Here we go again - 7 years later!

 It's hard to believe that it's been almost 7 years since I wrote that last blog post following my first ride over Mt Glorious with my good friend Scott on his Ducati 848.

The experience stayed with me a long time and actually led me to purchase a Ducati 848 EVO myself in 2016. What a motorcycle... Then there was the Ducati Monster 796, Triumph Tiger 900, Triumph Speed Twin 1200 and finally (for now) a 2021 Ducati Supersport 950s.

Who would have known back then in 2014 what the future was to become - a pandemic that would sweep across the globe and one that is now predicted to kill approximately 4 million people! Everything has changed for many people which makes the love of motorcycles and the ability to get out on an open road with fresh air, countryside and twisting, sweeping roads more important.

It's difficult to know where to start as I write today - so many things have happened in 7 years! Many motorbikes have come and gone and many roads have been travelled. Relocating from Victoria to Queensland was probably the biggest change. With winter temps in the 20's and few lockdowns due to covid outbreaks, life has been fairly good under the circumstances.

As for motorcycle roads there are many. Most weekends it's a trip to Pitstop Cafe on the way to Mt Mee or a stop at the Mt Glorious cafe and then over the mountain to loop around Somerset Dam to Kilcoy and back over Mt Mee via Woodford. Sometimes we take the sweeping road to Maleny that winds through lush pastures where dairy cows produce some of the finest milk in the country.

There are just 2 bikes in the garage now, a Triumph Speed Twin 1200 and Ducati Supersport 950s. Both a beautiful motorcycles with unique characteristics that are true to their core brands.

There's the Triumph 1200 parallel twin in the Speed Twin that's the same engine mounted in the Thruxton 1200. Then the Ducati with the L-twin testastretta engine that rumbles and gives 110 bhp at 9000 rpm! It's always a problem deciding which one is having a day out in the mountains! 

The Ducati is still the new kid on the block but it's been a long 6 month wait. A deposit in Jan 2021 and finally I got delivery in June 2021 - it was like Xmas when I got the call that this amazing bike had just come off the truck in it's crate. I must have watched every video on you-tube and almost learned how to speak most European languages which watching the presenters talk about the bike in Spanish, Dutch, Italian, German & French. Only recently the bike has arrived in the UK, US and now Australia so more English speaking reviews are online.

The Triumph 1200 Speed Twin was a purchase in 2019. The Speed Triple 1050 was approaching 6 years old and even with the suspension rebuild it was still solid and hard on the bumpy roads. Rides weren't pleasurable anymore, even though there was a time when I absolutely loved the bike and swore I'd never sell it!

With no traction control, abs or any of the newer safety features it was time to see it move into the arms of a younger more enthusiastic rider. So the Speed Twin was the perfect replacement. It's easy to ride but still has enough power to have fun and all the safety features make give peace of mind for myself and my misses who is a big Trumpy fangirl :-)

Anyway, hope I can add some more stories from the past few years and get up to date on events in the future. More to come.