A Glourious Day For A Mountain Ride

[Shaddow]

Was invited along by my neighbour to go for a 700km  blat through the mountains. I thought this kind of distance for a light ride slightly insane but agreed none the rest. I met him and his brother at Maccas, were there seemed to be many Ducati's, plus a few different other bikes and a naked GS500. Me and the other GS500 rider instantly bonded, as one would expect.
The ride took us through tight twisting mountain roads that constantly switched back on itself, full of bumps in some areas unfortunately and on one pass ALLOT of loose rocks on and gravel on the road from recent heavy rain.
One rider went off early in the piece, panicking in a corner when they were running wide. They went over the bars. The rider is okay though shaken, with much pride injury, the bike rideable but need new indicators, headlights and handlebars.
A little later on after another fuel stop for the Ducati's who seem only to have a MAX fuel range of 150kms while one of them couldn't crack the 100km without carrying a small jerry can to get from fuel stop to fuel stop. We were climbing up thunderbolts way when one of the bikes while passing a slow moving bike which moved left in the lane to let him through, went to close to the double lines. As luck would have it, the boys in blue rounded the corner then. They chucked a u turn on a blind corner (trust me it was blind as I came around the corner and over the rise to find the police car half way through the U Turn in front of me), proceeded to tail gate me for a while (no lights) so I didn't move then flicked them on, gave me a heart attack and took off after the other bike. He had pulled over further up having seen their action. Was issued a fine for cross the centre line.
However after that the corners got allot more fun, the GS500 keeping right up with the bigger bikes most of the time, its rider (me) being the biggest limiting factor. We climbed to the the look out and stopped again. We promptly froze and deciding the 100km range of one Ducati was kind of limiting headed home. So the 700km trip was more like 400km but fun was still had by all.
Here are some pics from my phone before the battery went flat.

[sotomoto]

very very nice!!!

[pave_spectre]

Sounds like a nice ride, but damn those thirsty Ducatis and the thimbles they call fuel tanks.

What kind of fool buys one of those 

[Spuzzle]

Wow!! :O

[Shaddow]

I got to admit the Harley wasn't much better in range only an extra 30kms. It did however have a 28 litre tank to go with its bored out, extra lump cam equipped 1600cc engine and over twice the body weight of the ducatis.

[the mole]

So the Harley had about the same range as the Duke, twice the size of engine, used twice the fuel. You would have used less fuel than the Duke, could have done the whole ride without filling and if you hadn't waited for them, covered the distance in less time. Makes the GS look like good value!!!

[Twisted]

What Ducati was it that only had a 100km limit? My Monster 1000ie gets 250kms with a 15ltr tank and it has an open airbox, slip ons and a power commander 3.

[Shaddow]

What Ducati was it that only had a 100km limit? My Monster 1000ie gets 250kms with a 15ltr tank and it has an open airbox, slip ons and a power commander 3.

First of the monsters. 93 (think that was the year he said) 900. 9Litre tank. Yes that's right a 9Litre tank stock. Its the only thing he hasn't modded on it. Running pods, custom built exhaust/headers, massively altered carbies, cut down seat frame, custom made shield, custom light pod with indicators, LED converted taillights/indicators, powder coated the frame, moved the pegs, digital dash conversion, different clipons with those nice adjustable levers and I'm positive he has done something to the suspension but I've no idea what it is. Apparently that was his version of freshening the bike up.
Now it chews fuel like heroin addict in a chem lab.

So the Harley had about the same range as the Duke, twice the size of engine, used twice the fuel. You would have used less fuel than the Duke, could have done the whole ride without filling and if you hadn't waited for them, covered the distance in less time. Makes the GS look like good value!!!

I filled up on the last stop so I didn't have to bother to fill up this morning on the way to work.  Me and Hayabussa rider would pull off to the side and make fun of the Ducatis at the fuel stops. Mostly cause the shortest ranged one is my neighbour and the Bussa Rider's brother.
My neighbour made inquires to borrow my GS for a ride down to Phillip Island coming up shortly, one I'm not going to. Low fuel cost, comfortable sitting position, still fun and capable of keeping up with the bigger bikes through the corners, he was impressed I can say. So was I yet again.

The Monster went back under the spanner yesterday for a main jet change and a needle adjustment. He was not impressed with his fuel range. Talk off a new custom seat of his design with an additional fuel tank in it. 

The Harley rider informed me this morning (second day after) that he can almost walk normally again. 

[Twisted]

Tell him to sell it and get an EFI Monster

[mister]

93? Isn't that a grey import year, Twisted?

Michael

[Twisted]

93? Isn't that a grey import year, Twisted?

Michael

93 is the first of the Monsters. A lot of them are grey imports in OZ. Easy to pick them though. Look for the Japanese writing around the filler cap or the purple compliance plate. There were Aussie delivered 900's but the 400's were only sodl in Japan and Singapore so any 400 in Oz in a grey import.