Hello from not so sunny UK

Hi Silver Wing owners.

An admission first. I don't own one.

But I will shortly.

I currently ride a Suzuki Burgman around Dorset, UK. However I have wanted to upgrade my Burger for more power, smoother ride and a name that oozes quality. I had the opportunity to ride a Silver Wing a month or so ago and was convinced it was the machine for me.

In a weeks time I will order my dream machine from the distributor having been advised a four week lead in period for delivery is expected. That will take it into the new registration period for the UK.

I look forward to learning about my ride to be and contributing to the site if I can add to your wealth of knowledge and experience.

Ride safe and keep smiling that two wheeled smile. :thank you:

Welcome to the forum. That is not a Puma in your avatar, but are you a rotary wing jockey?

'ere are you stalking me Doug?

Cornishman wrote:

'ere are you stalking me Doug?

You can run but you can't hide Bob!!!

The Helo is a Westland Wasp, hence the username. One of the few helo's we Brits didn't copy from across the pond.

Hi Doug,

Welcome aboard the forum. Alot of good information on the SilverWing to be found here. Post some pictures of your new Swing when you get it.

Enjoy!

DennisB

Waspie,

Welcome to the site and congrats on your future SWing. I'm sure you will really like the SWing. It is a great bike and very smooth, and powerful. Read up on the mods and accessories you can add since most of us add things along the way. Post some pics of your new SWing and your rides in the Album section. You can make your own "folder" for your pics. There are also plenty of "Pictorials" that help show you how to perform maintenance and things for your new SWing. Welcome.

Thank you for your kind welcomes. Be assured I will post pics of the SWing when I procure it. In the mean time, ride safe.

Here is a picture of my current ride.

Also checking to see if I can add a picture OK too!!!!

Hello Waspie.

Very interested you're changing Burger for Silverwing.

Knowing you from the other forum, your opinion convinces me even more to buy the 'Wing rather than the Burger.

Mike, I was fortunate to meet Doug at his place shortly after I got my Silverwing and we swapped bikes for a while. He rode my SWing which gave him an opportunity to see if the bike suited him. As you know, getting a test ride here is next to impossible, is it any better in Belgium?

Cornishman wrote:

As you know, getting a test ride here is next to impossible

Thats a good day too.

Really did help too Bob. without riding your machine I would still be pondering I imagine. So thank you again. :thank you:

Doug, I haven't tried yet but will when the string of house-guests has come to the end!

I understood from the Honda 'man' at the Bike Show last year that Honda UK have demonstrator 'Wings around the country and that dealers can ask for one to be delivered for the day if a prospective customer wants to try one
I hope the same is true here.
There is a dealer quite close who has franchises for both Honda and Suzuki so I shall make contact and see if I can try 'Wing and Burger at the same visit.
I had a brief ride on Steve Rocket's Burger last year and felt it was a bigger machine than I wanted.
I'd be interested to know why you didn't go for the 650 Burger, apart from the fact that the Wing seems (my not having ridden one but read everything I can about it) to be a lovely machine.

MikeO wrote:

I'd be interested to know why you didn't go for the 650 Burger, apart from the fact that the Wing seems (my not having ridden one but read everything I can about it) to be a lovely machine.

I liked the Big Burger but it wasn't in the running for a replacement.

Sure it would be the logical progresion, 400 to 650 Burger but there was a fundamental flaw. The bigger machine was wider and wouldn't physically fit through my garden gate.

The Wing ticks all of required boxes. Right price, always a consideration.
Size, physically. (Burger failed)
Engine capacity.
Twin cylinder.

After riding Bob's I made my mind up. I rode a 650 Burger the other day and whilst it was ok, that was about all I could think of saying, it was just - ok. Nothing special, no 'wow' factor involved.

Just sorted out my working week next week and so Thursday I willl arrange to go into the dealer and arrange a price for my Burger and then I will know how much coin of the realm I will have to part with.

My only dissapointment with the Wing is they do not supply hand guards as an aftermarket accessory. So I will budget for electric heated grips for those cold winter transits to and from work. After 15 miles my digits start to suffer so I will need something to offset the drop in temperatures.

Doug

Waspie,

I have never ridden a B650 but for some reason I just always wanted the Silver Wing. I'm sure you will really like it when you get it.

MikeO,

Are you in the Flemish or French speaking part of Belgium? I just ask since my wife is Dutch.

Doug, thanks for the explanation - it rather bears out my thoughts.
I hope it all works out satisfactorily.
Regarding hand-guards; either here or on the other Silverwing Forum is information about ones that are for off-road bikes and which bolt on between mirror stalk and mounting (a bit like a washer).
I have pictures!

Jeff, I'm in West Flanders, 8km south of Brugge so in the heart of the Flemish-speaking part.
To my shame, I can't say more than a few words in Flemish yet but I am resolved to learn.
Trouble is, most Flemings speak fluent English and seem to want to speak it.

Soon after we arrived, I needed to buy a bus ticket so asked my partner what to say, wrote it down and practised like mad.
Then I went into the shop and had said only three words of my speech before the man behind the counter said, ' It's OK, I speak English'!
I did try, honest!

Everyone's so friendly and helpful I'm glad we made the move.

Mike.

I looked at the Burgman and I have some friends that love theirs but the Silverwing just looks good and is a dream to ride. I think it is a bit better in the wind. When I saw how it just cruised on the Interstate I was amazed. Just seems a bit light and easy to handle.

Hello folks,

Reading through this thread brought back some memories. I remember exercising with helicopters such as the Westland Wasp, and Wessex years ago when at sea......

Many of the ships I was on at some point operated out of Portland when it was the Royal Nay's foremost training base......

I remember the lynx helicopters out of the local squadron from the air base (Was is Osprey? can't remember now) took great delight in sneaking up at low level and buzzing the windsurfers to see if they could get their rotor downdraft to upset the unsuspecting surfer so they'd fall off...... They got me a few times...!

Which also reminds me of a mate of mine, years ago windsurfing in San Carlos water in the Falklands.... Good winds, no swell, and he was really hammering it, maxxed out, leaning well out, going as fast as he could without risking his board spinning out, and just him no-one else about apart from a few dolphins... Pure bliss for an adrenalin junky......

But he wasn't alone....... A passing Army Chinook spotted him, and decided to have some fun.... For those that don't know, these amazing machines are big troop carrier helicopters with two big sets of rotor blades.... They make this very distinctive engine double beat noise that earned them the nickname of "Wocka wocka"..... anyway the pilot dropped his chinnok down to about 50 feet above sea level and unbeknown to my mate, snuck up behind him... and roared over the top..

The first my mate knew about this was when he heard this heavy duty thumping beat/noise "wocka wocka, wocka wocka" but as it was coming from behind he couldn't see it... then the downdraft from the first set of rotors hits his sail with a crack, and he has to fight with his rig as it suddenly accelerates a few knots... he leans further till his back is only a foot or so above the water, and just manages to keep control..... Then a split second later the second downdraft form the final set of rotors hits.... All around him he can hear this roar of aero engines accompanied by this "demon squall" It's too much, not even Arnold Schwarzzeneger could hang on, and the downdraft over powers him, he simply cannot keep the sail pulled back against such force, and as the chinnook roars overhead the sail overpowers him and with a vicious acceleration catapults him at high speed off the board and into the sea ahead ... Wipeout.....!!!! As he lies there winded, peering bewildered around him, he sees the Chinook receding away from him, the rear loading ramp fully down and half a dozen squaddies leaning out laughing whooping and pointing at him with glee......

Those were the days... sigh...

I guess these days I rely on my scoot and bike for that sense of freedom and adrenalin fix..... Although I live in the UK, I live so far from the coast that its closer to outer space than the sea side.... Plus my hay fever plays hell on me away from the sea......

Every now and then I have to ride to the seaside to breathe that sea air.....

But am off on a 2 week Mediterranean cruise in a weeks time!!!

Mike wrote:

Jeff, I'm in West Flanders, 8km south of Brugge so in the heart of the Flemish-speaking part.
To my shame, I can't say more than a few words in Flemish yet but I am resolved to learn.
Trouble is, most Flemings speak fluent English and seem to want to speak it.

Soon after we arrived, I needed to buy a bus ticket so asked my partner what to say, wrote it down and practised like mad.
Then I went into the shop and had said only three words of my speech before the man behind the counter said, ' It's OK, I speak English'!
I did try, honest!

Everyone's so friendly and helpful I'm glad we made the move.

Mike.


Mike,

I have the same problem when visiting Holland. It seems everyone speaks english so I don't get to practice much. I'm good enough at going out on my own and getting by with my dutch. It seems a lot of the Dutch are just happy that an American can speak some dutch, since most Americans aren't that good at other languages. By the way, are you English?

Bernado,

The tales of Lynx taking wind from the wind surfers brought a smirk.

The wind surfers used to get close to where the Osprey based helicopters practiced there load lifting/circuits to R3Hard a site on the airfield for this type of flying.

To use this area the choppers had to fly a modified circuit which involved flying (low) over the inner harbour, (avoiding routine airfield ops), upsetting the sailboardies who were sailing close to our!! operating area.

By the same token, regular flights had to avoid Little Turns breeding on Chesil beach.

I must also add the wind surfers used to get in the way of us skiing from our helicopters. You lower the rescue hoist with a crewman on the end. Then at a suitable height and speed trail the suspended crewman until he is skiing across the harbour on his rear/bottom/butt!!! delete as applicable.

Like you say - happy days.

By the way, the airfield is now closed to all but one Coast Guard Squirrel and Sun Seekers luxury Yacht manufactures. The dockyard is in private hands too, although yopu wouldn't think so by the amount of Grey Funnel lines alongside.

Safe roads from the seaside.

Jeff,
Yes, an Englishman born and bred (in North London) although my surname's about as Irish as you can get (there's a street and bridge named after me in Dublin )

Today, Friday 7th August 2009. I committed to a Honda Silverwing. It was ordered from the local Honda Agent and will be mine, (all mine), on September the first.

I negotiated a good price for my old Burgman so now I sit back and play the waiting game.

Is it me or has time slowed down!!!!!!

Congratulations!

Looking forward to your reviews.