Thanks guys for your good wishes! I see WNW have added another Brit beauty to their range while I was off air, so my wish list is even longer now!
Bob, i too looked at BMWs, but the big ones are just a bit intimidating, and the little F800 is nearer a V-Strom 650. Suzuki did a clever thing with this new bike, it is light, slim, agile, lovely engine, extremely comfortable, clever useful electronics, in fact ticked all of my boxes over other similar machines. Torque is where you need it, not skewed to give some brochure hp rating, annd it looks, um, quite unique! I have only had it a week, and the panniers and other accessories I ordered have yet to be fitted, hopefully at first service, but I am already very very pleased with it. Don't buy anything until you have had at least one test ride on one! I'll post some pics shortly,
Tim