Well, this is a handy thread on a well loved forum. I have not seen the MOTY report.
But if you will permit me, I will use it to add my own perspective. You see, I have just done something that I hope will extend our motorcycling life a little further through our seventies. My trusted St1300A9 has gone. I gave it to my brother as a Christmas Present.
On its way is an 8000 mile old Can-Am Spyder 1330 RT Limited. I have absolutely no experience of these motorcycles. I didn’t even test ride. But I saw one once in 2014 at the top of the Kaunertal Glacier Road in Austria, and thought - wow !! And a couple of friends slightly older than us have shared their experience and rejuvenated two-up touring. My riding on the ST1300 recently has become a solo experience - longer tours were too uncomfortable for my life partner and pillion. I say ‘recent experience’, but in fact I have not ridden since July when my calf muscle snapped, except to take the bike for its MOT a few weeks ago. 12 not-so-very-confident miles.
3 wheels doesn’t bother me - read my introductory post on this forum. Oh. You can’t - it has gone. Summary. From 1976 to 1983 I had two motorbikes with sidecars as our only form of transport. First a Cossack Ural with left hand chair, correct for Uk roads, then a brand new Yamaha XS650 with a Squire RS1 sidecar.
So if I may, I’ll occasionally post my experience from seeing my brother riding away on my ST1300A9 (I never knew that it sounded as good as that), through the ‘garage empty’ few days before the Spyder is delivered, and comment on progress and feelings as my skill set changes and experiences evolve. Is this really the solution to enjoying motorcycling, now that we are cracking on a bit ? Time, and this thread - if you will entertain such contributions from an ex ST-Owner - will tell.