Interesting motorcycles, not XS650

The Ariel isn't my bike. It belongs to the guy in one of the pics and I cross paths with him quite often. He usually rides an old pan head and he really surprised me when he pulled in on the Ariel.He was just as surprised because he was used to seeing me on my Sportster but I had just bought a new Triumph.
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I was at the dealer yesterday and saw a Honda Africa on the showroom floor. I was taken aback at the size of this machine. I had a Vstrom and thought it was a good sized bike but the Africa looked massive. Impossible for me to own one because theres no provision to store the stepladder once you mount the bike. 😀

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I was at the dealer yesterday and saw a Honda Africa on the showroom floor. I was taken aback at the size of this machine. I had a Vstrom and thought it wad a good sized bike but the Africa looked massive. Impossible for me to own one because theres no provision to store the stepladder once you mount the bike. 😀

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You'll want to wait for the NT1100
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The already available Yamaha Tracer 9 GT is in this space also.
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A kind of comparo here https://www.motorcycletourer.com/honda-nt1100/
I might be temped into a tracer though my cheapness tends to kick in at every "buy this" yes/no decision.
 
You'll want to wait for the NT1100
View attachment 235257
The already available Yamaha Tracer 9 GT is in this space also.
View attachment 235258
A kind of comparo here https://www.motorcycletourer.com/honda-nt1100/
I might be temped into a tracer though my cheapness tends to kick in at every "buy this" yes/no decision.
That Honda looks interesting. Perhaps my last bike? A year ago I nearly pulled the trigger on a Tracer 900GT. Cheaped out and now I kind of regret it. But, not buying the Tracer allowed me to get the Water Buffalo out of my system. I’ll keep an eye out for the Honda. Only negative thing I saw was the limited suspension adjustment.
 
That Honda looks interesting. Perhaps my last bike? A year ago I nearly pulled the trigger on a Tracer 900GT. Cheaped out and now I kind of regret it. But, not buying the Tracer allowed me to get the Water Buffalo out of my system. I’ll keep an eye out for the Honda. Only negative thing I saw was the limited suspension adjustment.

Agreed! Much as I like the concept of DCT meh on execution?
Well I like cruiser feet forward position. and um both those bikes have an acre of exhaust exposed to a curb or high spot on a gravel/dirt road.
 
My Triumph Explorer is a tall bike but I have long legs and I can actually stand flat footed with it on the center stand. It is the first motorcycle I've owned that I fit on without having to change anything. At this time I'm saying it's the last new bike for me but I said the same thing about the last two Ducatis I had. Traded in a 2013 Ducati Multistada for the Triumph because a health issue made it uncomfortable to ride and my poor old body made me trade my 2010 Ducati Superbike in for the Multi.
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Knew people that raved about the Cubs when I was younger. A kid down the street had one when I was in my early 20's and working on bikes a lot.
Brought it to me to look at, was making a shudder when he got on it. Traced it to the drive side end of the transmission lay shaft, it run in a bronze bush that was exposed to the area where the countershaft sprocket ran and subject to dirt. It had locked up, spun the bush and wallowed out the fit in the case.
Told him there was nothing I could do with it, needed to take it to the Triumph shop so they could pull it apart and have a machine shop bore and rebush the hole. Only charged him for the gaskets and stuff I picked up for it, kids dad thought I took advantage of him. Soured my opinion of the things
 
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