I have a problem choosing my Firestorm over my TDM

Tempest · Post by **Tempest** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 3:37 pm

(changed the title a bit to make it more meaningful)

I'm having a bit of a problem here:

Own 2 bikes. Both chunky (if you want to call them that) twins.

A nice yellow (best colour of course) firestorm ;)

And a very comfy to ride TDM850.

Admittedly the Firestorm has a bit more pull than the TDM, but the TDM will leave most cars standing anyway, and will cruise at Illegal speeds all day so it's not really THAT BIG an issue.

Have a TopBox on my TDM and I think it looks fine (in keeping with the bike style) I think the Storm looks nicer as is really.

So, on a "Out for the Day" choice, the TDM already has 2 head starts:

1: It's more comfy to ride
2: I have luggage so I can dump my Helmet and Jacket when I get where I'm going.

But these are not the BIGGEST issue.

I know (from experience and postings here) we're looking at about 30 (ish) to a gallon from the Sexy? Storm.

Wheras on my Trip down the coast on Saturday, I got 60.5mpg from my TDM (And believe me I was MOVING for a lot of that)

So, if someone says, lets go our for the day. I look at my bikes.

One means I can't get rid of my riding gear when I get there.
One means I won't be an comfy during the ride.
One means I'll use twice as much fuel as the other.

So, which do you think I keep deciding to use.....?

I do blip around locally for a bit of fun on the Firestorm, but I have trouble going "Out" anywhere much due to the above 3 reasons.

I dunno what to do ?

bluesman · Post by **bluesman** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 9:16 pm

keep storm, ride TDM for now. Very competent bike, thou I prefer old-old TDM.
In 2 years from now they will be making bikes fitted with all-green engine CO killer, GPS reporting your speed to cops, engine fuelling will be operated by Windows Vista SP1000 and every sportbike owner will have to be registered in local police station as automatic suspect to any traffic violations. Ah, yes - and all bike will be total silent and you will have to go to jail for 3 months for being too loud. And you will have to pay environmental tax for having too much BHP per person. But it will be for buying new bikes.
And imagine - at that time you can roll out your yellow, barking, crazy, rough and honest VTR and give them all finger and cruise like HD rider in front of race-rep adepts rebooting computers of their bike

Look, I have Suziki DR800. It is fun to ride, would go anywhere, can go up to 160 (enough to lose licence for 2 weeks + big fine), it does 400 km on one tank of petrol, ultra-comfy, wife loves it and in really really tight roads it can actually give ride for money to a sportbike despite 190 kg weight and 54 bhp. But I am keeping Storm, even fixing it after accident. And - just for company - restoring old CB750 K2

Stratman · Post by **Stratman** » Tue Aug 28, 2007 8:03 am

I've got a TDM900 as well as the Storm, and I know what you mean, but if I'm "on it" on a ride I'm doing 20 mph faster round sweepers on the Storm than the TDM.

Horses for courses, as they say!

storminateacup · Post by **storminateacup** » Tue Aug 28, 2007 10:19 am

You should never let commonsense get in the way of making an important decision KEEP THE STORM

LotusSevenMan · Post by **LotusSevenMan** » Wed Aug 29, 2007 5:05 pm

Well I have chalk and cheese machines now.

The VTR for competent high speed touring (to the next petrol station I know). Looks good. Goes well etyc and on a 750 miles round trip recently about 37-38 to the gallon (I still work it out like that).

New toy? A Royal Enfield 500cc single in Army style. Stop anywhere and it gets more looks from genuine admirers than the Storm ever does even though they're both tip top clean condition etc. Smiles per mile is hard to imagine unless you are of a certain age (I'm 48). Fires every lampost. Right foot one-up-and-three-down change. Drum brakes (twin leading shoe front.... hey!!!)
Does about 70-75 to the gallon. I've done 165 miles on a tank so far with no switching over to reserve yet and can still see the fuel in the tank OK.
Still running it in as it is a 2003 bike with a genuine 360 miles on it when I collected it!!!!!!
So for serious work the VTR. For fundays out and lots of questions the Enfield.
If I were you Tempest I'd keep both!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

PS I also have a Kwacker 250 KR1 in rebuild mode at present but when finished it'll do for two stroke buzzy fun!

Stratman · Post by **Stratman** » Wed Aug 29, 2007 6:44 pm

I like the Enfield - I fancy either the Scrambler or the military combo with a machine gun.

LotusSevenMan · Post by **LotusSevenMan** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 5:59 am

Well yeserday I went to my local Enfield dealer to get an genuine oil filter, housing sealing washers and a spare spark plug (all for 7.50!) and saw this URAL bike and sidecar combination being built new out of the crate! Cheap BMW anyone? Flat twin, shaft drive and a Brembo four pot disc brake up front!

And

Or maybe the older one they had inside!!!!!!

PS Here's another link!!!
http://www.rusmilitary.com/html/c-bikes_sportsman.htm

Post by **sirch345** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 10:53 am

That's the one with the gun, as Paul (Stratman) mentioned

Chris.

PS. That Ural has come a long way from when I remember them

Stratman · Post by **Stratman** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 11:08 am

I can think of better ways to spend Â£5K though!

You can get a deactivated AK47 for Â£299! Incredible given the rise in gun crime etc. Can't believe its beyond the wit of a competent engineer to reactivate!

bluesman · Post by **bluesman** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 11:20 am

It's not so easy to reactivate if they filed off hitting mechanism.
Believe me, I know...I still can disassemble AK 40 seconds and assemble in 55 (that was my personal record). We had to learn them inside out.
And I think it is shortest way to hell and jail too

Guys, if you need Ural of Dnieper with sidecar - let me know

I will gladly exchange any number of them for equal number KTM Adventures 990s!

Tempest · Post by **Tempest** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 5:59 pm

So, what I want to know is this:

Can I mount an AK47 onto my Firestorm?

Preferably something that fires blanks LOUDLY so I can give the local Chavs a scare ;)

BarryH · Post by **BarryH** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 6:07 pm

Tempest wrote:So, what I want to know is this:

Can I mount an AK47 onto my Firestorm?

Preferably something that fires blanks LOUDLY so I can give the local Chavs a scare ;)

You've got a kill switch for that. I've been very tempted by an Enfield 500 and cafe the thing......showing my age.

Post by **sirch345** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 10:50 pm

You know what the trouble is Paul

You're spoilt for choice

Cheers,

Chris.