Subaru unimpressions

Hired an 08 plate Subaru Legacy Estate petrol auto for a West Country business trip this week. Entry to the car is backwards then sling your legs in as it is very low slung. Raising the seat and lowering the steering wheel height makes the indicator warning lights invisible to the driver. Fitting a twin socket into the 12v outlet is only possible with the auto stick in neutral - it fouls in the P position. The heater controls are tucked away low by the same lever so are not in the drivers line of sight or colour coded for hot/cold and the hazards are scattered away over on the passenger side. So much for lousy driver ergonomics. Almost. If you get in the car and do not start it straightaway the immobiliser prevents it starting until you blip the key off and on. Just as well I had asked if there were any pointlessly goofy design ideas I should know about and was duly tipped off. Off we go at last. The engine is a revver. Kick it down flat and it wangs round to the red as it changes up, the all wheel drive makes roundabouts fun. Floor it from standstill, wang round to the exit with the throttle flat and ping out of the exit with the car flat to the road and stable. There is no surplus of power but it holds 80 on cruise control up hill and down dale. Whilst driving the poor ergonomics again let it down. A great big handbrake lever juts out above your left leg, the flower pot sized twin drinks holders are placed behind your left elbow where you cannot reach and the mirror controls are lurking in a dark and gloomy door recess. The centre console is very groovy in brushed alloy but has fiddly little cd controls.
This car is what happens when a non driving fashion nerd designer is let loose on a nice piece of engineering.
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But Ks grab the attention

Of all the bikes parked up at the test day it was the 3 Ks that drew plenty of attention. A stunning maroon K1100LT outshone both Ethel and an e bay K100RT 500 quidder !
I'm no longer surprised when owners of gleaming new Beemers come up to say " I had one of those - smoothest bike I ever rode "

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Another Balderstons test ride day

Today was another Balderstons test ride day so I took the chance of another go on the K1300GT. This time I trundled round playing with all the toys. Top goodie is the heated seat, just the right level of heat which combined with the 2 stage heated grips keeps you warm and alert. The heated grips seem to be thermostat controlled but the result is that you end up with cold grips - I'd rather control them myself. Electric screen let's you have more or less noise and windblast. The adjustable suspension switch makes the bike feel firmer on sport setting compared to the plush standard setting. A stunning super rocketship of a bike.
Next I rode the new naked 800R. Wow ! BMW have built a Buell. At last an 800 I like - no fuelling glitches and no twitchy handling ( 800ST and 650 thingy respectfully ). The motor rips around the dial, the exhaust snarls and the induction growls. Free of shaft drive you can smack down the gears, chuck the bike into a bend and wallop the power hard on with no dramas - just a huge grin ! Big wide bars , low seat and low flickable weight would make this a stoating town bike.
Now, how can I get a go on a Triumph Street Triple as the 800 is vibey through the bars ?
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