Topic: Motorcycle Insurance

[Triple Bob]

It's weird. Europeans mock North Americans for driving automatics mostly, but tend to ride scooters. Because they mostly commute on two wheels and we do so on four?

mlin32, I see you more of an example of how 300cc class bikes can still make great weekend fun machines.

Me, I want a geared bike again so bad. I've had a lot of fun with my scooter but I prefer the purist form of riding.

I wouldn't say Europeans mostly commute on two wheels, I have no idea what the stats are but I wouldn't say scooters or motorbikes are a high percentage.  More and more Europeans ARE moving to automatics though, but the big difference is that the driving test is done on a manual, and a lot of the older cars are manual.  So you first car after you pass your test tends to be manual.  It's mainly the larger sedans that are all automatic.

[rrocket]

I wouldn't say Europeans mostly commute on two wheels, I have no idea what the stats

This might is helpful...seems to agree with with what you say re motorcycles in Europe

http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/04/16/car-bike-or-motorcycle-depends-on-where-you-live/

[Triple Bob]

I wouldn't say Europeans mostly commute on two wheels, I have no idea what the stats

This might is helpful...seems to agree with with what you say re motorcycles in Europe

http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/04/16/car-bike-or-motorcycle-depends-on-where-you-live/

So Italy is highest at 26%, where the weather is good, and with a sharp suit you can actually look good on a scooter.

[rrocket]

I wouldn't say Europeans mostly commute on two wheels, I have no idea what the stats

This might is helpful...seems to agree with with what you say re motorcycles in Europe

http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/04/16/car-bike-or-motorcycle-depends-on-where-you-live/

So Italy is highest at 26%, where the weather is good, and with a sharp suit you can actually look good on a scooter.

I'm not sure what the break down is though motorcycle vs scooter though.  I'll have to dig deeper!

For sure in the congested cities, I can imagine scooters are easier and more practical to own.

[mlin32]

In Germany, it is practically a ritual to ride a bicycle to work. Nearly every workplace has a shelter (or two, or three) for bike parkplaces. Motorcycles and scooters are also permitted, usually. This is even despite the fact that DE has some sh*tty weather.

[DriverJeff]

... And I'll be back to hard again when I get a 2016 Duke.

When will that be?

[dkaz]

So Italy is highest at 26%, where the weather is good, and with a sharp suit you can actually look good on a scooter.

Sharply dressed squids?

[Triple Bob]

So Italy is highest at 26%, where the weather is good, and with a sharp suit you can actually look good on a scooter.

Sharply dressed squids?

Yeah, but they only go 5-10mph in Rome traffic.

[rrocket]

... And I'll be back to hard again when I get a 2016 Duke.

When will that be?

Next year.  I see leftover 2015s for $8K or so.  So I'm hoping for a leftover 2016 next year for the same.  Although I have found 1 place that will sell a 2016 for $10K...mighty tempting!!

[DriverJeff]

... And I'll be back to hard again when I get a 2016 Duke.

When will that be?

Next year.  I see leftover 2015s for $8K or so.  So I'm hoping for a leftover 2016 next year for the same.  Although I have found 1 place that will sell a 2016 for $10K...mighty tempting!!

Are the '15s that heavily discounted because they're the old Dukes though? 

[dkaz]

Hot air sweet nothings blah blah blah.

Even without the changes, all manufacturers clear out old stock.

[DriverJeff]

2015 690s are single cylinders, for 2016 they're twins.

Even without the changes, all manufacturers clear out old stock.

Ummm... where'd ya hear that? 

There is talk that KTM is working on an "800" parallel twin, but the Duke's 690 is still a single thumper. 

[dkaz]

Whoops. I thought it was changed over for 2016.

[dirtyjeffer]

Whoops. I thought it was changed over for 2016.

the 2016 is still a single, but it has been completely revised...the biggest improvement is the additional of a balance shaft to eliminate the awful vibration at 60 mph+ speeds...if you are zipping around town, you likely won't notice it much, but if you hit some back roads or highways where the bikes RPMs get up the range and stay there, it becomes pretty annoying...the new version pretty much eliminates that issue.

[Triple Bob]

I thought they always had some sort of balance shaft to offset the weight of the piston?  At least they did when I was looking a few years ago.  Otherwise the vibration would tear the thing apart!

[HeliDriver]

Yes, I had a 690E with the same engine (earlier 654cc version) and I thought it was pretty smooth. And I had it geared down, so it was spinning at 6-7000 rpm at normal highway speed. Wasn't ideal, but far from bad IMO. Certainly impressively smooth for a big single.

[dirtyjeffer]

I thought they always had some sort of balance shaft to offset the weight of the piston?  At least they did when I was looking a few years ago.  Otherwise the vibration would tear the thing apart!

well, there would be a counter balancer on the crankshaft itself, of course...the new model has a balancer shaft in it as well...many reviewers said the previous one was awful to drive at higher speeds (highway speeds) for any distances due to the amount of vibration it had...the new one eliminates almost all of that vibration...think of it like a harmonic balancer.

[HeliDriver]

No, it always had a balancer shaft. Apparently the new one adds a second balancer up on the camshaft. Seems like it's more about fine tuning than fixing some glaring problem. Anyone who thought the old engine's vibration was "awful" had no business riding a single in the first place.

[dkaz]

I want the SuperDuke 1290R.

[rrocket]

Yes, I had a 690E with the same engine (earlier 654cc version) and I thought it was pretty smooth. And I had it geared down, so it was spinning at 6-7000 rpm at normal highway speed. Wasn't ideal, but far from bad IMO. Certainly impressively smooth for a big single.

Yea, I thought the same. Was no more vibes than a twin IMO