New Toy

It's been two years since I've had something throbbing between my legs and I'm starting to get withdrawal symptoms...and no, I'm not referring to being kicked in the 'nads or returning from the far east with a touch of the 'Bangkok Dribble

I'm off to see Charlie Boorman at the Chetenham Literature Festival so the adventure bike juices have started flowing again. The 'Long Way Round' collectors edition DVD is back in the player. The Touratech catalogue has replaced the Argos catalogue on the coffee table (sorry Bella!). My last foray into the world of two wheel European transport was a Kawasaki ZRX1100, not the best long distance tourer but it did the job, even if my neck muscles didn't. I need a better tool for the task

BMW R1200GS Adventure...too big, too heavy, tooooo expensive on a lot of fronts, buying one being just one of them. KTM 990 Adventure...see BMW R1200GS for details....but with no dealers, well none near me anyway. Ducati Multistrada....I actually want to get to where I'm going!!!

Then at the back of the room jumping up and down trying to get noticed above its big expensive scene stealing classmates was the Suzuki DL650A XP 'V-Strom'. Not as big as its comrades but neither am I. Being only 5' 6" tall with an inside leg measurement to match my options are slimmed down somewhat but the V-Strom fits perfectly. Price...new...fully loaded with luggage, sump bash plate, hand guards, engine protector bars and from what I've heard...a standard comfy seat fitted...£6500. Bargain. Add sat nav for global domination!

Winters coming, bike sales go down, salesman get desperate...£6500...I think not. Gimme, gimme, gimme!!!

The DL650A XP 'V-Strom' on an epic journey to find the sea at Weston-Super-Mare