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I've had my Falco exactly 9 years now - I can't believe where the time has gone - it seems like yesterday I rode her home from the dealer. She has been absolutely brilliant and I still get a big kick on the twisties, and we've been to Scotland a few times.

I'm thinking of getting something different. If I had a garage, I would keep the Falco too, but I don't so I can't.

I'm not getting any younger and think I'd like to try something else before I hang up the boots. It has to be a twin or a triple. The only four I had was a bit dull so I wen't back to the v-twin. So it might be a Triumph Sprint or Daytona. Or I'm looking at a BMW R1200S - odd looking, not popular with the press but owners seem to love them.

Oh, it feels like ditching a long term girl friend. I might not be able to do it...

En don't

And if you do don't get either of those

Have you thought about putting a set of raised bars on your falco? . You would not have to get rid of your girlfriend just yet ...
I have seen a falcuono with a gen2 tuono fairing fitted and it looked quite good, thats if you dont want to see the old girl go

So many bikes ... so little time ..

blinkey501 wrote:Have you thought about putting a set of raised bars on your falco? .

..... I'm going to have to put you on a warning!

Lowering links so as you get older your bike gets lower

flatlander wrote:Lowering links so as you get older your bike gets lower

How old does that make Tim then?

positively ancient.....

now that we have established that he is a hobbit - eleventy one.....

I've always had garage space and so have managed to keep two bikes.
I had an old CBR1000F before the Falco and kept it when I got my Falco nearly 7 1/2 years ago.
Got rid of the old CBR exactly two years ago and planned on a Blackbird, Faser, ZRX1200 or (S) to replace it.
Then I looked very seriously at the late model Daytonas and thought a Triumph would be really nice, but it was way too uncomfortable for an old git like me, ruled out the older STs, (nice bike but 955 model now looks dated, especially since the ST1050 came along which looks much better.
Eventually saw an immaculate 2002 Kwack 9R, one of the lighter faster final "F" models and
So bought it.
I am probably one of the oldest on here and find it very comfortable to ride, keep the revs low and it is a big pussycat, pulling smoothly from about 2K to whatever.
Rev it up past 7 or 8k and it's ballistic, it's a bit lighter than the Falco and has 150bhp at the crank.
Build quality is better than older Kwacks and mine is superb for a bike with 20 odd thousand miles on the clock coming up for 10 years old.
It's a really nice bike, BUT it does not excite like the Falco at low to medium revs, you don't get that glorious V Twin hit of torque low down, that the Falco does better than any other V Twin.
You have to go further up the rev range to get the same effect and go to silly speeds.
Good news is that you can get one of the last F1 and F2 models (only difference is the paint schemes) for silly money.
If the bars on the Falco are still comfortable for you, you will like the riding postion on the 9R. It is the last Jap IL4 sports bike that is full size.
If you want a bike with higher bars, lift the Falco clipons up over the top and it is nice and comfy. If that is better for you keep it.
Nine years is a long time to to keep a bike, so I can see why you might think about a change, but after all that time it's like part of the family, can you really get rid of a loved one?

Thanks for the input guys. When I talk about not getting any younger, it wasn't to do with the comfort of the bike, it was more to do with trying other bikes before I shuffle off. In fact I don't like being too upright on a bike. My first bike as a born-again (15 years ago) was a Virago 535 (no, don't laugh - it was good to start with something unthreatening). It was alright for local trips, but a run up to the Lake District left me with agonising back ache.

Once moving above say 60 mph on the Falco and the wind supports my weight so no aching wrists or back.

The bikes I'm looking at are all sport / sport-touring. There is an old style Daytona 955i (looks like the 595) with very low miles. But when I sat on it, the bars are a long way off - probably best for 6 foot+ riders.

Anyway, I'm going to try the BMW R1200S tomorrow. If nothing else, it will tell me I'd be mad to part with the Falco.

D-Rider wrote:

blinkey501 wrote:Have you thought about putting a set of raised bars on your falco? .

..... I'm going to have to put you on a warning!

I am looking at solutions and not problems andy

FalcoJock wrote:
Anyway, I'm going to try the BMW R1200S tomorrow. If nothing else, it will tell me I'd be mad to part with the Falco.

The R1200S was the other bike on my short list when I bought the Falco.
Basically I'm cheap, so I bought the Aprilia.

I'm looking at an RVF 400 to go with the Guzzi and the Falco.

I've always had an irrational urge for the RVF. Found a decent one last month.

Well I quite liked the BMW R1200S. I got a good long run on it, and found it very comfortable and smooth. There was a nice growly sound track with a good bark on overrun. The handling is light and felt sure footed, and the controls are light. I could imagine doing a 500 mile day on it without too much trouble.

The only thing I didn't like was the lack of urgency on opening the throttle. I think this is due to the very Linear power curve because I was always going much faster than I expected. I only managed one overtake and it was done quickly and smoothly but again it didn't feel as urgent as the Falco does.

There is a slight clunkiness from the front suspension mechanism but it does float over the bumps - a bit odd but not unpleasant. Like the Falco it's not a common bike and I think it would make an interesting bike to own for a couple of years, so I might go for it.

I just need to get a reasonable price for the Falco...

Never ridden one, but the latest 1200 motor evidently has a lot more grunt than the R1100S that I had brief ride on some years ago.
Certainly the 1200GS can motor on pretty well, and the S version must be lighter.
What puts me off is price and high miles.
The only ones I ever see at prices I might think reasonable seem to have 50K on the clock.
If you do go for one I'm sure you'll come back and tell us all about it.