Hello from Hampshire!
Hello, all! So I haven't been a member of a motorcycle forum since I left London (and consequently Londonbikers), and I haven't been a member of a model-specific forum since I last had an ER5 (like a decade-odd ago)! I've only ever seen two other XSRs (both today - a Forest Green parked up at Ludgate Circus, and another FG in Wandsworth), but I've read a fair few posts on here and the XSR community seems pretty cool, laid-back and refreshing, so here I am!
Er, so to introduce..
Me:
I grew up in Cheam, in the sort of suburban Surrey-London no man's land; done a bit of Square Mile commuting; bit of touring in Scotland, Northern France, Belgium; had a BMW F-800ST, a couple of Moto Guzzi V7s, a fair old few UJMs, and a couple of grey import 400 pocket-rockets (had a car too, once, but we're not gonna talk about that episode..) Now I live in Warsash, in Hampshire, where I'm a cadet seafarer - and where there are, it appears, some not-too-shabby roads in the vicinity..
Me Bike:
I bought an ex-Demo '16 plate in Anniversary Yellow a fortnight ago, but didn't really ride her ('cept for back from the dealer's) until yesterday, as I've been in Fontainebleau for the last week. Since getting back I've taken her to Box Hill, taken her to the West End, fitted a Givi screen (that belongs on a Guzzi V7, crudely adapted for the XSR with a couple of home-made struts), top box and rack, Black Widow exhaust, handguards, heated grips, centre-stand, sat-nav, and about a gallon of ACF-50. None of that little lot has exactly done anything for the poor thing's looks (made worse when compared to all the really cool, à la mode examples on this forum), but hey - I'm all about the practicality, here! (All that I need now is a set of crash bungs..)
As for first impressions, she's running a bit too lean (and probs. a bit too loud for me, if I'm honest), both on account of the very-aggressive Black Widow exhaust system, but I don't think there's much I can do about either issue (at least, not without spending any more money-I-don't-actually-have..), so I'm hoping I'll get used to it. Suspension and headlamp beam angle both need a bit of tinkering with too, but I suspect a few tweaks to the rear shock will kill both birds with one stone. Other than that - now that I'm (gradually!) getting the hang of her throttle snatchiness - she's genuinely a pleasure to ride in every respect!
Er, so to introduce..
Me:
I grew up in Cheam, in the sort of suburban Surrey-London no man's land; done a bit of Square Mile commuting; bit of touring in Scotland, Northern France, Belgium; had a BMW F-800ST, a couple of Moto Guzzi V7s, a fair old few UJMs, and a couple of grey import 400 pocket-rockets (had a car too, once, but we're not gonna talk about that episode..) Now I live in Warsash, in Hampshire, where I'm a cadet seafarer - and where there are, it appears, some not-too-shabby roads in the vicinity..
Me Bike:
I bought an ex-Demo '16 plate in Anniversary Yellow a fortnight ago, but didn't really ride her ('cept for back from the dealer's) until yesterday, as I've been in Fontainebleau for the last week. Since getting back I've taken her to Box Hill, taken her to the West End, fitted a Givi screen (that belongs on a Guzzi V7, crudely adapted for the XSR with a couple of home-made struts), top box and rack, Black Widow exhaust, handguards, heated grips, centre-stand, sat-nav, and about a gallon of ACF-50. None of that little lot has exactly done anything for the poor thing's looks (made worse when compared to all the really cool, à la mode examples on this forum), but hey - I'm all about the practicality, here! (All that I need now is a set of crash bungs..)
As for first impressions, she's running a bit too lean (and probs. a bit too loud for me, if I'm honest), both on account of the very-aggressive Black Widow exhaust system, but I don't think there's much I can do about either issue (at least, not without spending any more money-I-don't-actually-have..), so I'm hoping I'll get used to it. Suspension and headlamp beam angle both need a bit of tinkering with too, but I suspect a few tweaks to the rear shock will kill both birds with one stone. Other than that - now that I'm (gradually!) getting the hang of her throttle snatchiness - she's genuinely a pleasure to ride in every respect!
