Motor bike

guinea

If you're in London then a super motard is a bad idea. Those get stolen from the bike park first.

I got a BMW F800R. Naked, v-twin, torquey as hell and very ridable. It has a 'unique' look and isn't on the thieves radar.

Also, it returns 70+mpg.

proto

If you are going to commute on it you want fairing, maybe only a small one, but fairing of some sort. Sensible choice would be a CB500. Bombproof, will run for ever. Cheap to buy and run. Fun, or at least fun enough to get you in trouble.

If you do want to go fast and commute then as already mentioned a steel framed CBR600, or an early alum framed one (not an RR) would be a good choice. Great bikes.

I would cross the BMW off the list, they don't last very long in my exoerience. MY F650 ate it's engine and so did the one my son owned (and abused, admittedly). Both the 650 and 800 use a Rotax motor and I'm not convinced.

BTW the F800 is a parallel twin not a 'V'.

Bandit would do the job well, but of bikes of that type the Yamaha Fazer, 600 or 1000, seem to get better reviews Never ridden one myself.

Avoid Ducatis. Great fun, style, noise but heavyish running costs and not sure they take to winter riding very well (paint/electrics).

Hornet is a great bike but tank range is a bit limited.

lostboysaint

From that list the Versys or the GS650. Ideal uprights so comfortable and easy to thread through the traffic, quick enough and fun enough to throw down the lanes and murder the traffic on the dual carriageways and motorways. All with a return of 50mpg + and fantastic luggage carrying capability.

The two Suzukis are nice bikes but do you really want to watch your bike decomposing in front of your eyes (yes, I have one and out of that the Triumph and the Yamaha it's the most painful to watch corrode or have to keep spotlessly clean to avoid it).

As for all the other recommendations (which you will invariably get) the Fazer 600 is the best by a country mile.

Yossie

Oooh - yes. Forgot about that: Honda Hornet. Great fun, early ones are cheap as chips and really cool.

The FZ range are rubbish - no bottom/mid range on the 600: its the same or as near as dammit engine as the R6 which is rubbish in itself: 16,000 rpm redline and no power until 12,0000 or something daft, so it's all rev rev rev rev rev rev rev powe ....... oh time to brake because there is someone in front.

If you're looking at a CB500 then be careful: courier's favourites and bizarrely enough they also had a one make race series for these years - James Ellison of WSB/BSB/WE fame initially made his name, so check for razzed/crashed and badly rebuilt/etc bikes.

Honda CB1000 are cool as well.

StillGoing

What don't you get? He's after a commuter not a feking rocket. He doesn't want a stretch for the bars or something that is going to vibrate him to death by the time he gets to his destination. Reliability, economy and robustness to the UK weather come way up the list before power.

Yossie

philthy3 wrote:

What don't you get? He's after a commuter not a feking rocket. He doesn't want a stretch for the bars or something that is going to vibrate him to death by the time he gets to his destination. Reliability, economy and robustness to the UK weather come way up the list before power.

So buy a pre RR CBR600 or a SV. End of.

StillGoing

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

The er6n