N+1

Maybe every enthusiast groups says this to but in the bicycling community, the running joke is that the correct number of bikes to own is "N+1", where N is the number of bikes you currently own.  

SO, I have a pretty cool '11 Ducati 848 Evo in Darth Vadar livery.  It's pretty awesome.  It's not the fastest in modern terms, I guess, but it's hard to sneeze at 140hp/440lbs (seriously, don't sneeze in 1st gear).  It breaks 70mph in 1st gear.  It feels like a little much to be buzzing around town on.  Also, I want to do some track days with it (spent a bunch o'money at Revzill in Phill on *everything*) and it's nice to just keep it track-ready if a few events are close.

So, I obviously needed something else.  You know, for banging around town on.  It would be cool if it had all the modern electronics too.  For safety.

Skipping lots of steps:

My local Husqvarna dealer is weird.  It's in a warehouse.  No signage at the street.  No bike showroom.  An accessory showroom that not directly attached to the service/bike area.  This time of year it's a one man show plus a part timer.  He told me the move was meant to be temporary - 10 years ago.

Anyway, I had called him to ask if he worked on the KTM-based street Huskys.  His static web page only had dirt bikes on it.  Coincidentally, he had just received two 401 Svartpilens, exactly what I was interested in.

When I stopped by, he mentioned he had a crashed 701 Vitpilen (Husky speak: Svartpilen and Vitpilen are same basic bike - Vit is cafe style, Svart is scrambler style) in the back that the owner had asked about selling.   $3600 estimate, $1800 in parts.  Some back and forth with the owner, and now it's mine.  Bob had missed a couple things on the initial estimate and I ended up with a $2000 parts order.

That probably sounds high but the bike actually crashed really well,  He managed to rip the sidestand and left footpeg bracket clear off the bike (5 bolts to drill out) without so much as a scratch on the radiator cover, and a couple on the tank cover.  The barend weight and peg are really ground down - it slid for some time.

Started right up after a charge.  Sounds healthy. 1250 miles.  Less than a year old.

Pretty cool bike.  360lbs, 75hp.  ABS, traction control, slipper clutch, quickshift/autoblip.  Pretty psyched.  My 848 is on the lift as I finish up a belt/fluid service.  Looking forward to getting started on the Vit!

Pretty cool, and you're not likely to run into many other people with the same bike.

The local Husky dealer here is in an obscure location, too - I just happened to drive past it not long ago, it's in a plain warehouse-looking building on a side street.  Maybe it's part of their corporate plan.

That is awesome. I've been wanting a401 svart- I like the weight and specs for bumping around town. Is this deal presented itself though I definitely would go for the 701 and build it up. 

Nice. I greatly prefer the Husqvarna ascetics over KTM. If only I could find a dealer. 

stuart in mn said:

Pretty cool, and you're not likely to run into many other people with the same bike.

The local Husky dealer here is in an obscure location, too - I just happened to drive past it not long ago, it's in a plain warehouse-looking building on a side street.  Maybe it's part of their corporate plan.

I think their corporate plan is "please buy our motorcycles".  I doubt they want dealers like that but they don't have the luxury to be picky.  The owner mentioned Husky occasionally gives him a hard time but not so hard that they stop taking his money.  My guess is that his setup caters to more serious and brand-loyal riders who know what they want and don't require the (labor intensive) hand holding they might get at one of the big mega-dealerships.

Personally, I hate big dealerships.  I always get that old school new-car-dealer vibe and the quotes I managed to extract for a 401 Svartpilen from the two local(ish) places were piled high with extra fees.  They probably have a core group of customers they treat well but if you're just a random 'up', forget it.

I love the look of that bike, and yes N+1 is the correct number of bikes to have

Those are great bikes, and look even better with the rear fender flap thing cleaned up. The engine in particular is really a good one, and the gearing is tight enough to make it really fun to click through a bunch of gears before you get to crazy speeds. If those have the same ~8000 rpm redline as the dirt bikes, It feels so happy revving that it's one of the few bikes where I found myself in the limiter all the time if I was really pushing.

Wow, that thing is beautiful. I immediately went to check out prices on them...

gearheadE30 said:

Those are great bikes, and look even better with the rear fender flap thing cleaned up. The engine in particular is really a good one, and the gearing is tight enough to make it really fun to click through a bunch of gears before you get to crazy speeds. If those have the same ~8000 rpm redline as the dirt bikes, It feels so happy revving that it's one of the few bikes where I found myself in the limiter all the time if I was really pushing.

Peak power is 8200 and fuel cut-off is 8900.  An online calculator came up with 4672 feet per minute piston speed (80mm stroke), which is zooming right along.

My wife is very familiar with N+1, lol.  That's a pretty cool looking bike, I'm sure I've never seen one.  I'm kinda in the opposite boat right now.  I have a Monster 797 but I'd like a sportbike with a little more power.  I'm eagerly waiting for the new R9 to come out in the next year or two.  

What do they run rpm wise at 75? Curious for both the 401 and 701. If you happen to have the info. 

Ok-looks like 110kph is 6k, so that's like 69. Also read something about a setting on the 701 that allows 12k rpm?

I found a 12k rpm update for the 401 with a new ECU.  I think 12,000rpm would expose the internals of a 701.  That comes out to 6,300 feet per minute piston speed.  F1 cars are at 5300.  

RPM at 70 must be for the 401 because it works out to a theoretical top speed of 102mph using 701 redline.  I'll report back when it's back together.

Many parts.

A couple things backordered (shift lever and fulcrum (? whatever the part that connects to the shift shaft is called)).  I missed that clutch "master cylinder, complete" does not include the reservoir.   Hope to get the Ducati off the lift today so I can start (carefully) drilling out broken bolts in the Husky frame.  Since they were ripped apart rather than siezed in there, I'm hopefull that it will be fairly easy.  Only one is blind, fortunately.  I've been spraying them with Kroil every time I'm in the garage.

Super Cool Bike.

Ever use left hand drill bits for snapped off bolts?

I have a kit with left hand drill bits but I've never actually used it.  Maybe tomorrow!

I have heard a new metric which I believe was thought up by the folks at the Motorcycles and Misfits podcast that is D-1. Which is the number of motorcycles you own should be one less than causes your significant other to divorce you. I agree with both metrics, but my current D-1 is a total of one although Mrs Gunner has expressed real interest in a scooter but not less than 250cc. So there is hope.

I set m between n+1 and d-1 with my wife. She sometimes gets overwhelmed with how many we have, then proceededs to send me another on marketplace. 

N+1 is correct, up to the point you are out of space. I'm about at capacity with 4 bikes, and this includes keeping them in my downstairs rec room.

gunner (Forum Supporter) said:

 I agree with both metrics, but my current D-1 is a total of one although Mrs Gunner has expressed real interest in a scooter but not less than 250cc. So there is hope.

My wife has expressed interest in a scooter for herself.  Am I a hypocrite for being completely against the idea?  She had a motorcycle years ago.  A one-year-import Yamaha SRX250.  Air cooled single cylinder sportbike.  She took the MSF course but never really internalized countersteering and I was not convinced that she had the hyper-awareness required to remain safe over the long term.  I was relieved when she stopped riding it.  Vehicles have only become bigger and her eyesight worse in the 20 years since.

wheelsmithy (Joe-with-an-L) said:

Super Cool Bike.

Ever use left hand drill bits for snapped off bolts?

Left hand drill bits are life. 

Ducati off, Vitpilen on.  Extracted the first broken bolt (of 5) this morning.  Came out really easy, as I had hoped.  My only concern is one blind bolt into the frame for the footpeg bracket.  Hopefully I can get a good angle after I remove the chainguard.

I'm a big fan of those. 401s too. Had checked out a couple Svarts before pricing went all willy nilly. Wife wasn't really comfy on the back, so I'd have to sell my Buell XB9SX to make room, and wasn't terribly keen on that.  

ddavidv said:

N+1 is correct, up to the point you are out of space. I'm about at capacity with 4 bikes, and this includes keeping them in my downstairs rec room.

Space is definitely the issue for me.  I sold the motos I had partly due to lack of time, and partly due to getting sick of  them being in the way in my shed.  Right now, I have 6 bicycles.  Would I like to get one or two more?  Yes.  But I barely have room for the 6 currently in the quiver. And that is usually with the front wheels and pedals removed so they'll fit tightly together in about 4' of wall space. 

The past 4 months have seen considerable re-ordering of my garage to accommodate two motorcycles and the bike lift.  Currently, I have space to work in front of the stacked cars, as shown.  The other bike fits in the corner near the door.  Come riding season, I'll push the lift back against the wall, and move the stuff on the floor next to one of the cars to the top of the lift so I can keep a bike there.  I won't have immediate access to both bikes - I'll have to move a car.

I actually twisted my lift 5" (the end near the door, 5" away from the wall, the other end 5" closer) to help make it all work.

Not shown: my FFR is jacked 2ft up in air at the back and my wife parks her MINI with the front of the hood just under the quickjacks!

I only keep 2 bicycles in the garage but I worked out a way that has them both pretty accessible.  My bicycle work station is relocated to the basement though.