CAMERON’S CHARACTER

As a subscriber to MSL, I always look forward to reading Kevin Cameron’s articles. His comments and opinions in relation to what gives a motorcycle character was interesting. I agree with many of his comments, however, I really do not believe that character needs to be associated with an agricultural level of reliability and engine design.

I have been riding since the age of 16 and now, at 62 years of age, I can look back and consider that I have been lucky enough to experience most of what the motorcycle industry has thrown at us. From unreliable, seizureprone two-strokes to screaming fours and torque-bludgeoning twins. Character comes in many forms and is often in the eye of the beholder. However, until I became fully synchronised with my first experience of a large Ducati twin (a 996) in the 1990s, I hadn’t realised what this so-called ‘character’ was all about. Wow, the bike quickly became an extension of me, and we were working in tandem to get the most out of each other. A very organic experience and one that I hadn’t experienced before. My 2005 Ducati 999R took this experience to its maximum and nothing has before or since felt as good, with a level of sound, feel and soul which has been unmatched. Character? Maybe, or simply one hell of a good motorcycle doing what motorcycles should do and stirring the soul. My Panigale 1299 never made the grade. Great bike but lacking the living, breathing nature of earlier Ducatis.

I still enjoy powerful and characterful bikes, but struggle with the riding position of many race reps. My choice is the MT-10 (had two of them now), which with its crossplane crank, give me virtually everything I need in a bike. That engine is like a cross between a twin and a V4, sounds like a Moto GP bike, never let’s me

down, and has all the character and feel I could reasonably ask for. I suggest Kevin tries one out and writes another article, namely – Motorcycle Character Part 2.

Ty Jackson