So far the Duke has seen limited action but all I can say is that it is a total blast. It's got the right power in all the right places, handles excellent, and is really quite comfortable. I put new Pilot Roads on it today but had to race the rain storm home so I never got the chance to enjoy them. This is really the bike for me however, and in hindsight it is better for me in every way than the Speedtriple would have been. Being a V-twin nut, this bike rocks.
I started holidays last week and after spending an afternoon in the pub with old friends, I loaded up the VFR the next morning and headed west for blast through familiar territory. It was originally supposed to be a three day outing, but I was limited to two days as my pub-day counted against points-earned at home so after a rather late start (09:30) I was off for a blast through the Kootenays and the Okanagen. Yeehaw!
Coming from Calgary, there are two ways only to get to Southern B.C., and both of them are somewhat monotonous, but have to be endured. As it turned out, riding out on a Thursday morning meant there was very little traffic, and hwy #1 was a lot more enjoyable than usual.....or maybe I was just way overdue for a road trip.....
The waters seem to run greener on the east side of the great divide
Still after all these bikes the VFR kicks azz as a sport-touring bike, and I find it amazing that you can get such a great piece of gear for so little money these days as they are practically giving them away in the classifieds.
It may not be as photogenic as other bikes, but for sport-touring over a distance, it's tuff to beat!
Feeling like I was making great time, I stopped a few extra places along the way. With the Viffer capable of up to 380 km./tank, rest breaks can be taken in scenic places rather than at gas stations. Here is one at the ever-improving Three Valley Gap east of Sicamous:
After passing through Sicamous, summer felt as though it had finally arrived as I cruised down hwy#93 along Mara Lake. I spent a couple of weeks here every summer growing up and this place still holds great memories. The campgrounds have been replaced with Condos and the lake is busier than ever, but it's still scenic, and the water is still warm.
A quick blast through Grindrod, and this place is still standing after all of these years.
Landmark - Southern B.C. style:
To be cont...
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I've sure you will love it. What a huge departure from the Ducati GT1000.
