My Honda Transalp XL700 10 years on

Ten years ago today I went into Honda Two wheels in Edinburgh and bought myself a brand new XL700 Transalp. The idea was to get a reliable motorcycle that could take me on my Pan American Journey from Ushuaia to New York!! That she certainly did but over the next few years she has taken me to every country in Europe and beyond. She has been thru boiling deserts at over 40 Celsius to freezing Northern Russia where the temp dropped to -40 Celsius, still this great bike never missed a single beat. Now ten years on she is still going strong. Over the years I changed the rear shock, replaced the fork springs and had her valves adjusted at about 40k and of course general maintenance. She has never had a bulb replaced in over 100 000 miles. This bike may be a bit rusty now but is still going strong and has never in all the miles of adventure has she ever let me down. She has been the most reliable motorcycle I have ever owned and I am extremely proud of her