![Image](http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/uu194/jelly11666/b15fe68c.jpg)
So it was no surprise that after owning the RF for 3 ½ years that my eye started to get caught by these ADV bikes, good tourers than can leave the tarmac once in a while.
I started to look at ADV’s last spring and was always scouting eBay and the bike trader to see what was what and generally get my self genned up on them.
Then last month (April) I saw a h*nda Varadero which I really liked the look of, it’s the replacement for the Africa Twin which to be honest seem very overpriced due to the kudos that surrounds them.
This one I saw seemed to good to be true, £1400 starting bid and it was local to me. As soon as I saw it I emailed the buyer and offered a swap with the RF, “Thanks but no thanks” was the reply, Bugger!
Then I got thinking, I was offered £900 for the RF by a local dealer 6 months ago, I’ll sell the RF and add the £500 to get the Varadero. The seller agreed that If I came down with £1400 cash and providing he had had no bids he would take my cash and end the auction.
The race was on, flog the RF and hightail it down to Margate before anyone made a bid! First I offered the RF to Alec1 has he had shown a keen interest at Nelsons a few weeks earlier but he couldn’t line up a buyer for his VTR1000.
Before I took it the dealer I offered it to Fat Rich as I knew his engines had just gone south, he thanked me but declined as he had his eye on one up north. Later that night Fat Rich contacted me and to cut a long story short he said he’d have the RF and could have the cash the very next day, result, she sells quick and to not only an RFOC member but a good friend too, everyone’s a winner.
So I met Rich the next day at 6pm, cash, keys and V5 exchanged I was off to Margate in a mates van, I was constantly checking on eBay to see if there were any bids, it was a nervous trip as I had committed myself to the deal, and had just let the RF go!
I arrived to see it out on the drive, result. Checked it over with my mate and it seemed fine although it had no history after a short ride I snapped the buyers arm off and the deal was done and I rode it home, beaming form ear to ear!
The ad had already stated that it came a Scotoiler and with full h*nda luggage, it’s a bit tatty but it works, but the guy also had a set of Givi crash bars and a tank cover too!
Once I started to do some more digging it became apparent that I almost had £1400 worth of extras including
Renthal bars - Centre stand - Touring scotoiler - Fenda extenda - New Michelin Anakee tyres as well as the already mentioned luggage and crash bars!
So the next evening I got to work, checking everything out, luggage, scotoiler etc etc.
Lucky Martin popped in to help with the scotoiler and had a good poke around at it too.
![Image](http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/uu194/jelly11666/b53aa0e1.jpg)
Re sprayed the crash bars and fitted them, Straightened the brake pedal out! Balanced the carbs (well Ollie balanced them for me, thanks again Ollie), Fitted a 12v socket and my sat nav, Adapted the screen with a home made aero foil
I’ve got a piece of sheep skin on the seat for (even) extra comfort and last week I put an inflatable travel cushion under the sheep skin, just enough air in it to lift my backside off of the seat, bliss.
Replaced the cam chain tensioners and spark plugs with the help of Alec1, cheers mate.
![Image](http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/uu194/jelly11666/edd3c1d1.jpg)
There are a few more things I want to fettle with but I’ll save those for some future articles.
SatNav fitted, you can also see the heated grips controller.
![Image](http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/uu194/jelly11666/TheBuffalo.jpg)
The aforementioned piece of ‘dead animal’
![Image](http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/uu194/jelly11666/61bedf1d.jpg)
As for the riding of it, well to be honest I’m blown away at just how comfortable it is, not just to sit on but to ride, the high wide position of your arms makes for some real fun twisties, not necessarily fast (snigger snigger) but just as if not more enjoyable than anything else I’ve ridden.
Being able to stay in the saddle is coupled up with the tank range, it has a 25 litre tank and going easy on the throttle responses gave almost 240 miles!
I've done a little off roading/track riding type stuff and it is without doubt a top heavy beast at slow speeds on the tarmac, let alone on gravel tracks, but I haven’t crashed or dropped it yet, finger crossed.
On my little ‘Adventure’ to Stockbridge.
![Image](http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/uu194/jelly11666/Stockbridgetrip045.jpg)
Hayling Island
![Image](http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/uu194/jelly11666/6caeee29.jpg)
So to summarise I can honestly say, even after all the leg pulling and piss taking that I’ve had from the RFOC, that this is my ‘bestest’ bike ever and I absolutely love it to bits, I just can’t get enough of it!
Before you all come beating at my door, if I had the money and space I would’ve definitely kept the RF, purely on its looks, well before Fat Rich got hold of it anyway!!!