Checking out the competition

[R100Pilot]

Went by the shop to pick up Spongebob (what a difference a fork rebuild makes!) and got to scope out a bunch of cool new bikes they have in.

Out front were a pair of used Tuono Rs - an 05 and an 07. I like the looks of the 05 better, but the 07's the hotter bike and this one's barely used at $11K, not a bad deal. Ain't for me, though - with the balls of my feet on the pegs, my heel rests on the exhaust cans on both sides. You'd think they'da moved things around a bit. Plus, the bikes feel really huge compared to the S3. I think I'm over my Tuono jones.

Also out front, a 620 Monster Dark. The Redhead took a seat on it and pronounced it good. This was quite a surprise, as she's never expressed an interest in anything other than cruisers. She even likes the flat black. Would make a good birthday present (she says that since I have three bikes and she only has one, if we buy another it's gonna be for her).

Inside, the main attractions are a 1098 (purchased by one of our boys in Iraq, waiting for him to finish his tour) and FINALLY a Super Duke.

Y'know, for all the hype, the 1098 just don't look like All That. I didn't get a chance to sit, much less ride, as this is someone else's bike and in the shop as "display only." But the finish on the swingarm is ugly, and, well, it just sorta looks like a slightly stretched out Daytona. The head-on view is especially Daytona-ish. I still prefer the 999. Both, however, look uncomfortable.

The Super Duke is the orange version and it also suffers a case of the Uglies. But sitting on the thing, it actually feels a bit roomier than speedy, as well as slimmer. And LIGHT. This could be tempting.

I talked to the shop owner (an ex WERA racer). He says they really thrashed 'em at the dealer introduction and he likes it a lot, but he still prefers the S3.

It was nearly closing time, but he told me to come by some time during the week and take the Super Duke out for a test ride.