Triumphrat

markbvt

At lunch today I'm picking up the loan check for bike #3, a 2008 Suzuki V-Strom 650. This bike will be my commuter and long-distance tourer, while my Bonneville will of course retain its role as personal favorite and twisty-road-fun-bike (and now, good-weather-only bike, because I intend to keep it for the rest of my life).

With the price of gas continually heading up, the V-Strom will be my primary transportation for 9 months out of the year -- it gets twice the gas mileage of my car (almost 60mpg) and has sufficient weather protection that I plan to ride it in all but pouring rain, snow, and really cold temps.

Which means that I'm not going to be talking about winterizing my bike so much as summerizing my car! I'll definitely need to put Stabil in the tank over the summer, especially with the ethanol-laced gas they're pumping these days.

(Ironically, I write this on one of the coldest days of the winter; it was -8F out when I left for work this morning. God, I can't wait for spring.)

--mark

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'11 Triumph Tiger 800 XC / '03 Honda XR650L / '01 Triumph Bonneville cafe

My ride reports: Missile silos, Labrador, twisties, and more

Bennington Triumph Bash, June 1-3, 2012

MVP44

Congrats markbvt the V-strom is a good all arounder - Get ya some Gerbing gear and you can ride all year with snow exceptions.

Catenaccio

The V is a nice bike, highly rated. As far as the daily transportation issue, I hear you and apparently, so does my wife. She bought a Piaggio MP3 that we'll pick up tonight. She's afraid she won't have the freedom to go where she wants - gas prices rising as they are - and wants a highway capable scoot. She drives a pickup most of the time, but has decided the Piaggio will become her primary short distance transportation. We'll see if it's as good a long distance vehicle as she hopes.