How Long?

An Account of Time


I bought Dilbert (the white Honda Deauville NT650V) at the close of April, and Phut-Phut (the Sanya 125-11b)around 25th May some 3-weeks later when I recognised getting the licence wasn't going to be quick a deal as I'd hoped.

The Phut-Phut went 24th July (job done with 800-miles) while riding Dilbert from passing my test on 24th June. At some point around the 14th July I was beginning to recognise that Dilbert and I weren't in the long-term relationship I was looking for.

I began looking at others and fantasisng my legs astride them. First came the Hyabusa (in white) and then the Pan European (in white). I met Mark and Mike at MGM in Farnborough; they introduced me to Shadowfax. By 24th July Dilbert was retired from general duties with only 3,000 miles and later became engaged to John from Brighton.

So, it's just over 6-months since buying Dilbert, 6-months since buying Phut-Phut who lasted only 4-weeks of commuting before I made my test and commenced riding Dilbert. Dilbert, although bought at the end of April, wasn't riden to 24th June and just 5 or 6 weeks later he was retired. Shadowfax and I have been together for 3-months; 5,600-miles today. For the fickle natured me, that's pretty good going.

I've ridden 7,700 miles (estimated with CBT and DAS). I still feel inexperineced and I still have days where corners just don't link, but sometimes things just hook-up and my trusty steed and I fly.

The original brief was to drop the car and half the expense of my 50-mile a day commute. Insurance losses, depreciations (shocking over such short periods of ownership) and servicing combined with new shoes and pads for Shadowfax have cost over double my alloted budget: Shadowfax doubled that again. I have a powerful but comfortable (forgiving the need for bar risers and squirmy seat) and quick bike that gives road-presence and visibility; I like my ST1300. Shadowfax is the one for me (until someone gives me an '08 in red, that is).

However, every day I ride through Farringdon I pass the BMW Bahnstormer shop. Once I saw, from the corner of my eye as we trundled past proudly, a vision; a dream. Shadowfax was jealous and I had to work hard to reassure him I had no ungentlemanly intentions, but I saw a girlie bike wink at me from on the forecourt.

BMW K12 in White (with lilac)

Now I don't know if this is a K12 I saw, but the nearest match is the photo below. It has the powerful look and presence of Shadowfax but with the curvaceous finesse of Dilbert. She has quite femine lines. I don't like the overall style of BMWs and regularly take the piss out of the horizontal engine format because, well, that's what we did as kids at school. I don't like the expense of the servicing of BMWs. I don't like the middle-aged successful businessman's toy image, either. I just liked the look of her. There's nothing to get worked up about, I assure you.

There's an '04 K1200GT going for £6995 with 9,000 miles if anyone is interested. Now if you take account of that you have a larger account than I.

K1200GT at Bahnstormer, Farringdon

Apparantly, the new 1200 has an additional 8hp at 175hp. Interetsing.

However, for real biker porn look no further than the ST1300. (Was that convincing?)

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