OK, I have been looking and test riding the Terra, found an insurance issue that put the mockers on it until now! The problem is that I love the colour and the looks of the Terra but here in Blighty I can get the strada with ABS for the same price as a non ABS Terra. This also is compounded by the fact that I did find the Terra a little skittish on the front end when getting it on in a bend, and I as I have a BMW GS1100 with the same diameter wheels as the the Strada feel that I should go with the Strada! But I still like the Terra colour and looks ARGH! can someone help me to get my head around this??? Best of all is to get the dealer to supply the Strada with red panels and a front fender and I'm there but would that be an expensive route?
The side panels arent expensive. Ive seen more than one 650 Terra in black .... Stradas can be made red for cheap. You can also swap the high or low fenders.
Well I have no idea of the cost of these parts but it must be cheaper I hope then changing the front wheel of a Terra!
Generally side panels set run $100 US or less, I havent priced the TRs. The stickers can cost more than the plastic....
Lots of black converted Terras here so there should be lots of red panels just laying around! I bet you will get a PM shortly regarding someone willing to make you a deal on a set
Check out this thread http://www.cafehusky.com/threads/strada-tire-change-to-knobbies.30317/ for some pictures of bikes running high fenders.
Last I checked, there were plenty of red panels in stock at the warehouse. The black panels were getting scarce though, unless they've been restocked. I actually picked up a spare set of black panels to play with vinyl wrapping.
If I remember panels were like $65 each and the OEM decals were around $10 each. My thoughts too. One of the reasons I have not mounted them yet.
Plastics are cheap, and the Strada handles well in the dirt. ABS is a lifesaver, literally. I have been riding since 2002, and never had it on a bike until now. On a 2000+mile trip I watched a semi truck pull in to a little Mitsubishi eclipse at 75 mph. Needless to say it STOPPED traffic. They were two cars ahead of me and the ABS saved my bacon. I'll never go without it again, and like you, I was on the fence between the two. The older I get the more I think money is well spent on quality safety gear and prepping for adventure of all kinds!
Getting to like the Strada more now, have contacted a dealer by email and now awaiting a reply. I suppose that the lighter bike would be easier to get the ABS to activate, as the only time I have got it to work on my BMW was on purpose on gravel just to prove it was working OK.
