There's enough there, I suppose, but it's always nice to have even more... The engine's similar. It's perfectly good as it is, but a better pipe, a Dynojet kit and a bit of headwork could turn it into something special. Except, of course, that as far as I'm aware, nobody makes aftermarket bits for VXs because, as everyone knows, VXs are boring. Well, if boring means effortless pull out of corners in the real world, minimum time in the workshop, and maximum time pulling wheelies anywhere else, then boring's for me, thanks very much. Yes, wheelies. I wouldn't even have thought of trying, except the slightly grabby clutch took me by surprise a couple of times at junctions and away went the front wheel on its own. And that, M'Lud, is my defence...oops, sorry, wrong write-up. Anyway, after that, one wheel was frequently enough. That's one of the advantages of a softly-tuned engine - it's not going to take you by surprise, and it tends to do just what it's asked, and no more. Of course, a lot of unlikely bikes can pull wheelies, or be forced to go round corners without misbehaving too badly. The difference with the VX is, it doesn't feel like you're asking it to do anything it doesn't want to. One baking hot Sunday a friend on a tuned Gilera single chased me the 100 miles back from a club race where we'd both been competing. The two bikes were even on top speed, but he had a job keeping up with the VX on the last, twisty, fifty miles or so. When we finally got home, he said, "Well, at least I've got the consolation that it must have been hard work to make that thing go so quick." But it wasn't. After a full day's racing and a long ride home he was absolutely shagged out. For me, courtesy of the VX's no-nonsense manners and comfy seat, the ride home was a chance to unwind and cool down, and I arrived home in a better mood than when I set out. You can't complain at that. What you can complain about is the strangely-raked-out front suspension. I suspect it was intended to make it more stable, but it actually does the reverse. At medium speeds, it's OK, but at close to top speed a slight weave sets in. It's not the usual twin-shock weave, coming from the rear, but just the front tyre contact patch wandering about. It doesn't get serious, but it does give an unpleasantly vague feeling at the bars. The same happens at crawling-through-town speeds. The other main irritation is a too-small fuel tank. Ride the VX with any kind of enthusiasm and you'll be reaching for the big, thick-glove-friendly fuel tap less than 100 miles from your last fill up. Economy isn't as good as it could be either - a worst of 37mpg and a one-off, driving carefully best of 49mpg. But none of these gripes really affected the final verdict. In two weeks and fifteen hundred miles I had a lot of fun on the VX, a few frustrations and a couple of very hairy moments. In between all that I had a lot of very ordinary, average, even (dare I say it?) boring miles simply going about my business. But it was the miles that were boring, not the bike. They'd have been dull on an Exup (and less comfortable). That's the thing about the VX. It's more or less whatever you want it to be. If you want it to be a boring old slug - old farts' transport with no soul - it'll oblige. Take a more open-minded view, though, and the VX is as much fun as many faster bikes. If it had about twenty per cent more of everything except wheelbase and weight, it could be perfect all-round transport. But I could live with it just as it is. If only it was cheaper. Kevin Raymond --------------------------------- Motorcycle Sport, November 1994 GOOD VIBES What's a VX800 then? Well, it's a sort of modern retro bike, classic styled, with a hi-tech approach - the sort of thing we should have been riding in the bad old days. Is there such a bike? There is, and it's been around for over four years. To my eye, Suzuki's promotion of the machine has been more low profile than Salman Rushtie. When I arrived to collect it the nice man at Suzuki told me it was 'my kind of bike'. Hmmm... I wasn't convinced. After all, I own a bike with a fairing and I seem to have ridden nothing but bikes with fairings for the last decade-and- a-half. Being practically ripped out of the seat by a gale force airflow over a set of wide bars, at speed, wasn't exactly my idea of motorcycling Nirvana. Still, I'd give it a try. Parked outside the company's HQ at Crawley, in blistering August sunshine, the VX800 looked as if it was 'the right bike at the right time'. In this heat, I was going to enjoy riding the 'little' beast on the open road. My eyes glazed over as memories flooded back. Shades of the summers of my youth, a time when freedom meant a pocketful of spare plugs, a 5oz can of Bardahl, warm breezes through the hair, and flies on gritted teeth. My god, was I really that old? The bike has nicely understated (a euphemism for 'conventional') styling. With an unusually shaped petrol tank merging smoothly with tapered side panels, I realised I was looking at (roll of drums) Son of Katana. But it doesn't take long for the eye to return and stay mesmerised by the lovely big, 800cc short stroke, 45 degrees, V-twin engine. Despite water cooling, Suzuki have left the fins on the cylinders and the big mill really looks the business. That will do nicely... I was ready to rock 'n' roll! Going the direct route home, through London from Crawley, is about 30 miles and traffic is always horrendous. On the other hand, the M25 and M3 route is more than double that distance, but in this weather on that bike, it was no contest. The 'magic roundabout' won hands down. For 65 miles I was as cool as a salad cucumber, but I didn't learn much about the bike. Sure, the engine was everything I had expected, and more. I can't remember the last time I rode with a motor underneath me that didn't vibrate at any revs. And you could pick your cruising speed. If I had been in a hurry, the bike would have comfortably lolloped along at just under the 'ton'. At the legal limit, the engine pulls at 5,000rpm in top gear and red-lines at 8,500rpm. Just the way I like 'em. As part of my normal working routine, I ventured into London's West End a couple of times during the next few days, and found I could zip the VX in and out of traffic like a DR born. The shaft drive is almost unnoticeable and causes little reaction in the suspension when accelerating from standstill. The bike has a 10 feet turning circle and this gives it a good lock when manoeuvring through dual carriageway, traffic snarl-ups. Despite its 470lb dry weight, it was easy to handle, had a delightful five-speed box and (of course) a super, tractable engine, and we rarely got stuck behind anything. I even caught DRs sneaking surreptitious glances at it, at the traffic lights. Invariably, they were wary of the bike and proved it by not blasting away when the lights changed. Now, that is respect. So far, so good, but the only way to really get to know a bike is to ride it over every known type of road. A trip to destinations north was called for, somewhere in Wales perhaps - say Anglesey. Good idea; I'd stay with friends at Bolton and Abergele on Friday and Saturday, and then return on Sunday. That should do the trick. Friday midday, and I'm on the road again. The VX doesn't have luggage carrying facilities except for bungee anchor points. I suppose people like Givi Nonfango and Krauser make panniers and fittings for it, but with the 'box standard' bike you're on your own. In consequence, my old reliable Nonfango hard case is on the 19 litres tank and contains a small camera bag. A brand new Baglux Adventure tail bag sits on the pillion seat and holds everything I need for two nights and a hectic social life! The weather is good, but a little cold, and I'm ready to blast the cobwebs away. The M40 speeds me to Oxford and onto the A40. Traffic is worse that I expect and the VX is confined to traffic hopping. Almost every successive mile enhances my liking for that superb V-twin engine. Power delivery characteristics are amazingly similar to the K100RS (eight-valve) motor. If I want power, I've got it. Anywhere, anytime, in any gear, it's right there under my right hand. There's even a marked degree of engine braking which ensures a relaxed ride and enables me to slot in and out of lines of vehicles without as much as a glimmer of brake light. Eventually, I reach the A417 and head towards Gloucester and Ledbury. This is one of two roads I always look forward to riding. The other - the A49 - will come later and is a blue riband for hard chargers. Traffic doesn't improve and is almost as bad as a bank holiday,but just occasionally I manage to get a run at some of those great bends. When I slightly misjudge the entry speed of a corner and need to scrub off speed, the huge, single disc at the front does its job well. Handling is good, but road holding is a little er... odd. I think this peculiarity is caused by two things. In the first instance, there is no adjustment possible on the front forks, which are definitely set too hard. Isolated bumps cause the front to skip, or lighten, and although it doesn't present a problem it sure as hell rattles your teeth. At the other end, the rear unit which has five preload and four damper adjustments is difficult to assess because of the seat! As strange as that may sound, it's true. The seat is too soft and spongy, so that when the rear wheel hits a bump the impression is that suspension damping is set too soft. Actually, it's the seat that keeps bouncing and not the suspension. It took me two attempts at adjustment before I realised what was happening. Perversely, this doesn't make the seat one of the most comfortable I've ever sat on. It's OK, nothing more, just OK. Unfortunately, it does tend to 'blur' feedback from the rear end. Slow-speed handling was quick, but not quite neutral. A tiny degree of oversteer was noticed on roundabouts and when turning tightly between stationary vehicles. During high-speed cornering the bike understeered a little when the engine wasn't driving the rear wheel hard enough. This wasn't a factor if gear changing was performed so that the VX could be powered through bends at (at least) 4,500rpm. Admittedly this isn't 'normal' riding and anything of a lesser pace proved that it didn't really matter what gear you were in! With oceans of instantly available grunt under the right hand, rapid exits from bends were the big factor that enabled a continuously high average touring speed. When it came to high-speed, straight line steering, the VX (like most modern bikes) was predictable and sure footed. These days, though, that's a characteristic more affected by tyres than any other factor. When you write something like the above, it seems as if the criticism is of a major fault, but it isn't meant to imply that. I don't think a tiny road holding oddity will bother most riders, even if they do notice it. The tyres incidentally, were the well-proven Metzeler Laser (front) and Metronic (rear) which I find a little over-sensitive at slow speed and prone to white lining. Despite their good grip, excellent feedback and predictability in the wet, I would be inclined to try Bridgestone or Dunlop radials in an attempt to improve the VX800's road holding - if it bugged me in the long term. The A49 proved as enjoyable as always. Providing you are on full alert through the rural farming areas of Herefordshire and Shropshire, there are all types of bends and curves to please all types of rider. I rode hard for over 90 miles and although the VX's tubular frame flexed a little here and there, the bike responded magnificently. Any shortcomings when being ridden like this were more down to me than the bike. Ride it properly and it rewards you with supreme enjoyment and a sense of elan that only a good motorcycle can provide. Terrific low-down torque More and more, I was equating the VX with my own KRS. It has the same (apparent) 45 degrees power 'curve' with a lovely soft delivery through bends, and terrific low-down torque out of them. Keep it in the right gear, when hard charging, turn the power on and the bike will handle anything you can dish out. It would give most middle-weight road rockets a run for their money and it would do it safely and with less effort. The wide bars are not restrictive, and when charging hard, almost encourage you to make like Graeme Crosby and hang off the bike! There's no way I do that on a public road ... Saturday morning and the destination was Anglesey. I took the necessary M62/M56 route out of Bolton, switched to the A55 at Helsby and struggled along behind a parade of Middle Lane Owner's Club drivers, as far as St Asaph. Merciful relief when I switched to the (pre-planned) B5381 for a slow 16 miles to Llandudno Junction. A disappointing road, but at least it was empty, though I learned little about the VX that I didn't already know. I crossed the Britannia Bridge from the mainland, simply to look over towards the famous Menai Suspension Bridge, and I wasn't disappointed. It really is a beautiful, aesthetic structure. Almost a quarter mile long and 100 feet high, the bridge was designed in 1881 by Thomas Telford. In those days supporting chains were treated against rust by using linseed oil - not wine, as the White Knight claimed in Lewis Carroll's Through The Looking Glass. However, at the onset of World War II the bridge was strengthened and the wrought iron chains replaced by steel versions. One hundred feet below the bridge, tidal currents of the infamous Menai Strait are among the fiercest in Britain. In the 1870s over 700 vessels were registered to Menai ports, which was one of the most important shipping centres in Britain. Of course, things have changed a bit since then, although larger vessels can still be seen in the Strait. Right next to the bridge, and just over the A5's more modem Britannia Bridge, is the village with the longest name in Britain. What's in a name? Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch (the locals abbreviate it somewhat) was a hoax name coined in the 19th century. Translated from the Welsh, it means St Mary's Church in the hollow of white hazel near a rapid whirlpool and the Church of St Tysilio near the red cave. It may have been intended as a joke, but it drags in the tourists and the town council laugh all the way to the bank! I stopped at the splendid Visitor's Centre, which is a multifaceted complex based around a railway theme, and with all information departments clearly signed with boards resembling early, post-war platform signs. In addition there is a book shop, cafeteria, toilets and a huge woollens department selling quality goods such as Pringle knitwear. This isn't surprising, because I was told the place was owned by that esteemed company until a few years ago, when it was bought (ironically) by Edinburgh Woollen Mills! It was here that I bumped into Ann, from Sutton, on a 250cc Honda, who was heading for Trefor for a week's holiday. A motorcyclist of only two years' experience, Ann already has a trip to the Pyrenees behind her and claims that the bike is the only true love of her life. London to Trefor on a 250 - no problem! Humbling, isn't it? I head for Beaumaris and Pentraeth to pick up the A5025, which will take me (more-or-less) around the coastline of the island. The road varies from slow to fast, with everything in between and the surface is just as variable. Good for riding, the A5025 has little else to commend it. The scenery is non- existent and Anglesey is pretty flat anyway. I depart twice from the road to explore two of the island's most picturesque beaches, Red Wharf Bay and Moelfre Bay. Both are impressive, but in poor light and from the roads on which I approached I find little to photograph. I save my film for the conclusion of the ride, Holyhead and the Holy Island. The famous little island is the terminus of both the A5 trunk road which was toll operated at the time it was completed in Holyhead, and the North Wales railway line from London's Euston station. The bustling nature of the little `capital' town can be largely attributed to its role as a ferry port. Packet boats have set sail for Dublin from as early as the 16th century and still do, though these days they are Super RoRos and Sea-Cat catamarans. Without doubt, Holy Island, in common with all the towns along the Menai Strait, is in the most interesting and picturesque part of Anglesey and this area is well worth a visit. I rode right through the town, past the ferry port and harbour, and out towards Holyhead Mountain. The next hour was spent exploring a couple of short, unclassified roads before pausing in the shadow of the 700 feet mountain in what used to be a huge limestone quarry, but is now a country park managed by the Anglesey Coastal Heritage. The peace and quiet was sublime. I took the opportunity to relax for a while, watch the ferries come and go and observe a motley selection of sea birds wheeling and diving. And I took a few photographs! Returning to London after the overnight stay at Abergele was a monumental drag, and my attempt to make it more interesting by planning a route through the farming area of north Wales was not very successful. Usually, I'm good at interpreting maps and actually enjoy riding through winding back lanes, but the B5429, A494 and B5104 have very little merit! In general they are too narrow with high hedges, and demand at great deal of respect if safe riding is paramount, which it should be on roads like this! At one stage I was stuck behind a milk tanker for nearly four miles before finally passing it, only to find the driver's mate about five miles further up the road in an identical vehicle. Just not my day! After putting a total of nearly 800 miles on the VX800's odometer, I found fuel consumption practically identical to the bike I was continuously comparing it with - the eight-valve K100RS. Motorway riding at high cruising speeds returned about 40-42mpg. Over twisting Welsh roads, with the bike pushed hard, the extremes were 46 to 52mpg. And ridden sensibly, it would be easy to squeeze over 50 miles out of each gallon of the cheapest unleaded. And as for oil, well, I didn't even need to top it up. These days it is difficult to find an out-and-out bad bike. Most motorcycles are good if they fulfil the role a rider asks of them. You name it and the VX can do it. A great town bike, it is also comfortable on the open road where its only restriction is the lack of fairing, though even that is a subjective point. Feel the need to scratch it along country lanes and the big V twin takes the frantic 'four' feeling out of high-speed cornering. The VX800 will do most things and this promotes it to one of the cheapest all- rounders on the road today. However, the two factors which make the bike special are the gorgeous V-twin motor allied to the super civilised shaft drive. So good, I could eat them. Personally, I would like to see a version of the bike with a half, or full, fairing and designer luggage cases. The latter might not be a problem, because I'm certain Krauser or Nonfango could come up with something. The VX has the perfect configuration, and engine characteristics to make it the best middle- weight sports-tourer (or tourer) on the market. Mind you, it's not far short of being that already. If you are half way convinced, raid the petty cash, get down to your friendly Suzuki dealer quickly and steal one from him for an insignificant £4,999. VIC BARNES ------------------------------------ Motorcycle Rider - Jan/Feb '95 SUZUKI VX800 - THE NAKED TRUTH Trefor Jones cocks a leg over the chairman’s pride and joy. After years of thrashing up and down the country on a 650 Katana, Steve came to what at first sight may seem to be a curious decision. The VX 800 is a roadster with 803 cc, single overhead cam, 45 vee twin engine. Moreover it is naked; it has no fairing, not even the vestige of a flyscreen, but more of that later. The bike looks modern, and is extremely well finished with a no-nonsense brushed aluminium instrument panel and white faced speedo and tacho. It looked superb in its deep metallic red livery, fairly aggressive and very slim. It is liquid cooled but at a casual glance you would never suspect it. A tall, thin radiator hides behind the twin downpipes that hug the frame tubes. I am told this makes them a pain to keep clean. Suggestions of finning on the massive cylinder barrels are purely cosmetic. This brings us to the engine, which dominates both the looks and performance of the beast. As the manufacturers of God's own motorcycle will tell you, 45 vee twins blow every other configuration into the weeds when it comes to making a bike look how bikes ought to look. This is especially so if you then surround the cylinders with a waterjacket which makes them look even bigger. This is the sort of engine that generally ends up in a 'factory custom'(self contradictory phrase) Harley clone, and indeed Suzuki produce the VS 800 with this engine which is just that. It was perhaps quite brave of them to put it in frame with a passing resemblance to the latest naked Triumphs. It is a shame that having done so they haven't pushed the bike more vigorously because with one or two reservations I think this is a real winner. The first job was to take some pictures and this involved manoeuvring the bike on and off the centre stand. It is nice that it has one, unlike a number of recent models. Centre stands make life so much easier; manufacturers please note! The centre stand on this bike has the pivot well forward of the centre of gravity which makes for stability. This would mean that you would need to be a close relative of Hercules if it wasn't for the fact that Suzuki have cunningly added a long curved lever that you push against with your left foot. This technique caused me no trouble, but at 213 kg (468 lbs) the bike is no lightweight so people less strong may not find it so easy. The bike does also have a side stand and is provided with idiot-proofing in the form of a relay which cuts the engine if you try to put the bike into gear with the stand down. Much better than Kawasaki's gremlin infested system. Once on the centre stand the bike is certainly stable, but the side stand is another matter and I would recommend leaving the thing in gear to stop it rolling forward and falling over. Sitting astride the machine my first thought was "Can this really be an 800cc motorcycle?" It felt more like a 250 or a 400. It is very slim and the centre of gravity is so low that it feels light despite the enormous engine and the best part is that both my feet were flat on the floor. Since I am five foot seven with short legs that is a real bonus. The seat height is only 31 inches and the suspension gives an extra inch or two. Take note all those who, Like me, are ‘vertically challenged'. Manoeuvrability, when parking is therefore dead simple. The bike has an electric fuel pump and the fuel should be turned on only when the bike is about to be ridden. Luckily the fuel tap is enormous and just under the seat on the left hand side. Turning to reserve is easy which is just as well because the bike just cuts out with no warning at all. Starting the engine from cold on choke there were a number of undignified farts and pops but after about 30 seconds the choke, which is conveniently on the handlebars, can be released and the engine settles down into lovely deep but subdued uneven thump. So I pulled in the featherlight clutch, selected first gear with just the hint of a jolt and took off into the Northamptonshire countryside. The gearbox has a very short and positive action and is a joy to use. This is rather ironic really because once under way, most of the time you just don't need it. It means that the riding technique is largely a case of put it in top gear and leave it there. At least two of the five gears are completely unnecessary. The bike will pull away in second or even third. It is quite happy to burble along in top gear at thirty miles an hour with about 2,500rpm on the tacho. As soon as you can go you just open the throttle. The bike surges forward with a rush of power like someone just opened a floodgate. The soft burble then becomes a muted roar which is lost in the wind noise at about fifty. The best bit is that there is no discernible power band. From 2,500rpm through to the red line at 8,OOOrpm the engine pulls like a train all the way. Roll on acceleration from 30 to 110 wasn't measured but it was extremely rapid. It's not as if you get there quicker by using that wonderful gearbox either; believe me, I tried. It goes without saying that this machine encourages a riding style rather different from the average Japanese bike. Because it is pointless to change gear all the time you can concentrate on the best line through the bends, the other traffic, the scenery and anything else you feel like. The chassis geometry is a little curious; with a castor angle of 59 and a long 1,555 mm wheelbase I expected the bike to be very stable in a straight line but to sit up and understeer on corners. Not a bit of it. It may have something to do with the tyre configuration of 18" front and 17" rear. but at low speeds this bike is very lively and oversteers, and at respectable road speeds the handling is a joy; it goes where you point it and you can just think it round corners. Shutting the throttle in mid-bend doesn't phase it a bit. Shaft reaction? If you ride one of these shafties you will have to ask a BMW owner to explain the term to you. The OE Metzeler tyres felt sure footed at all angles of lean and I had no complaints. Steve says they react to cats eyes and don't feel so good in the wet, but these things are sometimes subjective and I had no opportunity to evaluate wet weather performance. In general then the handling of this bike is very good on the scale that puts the GSXR 750 at s*** hot. Initially I had my doubts about the single front disc brake even if it is a pretty massive affair. I needn't have worried; it is good enough to pull stoppies, but is progressive with plenty of feel. A nice touch is the reach adjustment on the lever; pity they didn't do the same on the clutch lever! The rear disc is adequate without being exceptional. Together they match well for safe and controlled braking, although the front can start to fade a little with repeated stops from high speed. Probably not something you would notice if you ride in the style the character of this bike encourages. After a few miles down some of my favourite local twisty bits I really started to enjoy myself. The front suspension is unadjustable but firm. The rear suspension is adjustable for pre-load and damping and is also on the firm side. This helps the bike to stick to the road like a Klingon but does give quite a supple ride, unlike the seat which is large enough for both rider and pillion but after a couple of hours is as comfortable as a plank. The bike is not prone to engine vibes at any speed and the big well positioned mirrors give an excellent clear view at all times. If the seat was my first major grumble the only other one was that at any speed over eighty the rather 'sit-up' riding position combined with the lack of any wind protection puts a severe strain on the chest and arms. I feel that the looks of the bike might be spoilt by a large screen or fairing but perhaps a small fly screen would deflect the worst of the blast over the riders head. The other cure of course is just to slow down! The bike is at its best rolling along in top gear on twisty up and down country roads. This both enjoyable and relaxing, and the bike covers the ground deceptively rapidly. I was surprised how quickly I returned from Milton Keynes to Northampton, considering that I was only concerned with enjoying the ride and not trying to arrive rapidly. This is definitely a bike that encourages you to just switch into cruising mode, forget any deadlines and just start to have fun. All too soon you find you've arrived. So apart from BMF directors who like to go scratching when not trying to cover hundreds of miles in a weekend complete with wife and camping gear, who would own a bike like this? Well any one who wants a bike that looks good, is going to be easy to maintain, is fun to ride and economical (about 50mpg). Anyone who is considering buying a BMW should definitely test ride one of these; it does everything the Beemer does only it does it better and it costs less (a lot less). So now we come to the $64,000 (or in this case, about £5,000) question. Assuming I had the cash (which I haven't) would I buy one? The answer is a definite maybe. I love the idea and I like the bike but I would really need to try some others in the same price range, especially the Ducati M600 mini version of the delicious looking Monster 900. This is another longitudinal vee twin for around the same price. Anyone out there want me to test one for them?