I've been without a bike for about 5 months since I sold my Honda ST1100 in Australia and came home. So I've been thinking about what I want and looking on the net and kicking tires in bike shops. Saw a nice ST1300, but a bit out of my budget and, while I had found the ST1100 to be the perfect bike for the longer distances between places in Oz, I did want something I felt a bit more comfortable on.
I wanted:
Mid size cruiser, 750 to 900 cc, something I can place my feet flat on the ground when stopped. Wanted this size bike as I'm getting older and wanted to stay in a mid-weight range.
Instruments up on the handle bars so you don't have to drop your eyes too far from the road, I do not like instruments mounted on the tank top!
Shaft or belt drive
Non-Harley clone look, there's one brand of cruiser which I particularly hate because it has duck's arse turn ups on the bottom of the wheel guards and is obviously trying very hard to be a 'classic' cruiser.
Alloy wheels, I'm just not a wire wheel polisher.
A good pillion seat, I'm thinking of fitting a luggage rack and a trunk box with a wrap around padding for my pillion's comfort.
Foot pegs, don't like foot plates as they look too 'classic' cruiser.
So this morning I took a 2012 Suzuki Boulevard M50 in blue for a ride and went back and popped down a deposit. The dealer has thrown in a pair of saddlebags and a GIVI screen. Bonus is that the previous owner has drilled four 12 mm holes in each exhaust baffle and she sounds fantastic.,, so that's one job I won't have to do myself. I'll have to wait a week or so for my superannuation to clear from Australia so I can take possession, been waiting 3 1/2 months for AMP Australia to close my superannuation account - AMP NZ gave me my money in 4 days and that included getting clearance from the tax dept. FFS, AMP Australia, pull your fingers out and stop playing with yourselves.
But I'll have pleasant memories of Norma Jean, the big white ST1100. Especially that one time at 200 km/hr through the cane fields.
Phone photos attached.
