I have a real hankering to get myself a Royal Oilfield for much the same reasons. IME a big sports bikes are fun until you start getting used to the performance, then it just becomes too easy to go as quickly as you want - and there's less challenge in making good progress. It's the same with cars I find, I've had more fun gutless 1.0L shopping cars with skinny tyres than I've ever had with the faster cars I've owned.

My mate rode my SE (he has an R1) and thought it was a hoot too. The turn in on the SE is so much quicker than his R1 because of the amusingly narrow front wheel.

Got to be worth going and doing some test rides of stuff that isn't super/uber bike territory. Getting on to a bike that you actually have to work at riding to get the best out of it might be more satisfying/enjoyable/grin-inducing than the easy speed of your current steed?

Whatever you decide, I hope you feel good about it.

Trace

I've still got my bikes and managed a whole 300 miles this year. I miss the social side a lot.

I've resigned myself to writing off this year and will see what next year brings, although hopefully there'll be a couple of chances in our promised Indian Summer to get up to DB / Hartside a few more time before winter sets in.

I've not been out on mine at all this year apart from when I took it round the block to do an oil change ready for summer! What summer?! That's exactly the reason I've not been out! The British summers are getting worse year on year. It's no fun riding in the rain, in fact it's sh!te on a bike! For anyone who want's to try something different though, try a Buell Firebolt. Mines an XB12R and when it's dry it's fun! Mine has a German single seat unit which comes with subframe spacers, it's also got a D&D exhaust (too loud but nice!) and lot's of carbon and blingy bits. Only covered 3500 miles from new and in that there has been two trips to France, so you can figure how often it's been used in the UK! Another trip to France (Magney Cours WSBK) planned for October, so at least it will get some use this year!

I use my bike for commuting and as a result rarely get the urge to go our riding at the weekend. However whenever I have to take the car to work I realise what I'm missing.

I find that the odd touring holiday helps you fall in love with your bike again. I went down to Lands End and back recently and had an absolute blast. The road back from Lands End to Barnstaple is absolute heaven and I obviously just hit one of those days when all the right gaps in the traffic came in all the right places. We even stopped at Padstow on the way - great road in to Padstow by the way.

Riding on the continent (the N roads anyway) will remind you why you have a bike. And getting something that does everything about 60mph slower than the Fireblade will remind you how fun a bike can be. Get something amusing like an old RG500 or an old slabsider GSXR750. Lots of fun, fast enough but you'll start finding the edges of what the bike can do before you find the edge of what you can do which is always more fun.

Mmmmmm, well, I've never been as brave on left handers! As mentioned I hardly get to go out on it and the trips to France have been mainly touring in a convoy - no nutter riding! You are obviously very brave though, so let's see your bike with a nice close up of the back tyre! (nearside) and no cheating using someone elses trackday bike!
And no using the grinder like some sado's do!

Had this same thing this year, was more interested in mountain biking, thankfully last few weeks got the itch back.

Cheers Yazza, I suppose you'd need time to get your grinder set up too! I've just seen your Triumph TT and from that photo you look more of an 'offside' chicken than me! Only joking! To be honest, the Buell XBs have a tiny wheelbase and I mean tiny. Were talking Aprilia 125 territory! As a result and with 180/55 tyre, you don't need to lean as far as with other bikes to turn the same corner. I used to have a Triumph 900 triple which had the wheelbase of a transit van and boy did you have to crank that thing over to get it to turn! However, the triumph triple engine, was superb! So much smoother than the tractor V twin in the Buell!

Lets see your strip yazza.

Lots of excuses. No pics.

This.

We've just been away for a night in a country hotel. When I booked it, the plan was to load up the BMW and take it. But come Saturday AM, the forecast was for howling winds and torrential downpours, so I had to sit with the rest of the idiots on the M5 on the trek down to Devon.

Good job we did, as Taunton was starting to flood in places when we passed through on the way home.