traded my custom Victory for a KTM...

[Spinalguy]

Thank you Vince at Cycleworks!

i bought a brand new Victory Kingpin 8 ball in 2008 as my FIRST road bike. i thought it would be fun to cruise to the mountains with like minded individuals.
So, one Sunday i joined a group of enthusiasts and off we went. Halfway along the mountain highway, i could not help thinking i would much rather be on a dirt bike.
It was the 2nd last time i ever left the city. The last time was with my wife where we took a nice cruise to Bragg Creek and checked out neighborhoods. That was a better day.

i decided that the bike needed to be more 'custom' looking. Big R helped put it all together. i also took a ton of parts to Top Gun Powdercoating in Calgary. Most people that saw the bike really liked it and could not guess what brand it was. i did exhaust mods, intake, etc to gain more performance. This bike was fast and was also the LOUDEST bike i have ever heard. i did go quietly through residential areas as i never wanted to be 'that guy'. Anyways, thousands of dollars later, i had a one of a kind Vic. But, i seldom rode it unless it was 'nice' out. That whole 1/2 lid thing gets real old in the COLD, in the RAIN and in the WIND!

Here is the progress of my Vic.

My wife got me a hand made skull headlight (from Georgia) for my birthday. It too had to be powdercoated. i never was really stoked about the 'look'. i did pick it out and that is when my wife surprised me with the cash to pay for it.



The bike now looked like this...(without backrest)




The rear when i got vs now...




Then i was at Cycleworks and something caught my eye. i phoned Vince and asked him if he would trade. He said Yes!
So, now i had to put everything back on including the original (now poedercoated) headlight, pass seat, headrests, bags, pass foot pegs...




And i brought home this today...

[Spinalguy]

i rode it to work today. i still have a big grin.

My old bike is for sale. Whoever gets it is getting one heck of a bike. i spent many dollars and much time to get it to where it is. LOW mileage (4500kms).
If anyone is looking at a Cruiser, you will be getting a 'STEAL' of a deal on it. Go see Vince at Cycleworks.

The new bike is a 950R

[crazy2wheeler]

Nice move T

[350scott]

Ok if I hate you now? Congrats, you now have a bike to ride rather than one to pose on.

[thirtyseven]

Are you puting the skull on the ktm?

[Spinalguy]

Are you puting the skull on the ktm?

Yes
2- 50W lights.

[Hendrix13]

Very Nice

[cladoo]

Nice bike! I have a buddy with the same KTM and he loves it! I joined the street crowd also. Picked up a old 1984 Yamaha XV 1200, it's not on the road yet but maybe this weekend.

[Hammer]

Nice ride Tom I've been eyeing that bike for months....first the dream, then reality. I am having a hard time getting out on the dirt these days, work and rain get in the way. I'm excited to hear about your experience with the new ride as I look to dualsport.

[Brass]

Congrats Tom, awesome new ride. Those fire roads will never know what hit em'.

[rock93]

Careful with that 950 you can do crazy speeds and not realize it till you look at the speedometer. You will be very surprized at how good of dirt bike it is, just a really big, powerful and heavy dirt bike.
Have fun.

[Spinalguy]

i hear you about speed

Here is my first trip report...

Yesterday
Sunny day.
10 deg C
i rode 400km...and Big R rode 70km.

The bike is much better than anticipated on the highway. It was BRUTALLY windy.

i cruised most of the pavement at about 123km/hr. The bike took the wind well. i really can't say it bothered me.
i did play a little but the wind had the front end feeling light that i never stayed there long. Again, i know this to be the wind and not the bike's ability to perform. There's a sticker that says max 160, because the tires that came with it are only rated to 160. i had the psi at 24/20.

DirtGravel highway...

It was sooo cold Sun disappeared behind storm clouds and temps dropped. i managed to do 90kms of bare dirt to freshly graded gravel. i saw no one on the road.
The bike shone on the dirt road with less gravel. It was easy to be in control at 105. On the gravel section i ran at 85. The front end bobbled throughout the gravel sections but i think pretty normal. Not out of control, just loose.
A steering stabilizer cranked would eliminate that and allow faster speeds.







the road down...

[BigR]

That thing is frikin awesome. Does feel just like a big dirt bike.
150km on a gravel road, crank her on and it busts the rear tire loose ( Don't tell Spiney )

[Spinalguy]

That thing is frikin awesome. Does feel just like a big dirt bike.
150km on a gravel road, crank her on and it busts the rear tire loose ( Don't tell Spiney )

But, but you told me...you never broke it loose

[Bark]

I've been lusting after the 950 for awhile, its my wallpaper! (My wife even knows about the Super Enduro.) But, I figured I wasn't ready to go back to the street (yet). Awesome machine!

Cheers,
Aaron