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Supreme Being
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 23rd August 2010 20:19
Posts: 1,002,
Visits: 1,795
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My name is Black Dog and I am a bikeoholic.
When the spring came, and I spent a pleasant afternoon removing all the winter corrosion-preventing greases and coatings from the Ducati (from which it emerged, I am pleased to say, looking pretty much brand-new), I made a mental note that next winter I would not be campaigning the Duke through the moisture, salt, mud and general grot that is my Welsh winter commute. It would be just too cruel to what is, essentially, a very nice fine weather bike. And the cleaning regime was pretty demanding.
So yesterday I drove the width of the UK and back to pick up a very sound but tatty XT600E. This will be ideal for winter duties. It starts on the button, is mechanically sound, and low mileage for its age (17K in 13 years, backed up by all the past MoT certificates), but scruffy enough for me not to worry about leaving it dirty or dropping it now and then.
The idea is that I will start to use it when the weather gets bad, around October time. The Duke will be cleaned, polished, waxed, oiled and greased, and then left in the garage on a trickle charge until the Spring. One problem - I went out for a blast on the XT this morning (just to check everything was OK, you understand) and it was a complete hoot. So much so, that I think I will commute on it for a week or two, just to get a picture of the condition of the running parts so that I can make sure it will be fit for the winter. Oh, and the odd green lane trip. And the days when you just don't want to go fast, but take your time and smell the breeze. And of course, it's easier to barge through traffic, so I will be doing the odd shopping trip on it, and - you get the picture.
This is my fourth XT, and I love 'em.
Nurse!
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2003 ST1300 Pan Euro
1995 Yam XT600E
http://goingfastgettingnowhere.blogspot.com/
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