‘It just loves being a motorcycle’
Best ride The 790 just loves being a motorcycle. It doesn’t need a special occasion to deliver a memorable ride – so, for me, it’s the 12 slightly mad miles that connect home to work. Endurolight with nonchalant low speed balance, every morning it comes alive in my hands. Then out into the country, where that LC8c twin seemingly grows into a freerevving triple, and we fly.
Longest day 350 miles divided neatly into a 100-mile blast to Snetterton, 150 frenetic miles on track, then a twilight sprint home again, bike and rider barely visible beneath a carpet of flies.
What hurt first? The seat is borderline soggy and the shock can be jarringly unresponsive; so my lower back cops it.
High point It’s a weapon on tight tracks, so piling into turn one at Rockingham.
Low point The way it loses its composure on poor surfaces.
What do you most admire? That up-for-anything attitude.
What’s it really good at? Helterskelter B-roads are its kingdom.
And really bad at?
Those bumpy surfaces.
What’s broken? It has a warped disc and an oil leak from the cylinder head cover gasket.
Tell us a secret
Chain slack has to be spot on.
What did you think at the beginning? That it looked cheaply built.
And now? As above with added love for its ability and attitude.