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Only read this if you’re bored or have a lot of time to waste…
Off work for a while now so my mind is freed up to run amok. Please forgive this somewhat long and involved rambling!
I have a test ride planned for early January here in the UK - or at least that's when my dealer is hoping to get one in. He's opted to get a DCT demo bike. There is another dealer a bit further away that is getting a manual demo in around the same time. So I may be able to try both bikes. But until I've ridden it myself it's too soon for me to know what it is really like from a few journalist reviews and one member (thanks erey) - a point that lots of people have made already but just thought I'd mention it before the next bit which is a summary of my current thoughts! Please don’t shoot me down – they are very personal points.
One of my personal worries about the AT is that Honda may have opted to put slightly too much emphasis on off-road ability out of the crate. Or rather, their decision to replicate the original's off-road talent in the Dakar-type arena means that the new bike’s on-road capabilities are somewhat less than I was hoping for. I know they are touting it as a go anywhere bike and I’m sure it will be able to do that quite easily. I know the reviews and test rides seem to indicate it’s probably better off-road than a 1200 GS but ultimately it’s ended up being more or less the same weight so will face the same problems when confronted with more extreme conditions maybe?
I was basically hoping for a reliable and fuss-free GS-like competitor – a bike that would be great on the road but let me do a little bit more than a VFR1200X off-road. (In fact if Honda bought the rights off BMW for the 1200 GS, used the electronics and suspension with the new parallel twin engine and built it in Japan I would be ecstatic – dream on). I live in the ludicrously over-crowded and over-regulated South East of England where green-laning and riding off-road is considered heresy unless you’re doing it on your own Estate, I have to travel a reasonable distance on A-roads and motorway to get somewhere interesting for off-roading. And I want to go touring in Europe so a bit of long-road tedium is often inevitable. So the on-road bit is fairly important to me – especially as this will be the only bike I have.
But what Honda are offering (I think) is a bike that will be a lot of fun when I arrive at an off-road destination but will possibly be not so great at getting there – no cruise control, an hour of terror trying to change a tube at the side of the motorway/autobahn/dual carriage way/mountain pass, perhaps some suspension twiddling to be done to make the most of road and off-road and maybe not quite enough power to enjoy the Alps two-up with luggage.
I know for a lot of you that is exactly what you wanted. If you live in Alpine European areas, South Africa, Australia and, I guess, parts of the US and Canada, then this will fit the bill – you ride off into the wilderness safe in the knowledge that the bike is unlikely to go wrong and that you can cope with a bent rim/puncture easily and that no complex electronics (optional DCT, traction control and ABS aside) are going to shaft you (forgive the pun!)
But for me I’m not so sure at the moment. I’m feeling a little bit like maybe I'm waiting for the wrong bike! Maybe I’m in the minority – I think so judging by what a lot of you guys are saying...
And before anyone mentions the Yamaha Tenere, I am still looking at that one but for some reason the Honda is more attractive. Perhaps it’s new-bike syndrome.
Sorry, that’s a lot of words to say that I’m wondering whether the on-road abilities combined with the tech-free nature and tubed wheels will do it for me. It's actually helped me clarify a lot of my thoughts writing this so please forgive my indulgence. I'm looking forward to the test ride though!
I’ll get my coat…
Off work for a while now so my mind is freed up to run amok. Please forgive this somewhat long and involved rambling!
I have a test ride planned for early January here in the UK - or at least that's when my dealer is hoping to get one in. He's opted to get a DCT demo bike. There is another dealer a bit further away that is getting a manual demo in around the same time. So I may be able to try both bikes. But until I've ridden it myself it's too soon for me to know what it is really like from a few journalist reviews and one member (thanks erey) - a point that lots of people have made already but just thought I'd mention it before the next bit which is a summary of my current thoughts! Please don’t shoot me down – they are very personal points.
One of my personal worries about the AT is that Honda may have opted to put slightly too much emphasis on off-road ability out of the crate. Or rather, their decision to replicate the original's off-road talent in the Dakar-type arena means that the new bike’s on-road capabilities are somewhat less than I was hoping for. I know they are touting it as a go anywhere bike and I’m sure it will be able to do that quite easily. I know the reviews and test rides seem to indicate it’s probably better off-road than a 1200 GS but ultimately it’s ended up being more or less the same weight so will face the same problems when confronted with more extreme conditions maybe?
I was basically hoping for a reliable and fuss-free GS-like competitor – a bike that would be great on the road but let me do a little bit more than a VFR1200X off-road. (In fact if Honda bought the rights off BMW for the 1200 GS, used the electronics and suspension with the new parallel twin engine and built it in Japan I would be ecstatic – dream on). I live in the ludicrously over-crowded and over-regulated South East of England where green-laning and riding off-road is considered heresy unless you’re doing it on your own Estate, I have to travel a reasonable distance on A-roads and motorway to get somewhere interesting for off-roading. And I want to go touring in Europe so a bit of long-road tedium is often inevitable. So the on-road bit is fairly important to me – especially as this will be the only bike I have.
But what Honda are offering (I think) is a bike that will be a lot of fun when I arrive at an off-road destination but will possibly be not so great at getting there – no cruise control, an hour of terror trying to change a tube at the side of the motorway/autobahn/dual carriage way/mountain pass, perhaps some suspension twiddling to be done to make the most of road and off-road and maybe not quite enough power to enjoy the Alps two-up with luggage.
I know for a lot of you that is exactly what you wanted. If you live in Alpine European areas, South Africa, Australia and, I guess, parts of the US and Canada, then this will fit the bill – you ride off into the wilderness safe in the knowledge that the bike is unlikely to go wrong and that you can cope with a bent rim/puncture easily and that no complex electronics (optional DCT, traction control and ABS aside) are going to shaft you (forgive the pun!)
But for me I’m not so sure at the moment. I’m feeling a little bit like maybe I'm waiting for the wrong bike! Maybe I’m in the minority – I think so judging by what a lot of you guys are saying...
And before anyone mentions the Yamaha Tenere, I am still looking at that one but for some reason the Honda is more attractive. Perhaps it’s new-bike syndrome.
Sorry, that’s a lot of words to say that I’m wondering whether the on-road abilities combined with the tech-free nature and tubed wheels will do it for me. It's actually helped me clarify a lot of my thoughts writing this so please forgive my indulgence. I'm looking forward to the test ride though!
I’ll get my coat…