Rode a Bonneville yesterday. Positives, it had much more power than our beloved little bikes, it had two disc brakes, it would handle ok by my limited standards, once you are used to it, had more instruments  and warning lights than we do. Negatives, the side stand was hard to find, the foot pegs tangled in my over trousers, it is obviously heavier than our bikes and more difficult to back into my garage, the gear lever seemed too close to the foot pegs, the left foot peg would spring down annoyingly when you went to find the side stand.

Armen, I can't really say which one, because I don't know enough about them. As it had the front and rear discs, I will accept that it's one of the later ones, although I did notice a radiator. What we get in NZ may have different specs to USA.

MM, what I had been looking at is the Yamaha Bolt, which is belt drive, short seat height 950cc so more power. I did sit on one and noticed the airbox banging my knee. By NZ standards, some of them can be had under retail, but they would still be costly by US standards. Reality is that the S40 is still doing 90% of what I want, it's main deficiency is that it's a little light on overtaking power. So I'll probably stick with it despite this and the tendency to butt rivet on longer trips, I can live with these two factors and I'm probably too disciplined to have multiple bikes. Two antique cars, one bike and a one modern car is enough

JOG, they are a 1929 and 1930 Willys Overland Whippet Four model 96A's, very popular as taxis and government cars in NZ at that time. If you do want to see mine go to www.wokr.org and click on photo gallery, scroll to 1929-31 Whippet four gallery and look for rego plates MR 1201 and BC 7683