Although the main purpose of this blog may be to rant,
I have decided to broaden the scope of my writings. Rather than having several
blogs, each one with a specific topic, I will bunch in here all sorts of
entries. Here is the first twist…
One of my true passions is motorcycles, and this has
been the case for as long as I remember. I got my first motorcycle when I was
8, and the passion has just grown since then. Over the years I have also found
riding motorcycles to be an excellent stress therapy. Today, I have the bike
that was my first one, and even though it is not the actual bike I had when 8
it is still exactly the same: a 1972 Honda 50 Monkey Bike. Over the years I have
gone through a number of different motorcycles. And each time I change for a
new one, considerable research and testing goes in to the process. I suppose
this whole research and testing process is almost as much fun as then actually
owning a new bike. Almost…
My most recent bike is a Moto Morini Corsaro 1200.
This is quite an amazing motorcycle, but also one that is simply not known by
the general public. I came across it 6 years ago, and after having tried every
single big roadster on the market, getting on the Morini was an eye-opener.
Every bike I had tried until that one always had something going against it.
For some it was a lack of power, while for others it might be the power
delivery. Ergonomics often played a role as well, especially since I am quite
tall and tend to get cramped on modern bikes. On the Morini everything was
right, and it had an engine like nothing I had ever tried before.
The big 1200cc twin, referred to as the Bialbero Corsa
Corta, is in my opinion the greatest v-twin ever made for a motorcycle. In
standard form it pumps out 140hp which is not bad, but the truly impressive
feature is the torque figure of 122nm at 6750 rpm! This kind of torque figure
is what makes riding the Corsaro particularly interesting, and not quite like anything
you may have tried before. Personally I have ridden and owned Ducatis that are
generally known for their impressive power delivery, but they almost appear
bland in comparison to the Morini. In standard form I would sometimes compare
riding my Corsaro to riding a rodeo horse, then when I fitted the de-cat pipes
and aftermarket QD exhaust it was like riding a rodeo bull! You knew all the
time that the power was probably too much, and this actually made it even more
exhilarating.
The rest of the bike was very well matched to its
purpose. Some may have complained that the chassis and suspension could be a
bit more sharp, but then this was always intended to be a roadster and not a
race bike. As such, the chassis was more than adequate for anything you could
possibly throw at it on a public road, and would hold up very well for a track
day. At the same time, it was reasonably comfortable just because it is not a
race bike, and the riding position was perfectly matched. You would lean
slightly forward giving an intermediately aggressive position, and there was
proper space for your legs so the knees would not be too bent. The shape of the
tank allowed you to squeeze it properly with your knees, and hook in when
hanging off in a corner. With a 180 tire in the rear it had not succumbed to
the fatter is better that some roadsters go for, and the result was a very
reactive bike. Coupled with amazing Pirelli tires and it handled like a dream,
and never felt like it was struggling with the limits.
As amazing as this bike was, the fact is that I was
not really exploiting its potential anymore. My riding style has changed with
age, and I now tend to cruise at a more leisurely pace. This is something which
does not really suit the Corsaro, and to be honest I was not doing the bike
justice anymore. So, having had the bike up for sale for a while, it was just
recently sold so that I may embark on the selection voyage for a new bike!
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