I didn't think about labor costs on the 07's. That's a pretty decent reason to buy new, actually. I guess what I'm saying is I don't know if I would buy a 620 again.

...of course, a good ride this weekend will remind me why I did.

If I had it to do all over again...?

I'd buy used, to stay away from the depreciation when you take a new bike off the lot. It's just like a car, in that respect.

$5000 for a used bike ought to buy you PLENTY of bike. My next one will be this plan, in fact. You can get a 2 year old Buell XB for ...

Yeah, it's never geriatric! And a 14T sprocket and Iridium plugs do seem to have some good effects on the bike, for not a lot of extra cash. Now that I've got my handguards (for breaking cold wind on my summer weight gloves) and my top box giving me some locking storage, I feel like it's the perfect ...

enormous wedding tackle...?



Tackle + Monster 695 = Multistrada 620 seat hight?

Ok, let me clarify my last post a little. I love when I can actually get my bike out of town, on a warm day when I know my tires & the roads on Mt Lemmon will grip. There's very little more satisfying than the pissed off GSX-R 1000 who simply cannot lose me in the corners. I bought the bike on Oct ...

I hate to admit it, but even after installing a 14T sprocket I find the bike a little underwhelming sometimes. It's still awesome in the corners and all, but I wonder almost daily if I shouldn't have gone for the more powerful (and more supported by aftermarket) larger engine.

As it is I'm ...

The 620 has more than enough power for me in city riding, and everyone I talk to says it's far easier to flick around corners/more maneuverable than the 1000. If you're going to be solo and in the city, I'd say go for the 620 while it's still around.

I've heard from everybody except God Himself ...

The other point squid vicious nailed on the head is that the cost of maintenance is primarily labor.

Ducati wouldn't still be making the desmo engine if they felt it was unreasonable- they'd move to a conventional 4-banger because business is business. The engine isn't the problem.

And personally ...

If you read the recent comparo in Cycle World, you saw the "shoot-out" between the MTS620 and the V-strom. It opens with the paragraph cutting right to the chase- the V-strom is the better bike. More horsepower, better fuel mileage, etc.

But, as in so many things, cold mathematical statistics aren ...