So I rode it to the Ponderosa atop the Horseshoe pass, which, for those that don't know, is a big biker meet cafe, and it's fair to say that the Racer attracted a LOT of attention from the crowd of bikers present.
It took me at least 15 mins of answering questions about it before I could go and get myself a cup of tea.
So what's it like? well, its an absolutely charming little bike, full of character and yet oh so ride-able, the riding position feels a little cramped in a racer tuck when you first sit on it, but once on the move it feels very like my R12S, engine, gearbox and general manners all feel very familiar.The mirrors are fairing mounted and give a very clear, vibration free view and in a very neat touch, they are mounted from beneath so as to not leave any mounting holes visible if you where to remove them and replace with bar end jobs. as it was so new I couldn’t give it the berries through the twisties, but even keeping the revs down I found myself enjoying the ride immensely, I even managed to pass a couple of slower riders, who made their way over to me once they arrived at the cafe to saythat they thought it sounded marvellous, this is no doubt thanks to the stacked Akrapovic exhaust system that was fitted by Chester Motorrad in place of he STD can.
All in all I loved the little beaut, it puts a smile on your face as well as all those who crowd around it.
So would I buy one? well no, but only because I already have my R12S and this is just too similar in the riding experience, but if you've never owned a 12S, and want a bike for jaunty weekend blasts then this should be top of your list of bikes to test ride.
Steve
If I was in the market for this sort of thing, i.e. a day tripper, I think I'd probably still look at either a Street Triple (with my patriotic post Brexit hat on), or a late model Guzzi Griso (with my heart, rather than my head). The whole retro looking bike thing doesn't appeal to me at all. Having said that, my RS does everything I need, so a second bike is not on the cards.