Motor bike

rally200

Nasty injury (spare you detail) is going to take me of the road bike for quite some time so not being the greatest fan of public transport I'm thinking of getting a motorbike for the first time in 20 yrs.

Have my full licence.

Don't know what's what - not looking for a mental sports bike, but something easy to use in the traffic round town, and shortish dual carriageway work - looking at

BMW gs 650
Kawasaki er6n
Kwak Versys
Suzuki Bandit
Suzuki Vstrom

any views

Smokin Joe

The Bandit.

I had a GSX750W for about six years, a bigger version of the Bandit (The Bandit Haynes manual was good for 90% of jobs they are so similar) and it was a cracking bike, economical and reliable.

The basic engine design has been around for decades and is refined to the point where it is virtually unburstable, same with the cycle parts, all tried and tested over many years.

kettrinboy

Theres one bike you havnt listed, the Suzuki SV650 , good little v-twin motor, goes well and is reliable, could be just the job for what you want.

fizz

As above the SV, more fun to ride than the bandit wil be. The ER6 is supposed to be an excellent bike to. I know a couple of people with a Versys and they rate it very highly as well.

rally200

how come the SV is so cheap compared to the Bandit?



is it just me or is the Gladius a bit of a dog's breakfast?

fizz

Gladius is the replacement for the unfaired SV. All the running gear is the same is just got a different chassis / styling on it.

I woudlnt have thought there is much difference price wise between the bandit and the SV, it might well be that the bandit is more popular and it keeps the prices up. IIRC buying new they are about the same price.

I had an SV for two years before I got my GSXR its definately worth considering IMHO.

Mind you I would say that I'm one of the forum adminstrators on www.sv650.org. go and have a read on there if you are interested in the SV, theres loads of good info on them on the forum.

Yossie

No to the Blandit - its out of date, bland and not as good as the Versys (very underrated) and the ER6. See what Farquhar has done on open roads racing on an ER6 to see the potential.

The Beemer is underpowered and you'll get bored of it in no time. You'll also look like a Charlie/Ewen wannabee.

VStrom is pants: doesn't go, doesn't handle, doesn't brake, looks awful, Gladius is alright if you're a girl.

Agree completely re the SV - go for the older model though with the rounded fairing as opposed to the newer angular version- carbed, more responsive, lighter, more power, more fun. Watch out for ex-race/stolen/bent/crashed and badly repaired bikes as they are incredibly popular for mini twins racing (means that lots of trick parts are available though)

If you're on a budget, how about a steel framed CBR 600 (or any CBR 600 pre 600 RR for that) they arefantastic and will do everuything you want, from commuting at 50 mph to going 150 down a B road. Fantastic Honda build quality as well.

Ignore the CBR 600 N or whatever they've called it - not the RR. Its rubbish.

I have a ZX6R and a race RGV250 - had bikes for 21 years and now build them on the side.

kilo

Ignoring your list altogether triumph bonneville 800, had a fair few bikes over the years (got an old kwaker 550 commuter at the moment and had various bmws & bandits 600 &12 for work) and its probably the only one i wish i'd kept. Nice handling, looks good and fun to ride. Nurburg ring to s.w london on a sunny sunday was one of my best bike days ever.

t.m.h.n.e.t

rally200 wrote:

Nasty injury (spare you detail) is going to take me of the road bike for quite some time so not being the greatest fan of public transport I'm thinking of getting a motorbike for the first time in 20 yrs.

Have my full licence.

Don't know what's what - not looking for a mental sports bike, but something easy to use in the traffic round town, and shortish dual carriageway work - looking at

BMW gs 650
Kawasaki er6n
Kwak Versys
Suzuki Bandit
Suzuki Vstrom

any views

GS650 isn't too bad a choice, get the F version and a set of trai tyres and ride it mindly offroad too.
ER6N is a very good bike for most purposes,quite a courier and female rider favourite due to it's height,ease of power and slinky looks. (the black and red versions are yummy)
Versys: Incredibly ugly,heavy too with a bit of a gutless engine
Bandit: Not bad but tend to be the victims of "streetfighter" mods and often wheelied to hell and back. Older ones are hard to find in decent condition and newer ones well,I dunno.
Vstrom: Heavy and sluggish and not particularly suited to stop-start traffic.


Honda Hornet,Yamaha FZ6, Honda CB600/F,Suzuki GSR600 or the likes would be somewhat more ideal and still easy enough to ride in traffic and motorway jaunts.

Choice boils down to Twin or 4cyl really :P

madracer

But really in your heart you know you want a Ducati.....

Yossie

madracer wrote:

But really in your heart you know you want a Ducati.....

Oh yes - a lovely gleaming red 1198 SP.

Lush pukka mint. I neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeed one.

Or a TDR 250 with a stage 3 Farnham tune like my old one. Now that's what you want: fast enough to be a giggle, wheelies like feck everywhere, handles well, brakes fantastic, won't get you too busted, cheap to insure.

Buy one today.

StillGoing

KTM Superduke.

fosst

Or, given my location....
Street Triple, (R if you prefer). Great engine and chassis.
Never ridden a Bonneville but I hear good things about them in terms of a decent relaxed ride.
I'm currently on my 4th consecutive Triumph and have riden all the 3 cylinder engined bikes in the current line-up. Street Triple is a stand out bargain. New 800 Tiger is fun. Rocket is mad.

Tom Butcher

What's wrong with a Rally 200 ?

If I were you I'd get a big engined scooter - round town, stop start traffic and short DC work they are far easier to ride and more practical, you also get a bit more weather protection.

Smokin Joe

Tom Butcher wrote:

What's wrong with a Rally 200 ?

If I were you I'd get a big engined scooter - round town, stop start traffic and short DC work they are far easier to ride and more practical, you also get a bit more weather protection.

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!

madracer

Tom Butcher wrote:

What's wrong with a Rally 200 ?

If I were you I'd get a big engined scooter - round town, stop start traffic and short DC work they are far easier to ride and more practical, you also get a bit more weather protection.

What Joe said....Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Yossie

Super Duke is cool but those in the know know that's its nowt but a pansy's TDR.............

Ducati Monster? Various engine sizes available to suit testicle size and very cool.

CR500 with road wheels? RGV250 with RG500 motor in? Honda RS250 with road trim?

Buy a TDR - it'll be the best thing that you ever do.

StillGoing

He doesn't want a sports bike otherwise I'd be espousing the virtues of Yamaha's sports fleet. Why would he bother with a 2T too? A TDR was shite when it was available new hence it's short life span and the Italians still haven't sorted out electronics yet so I'd never touch a Ducati. Just my opinions though based on a lifetime of riding motorcycles on road and track.

Yossie

philthy3 wrote:

Why would he bother with a 2T too? A TDR was shite when it was available new hence it's short life span and the Italians still haven't sorted out electronics yet so I'd never touch a Ducati. Just my opinions though based on a lifetime of riding motorcycles on road and track.

Well you're utterly wrong - just ask anyone who knows what they are talking about. Or has ridden one. Sorry.

Consistently voted top 5 fun bike ever, whenever any of the mags have a bike contest for £x someone always buys one, huge fan base. They were short lived because a 2 stroke bonkers super moto was a) before its time and b) they are pretty impractical - but hysterical fun. Quick steering, 100% reliable, comfy, handle really well, wheelie everywhere with an excellent bit of impraticality. What's not to like?

2 strokes are the most fun for your money - end of. If I want a bike with a car engine and no soul I'll buy an inline 4. Oh I did - its a ZX6R. And my old Gixer. And my old R1.

What's the latest Yamaha sport range got? A fake V4 fugly R1 that doesn't handle, an unusable on the road R6 that doesn't go and a fat heavy slow 4 stroke 125. Why buy a Yammy when you can buy an infinitly better Honda?

Personally I'd save up and buy teh new MV Augfusta Triple that's coming out and park it in the front room. But then I'm one of these people who realises that you don't need 180 bhp on the road and that its the corners that are the fun part.

If he wanted a sports bike, I'd say a Gixer 750 - best bike out there by a nautical mile.

robz400

I've had a few bikes in recent years including a Bandit, an R6, a zx9r and an SV650.

I've just bought another SV as my bike to commute 35miles each way. As far as i'm concerned they are pretty much perfect.

Bandit is fine as a town bike unless you get the faired version which I think just looks too dull to consider.

The faired SV has a riding position in between an upright and a full on sprts bike, it pulls hard to 120mph and the v-twin sounds great.

After riding 10s of different bikes I can't think of anything better for day to day use.

Unless of course you're really tall in which case i'd look at a big trailie :-)

Velonutter

Don't ignore a Super Motard, I used to race them as well as commute.

Load enough so that drivers will hear you coming, light and nimble to weave between the traffic, cheap to run, cheap on Insurance and you can always pop it up on one wheel when passing the women 8)

Yossie

Velonutter wrote:

Don't ignore a Super Motard, I used to race them as well as commute.

Load enough so that drivers will hear you coming, light and nimble to weave between the traffic, cheap to run, cheap on Insurance and you can always pop it up on one wheel when passing the women 8)

TDR it be then ........

rally200

madracer wrote:

Tom Butcher wrote:

What's wrong with a Rally 200 ?

If I were you I'd get a big engined scooter - round town, stop start traffic and short DC work they are far easier to ride and more practical, you also get a bit more weather protection.

What Joe said....Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

ha ha - used to have one - fully factory spec restored in graphite grey & white go faster stripes -lovely could do 80+ up the high street --but 80 on 10" tyres, 1940s suspension, and drum brakes (ah - fond memories of the front damper breaking, and the rear axle oil seal going spraying oil into brake drum on the same journey)

Though about it but when I found that it'd cost me the same (£5k ish) as a brand new real bike with modern brakes, lights, suspension (not to mention an extra 60 bhp)

StillGoing

Yossie wrote:

Velonutter wrote:

Don't ignore a Super Motard, I used to race them as well as commute.

Load enough so that drivers will hear you coming, light and nimble to weave between the traffic, cheap to run, cheap on Insurance and you can always pop it up on one wheel when passing the women 8)

TDR it be then ........

At 50 years old I've owned and ridden enough 2Ts to know a good one and the TDR wasn't. Let's see; Suzuki GT250, GT750 kettle, RGV250, Honda NSR250, NS400R, CR500R, Yamaha RD250, YDS7, TZR250, Kawasaki KR1S, KH500. As a supermoto the TDR was ugly and unreliable. It came out as 2Ts were dying off and Yamaha wanted to get rid of a few TZ250 engines lying around. They detuned them in the process.

Anyhow, it's all subjective. You've obviously bought a TDR and are very happy with it. I wouldn't touch one with yours. You rate the GSXR750 as the best sports bike; there are thousands who will disagree with you. I will agree with you that the current R1 is a pile of doohdah but then I didn't specify a new bike as that isn't what the original poster said. The best advice he's been given is the SV650 and I would add to that by considering a VTR1000 fireplace. Very cheap and not inclined to make you go berserk.

kettrinboy

Speaking as a former owner of Yamaha RD250/350/500LC,s and a Suzuki RGV250P i agree that when your in the mood and you have got them on the pipe they are just about the most fun you can have on a bike,but on our traffic infested roads your probably likely to spend most of the time out of the powerband and then they are a pain in the arse to ride, for general all round riding a 600/650 four stroke four/twin is a much better tool.

Yossie

Eh?

The TDR didn't have anything to do with a TZ engine - it was a TZR 250 engine with different gearing (lowered for 8 mph less top end but wheelied everywhere) so 100% reliable.

Are you sure yo know what bike we're actually talking about?

Why oh why oh why would anyone buy a Fireplace? heavy, slow, ugly. Piece of junk designed to try and take sales away from the 916 and failed due to a) the above b) the TL being the nutter bike and c) it couldn't compete with the 916 on any count at all.

They were shyyyyt back then when they were new, imagine what they will be like now .....

Anyway, enough bickering.

CBR 600 if its a middleweight do everything. SV as an alternative. 50 squillion people can't be wrong with a CBR6...........

MountainMonster

Another vote for the SV650 from me. I had one back in the states, and was genuinely impressed with it all the way around.

martinwitnam

As a current owner of a Suzuki SV650 my advice would be to buy a newer fuel injected version rather than a carb'ed model.
This is due to the fact that we live in the UK and it tends to rain here. The SV is extremely susceptible to the rain. Chug, Splutter!
But then an absolute dream in the dry!

MattC59

This:

fizz

martinwitnam wrote:

As a current owner of a Suzuki SV650 my advice would be to buy a newer fuel injected version rather than a carb'ed model.
This is due to the fact that we live in the UK and it tends to rain here. The SV is extremely susceptible to the rain. Chug, Splutter!

I've owned both generations of SV and had both loose the front cylinder in heavy rain. Theres plenty of fixes for this problem and the cause is absoloutly nothing to do with whether the bike runs Carbs or Fuel Injection. Suzuki have tried to do something about it and both generations are supplied with a small plastic flap thats supposed to keep the rain out, but its not particularly effective.

The main cause is the fact the front mudguard is to short and the spray flings up directly into the front spark plug, theres a drain hole on the RHS of the front cylinder case thats supposed to let the water out, but it gets blocked with dirt and then the water doesnt run away.

You can get a fenda extenda from pyramid plastics that will extend the length of the front mudguard and stops the spray going in there. Or you can seal the plug with some non conducting silicone sealant which will also do the job to.

Homer J

VFR 750 is not a bad bike, well the ones about 10 years ago where ok, not sure of the current crop