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Great channel, I enjoy your honesty 👍 the bike industry is all about more power ! More gadgets ! Faster is more fun ? Thanks god you both speak about the enjoyment of riding and character, how a bike makes you feel 👍

Would you guys want to borrow my Suzuki C800 for a video? I think a 'Metric Vs Harley' cruiser video would get a lot of views and I'd be interested to hear your opinions. Don't want paying for it or anything, just because your content is good, and I'm local to Lutterworth area so not far to travel

Get that man some aloe Vera.

Father and son just chilling whilst shooting the breeze what a cracking video well done boys we never see this on any other platform superb 👍

I would love to hear your thoughts about older royal enfield with the UCE engine with the kickstarter. Such as the Continental GT535. Classic 500! Fantastic video. I really enjoy the personal notes about the gym, diet, the types of fun motorcycle and what defines a characteristic bike in both style and feel.

I’ve been wondering what you think of the Nortons?? 🏍️

Velocette Thruxton ! Only a Vincent has more character.

The old man looked as if he'd caught the sun a bit too much. I do love ýour bike Darcy especially in that spec if i was to change my GoldStar it would definitely be for your Guzzi or a W800.

Just checking if I'm blocked 😂

Great video both, thank you. I was only thinking the day I hope you do another Dad'n'Darcy video soon as it has always been a pleasure to sit down with a cuppa and listen to you both talking about your views on various topics. Please keep them coming.

Ural.

Talking of character I would be interested in you views on the new Jawa 650 OHC

What would you recommend as a first bike? My plan is to take the license within the next 1-3 years. I like the style of the RE guerilla and meteor and was thinking to maybe go with either of them.

You can have a ride if you want….😂

To be frank with all my love goes to Moto guzzi v7 special... Beautiful.... extremely beautiful with all lines and curves....from hair to toe....its an absolute stunning machine....I am in love buddy.....Italian beauty queen.....Love from INDIA

Longitudinal crankshafts are very rare in motorcycles. That alone makes bikes like the Guzzi and the R18 characterful.

The new bikes with flat and matte colors and the comic book looks are a turn off. A couple years ago I wanted a Bonneville and all the dealer had were something that Looked like I painted it with a rattle can. If I buy new I want a shining color not rattle can flat.

I have now subscribed guys ! I kept forgetting to do it before! 😅 great bikes by the way! Another great looking adventure bike is the Ducati DesertX, the Bmw Urban G/S is quite nice too. And yes the v85tt is good looking. Personally, i could just tweak my V7 850 with slightly longer suspension, a sump gaurd and dual purpose tyres :P

What’s got character? you guys relationship who treat each other with respect. Crossing Australia IMO couldn’t go past Paris-Dakar XT500 or 80GS.

My classic 350 RE has character ❤

If love stopping to stretch my legs when there's a paddock full of cows, I never get bored of how they all crowd around and chat to each other about this weird dude on a funny looking horse. You mentioned the Himalayan as your pick of adventure bikes you thought looked good and was capable of long distance overland... what about the Kawasaki KLR650? It's the Toyota 70 Series of off road bikes, pretty much unchanged since '87. Bare bones simple, ultra reliable and looks good in my opinion.

When the Old Man tested the Harley low rider s, I thought to myself: now there is a bike with character! If I recall, you thought the same.

Talking about bikes with character, unfortunately this brand is no longer in production since Polaris took on the Indian brand but before that they were producing Victory. They still pop up for sale. Have either of you had a ride on any of the Victory range? The saying goes ‘If you ride one, you’ll want one’ I did, I now have one 😊. Comfortable, characterful, good looking, sound great, always getting admirers/questions and smiles per mile a plenty 👍 love mine.

Character in a bike is a lot to do with feedback - feeling the engine, tyres, brakes and gears working. For adventure bikes, it was amazing to see Itchy Boots on her crf300 Rally struggling through deep mud in Africa, and locals on cheap chinese 125's, passenger on the back plus a couple of sacks of rice, standard road tyres, getting through 2' deep puddles in heavy mud.

Hi both, enjoyed the chat based approach. It's down to what you like. Personally I don't like the sorts of bikes you like but that's all good. Who am I to have an opinion , I have a Chinese made cf moto 450 mt and love it and feel the little engine has character.

1977 my friend took me for a spin St Ives to Cambridge on his buzzing le man's mk11 great bike then a fast at the time. Great video. Try a honda firestorm l had one v twin character 😊

Both are beautiful bikes lads. I've come into the bike world in my mid 40s my first bike after I got my license is my royal Enfield interceptor from watching your review of it I fell in love with it. I'm already looking at other bikes they turn your head 😂 I'd like to keep this bike still it's so much fun! Keep up the good work guys 👍😎

A very thought provoking video. My Himalayan has character (and a mind of her own 🤨). I love her. I have a Transalp XL 750 and whilst not being bland, it lacks that 'je ne sais quoi'. ARieman's Warhorse has tons of character. I would love to try an old Transalp or a KLR. Loved the video. You are a great duo! 😊

Anybody can see Edward Norton riding a Guzzi?😊

Thankfully we all ride what we like in the end after we ride all we can and cannot afford. That gives us character by not following the herd. So viva la difference!

Buying a bike you spend half your time replacing bits that fall off or fixing things that break. Thats Character 😂

The 350 Classic has got character. My V85TT has character too - maybe ALL Guzzis do? I've got a raucus Aprilia Dorsoduro, a 750 V-twin, looks great (in a supermoto sort of way) and that's got character. I had a 900 Elefant years ago, that had loads of character - 900SS Ducati engine. I've never ridden one but the Indian Scout looks a character.

Love the new Guzzi. Beautiful looking bike.

Classic 650 is coming soon. Also 650 scrambler

Great video chaps, keep up the good work and ignore the detractors. Now 1400 miles in on my Classic 350, absolutely love it and has bags of character.

I’ve just taken the plunge with a specked out Urban GS after many years of compromise. I’m in love, my mate loved it so much he’s bought one too! We’re looking forward to our next adventure and loving any opportunity to ride in the meantime. Character? Definitely!

V85TT instead of the RE 450 Hymarilan

Good one lads - what you're talking about is an antidote to the modern world ( the classic 350 certainly has character and gets more after 1000 miles / 2500kms )

Welcome to the Guzzi family. From Canada and I ride a 2019 V7 Stone. Character with a bike for me isn’t just retro or the shakes but it’s simply the ride man and machine stripped down gadgets. Great videos.

🏆 HONDA 🏆

I enjoyed this post my ears prickrd up when the old man mentioned a triles bike I currently ride a 46:13 1200 speed twin love it in my late teens I rode a yamaha ty 250 thinking back I too would like one today

There is no justification for personal abuse. It is not only very rood but also cowardly. If it isn't something that you'd say to someone face to face, then don't hide behind a keyboard and be nasty, just because you disagree with an opinion. This just demonstrates poor character and a lack of empathy towards others. As for some modern bikes lacking character, this is very true but manufacturers seem to get away with this quite a lot. There are for example no decent, in depth comparison reviews of the Royal Enfield Classic 500 and the new 350 which replaced it. The ones you see just pipe out the same old parroted mantra that the 500 had quality issues and looks no further. They heap praise on the new 350 and dig no deeper. In actual fact, the only benefit the new 350 has over the old 500 is less vibration. The fit and finish issues of the 500 just weren't there in the final years of its production. Very few mentions are made that the 500 has hydraulic tappets, so there's no need to remove the tank every service to adjust them. There's little mention of the 30+% more power and 30+% more torque on the 500, with little or no weight gain. No one talks about battery removal on the new 350 because unlike the 500, the battery box on the new 350 is fake. You have to dig through looms of untidy wiring and pull out lumps of cheap plastic to find the battery deep inside what was the air filter box on the 500. The optional fake sprung seat on the new 350, where as they are real springs on the 500. The cheap chromed plastic dials and key surround, together with plastic 'glass' on the 350. It's all polished alloy and real glass on the 500. The solid metal side boxes on the 500, they are only metal fronted plastic on the 350.There's a back up kick starter on the 500, should your battery run too low to power the electric starter. The quick release rear wheel system on the 500, which leaves the brakes and chain in situ should you need to repair a puncture or change the tyre. The list is bloody endless and yet no one talks about it....... Ultimately The Classic 500 is the result of a gentle evolution of a 1950's bike into a modern machine but with all that charm, looks and character of the 1950's original. The new 350 is simply based on a modern generic platform shared with other models and is simply 'dressed up' to look a bit like the original. Dig further than skin deep though and you'll discover that the new 350 is just all fakery. Just my view.

Janus Motorcycles have tremendous character, but they are not yet available in Europe, unfortunately. I live in the USA, and I am lucky to own the Gryffin 250. I ride it more often than my 2022 HD Fat Boy!

My 2000 Excelsior Henderson Super X , talk about character!! Can I send you a photo?

I have a feeling you guys will enjoy the ural sidecar motorcycle. Im in the process of restoring a 1991 dnepr mt16 (almost the same bike as ural) that bike has loads of character. It is a blast riding out the country and enjoing the views . You get lots of looks and waves off people.

Some folks just can't handle the slightest comment they might possibly perceive as a personal criticism. Skins are so thin and egos to fragile these days. People just love to get outraged. Also there's the whole phenomenon of people feeling they can behave online in ways they would never do face to face. Ignore and block just as you will, fellas. It's not worth worrying about.

You like retros.....you are on modern bikes.You have the lean burning E10 loving.bells and whistles hidden tastefully.You know with all the self destruct electronics with a 10 yr lifespan......Have a go on a well sorted T120 even a meridan T140....maybe a commando.......Hands dirty nights in shed messing with these bikes ....part of the fun and character building. You like shiny New Retros ...No probs I love the modern speed twin,the 1200 Scramblers..... I am not having a go they are good bikes.A KTM690 duke has loads of grunty character.Its horses for courses.

All machines have _some_ kind of character, but there certainly are some that have less or more of it and are of less or more interest. For example, for commuting, I found I wanted a machine that was as simple, hassle-free, protective, smooth, practical and functional as possible. I ended up with a Piaggio Beverly and it was excellent for all the above reasons, but I would happily say that it didn't have much 'character'. It had some Italian style and I did like it, but character? Not really. I also, though, had a 1958 Ariel Huntmaster. That machine was a characterful joy. The noise, the smell, the foibles you had to get to know, the maintenance that was needed, etc. But that beast had way too much 'character', as in it often broke down, brakes weren't great, handling wasn't great, etc. I now have a Triumph Speedmaster and this has less character than an Ariel, but lots more than a Beverly. It's a lovely compromise of having enough character to be satisfying to ride, but not so much that it sacrifices all it's comfort and capability. I would say character is defined by elements that are not directly connected to practicality and function or even to capability. Character is defined by elements that are in addition to, and even sometimes somewhat at the expense of, functionality. I would say that, yes, 'modern' machines tend to have less character than old (or retro) because modernising tends to mean achieving practicality and performance and eliminating aspects that don't contribute to those things.

The main issue with most 'modern" bikes is they overloaded with electronics which ultimately rob them of character, as a lucky owner of multiple bikes (BMW, Ducati, Harley , Honda & Triumph) I can honestly say they've all got character however the one that always stands out is my Harley which has character by the bucket load and that is probably down to it having practically no electronics beyond ABS, Fuel Injection and Cruise Control which means I actually have to ride it rather than just sit on it and point it. On the subject of what Bogen should be riding , you can actually still buy a brand new XR650 in the USA so that would be my recommendation.

I totally agree its all about the character and looks 👌