Over the last year I have been contemplating changing to a lighter bike.
Concerns over my health and stamina, and the weight of the Pan were the main factors.
Even while riding it, servicing it and adding various farkles the thought was still there.
I was up in Glasgow last week and had look around the BMW showroom, looking at a 1250GS and a F850.
A friend has just recently got a Triumph Rocket and was selling his Triumph Bonneville T100, so I arranged to borrow the keys and take it for a run at the weekend.
Spent some time checking out the reviews on the internet & YouTube, pretty much all positive.
On Saturday the keys hadn't been dropped off and I spent some time on the Pan repairing the indicator toggle switch (the pivot screw had come loose) and putting a little air in the tyres.
The bike was sitting in the middle of the garage and I was looking at it and thinking....."if that was sitting in a showroom, all polished and shiny I would be wanting to buy it".
(I don't tend to polish the bike, the screen gets cleaned frequently and the bodywork gets hosed off occasionally, everything behind the body panels gets sprayed with FS365 protectorant whenever they are off for maintenance).
On Sunday the keys still hadn't been dropped off and I was sitting out on the deck with my wife talking about the Pan / Bonneville, and she commented "it doesn't matter what bike you have in the garage if you don't take it out for a run".
So 15 minutes later I was at the ferry terminal at the North end of the island.
Had a great run around Argyll and the Cowal peninsula.
This picture was taken at the top the "Rest and be thankful" on the start of the road to Lochgoilhead
I eventually arrived home late afternoon, the Bonneville keys had been dropped off, so I headed to the garage where it was stored and took it for a test run.
Stopped off at my house to let the wife see it.
Its a pretty little bike, however not for me......I just didn't enjoy the ride.
The ride on the Bonneville also clarified my thoughts on a smaller / lighter bike, just too different from what I am used to
So......decision made...the Pan stays.