), so does anyone have anything they'd like to share?One of my overriding memories is my very first ever ride on a standard Rockster. I was looking for a 'do-it-all' bike to serve as a commuter, tourer, and riding-for-fun bike to replace an ageing ZR550 Zephyr, and a 54,000 mile ZXR400. The ZXR gave me kicks, the Zephyr was reliable and easy to work on. I also wanted a bike was very easy to maintain.
So - I did some research and book test rides on a Moto Guzzi Ballabio, and a Rockster. Both looked to have easy to maintain, low-tech engines, plenty of torque, a sit-up riding position, and good reviews.
The Guzzi was disappointing, and the customer service from the shop wasn't great (the test ride was 'led' by the sales-guy who never took me over 40mph...
).Come the Rockster though, and the sales-team couldn't be more helpful, I was treated like a favoured guest, rather than an inconvenience, and was given as much time as I needed (until closing time). I fired up the bike and went out for an hour's thash with my brother on his R1100S.
By the time I came back I was utterly sold, and I still remember the exact moment: coming out of a village, uphill, we both opened the bikes up hard, and ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iEg3Q- ... el=jtology
Still makes my spine tingle just thinking about that moment.
Just because a bike is sensibly easy to maintain, relatively economical and adaptable to almost any riding task, does not mean it has to be boring!
(oh - and yes I've ridden Japanese litre sports bikes: eg GSXR1000, they don't make me feel special)
(2)-S1000XR 
