[Closed] Motorbikin' advice........

VFR800?

Another one here for a VFR800. Brilliant bikes. CBR600?

The beemer should be fine - I sold mine a couple of years ago with 45 000 miles on it - everthing was fine. The motors last very well as do the cycleparts. They last a lot longer than similar jap engines - mine was not run in unitl it had done 15 000 miles ( so long as the price is right)

Yep, VFR, or Fazer Thou, Bandit 1200, SV1000..... Beemer not a bad bet, will go on for ever.

You could pick up a nice Blackbird for that sort of money. It would be my choice.

Fazer thou all the way , bril bike . have a look at ex police bikes good value and well serviced .

Well that's thrown it wide open then. Cheers - I think....

I have A Triumph Tiger 2001,great bike but better suited to someone tall,(Iam 5"8) lots of power,great touring,and very comfortable. 😀

Fazer thou is very good- the old model at least. though to me your description does say "SV1000S". They cost fairly little, they come with a great motor, a fairly sensible riding position... TBH most of the same is true of the 650, we do seem to be going straight for the litre bikes, not sure why?

Need to know more of what you want from it I reckon. Pillions? Panniers? Cross continental touring? Bit of backroad scratching?

Firestorm should go on the list too.

Had looked at the SV650 but heard quite a few commentsabout them being thrashed a fair bit. I thought the SV1000 was a bit lairy, although not on the same level as the TL???
Would be using it mostly one up, minor A & B road scratching, a few longer trips.

Another vote for the SV1000S here - I've had two of 'em and they're great. Take a look at www.sv-portal.com.

Ive got a zx9r E1 with 18,200miles for sale right now.fully faired "sports tourer" as some call it. Its in good clean condition for the age although its got a few marks either side that havent been touched up after a few stationary drops,and a bit of flaking on the kawasaki green paint in the trough of the wheels.This it typical for the kwak wheels but i havent had a chance to get them powder coated yet (its not like it needs to be done,ive spent the money elsewhere doing more important stuff)

back in spring it had a K&N filter,carbs balanced,shims checked and new plugs.Its due an oil and filter change soon so thats next on my list. ive just cleaned it last week for a possible sale but the guy decided to haggle before seeing it and pulled out.Its now looking too tidy for me to use it on those dry-come wet winter days and i am half considering keeping it.Ive got pics if you want a look at it to give you an idea on its condition.

The 9r is too much a 'sportsbike', ta.

Get the Beemer! You won't regret it. At a couple of thousand you get more bike for your money than you would a jap bike as it will be far less worn

How long you been away? seriously consider doing some training - advanced or refresher as returnees tend to crash a lot

No worries oldgr.just thought id mention it.

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showpost.php?p=7589434&postcount=80

just steer clear of certain bmws.the only jap horror stories that ive seen written is the headtube area of the frame failing on gsxrs?

You should consider the 9R, by modern standards it's a touring bike... Daft as that sounds. Reasonably big, quite comfy. A mate of mine has 200000 miles on his, though admittedly he has a cast iron a**e.

The SV thou's no headbanger's bike, any more than any other 110bhp machine is... The 650's often thrashed, they're very good at it and they don't really notice. Suspension's not very good, but then the same's true of any decade old bike 😉

TJ's comments about jap bikes, I think don't really hold any water these days, earlier he made a comment about 45000 miles as if that's a lot (that's exactly what my SV has on it, and it's stronger today than the day it was built), and another comment about jap engines... Nobody really knows how long a modern jap engine lasts in standard tune, with just a couple of exceptions they don't wear out in the lifespan of the bikes. Seems to be quite an outdated perspective. If anything you get more for your money with japanese bikes at this price point as they depreciate faster. £3000 will buy an absolutely mint SV thou, for instance- they could be had for £4500 brand new. Or a very nice CBR1100.

Amongst my friends.

My BMW - 45 000 miles and running sweet as a nut. ZZR1100 - 40 000 miles gearbox failure Firestorm - 25 000 miles blown engine bandit 1200, 25 000 miles camshaft failure, gearbox selector fork broke

Just off the top of my head.

My point is a 10 yr old 50 000 mile beemer is a better buy than a jap bike of similar age and milage

Edit - all I was trying to say is don't be scared of a 10 yr old beemer with FSH - it will be fine unless it has done mega miles

North,its got a seat as comfy as my car as standard.(ok i lied a bit there:O)) but its a bit diffrent to an R1.the pegs seem to feel lower and the position isnt racey at all.like folk have said over the past 13 odd years - more of a sports tourer.the engine hasnt dissapointed,puffed spluttered or done anything out of the ordinary in 11 thousand miles.this brings a grin to my face as all the bikes i have taken an interest in, i read about them lacking in diffrent point in the rev range, niggles about gear boxes,etc. all the bad points mentioned on the bikes i took a liking to never seem to crop up on my bike.

The engine and gearbox on the zx9r compared to the new street triple R is also good enough to make you think twice about the triple R.its just made me think twice about buying one as the useability of my engine power and gearbox compared to the 2010 str is better. the easiest way to describe it on singletrackworld.. is the diffrence between deore shifters and mechs.. compared to xtr! its that good!

and north, tj just likes to phrase things to wind me up.in a real world,one bmw engine could be hammered with poor oil levels/changes,the jap with the same miles could have had the same life but by going what one of the top engine builders has commented on in a recent ninja supplement as far as kwak engines go compared to everything else.. i wouldnt put any money on any euro stuff being superior. (hell,read the above link regarding other parts of the bikes lol)

Thanks for all the thoughts - and yes, I'm having some refresher training (inc having to take my test cos I got my licence years ago overseas and have just found out it's no longer recognised here - hope I don't fail the b*gger!)

The thing with motorbikes, like mountain bikes and much more so than cars, condition is everything. A Beemer with high miles can be a brilliant buy if it has been looked after properly and had no expense spared when it comes to maintenance.

There are exceptions, but when it comes to reliability you can pretty much rank these makers in this order...

BMW
Honda
Yamaha
Suzuki
Kawasaki
Aprilia
Ducati

Within each manufacturers lineups there are good and bad bikes though too when it comes to reliability... Honda VFR's (especially the older non VTEC ones) are notorious for going on and on and being mega reliable, whereas the VTR-SP1 had loads of issues. Similarly air cooled Ducati's are usually very reliable, whereas water cooled ones often less so (I say this as a Ducati owner by the way).

For what you're after, the BMW you mention would be a good bet I suspect. BMW Boxer engines go on and on as they're very understressed. You do get a torque reaction when you gun it though as the engine is mounted lengthways in the bike!

Other bikes to consider? Well definitely the Suzuki SV1000. Not a loony bike at all, quite sensible actually. But quite an agile bike, and 120bhp with lots of low down torque make it quick and easy to ride no doubt. I'd also have a look for a mint pre VTEC VFR800 too... Or possibly a 1200 Bandit.

Then again you could go leftfield and look at a Ducati Multistrada, or even an ST4... Ducati's do need looking after but modern ones are much more reliable than their bikes of old.

Looks about right, from Ride:

1. BMW (90%)
2. Honda (89.2%)
3. Yamaha (85.5%)
4. Triumph (84%)
5. Suzuki (83.2%)
6. Kawasaki (82.8%)
7. MZ (81.3%)
8. Harley-Davidson (80.1%)
9. Aprilia (77.1%)
10. KTM (74%)
11. Buell (72.2%)
12. Cagiva (70.5%)
13. Ducati (69.1%)
14. Moto Guzzi (68.8%)
15. CCM (63.8%)

I'm amazed BMW rank highly, their new bikes have a reputation for being unreliable (to the extent BMW are spending a fortune on trying to fix their QA/design issues).

Martin - I do not phrase things to wind you up. I just see them differently as a thrasher of bikes for decades.

I don't think I really explained myself very well.

a £3000 big jap bike or a £3000 bmw - there will be nothing much between them in terms of reliability as the jap bike will be newer and have done less miles at that price point - but a 50 000 mile beemer will be more reliable than a 50 000 mile jap bike - on average.

I wouldn't want to buy a 50 000 mile jap 4. Id happily buy a 50 000 mile beemer

Certainly amongst the folk I know the 50 000 mile jap bikes are tired and worn, the Beemer isn't

5th Element's post is pretty good. Thing is, BMWs do tend to get good TLC, because of the market they target. I remember a funny comment in a bike mag which said that Aprilia RS125s must have cheap chains because they're always worn out and rusty- it was highlighted as a parts issue. Or alternatively, RS125s are owned by kids who don't maintain their bikes 😉

TBH TJ your sample's just too small to mean anything, particularily since you were comparing a 20-year-old design (on the one hand) and one of the most reliable motorbike engines ever made (Bandit 1200) which [i]just happens[/i] to have an issue with camshaft failure if the oil's allowed to run low...

For sure northwind.

The point I was trying to make is a 10 yr old r1100 is not a bike to be afraid of from the point of view of reliability.

It wasn't just the bandit - and yes it is a reliable motor generally. Selector forks went in it as well with that one - and I don't think it was run low on oil. I think it was his habit of letting it warm on tickover that did for it

Those bike I mentioned were the bikes owned by the guys I rode with - and all had major issues in less miles than my beemer

I agree with that- but then, I'd not worry about any 10 year old bike that didn't have some specific known issue, the current view of disposable motorbikes that last 2 years, 4 at the outside then gets replaced makes me laugh. No different from mountain bikes I guess! The worst reliability issues I've seen come from underuse, not overuse. And neglect/abuse of course.

v_strom
[IMG] [/IMG]
strong motor,cheep to run,goes off tarmac.
would do 90% of what a BMW adventure would do!!
my ones a 650.

Something like a TDM 900 would fit the bill. That is unless you are a midget who is short in the leg. TDM's underated and overlooked.

Well, it might come down to the sort of people you want to ride with, be associated with and be yourself.
If you are semi-retired, own slippers, drink tea in the pub, think the 19th hole is where you long to be and look forward to bed time, value the waterproof m'cycle gear over a full set of bike leathers then the BMW is for you.

Make no mistake, your m'bike purchase probably says more about you than any other purchase I can think of.

However, if you have a large gut, a sports bike is clearly not for you - & have you noticed how many postings are about "how comfortable bike A is" - J'sus wept, are you looking for a substitute arm chair & slippers or a motorbike to set your hair on fire & put some lead in your pencil?!

Ignore everyone else. Get the bike YOU want. I've done that twice now and been very happy thankyouverymuch. 😀

Don't forget service costs. When I had my SV650 (bleary eyed looking away into the distance)the costs to service compared to the Bandit was a realy eye opener. The bandit engine is a much more labour intensive unit to service. Besides, who'd want a 4 when you could have a twin.

For a slightly different tack, considered a TRX850? should get a mint one for your cash, and they have soooo much torque (same engine as TDm but in a trellis sports bike frame a la 80's Dukes)

Well I am a bit late here, but with a few exceptions, I would stay away from jap bikes (the TRX850 being one of them).
If you are after torque the answer is very simple, twin or thumper (duck and cover).

I would personnaly go European or (duck and cover even more) Buell. To be fair if I had the cash I would slpash it NOW on a lightning 900 (I have actually hope thye would made a bike in the 600-800 range).

Plenty of people will say you need an outrageous amount of power and cylinders. All in my opinion it's balls. Unless obviously you are a professional racer or you get your kick in clocking 300 kmh on motorway (now wait for martin to flame be because he's the best rider in the whole world).

However what I says might not really matter, as the most valid point of this thread have been made buy peter. Get what you want. It's the rider that makes the motorcycle goes fast.

Be safe on the road and don't forget girls don't like footpeg grinding;)

Bmw, run for ever in a shabby tatty rattly way. Engine designed before the war and if you are less than 6'5 it will be far too big for most bikers.

I have a BMW F650 I bought for £900 its shit and poeple think I'm an old fart but I dont care, its great fun.

I have a Husaberg FS 650 E for sale if you're up for a challenge!
It's a race bike so needs lots of TLC.
Boy, does it shift , but try and keep that front end down young man! And the noise! Nothing else like it.

Amagallis: there's a very good reason why people feel this way about you!

As I said, your bike speaks volume about yourself.
Do the right thing and remove the stablisers and change up to a bike with some real personality and that isn't castrated. A 650cc weedy engine in that body. What else do you expect? You'd be better off on a moped.

with some real personality

My advice - go and sit on a load in the dealership to see what fits you comfortably. Been trying to decide where to go next summer myself, the Speed Triple is utterly epic at thrashing around the Lakes, but bollocks all use for doing a grand tour of Europe, so it has to go 😉

At 6'2" and built like a tank I found the following deeply comfy:

BMW K1200S
Honda CB1300S
Kawasaki ZXR1200
Kawasaki ZZR 1400
Triumph Sprint
Triumph Tiger (just a bit less good than the Sprint, but that may be cos my leathers have tight legs and it's a long way up there!)

So that is probably my shortlist (along with the Ducati ST3/4 which I need to look at again).

Oh aye - and also really nice to sit on and ride... Triumph Bonnieville. If I could afford/justify 2 bikes I would have one of them in the garage too (a new one that is)!

Your choice of bike only speaks volumes about you if you spent time worrying about what bike you got and what people will think of you. I couldnt care less. It does 0-85 quickly enough for me, is red so obviosuly faster and was cheap.

Any other votes for Moto Guzzi V10 Centauro?

T1 29r - either you are very subtle tongue in cheek or your posts say an awful lot about you with image over substance.

I do not have a pipe / slippers and golf club memebership but for what I used it for nothing comes clse to the BMW. Thrashed around the highlands at speeds your Husaberg could never dream of. 4000 miles 8 days, 800 mile days in comfort. 10 000 miles a year. Fast enough so that a halfway decent rider can keep up with sportsbikes

Husaberg would be a fun bike - but 50 mile sunday blasts only

Dickyboy - if you said Grizo 8v I would be right there with you... lovely bikes! Supposed to be better built these days too.

I'd be tempted to say SV1000 but since I had an SV650 when they first came out and the paint started falling off in the first few months I've sworn never to own another Suzuki.

No-one has mentioned the Honda 900 Hornet yet, that'd be my choice for £3k (with a few quid budgetted for a fly screen)

So that is probably my shortlist (along with the Ducati ST3/4 which I need to look at again).

I was watching [url= http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=310182702968&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT ]THIS[/url] on Ebay recently. I don't have a bike right now, but I'd be very happy with a(nother) Duke and and ST would be nice I reckon. I nearly fell over when I saw how little it sold for. If I'd won it at that price, I'd have been running around the house whooping and hollering! 😀
Guess what I'm going to be looking for next time? 😉

I love my Sprint RS and they can be got quite cheaply.
Ive done 70k+ on mine and had very little bother from it.
108BHP, 55mpg, 220m/tankfull and scares the shit out of me(in a good way)when I give it a hand-full.
I'm 5'7" and am OK on it.

I was watching THIS on Ebay recently. I don't have a bike right now, but I'd be very happy with a(nother) Duke and and ST would be nice I reckon. I nearly fell over when I saw how little it sold for. If I'd won it at that price, I'd have been running around the house whooping and hollering!
Guess what I'm going to be looking for next time?

Do you own a multi-meter?

Can you remove your blinkers? 😉

I've had 2 ducatis. My master mind specialist subject is the multi-meter.

I have heard that more recent Ducatis have got over the dodgy electrics - I wouldn't be going for anything as early as that one mentioned myself... late model all the way 😉

The Triumph Sprint 1050ST is *probably* where I am going to end up though, cos I love my Speed Triple and just want a more practical version 😉

I've had 2 ducatis. My master mind specialist subject is the multi-meter.

So, the first one WAS worth it then? 🙂

have heard that more recent Ducatis have got over the dodgy electrics - I wouldn't be going for anything as early as that one mentioned myself... late model all the way

The Triumph Sprint 1050ST is *probably* where I am going to end up though, cos I love my Speed Triple and just want a more practical version

Me and Mrs PPs last 2 bikes (2 each 4 in total) were a Triumph Speed 4, a 955i Speed Triple, a Monster 695 and a Monster 696.
We went to Italy and back on the Triumphs, and loads of other places (TT, Ireland etc) and only sold the Dukes because we needed the money. 🙁
The most unreliable was the S4. It was CRAP. AA recovered back home 3 times in 14k miles (Dropped valve, camchain tensionner, generator) My S3 was superb. I did something like 25k on it and only had to replace cables. It was still on the original battery. Both Monsters were the same. No problems at all.
These days, BMW have a higher recall rate than Ducati.....

So, the first one WAS worth it then?

But that 1998 Ducati you linked is from the era before the italians had figured out how electricity worked. Nothing wrong with that if you know what you're in for.

A new ducati is a different proposition.

But that 1998 Ducati you linked is from the era before the italians had figured out how electricity worked. Nothing wrong with that if you know what you're in for.

Oh yes, very true. But it bears all the marks of being a good 'un: 2 Owners who have looked after it, bog standard, service history, and a few miles to show it's been used and not left standing. Dukes don't like sitting doing nothing. I would seriously have bought it at that money. It wasn't too far away and I'd have gone for a look at it first though. 🙂

Actually... I wouldn't have bought that one... cos you can get a 98 ST2 with the same kind of mileage and all the rest from a dealer for the same money!

Why do folk almost always bid things up so high on eBay! Think it is the thrill of the chase or something!

There are plenty around for that kind of money. Ducatis are good value for money.

Torque, you say? Comfort? £3k budget.
The Aprilia Futura always gets top write ups. It's big, comfy, reliable (ahem, apart from some electrical gremlins), and super torquey.
And you don't see many of them around. BUT because they use the same engine and mecahnicals, parts are available from the SL1000 and RSV Mille of the same period.
I love mine.
[img] [/img]
Usually comes with fitted luggage though

go for a KTM 990sm oldgrump. No reason for recommending, apart from I like mine (as everyone else appears to have done).

I quite fancy a Triumph Bonnie or Speedmaster for cutting about in the summer. anyone wanting to buy a low mileage Harley?

I always think the point of bikes at this price point is to buy what you want, once they come down to about 3 grand the depreciation is very slow, so you can experiment, you don,t like it flog it and get something else, enjoy riding lots of different types, trailies, tourers (but not harleys) . Just take the same care when buying so you don,t get a pig in a poke. I'd start with the VFR 800 tho if pushed for a choice.

' enjoy riding lots of different types, trailies, tourers (but not harleys) ' Harley's are good fun to ride in a Harley sort of way. You do feel a bit of a **** though when you have to park and get it off it.

Is it a triple R or a plain triple you have rob? did you have any probs with it? i rode one for about 2.5 hours outside aberdeen and loved the position. the engine was great,not quite as much get up and go as my own bike but the noise was sweet! think i will wait a few years til they come down in price as they havent dropped too much in price yet. grr!

I'm looking to sell my Aprilia Falco (nowt wrong with it but I want to buy a DH bike)perfect for the back road scratching and the odd trip to europe. Comfy, torquey, decent handling and sounds mint.

[hijack]

I've got this for sale if you're interested? [url= http://nottingham.gumtree.com/nottingham/63/45174563.html ]clicky-linky[/url]

It's not overly torquey, but is very comfortable, very reliable and very within your budget.

I can't afford to keep it and the Blackbird, so one of them has to go..... and it's not going to be the Blackbird. The ad says it is in Bottesford (near Nottingham), but I've just started work in Bristol - I'm staying down here during the week so could bring the bike down.

[/hijack]

torquey you say ???

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/200938342134719/sort/priceasc/usedbikes/make/moto_guzzi/model/v11/quicksearch/true/postcode/st170ul/page/1/radius/1500?previous=%2Fsearch%2Fresults%2Fusedbikes%2Fpostcode%2Fst170ul%2Fradius%2F1500%2Fmake%2Fmoto_guzzi%2Fmodel%2Fv11%2Fquicksearch%2Ftrue%2Fpage%2F1%2Fsort%2Fpriceasc&anchor=advert200938342134719&logcode=p

It's the Speed Triple, not Street Triple... so no R version 😉 If I stuck a Corbin seat on it then I suspect that it would be comfy for ages. The wind blast and lack of being able to carry luggage is the bitch (I want to be able to throw my camera bag in a top box, then have panniers for clobber so I can spend some time having fun, but building stock images at the same time!)

The sound is ace - and the over run is to die for... hence the thought that may go with the 1050 Sprint.

Thanks for all the advice - I'm going to have fun looking..... Aprilia keeps drifting onto the radar, 750 or 1000 would be worth a look - then again I'm no electrician!!! Twin of some kind most likely, but if a triple came up hmmmmm.

I am myself trying to persuade me I don't need a MT03 or a monster. Specially since I am likely to have a 500-600€ bill on angela for the 35000 milles medical check.

But I am so so tempted 😀

I think the MT03 is a stunning bike, just wish it had a bigger fuel tank 🙁 The Monster is sweet as too and I kept toying with getting one of the bigger ones a couple of years back. I would probably go with the Ducati over the Yamaha, but purely on the grounds of lust!

I am just trying to resist the lure until the summer!

the problems with the MT03 that have been stopping me to throw cash at it are:
The look but I would probably live with it
Handlebars, what the **** is wrong with clip on
But most to all the weight it's a good 20-25kg heavier 🙁

Problem with the monster 696 is that I see too many of them, just rode to go to the café.

If I stuck a Corbin seat on it then I suspect that it would be comfy for ages. The wind blast and lack of being able to carry luggage is the bitch (I want to be able to throw my camera bag in a top box, then have panniers for clobber so I can spend some time having fun, but building stock images at the same time!)

Well, you can fit a top box on a S3. I did. Very handy too, for touring.
As for comfort, well we rode to Italy and back (Bologna, Florence) on a S3 and a S4 and it was fine.
Now I should mention that we were camping and we took cooking gear and a 3 man tunnel tent to. I can be done, and easily, you just have to want to!
On the way back, 2nd day, we had a lot of distance to cover. We did Switzerland to Farnborough, Hants, in one hit. 820 miles. My S3 was plenty comfy thanks! 😀

Actually... I wouldn't have bought that one... cos you can get a 98 ST2 with the same kind of mileage and all the rest from a dealer for the same money!

If that's true (And I'm gonna check it out because I don't believe it is!) guess what I'm getting next! 😀

Just do a search on Bike Trader - there were 2 or 3 the other day for that money 😉

If that's true (And I'm gonna check it out because I don't believe it is!) guess what I'm getting next!

Just checked it out. It's not true. Cheapest ST2 I can find is a private 1997 bike with 40k on the clock for £1250. Cheapest dealer bike is £1995 with 25K on it.
I was right. That Ebay one is a bargain. 😀

EDIT
Missed your last post, just checking Bike Trader 🙂

[url= http://www.autotrader.co.uk/search/results/usedbikes/postcode/la127es/radius/1501/make/ducati/model/st/quicksearch/true?logcode=q ]Really?[/url]

£1899 with 22.5k miles
£1995 with 16k miles
£1996 with 8.9k miles

Lowest ST2 currently on Bike Trader is a 1998 ST2 for £1899. Does have panniers though. 🙂

I'm soooooooo glad I read this thread though. I soooooooooo want an ST now. 🙂

Really?

£1899 with 22.5k miles
£1995 with 16k miles
£1996 with 8.9k miles

But it's nowhere near £1330 though, is it? It's not 'that kind of money' at all! It's 30% cheaper! 🙂

I had read that as being £1830 for some reason... must have been having a dyslexic moment 😉

There were a couple of cheaper ones the other day, can't remember what the cheapest was mind! I am looking at the last of em myself so only notice the others and think... oooh - could have that and keep the Speedy! But since I can't use the bike for commuting I just can't justify 2 machines at the moment.

I just can't justify 2 machines at the moment.

I had read that as being £1830 for some reason... must have been having a dyslexic moment

Ahhhhhhhhhh. I see......... 🙂

It's gotta be said _WHEN_ we get bikes again (You reading this Mrs PP? 🙂 ) I can't see me wanting anything other than another Duke. I've had different makes every time so far, but my little 696 just, well, just, er, was, umm, err, something else? I think I'm smitten TBH.

I reckon either a Multistrada or an ST.... 🙂

Peter if you are both getting bike don't be such cheapstake and buy a desmodicci 😉
Or have some class and get a GT1000 and have it prepared 😀