Blog: December 12. Suddenly I’m glamorous!

It’s Saturday arvo and I’ve just been for a ride.

Yeeeeeees! At last.

I picked up a 2017 Ducati Multistrada 1200 Enduro in Sydney yesterday and rode it back. Today I managed to get a quick lap on the road tyres so I could get some detail pics.

This bike makes even me look good.

True!

Well…maybe the lens had some dirt on it or something.

I don’t know if I’m all that keen on the colour – it’s pretty had to beat that Ferrari red on a Ducati – but everything else about this bike is frigging amazing. After a drone up the Pacific Highway yesterday with the electronics set on ‘Touring’ and the cruise control on 110kph, it felt good to carve around a little on the Sport setting today. The road tyres come off in favour of knobbies this week, so I wanted to enjoy it while I could. The silly part was, the bike has so much to offer, I got all sooky and cautious and couldn’t push the thing. 160 horsepower makes a lot of things feel easy, but everytime I looked down at the speedo I went all coy and chopped the throttle.

I guess I’m getting old.

While I was in Sydney I visited a couple of advertisers for work and picked up a new Nexx helmet. It’s a really well-thought-out, high-tech bit of gear and I’m really impressed with it. It’s called a Nexx XD-1, and it retails for, I think, $799. That means it’s not a cheap helmet, but compared to the Arai I paid $899 for a couple of years ago, this thing is a raging technical advancement in every way. Look it up if you’re interested. So far I’m rapt in it.

The helmet came from the guys at Carlisle, and I haven’t had much to do with Carlisle in years past, but they’re really good guys and obviously true enthusiasts. I enjoyed the visit.

From Carlisle we headed over to Yamaha Motor Australia, then Ducati, where I was once again made to feel important. The Ducati staffers must be among some of the nicest in the business. CEO Warren Lee came down to talk me through the bike and say hello, probably the most glamorous marketing person in the entire Australia motorcycling industry, L’Oreal Pierce – even her name is glamorous – was on hand to lend some polish to the occasion, and Ducati Marketing Manager Simon Leplaw said hello and had a chat as well. Ducati really does treat people like celebrities. Being allowed to ride a bike like the Multistrada 1200 Enduro makes me feel pretty special, but the way those folks offer the red carpet every time I have anything at all to do with them is amazing.

So now I feel all special.

I know plenty of you already think I’m ‘special’, and right now I’m too content to worry about it.

The bike will be stored at, and cared for, by the folks at North Coast V Twins, so that’s where I’ll head tomorrow. I’ll have to find a car wash, though. The water restrictions mean washing bikes is a problem now.

Sorry…did I forgot there were other things in the world aside from me and that bike…sigh…

Okay. Let’s get serious.

Longest Day is coming, and Pottsy is looking to make a plan for the occasion.

A few years ago Pottsy gave us one of the best-fun Longest Days ever, so his offer needs to be taken seriously. Here’s what Pottsy’s asking:

‘So I take it you are wobbling off on the 21st – Longest Day westward.
A few of the boys struggle to get the 21st off midweek so are thinking of
going on the 18th or whatever the Sunday is, but I’m going to try and do
both.  DR on Sunday then Strom on 21st.
If you can put up if peoples can give an indication of numbers to try and
get it a little sort of organized.

So what we – Pottsy – need to know is if you’d like to be included on either date, and what type of ride, big-bike or 650-single – you’d like to do. E-mail me or comment here on the post and we’ll start putting something together.

TF

STOP PRESS! A Longest Day update from Pottsy:

“Be afraid. Be very afraid.
“The goat has a new bike. He’s threatening to come along on the Longest Day ride with this weapon.

I saw how he towelled us all up on an XR last year,  so I think he has us all covered with this rocket.  Geezz, I’m going to have to put that 790cc kit in the DR to stand any chance of keeping his dust in sight at all.

SS

 

2 Comments

  1. Mate – with the (Clayton’s bike of the year) rap you gave the Ducati multi in ADV, it’s no wonder your treated as a Demi god, I’m surprised Miss L’Oreal Peirce did offer to give you a foot massage with frankincense oil and then dry them with her hair. 😄😜

  2. plenty of water at my place, you can wash my bike too

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