Viewing 38 posts - 1 through 38 (of 38 total)
  • Which 500-600cc bike?
  • ronjeremy
    Free Member

    Hi all, am looking at doing bike test at some point this year, and am wondering which bike you lot would recommend for me to have a look at, im mid 30’s and have no intention of being the next Barry Sheen, just looking at something as an alternative to forever using my car on those journeys which are just too far to use one of my other bikes, cheers all in advance

    YoungDaveriley
    Free Member

    I’m an ex-biker,but have many years riding experience under my belt and have a handful of mates that still ride. The Kawasaki ER6 seems to be the weapon of choice at the moment.Popular with novices and experienced riders alike.2 of my mates have recently bought ’em for track use…

    smogmonster
    Full Member

    Another vote for the ER6, they go reasonably well, but are still a doddle to handle. Alternatively do what i did and go for a Z750 straight away, you’ll be after a bit more performance after a few weeks, the 750 goes like stink, but again, is a doddle to handle.

    mogrim
    Full Member

    I bought a Yamaha FZ6 last year, best value bike I could find in its class… I’d possibly have gone for an ER6, too, but my previous bike was a Suzuki SV650 and I fancied trying a 4 cylinder bike instead.

    Having looked into it extensively (this was about 6 months ago) I came to the conclusion that most of the 4cyl bikes are all much of a muchness, the Honda’s the best quality but also the most expensive (and ugly as…), the Z750 is great, but heavy and crap with a pillion, the GSR600 is pretty much the same as the one I bought, but uglier. And mine came with a year’s free insurance 🙂

    If it’s not your only means of transport you might want to check out the Triumph Street Triple and the Ducati Monster as well. (They’re probably both much more reliable than their reputation would seem to suggest, but there’s nothing like a Japanese bike for 100% trouble-free biking!)

    iamtheresurrection
    Full Member

    3rd the ER6. Also look at a Versys too, which is also really nice to ride. My wife thought it was the most comfortble she’d ever been on the back of a bike on the weekend I had it as a loan bike.

    The z750 is surprising docile and also worth looking at. Some Kawasaki price rises going through now, still some pre-price rise bikes out there though. Try Kawasaki Newcastle. Good bunch and some pre increase bikes too – they’ll deliver…

    Test riding a zx6 and zzr1400 at the weekend, erring towards my last daft little sports bike before growing up 😉

    Onzadog
    Free Member

    I was a motorcycle instructor for 5 years. I had a Hornet and loved that but other popular choices were CBR600, Bandit, Fazer and SV650 (if you fancy a twin). If you just want a mile muncher then the Deuville is a seriously under rated bike. It’s never going to get you all wet in the gusset but it will just do what it’s asked mile after mile after mile and in a comfortable relaxed fashion. If I was buying in that class, I’d probably pick a CBR. Steer clear of the 500cc bikes as you’ll quickly outgrow them and be looking for a little more if you’re doing the DAS course. (I’ll assume your are doing DAS and not just planning on restricting a 600)

    TandemJeremy
    Free Member

    ER6, CB500, old Fazer 600 ( not the new one) SV 650, monster 600

    failedengineer
    Full Member

    Triumph Street Triple. end of thread.

    ronjeremy
    Free Member

    Cheers guys i have to say i do like the look of the Street Triple, might have to go and have a mooch around the dealer an get some more info

    bensales
    Free Member

    All good recommendations so far. I had an SV650 about 10 years ago and it was great, now on a K8 GSX-R1000 🙂

    A word of caution with new stuff like the Street Triple, as a new rider insurance companies are going to royally take the p*ss with the premiums.

    juan
    Free Member

    Are people in the uk genetically enhance to outgrow bikes?
    How can you outgrow a bike? I have an old 600 thu;per with barely 45 bhp and even if I try very hard i can outgrow it…

    I mean I try to get my knee on the ground as much as i can, get in curves as fast as i can, but so far the bike is the limiting factor…
    So explain to me how do you become sooo god that a bike is limiting you please 🙁

    BigButSlimmerBloke
    Free Member

    It’s your decision – test as many as you can and pick the one you like.
    Fazer is highly underrated IMHO so is probbaly top for second hand. Bandits are good, but pricey if s/h and the ER6 has gotten good reviews, but I’ve never ridden one. My cousin has an SV-650 that he’s had for about 5 years, which is forever in “keep a bioke” terms.
    CBR600 good all rounder as well.
    Also, picking up inb what Juan said, all of the above are bikes you are unlikley to outgrow as wll are easy to ride for a novice, but fun enough that you won’t be looking to upgrade next year

    juan
    Free Member

    I still dont know how you can outgrow a bike..

    oomidamon
    Full Member

    Juan – it’s not mean’t in physical terms (apart from the YB100 I did my test on, which was too small for me!). People generally want to move up the ladder so want to move up to a bigger/faster bike.

    For a novice I’d also recommend an SV650.

    mugsys_m8
    Full Member

    Grr.

    People mentioning SV650’s remind me of the night I was relieved of mine 5 years ago. Thieving scum.

    Great bike though.

    TandemJeremy
    Free Member

    Jaun – its a difference of attitude / culture. There are sports bike riders in France who want the biggest / best / fastest but they are a smaller part of the riding culture than in the UK. the UK is the biggest sports bike market.

    So for the power ranger sports bike folk they need the biggest and the fastest – even if they can’t ride them properly. In France and Germany there is a culture of enthusiast riders for whom it is not all about race replicas and riding as fast as possible but is about fun at legal speeds / touring / just riding along.

    So if your bike is a tool for getting places a 50-75 bhp bike is fine. If its an extension of your manhood a 1000cc sports bike is a must even if you can’t ride it.

    To sum up – its because the Brits have the smallest willies so they need the fastest bikes

    mugsys_m8
    Full Member

    SV650 was more than enough for me…..!!!!

    Now thinking about my dad’s old TRX850, and 350LC. Damm , can’t stop thinking about motorbikes now!

    flange
    Free Member

    Hornet – best bike by far.

    Hammer
    Free Member

    Is the SV650 very similar to the Hyosung 650? I have a few Hyosungs for sale and they are much cheaper than the Suzuki, but look similar, frame and engine-wise. I might buy one for the missus who wants to take her test, and even if she never gets round to it… then I can take her for a spin on the back.

    I tested the BMW 800 GS last year and that was great….. it all depends on what you want to do with it really…

    Hammer

    ronjeremy
    Free Member

    have been doing a search for second hand, for insurance and that and the Honda Hornet 600 is also looking good, any thoughts on these?

    juan
    Free Member

    Now thinking about my dad’s old TRX850

    Yum yum, last nice bike ;ade by yamaha.
    Tj I would have said it the other way around, but hey oh…

    TandemJeremy
    Free Member

    The Hyosung is a cheap copy of the SV 650 – the magazine I saw that tested it hated it

    stratobiker
    Free Member

    Do I get to post a picture of my olde Kwacker yet? 😉

    juan
    Free Member

    strato yes

    Onzadog
    Free Member

    RJ, I had a hornet back on 2001. It was a great bike, nothing bad to say about it other than I went up a collar size because I had the unfaired version.

    ronjeremy
    Free Member

    onzadog, does the fairing make a huge difference then?

    Hairychested
    Free Member

    Honda Bros 650 – naked V-twin for peanuts.

    richtea
    Free Member

    I passed my full test yesterday (first time, two minors! ) and am also currently wondering wtf bike to buy. Haven’t a clue where to start, all I know is that I want something with a fairing because the wind blast at 70 on the naked bikes I was training on was not much fun 😆

    sv
    Full Member

    Gotta be an SV!!!

    TandemJeremy
    Free Member

    Faired? SV or ER6 or CB 500 if you are skint

    mogrim
    Full Member

    I do 45km on a naked everyday, a combination of fast A-roads, twisty bits, motorway and city. You get used to the wind blast pretty quick!

    The semi-faired FZ6 is a pretty good bike, the SV, Versys…

    CB 500 are fugly and have a drum brake on the back, if you really feel obliged to get a 500 get the Suzuki.

    Onzadog
    Free Member

    It wasn’t a problem having a naked bike, just my neck got thicker! I guess you could say it’s an advantage as it feels faster so you ride a little slower (only a bit) and might just keep your licence longer.

    mogrim
    Full Member

    Not that much slower 🙄

    Another point in naked bikes’ favour: they usually have a better turning circle, useful in town.

    lobby_dosser
    Free Member

    I initially wanted a new monster, but I couldn’t get one last year so i test rode a few bikes and ended up buying a KTM. I know it’s not everyones cup of horlicks, but it is a lot of fun and good riding position for city stuff.

    If i was going to buy another 600-800, I think i would test a Kawa verys, monster 696, BMW GS or the street triple.

    bassspine
    Free Member

    I loved my SV650, I’d buy another.
    Also for a big traily, try BMW F650GS – I kept mine for 7 years, the longest I’ve had the same bike in 30 years of motorcycling.

    crotchrocket
    Free Member

    gsxr1000.

    everything else is just shite.

    HTH

    Hairychested
    Free Member

    crotchrocket – Member

    gsxr1000.

    everything else is just shite.
    Unless you fit Chris King headset?

    Seriously, a naked bike will be fine, have a think about the engine. A flat 2 is often boring, a V-twin pulls from low revs but no go at higher ones, flat 4 will be fun as soon as you go fast. I love my Bros but hate the position so will be getting Renthalls (or something like that) to rectify. I disagree you need plenty of ponnies to have fun, a R6 is surely great but my daughter needs her daddy and my local roads won’t let me get away with my mistakes. Buy sensible, enjoy for longer.

    zaskar
    Free Member

    Honda CBR for all rounder.

    Yamaha R6 for performance.

    Suzukrap and Kawacrappy…

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukAhlxl4hmM

Viewing 38 posts - 1 through 38 (of 38 total)

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