Urgh, which motorbike tu buy...!?!?

[slimjim]

The Honda NC750X is a great looking bike, nice to ride but the most boring engine ever created. It's so annoying because it would probably be great if the rev limiter was raised another 2-3k. As it is, you wind the throttle on and hit the 6k limit every single time you feel like pushing on.

Gladius is a good budget bike, the throttle is very nervous going through town though, and feels cheap in most regards.

Not the same category of bike, but I have a yamaha XSR700 and love it. Very light, very flickable, (too) easy to wheelie, engine has both low down grunt and also sings up near top end... Only downside is a crap rear shock, but it's very easy to upgrade to nitron/ohlins/etc.

I would never buy a Honda again, they have always been increadibly dull to ride,
I Preferred Yamaha’s because they are just as reliable, but less dull,
I prefere twins though, and the old Moto Guzzi, one of the Moto Guzzi s that I own is a convert, an automatic, you would expect it to be a dull ride, but it’s the complete opposite, it’s interesting to ride at normal speeds,
I wish I had discovered Moto Guzzi in the 80’s, the older ones are my favourites, the round barrel 850/1000 easy to work on and fix, they ooze character, they don’t need to be going fast, or wheelying to enjoy them, it’s almost dissapointing to arrive at your destination.

If you want a commuter buy a Honda cbr250r, but you won’t want to ride it anywhere but to work and back.

 

[slimjim]

Bit of a difference between those two bikes though

oh the only other thing that IS in the NC's favour is that it practically runs on air! Genuine 60mpg bike. I still wouldn't have one, though.

I would expect it to do 80mpg, which is about the same as a Moto Guzzi V7

 

[Morrisman]

I had a Guzzi California II new in 1982 …… absobarstadly the best bike I ever had ..... ever!!!
…….. except for crappy chrome bits!!!

When I was at college in the late seventies a friend had a Guzzi California, and a wealthy girlfriend. They painted the bike a beautiful deep blue metalflake, added loads of polish and chrome.

I dreamed of owning such a beast one day, as I rode around on my Honda 175......

My current ride is a BMW 1100r, 1997 model. It is a great bike, but the gearbox is brutally medieval, and the bike is really a bit too big and heavy for what I need. I did 3 trips to Europe last year, about 8000 miles, and it was great for that. Over the last 20 months I’ve put 22,000 miles on it.

I’d like something a bit smaller, easier to manoeuvre and manhandle when not on good tarmac. Maybe a V-strom 650 or similar.

My BM gets a regular 50 mpg when riding gently.

 

[Jlg]

I killed one last year, still not got around to have a look at it.

How and it won't be fully dead just playing

 

[Robotstar5]

Yamaha Tracer or Suzuki Vstrom?.

 

[Hopefuldave]

When I returned to bikes after a few years off parenting (impending divorce, bonus to spend before she claimed it...) I went for a 1200 VMax - great fun, easy to ride, but NOT economical nor practical for long rides (70-80 miles to reserve!), followed it with a ZZR1100 - comfy, indecently quick, 250 miles to a tank / 55 mpg (so only one fill-up on the way to mates near Limoges), but heavy - although saying that, it can be pushed around the twisty bits with a bit of intestinal fortitude, when I test rode it it managed to keep up with the seller on a ZX12R, just about...
The ZZR1100s are getting a bit long in the tooth, but the 1200 and 1400 aren't that expensive secondhand and will do everything you want (apart form off-road and on-ice), stick heated grips and a set of Givi boxes on it and it's a good all-year bike?

Dave H. (the other one)

 

[Munkul]

Yamaha Tracer or Suzuki Vstrom?.

I think yamaha have the edge on Suzuki for build quality. The CP2 engine in the 700 tracer is an absolute gem, too.
I've been waiting for Yamaha to build their "special edish" Tenre version of the 700 tracer, it looks like its coming out this year and i bet it will be a very, very nice allrounder.

 

[Morrisman]

1200 Bandit I had would make an excellent touring bike, sweet smooth endless power, pulls from 20mph in top gear seamlessly, handled well, fairly light. I had to lower mine, I’m a bit short in the leg.

But I preferred riding my BM for some odd reason, so sold the Bandit.

 

[dobbslc]

I the OP is commuting anywhere near London make dam sure the bike is LEZ compliant!!!!!
B stard Khan!

 

[ajlelectronics]

I the OP is commuting anywhere near London make dam sure the bike is LEZ compliant!!!!!
B stard Khan!

Is that something to do with extreme feminism again?

 

[slim_boy_fat]

with a bit of intestinal fortitude

 

[pressbrake1]

I ride and commute on a bmw s1000rr and occasionally on my Aprilia rsv if its behaving
I offend myself treating a valuable bike like a hack tbh and in the rain I wish I had something like morrismans. I did have a Kawasaki versys1000 but the aerodynamics (why you must test ride) were terrible . Head rattle above 60mph and the wind blast is directly on your hands so you really need hand guards and heated grips

 

[slimjim]

How and it won't be fully dead just playing

Thrashing the nads off it, the power cut out, the engine still turns over on the kickstart, it still sparks,

I suspect it’s dropped a valve, my plan is to rebuild, or if it’s knackered, fit a Chinese 125, but only if the engine is literally scrap.

 

[bump]

Wait until you've got your license and then go do some test rides at dealerships. That's the best way to find the right bike for you.

 

[roofman]

Have 5 bikes here

When I was at college in the late seventies a friend had a Guzzi California, and a wealthy girlfriend. They painted the bike a beautiful deep blue metalflake, added loads of polish and chrome.

I dreamed of owning such a beast one day, as I rode around on my Honda 175......

My current ride is a BMW 1100r, 1997 model. It is a great bike, but the gearbox is brutally medieval, and the bike is really a bit too big and heavy for what I need. I did 3 trips to Europe last year, about 8000 miles, and it was great for that. Over the last 20 months I’ve put 22,000 miles on it.

I’d like something a bit smaller, easier to manoeuvre and manhandle when not on good tarmac. Maybe a V-strom 650 or similar.

My BM gets a regular 50 mpg when riding gently.

View attachment 167488

If your talking heavy bikes then my 2013 Explorer is near the top of the list...My Rocket3 on the move can be thrown around like a sports bike funny enough and i have great fun with this thing as its a wolf in sheeps clothing regarding pure brutal power

 

[ronan]

Have 5 bikes here

If your talking heavy bikes then my 2013 Explorer is near the top of the list...My Rocket3 on the move can be thrown around like a sports bike funny enough and i have great fun with this thing as its a wolf in sheeps clothing regarding pure brutal power

There was a video of an older guy, up on youtube. He had a rocket 3 and had it supercharged !

 

[Morrisman]

Friend of mine has Rocket 3, says it is just so well balanced with low CoG it feels like it weighs nothing out on the road.

 

[roofman]

There was a video of an older guy, up on youtube. He had a rocket 3 and had it supercharged !

Yea its a common thing with kits being from TTS....to be honest mate these things have that much torque i don't think a charger is needed

 

[ronan]

Yea its a common thing with kits being from TTS....to be honest mate these things have that much torque i don't think a charger is needed

It must be like riding a bomb !

 

[slimjim]

Have 5 bikes here

If your talking heavy bikes then my 2013 Explorer is near the top of the list...My Rocket3 on the move can be thrown around like a sports bike funny enough and i have great fun with this thing as its a wolf in sheeps clothing regarding pure brutal power

I had a mate with a rocket3, he made the mistake of parking it into the curb, it took 4 of us to push it backwards up the chamber of the road, he couldn’t move it on his own.