Garage

The garage – the man’s walk-in wardrobe. The refuge that smells of petrol and rubber. The place where tools fall to the ground and cannot be found again. Where only the latest clothes get oil stains. Chaos everywhere, and there is always exactly one vehicle missing for complete satisfaction …

Before you read, please note: this post was translated with the help of Deepl.
If you find any errors – please have fun first and then give me a hint.

In recent years, I have always tried to avoid trading in one of my old motorbikes when buying a new one. That’s why the following motorbikes now stand in my garage:

Zero
 SR/F Premium

Alessandro Volta – the youngest bike in my garage: my all-electric 2019 Zero SR/F Premium. Built in California, unique in its design and special in its handling. I negotiated with myself for a long time, spent nights calculating and thinking things through – but when my dealer showed willingness to trade in my crazy KTM 1290 Superduke R, everything happened very quickly. Since September 2020, I have been riding through my home relatively silently and with massive torque.

I described the test ride of my Zero SR/F Premium here, my conclusion after four weeks of riding can be found here.

KTM 1290 Superduke R
 (.. sold ..)

The Beast – my 2016 KTM 1290 Superduke R. The most insane and yet the easiest motorbike I’ve ridden in 25 years. This machine pushed forward like no other, delivered speechless power combined with striking handiness and top brakes. THE hooligan bike for terror on all trails – whether on the passes of my homeland, in the vastness of southern France or on the race tracks of this planet.

It wasn’t easy for me to part with the Beast after just 4 years – which speaks for the qualities of Alessandro …

Ducati 748 s
 Desmoquattro

Introduced to the market as an economy version of the divine Ducati 916 – but perhaps also to play along with the SuperSports – the 748 was THE alternative to the unattainably expensive big one in the distant 2000s, and I bought a brand-new, red S version back then. Even after 20 years and almost 90,000 km, it is still a gem and has even made it into the motorbike magazine MO.

The power output of just under 100 hp is by far sufficient (OK, after a ride on the Superduke or the Zero SR/F, it feels rather inadequately powered …), together with the sensationally good chassis, leaves riders of much more powerful motorbikes wide-eyed, sometimes. That’s another reason why the 748 is still my favourite machine.

The Ducati took me – imagine, even with a female passenger! – to Denmark, to the wonderful Cinque Terre, several times to Franconian Switzerland, burned over the Anneau du Rhin (FR) and the Salzburgring (AT) and crossed the magical Viaduc du Millau in the Cevennes (FR). But mostly, she took me up the Queen of Mountain Roads, to “my” Stelvio.

By the way, she has never let me down.

Harley Davidson Road King 
110th Anniversary Edition

A Harley in my garage? Indeed. And – since there is power in tranquillity, this motorbike is my strongest. Beautiful, massive and long, made for the rides from the east to the west coast and back, no matter which continent. With a passenger, of course – there’is more than enough space for luggage. Although the machine can be nimble on the road, even much nimbler than the visual impression gives, this is my wellness motorbike, my feel-good vehicle. The growl and rumble of this huge engine is a delight, the spectacle in the three big chrome headlights stunning.

My Road King, built in 2013, has not yet been around as much as it should. But it is the reason for my great love of France: I rode the Maritime Alps and the Route des Grandes Alpes for the first time with this heavy cruiser – and that won’t be the last time.

My garage would
be perfect with ..

Of course, at least one motorbike is always missing in the collection – it’s far too fascinating riding all sorts of different bikes. My thoughts are buzzing around the Ducati Panigale, whether with V2 or V4. There’s always a place for a Honda Africa Twin – and of course a sharp supermoto shouldn’t be missing. Not to forget the Harley Davidson Fat Boy with the big 114cc engine, which I would put alongside a carbon fiber Yamaha R1M as a counterpart. And well, ever since I was allowed to ride the exciting Energica Ego, it has been haunting my thoughts.

Of course, the best thing would be the complete collection of my previous motorbikes – with a noble Suzuki RGV 250 Gamma, a mighty Yamaha FZR 1000 Exup, the lively Yamaha TRX 850 and a red Triumph Daytona 955i. But my garage would definitely be too small for that …

Perfectly matching