Builds Thed's Mod Journal ('22 GX460)

[GrizzlyClint]

How dare you.

Fine. A 993 then.

 

[Thed351W]

Fine. A 993 then.

Now you've absolutely crossed the line.

 

[OllieChristopher]

I'll tell you what, when I test rode the Multistrada Enduro it was nothing short of insane. The one I rode had all the aluminum side luggage and top box. I opened the throttle in 3rd gear and was doing over 90mph at the blink of an eye. And that was with all the nanny modes on!! What I did not like was the quirky ergo's. Even adjusting the foot brake did not help. I'm sure I would adapt with more time in the saddle and, some different bars and other adjustments.

So lets get with the KTM1290. I put in over 100 miles on various models ranging from 19 inch front wheel street tire and 21 inch with knobby. Hands down that was the most powerful bike I ever swung a leg over. The rides were mixed straightaways and twisty roads from the Doffo Winery in Temecula. They were the first bikes I have ever ridden with antilock brakes. I felt the brakes did not match the bikes. It was like stopping a freight train! Both the power and handling were nothing short of intoxicating. Put them in sport mode and the front wheel will lift at 100mph with a small crack of the throttle in 4th gear.

So now the demo ride on the bike I currently own: Super Tenere. The year was 2013 at a dual sport event my club put together in Bishop. Riding this bike was 100% by accident and unplanned. My Beta had a fork lug come loose on my first ride of the day. It ended up in the back of my truck for the weekend and my ride was cut short. So I was bummed out and walking around the various booths in the "paddock". I honed in on this 2013 Super Tenere that had a Demo sign stuck to it. The rest is history. The only thing he asked was have it back by 5:00 and don't take it in the dirt. It was low on fuel so I filled up the tank and rode the snot out of it. Everything about it was amazing. Plenty of power, ergo's were perfect, and handling just right for my riding style. I brought it back and started saving for one.

5 years later I was the proud owner of a brand new 2017 Super Tenere ES. I sold both my KTM 300, Ninja 650R and saved saved saved. The Super Tenere (for me) is the perfect balance of exploring fire roads, reliability, and best of all comfort for long days in the saddle. My Beta 520RS dual sport gets pretty uncomfortable after about 300 miles. At 500 miles it's almost unbearable and I'm looking to get off it. The Super Tenere begs to be ridden and does a 500+ mile day like nothing.

The Beta is the most versatile of anything I've owned. I can pull out of my driveway confident it will go anywhere and do anything on or off road and any nasty trail with ease. The only limiting factor is comfort. I'm an older dude who no longer enjoys long cross country pavement miles on a dual sport. My max tolerance was 100 miles to the dirt, 100 miles in the dirt and 100 miles back home. And then I was pretty much wiped out. Those days are behind me. I now will truck my bike to the riding area and camp out like I used to. Or just short sub 200 nile rides from home.

Know totally off topic and long winded.........

 

[Roody]

Now you've absolutely crossed the line.

Ignore that; do this

 

[Thed351W]

Ignore that; do this

Now we're talking. I'm a huge fan of the Coyote's character. Putting one in a mid-engine setup where the increased weight is easily managed makes a ton more sense. I'd drive the snot out of this.

 

[Roody]

Now we're talking. I'm a huge fan of the Coyote's character. Putting one in a mid-engine setup where the increased weight is easily managed makes a ton more sense. I'd drive the snot out of this.

Ditto. The 5.0 is a hell of an engine, much more exciting in its powerband than the LS engines. Only downside is it's relatively enormous. Fitting it into the back of a Cayman is a hell of a way to make use of the world's best chassis.

 

[Thed351W]

I'll tell you what, when I test rode the Multistrada Enduro it was nothing short of insane. The one I rode had all the aluminum side luggage and top box. I opened the throttle in 3rd gear and was doing over 90mph at the blink of an eye. And that was with all the nanny modes on!! What I did not like was the quirky ergo's. Even adjusting the foot brake did not help. I'm sure I would adapt with more time in the saddle and, some different bars and other adjustments.

So lets get with the KTM1290. I put in over 100 miles on various models ranging from 19 inch front wheel street tire and 21 inch with knobby. Hands down that was the most powerful bike I ever swung a leg over. The rides were mixed straightaways and twisty roads from the Doffo Winery in Temecula. They were the first bikes I have ever ridden with antilock brakes. I felt the brakes did not match the bikes. It was like stopping a freight train! Both the power and handling were nothing short of intoxicating. Put them in sport mode and the front wheel will lift at 100mph with a small crack of the throttle in 4th gear.

So now the demo ride on the bike I currently own: Super Tenere. The year was 2013 at a dual sport event my club put together in Bishop. Riding this bike was 100% by accident and unplanned. My Beta had a fork lug come loose on my first ride of the day. It ended up in the back of my truck for the weekend and my ride was cut short. So I was bummed out and walking around the various booths in the "paddock". I honed in on this 2013 Super Tenere that had a Demo sign stuck to it. The rest is history. The only thing he asked was have it back by 5:00 and don't take it in the dirt. It was low on fuel so I filled up the tank and rode the snot out of it. Everything about it was amazing. Plenty of power, ergo's were perfect, and handling just right for my riding style. I brought it back and started saving for one.

5 years later I was the proud owner of a brand new 2017 Super Tenere ES. I sold both my KTM 300, Ninja 650R and saved saved saved. The Super Tenere (for me) is the perfect balance of exploring fire roads, reliability, and best of all comfort for long days in the saddle. My Beta 520RS dual sport gets pretty uncomfortable after about 300 miles. At 500 miles it's almost unbearable and I'm looking to get off it. The Super Tenere begs to be ridden and does a 500+ mile day like nothing.

The Beta is the most versatile of anything I've owned. I can pull out of my driveway confident it will go anywhere and do anything on or off road and any nasty trail with ease. The only limiting factor is comfort. I'm an older dude who no longer enjoys long cross country pavement miles on a dual sport. My max tolerance was 100 miles to the dirt, 100 miles in the dirt and 100 miles back home. And then I was pretty much wiped out. Those days are behind me. I now will truck my bike to the riding area and camp out like I used to. Or just short sub 200 nile rides from home.

Know totally off topic and long winded.........

You're lucky you got your Yami when you did, you know, before the world went to hell. Finding a new T7 is damn near impossible. Getting a used one ain't much better. Already owning a used one is the sweet spot lol

The Multi has only gotten more insane since 2018. Back then it only had the Testastretta twins. Now you can get one with a reworked V4 that puts out 170 HP.

I haven't ridden the 1290, but my friend did just get an Adventure 890 and let me ride it. Honestly that is probably the best bike KTM makes, it's an absolute joy to ride and easily has my favorite parallel twin I've ever ridden.

But I absolutely understand the comfort game. My SFV4 is literally the worst bike for the highway comfort, however it's absolutely amazing at everything else. After I'm done with school I'm looking for my do-it-all comfy bike. What bike I get depends on if I can afford a $15k bike or go full-tilt for a $25k bike when I have to start paying student loans.

As far as being off-topic, I don't care as long as it's about cars and motorcycles. The Lexus is my boring car lol

 

[Thed351W]

Ditto. The 5.0 is a hell of an engine, much more exciting in its powerband than the LS engines. Only downside is it's relatively enormous. Fitting it into the back of a Cayman is a hell of a way to make use of the world's best chassis.

I really wish Ford would give us an "affordable" mid-engine car with the Coyote and a stick. Seeing as though it's hard enough for them to just keep the Mustang itself around, it'll never happen.

Only putting that gem of an engine in the Mustang and (especially) the F-150 seems like such a waste.

I've been kicking the idea around of building a Coyote-powered Ultima RS, but I need a looooooot more cash before I can make that happen.

 

[OllieChristopher]

Yes the T7, Yikes!! The markup on those is insane.

 

[mudwagon]

Ditto. The 5.0 is a hell of an engine, much more exciting in its powerband than the LS engines. Only downside is it's relatively enormous. Fitting it into the back of a Cayman is a hell of a way to make use of the world's best chassis.

Not to toot the GM horn, but wait until the LT6 is more available. Flat plane, DOHC, 9k limiter; Bosch ECM will make it easier to slap an aftermarket anything on. They are only 4.4L, so arguably will be one of the best power/weight engines you can get. No clue if chevy performance will offer, but I wouldn't put it out of the question. Wonder if anyone has thought of swapping an Euro V8 in as they are typically much smaller and higher revving.

 

[r2m]

Only downside is it's relatively enormous. Fitting it into the back of a Cayman is a hell of a way to make use of the world's best chassis.

Not the only downside, but maintenance too! I imagine you'd have anorexia and be a contortionist in order to service it.

 

[Thed351W]

Not to toot the GM horn, but wait until the LT6 is more available. Flat plane, DOHC, 9k limiter; Bosch ECM will make it easier to slap an aftermarket anything on. They are only 4.4L, so arguably will be one of the best power/weight engines you can get. No clue if chevy performance will offer, but I wouldn't put it out of the question. Wonder if anyone has thought of swapping an Euro V8 in as they are typically much smaller and higher revving.

I can't wait for that engine. But realistically it's only going to be in an expensive Corvette, or cost triple what a LS3/525 or a Coyote crate engine costs.

If the budget allows for it then it'd be extremely compelling.

 

[Thed351W]

Apparently Claret Mica is getting the axe for the '23 model year. Guess I was fortunate to get it when I did. The funny thing is that Claret Mica was a huge reason why I got the GX. When Ford killed Rapid Red on the Bronco I had ordered, I was crushed. It was the only color I wanted. Race Red looked like a clown shoe and Rapid Red's replacement, Hot Pepper Red, looked like a metallic orange. When my order wasn't selected for the final MY21 vehicles, it was the straw that broke the camel's back. Between the constant delays, quality issues, poor communication, and killing off the only color I wanted, it just got to a point where I couldn't buy that product. I immediately went to the Lexus dealer to check out the GX and give it a shot. I test drove a used '21 (in Claret Mica of all colors) and was hooked. That's when I had my salesman locate and do a dealer swap for my GX that was fresh off the boat.

There's one other Claret Mica GX (MY20 or 21) that's floating around my area that I see on occasion. Other than her GX I haven't seen a single other one in the wild. Everyone buys these damn things in grayscale colors! Now that I think about it, her GX may be the same one that I test drove... I might have to pay closer attention to see if it's a Luxury trim with the tan interior.

 

[Banandalorian]

Apparently Claret Mica is getting the axe for the '23 model year. Guess I was fortunate to get it when I did. The funny thing is that Claret Mica was a huge reason why I got the GX. When Ford killed Rapid Red on the Bronco I had ordered, I was crushed. It was the only color I wanted. Race Red looked like a clown shoe and Rapid Red's replacement, Hot Pepper Red, looked like a metallic orange. When my order wasn't selected for the final MY21 vehicles, it was the straw that broke the camel's back. Between the constant delays, quality issues, poor communication, and killing off the only color I wanted, it just got to a point where I couldn't buy that product. I immediately went to the Lexus dealer to check out the GX and give it a shot. I test drove a used '21 (in Claret Mica of all colors) and was hooked. That's when I had my salesman locate and do a dealer swap for my GX that was fresh off the boat.

There's one other Claret Mica GX (MY20 or 21) that's floating around my area that I see on occasion. Other than her GX I haven't seen a single other one in the wild. Everyone buys these damn things in grayscale colors! Now that I think about it, her GX may be the same one that I test drove... I might have to pay closer attention to see if it's a Luxury trim with the tan interior.

I get jealous anytime I see a GX that isn't white, grey, or black. I was hoping to pick up a claret or blue one but I ended up with white because it was too good a deal to pass up at the time. At least I can pick my GX out of the sea of pearl white luxury SUVs in my Wegman's parking lot because of the roof rack and tire hanging off the back.

 

[r2m]

I get jealous anytime I see a GX that isn't white, grey, or black. I was hoping to pick up a claret or blue one but I ended up with white because it was too good a deal to pass up at the time. At least I can pick my GX out of the sea of pearl white luxury SUVs in my Wegman's parking lot because of the roof rack and tire hanging off the back.

Absolutely agree. I only purchased my white GX for lack of any other options. What's with all the monochromatic color schemes with manufacturers???
Almost every manufacturer has two or three shade of black, two or three shades of gray and the same for white, all prefixed with some sort of Martha Stewart color name prefix.
It seems like when I look at color choices of vehicles, I'm not looking for a color I like, but which one of all the shades of black, white or gray is the lease offensive to my eyes.
The same with interiors. I hate gray interiors, and black is usually too hot for where I live and probably most all the southern states.
We need to see more exterior colors of from the Crayola color spectrum.
Same for interiors! More shades of browns, tans, reds, etc. Even two tones with more colors added! Along with more wood!!

In short, black, gray and white look either too dark and hot, institutional or sterile looking.

So, I know there will be quite a bit of dissension on this topic, but just my 2 coins worth of opinion.

 

[mudwagon]

Absolutely agree. I only purchased my white GX for lack of any other options. What's with all the monochromatic color schemes with manufacturers???
Almost every manufacturer has two or three shade of black, two or three shades of gray and the same for white, all prefixed with some sort of Martha Stewart color name prefix.
It seems like when I look at color choices of vehicles, I'm not looking for a color I like, but which one of all the shades of black, white or gray is the lease offensive to my eyes.
The same with interiors. I hate gray interiors, and black is usually too hot for where I live and probably most all the southern states.
We need to see more exterior colors of from the Crayola color spectrum.
Same for interiors! More shades of browns, tans, reds, etc. Even two tones with more colors added! Along with more wood!!

In short, black, gray and white look either too dark and hot, institutional or sterile looking.

So, I know there will be quite a bit of dissension on this topic, but just my 2 coins worth of opinion.

It's cheaper to paint black, grey, white. Developing new colors costs more and suppliers tend to charge by color cost etc. At the end of the day most people won't pay more for cool colors they'll settle for black -$1000 if they had to pick. Sucks as my vehicle is black too and it's my first black vehicle. It's plain, looks decent, but wish I could have a green again.

 

[r2m]

Ohh, how I'd love a Toyota green (or Toyota tan) GX!

 

[Banandalorian]

It's cheaper to paint black, grey, white. Developing new colors costs more and suppliers tend to charge by color cost etc. At the end of the day most people won't pay more for cool colors they'll settle for black -$1000 if they had to pick. Sucks as my vehicle is black too and it's my first black vehicle. It's plain, looks decent, but wish I could have a green again.

Most people are also pretty boring plus they've heard that bright colors get pulled over more their entire lives. They pick white or silver unless they're feeling really adventurous and pick black or gray.

 

[r2m]

Most people are also pretty boring plus they've heard that bright colors get pulled over more their entire lives. They pick white or silver unless they're feeling really adventurous and pick black or gray.

Or red when they hit their 40's or 50's?? (read: mid-life crisis)
Wait!!! My wife has a red 4x4 Tacoma!!! (ah, she's always wanted a red truck anyways, and that's not indicative of her age)

 

[GrizzlyClint]

I only purchased my white GX for lack of any other options

100% same. I had to buy a black 2010 and a white 2008 simply because those were the best condition / service history available.