Casting out for opinions from the hive mind.
I have a Triumph Street Triple RS at the moment, I love it but, it's a bit too capable to ride hard on the road.
So I think I want something else in the garage (the STR isn't going anywhere it's a bit of a dream bike and as I say it's perfect for me on track)
Desirable traits;
Garage appeal, if it doesn't make me smile every time I see it in the garage it's not going to be the bike for me,
Fun and rewarding close to national speed limit,
Not be too small, I'm 185cm/6'1"
Short list so far,
Triumph Bobber - love the look of these
Ducati scrambler 1100
Triumph Scrambler
Triumph speed twin
Yamaha T7
BMW 1250GS/ducati multistrada/triumph tiger
BMW R9/T
What have I missed
I've got a Speed twin 1200 and my pal has an R9T. They are very similar in some ways (big twin engine for one). My Speedy is great, plenty fast enough for me and handles pretty well too. Excellent fuel consumption if that matters. The ride is a bit harsh, but I'm a lightweight and I suspect it would be a lot better if you are a bit chunkier. I changed the shocks and put lighter oil in the forks which helped. Good for pillions, too. I've had it 3 years now and keep thinking I should change it, but I don't really know what for. The R9T is a bit more 'Raw' - air cooled motor etc. Nice though, the new ones look fantastic, but £17K?
I forgot to say that I quite fancy a Fantic Caballero 700 - Yamaha engine, lightweight, look fantastic. However, Fantic are technically bankrupt and I'm not sure of the build quality.
Svartpilen 801's are heavily reduced at the minute (image posting is not working for me at the moment) https://www.husqvarna-motorcycles.com/en-gb/models/naked/svartpilen/svartpilen-801-2024.html
Yamaha T7
Ah the one that people always get stuck in mud somewhere on the TET and is too heavy to self recover (probably not) 🙂
I suppose it would be fun if you’ve the fun off road dirt stuff close to hand, but IMHO its the sort of thing you’ve not got to be worried about getting a bit bashed up if your riding in the places it’s designed for.
I’m a heretic thou and ride one of these
https://youtube.com/shorts/H4o2icaoKmE?si=1URVqwrkMkaTXsWP
But catching it with your head isn’t recommended, always use someone else’s 🙂
I've got a Speed twin 1200 and my pal has an R9T. They are very similar in some ways (big twin engine for one). My Speedy is great, plenty fast enough for me and handles pretty well too. Excellent fuel consumption if that matters. The ride is a bit harsh, but I'm a lightweight and I suspect it would be a lot better if you are a bit chunkier. I changed the shocks and put lighter oil in the forks which helped. Good for pillions, too. I've had it 3 years now and keep thinking I should change it, but I don't really know what for. The R9T is a bit more 'Raw' - air cooled motor etc. Nice though, the new ones look fantastic, but £17K?
thanks, I’m definitely no lightweight. Will be getting a test ride on one I think
Svartpilen 801's are heavily reduced at the minute (image posting is not working for me at the moment) https://www.husqvarna-motorcycles.com/en-gb/models/naked/svartpilen/svartpilen-801-2024.html
I like these, someone was hustling one on a track day I was at last year, just not sure it’s different enough from the street triple
If a Triumph Bobber appeals, then why not go all the way and just get a Sportster?
Pro's
Character, if what you want is nothing like a sports bike, then it's nothing like a sports bike.
Con's
Heavy
Under powered
Noisy
Stock suspension is awful
The ergonomics really aren't great, stock saddles aren't comfortable, the foot pegs are 3ft wide, the air filter is where your knee wants to be.
Hand made with union labor, about 50lb of unnecessarily complex bolts (both metric and imperial), bracketry, and zip ties.
But you can customize / improve / ruin them to your hearts content with a whole world of parts. If you don't like something there's probably a part somewhere that will fix it.
Speed Twin is going to be too small for you, it’s a very compact bike. I’m 5’9 and found the 900 too cramped for me. The 1200 has more room but not enough for anyone over 6’. Scrambler would be more suitable, if you can get along with the weird position the high pipes put your right leg in. I found it awkward to reach the rear brake.
Had an S2R1000 Ducati Monster in the past, but modern Ducati styling just doesn’t do it for me. Did go to have a look at the Scrambler before buying the Triumph, but it was very plasticky. Plus they’ve got rid of all the features that made a Ducati a Ducati. Yes, they’ll be easier to live with than the old ones, but for me they’ve lost their character.
V85TT. Or a V7
Who the hell would want to be associated with a Harley these days? I mean if you have one already then fair enough but going out and buying anything from the US right now would be a no no for me, especially something from the MAGA heartlands (and yes I know most of them are now built in Thailand but the point is still the same).
Moto Guzzi V100 Mandello?
Edit Ha - got beat to the Guzzi, but still the V100 is more sportys
Good friend of mine has a R9t - one of the early ones with the USD forks that’s sits alongside his S1000rr, KTM adventure and a garage full of track bikes. The R9t is by far my favourite.
Deus Sydney had one in a few years ago that I was equally jizzing over.
I have first dibs on his R9t but I don’t think he’s ever going to sell it.
Another friend has a T7 that has come from a ZX10 and has been absolutely loving it for a few years now.
A slightly different bike that has caught my eye recently is a Honda Transalp - dealers are struggling a bit to shift them and are adding crash bars, can and decal kits. They now look more like a smaller Africatwin.
then there’s Chinese stuff like the Kove800?……..
I like the look of the ktm390 adventure. Light, manageable, could do some offroading, can rag it at legal speeds....
I was going to chime in for the KTM390 too, although personally I'm torn between the Supermoto and the Adventure 🙁
I'm a street rider at heart, but after a recent foray on greenlanes, I'd love a second bike that could be a dual-sport type thing.
Let's face it, the Adventure model is a lot more practical, but the SMC-R looks to be soooo much fun!
As RNP suggested above, the Transalp is a great bike. I've had mine for a while now and can't really fault it. Only ridden on the road so far but planning on getting it out on some green lanes in the summer for a play.
I was looking at a second bike just for something different and occasional use and the BMW R12GS caught my eye. I'd love to get one but they're a bit pricey for me as a second bike.
I had a Ducati scrambler. Looked nice but left me feeling a bit meh as it was too well put together/muted.
Bear 650 or Interceptor?
Who the hell would want to be associated with a Harley these days? I mean if you have one already then fair enough but going out and buying anything from the US right now would be a no no for me, especially something from the MAGA heartlands (and yes I know most of them are now built in Thailand but the point is still the same).
Do you apply the same prejudice to people who drive a Ford Focus?
MAGA heartland? The Democrats win in Milwaukee with about the same level of certainty as the Catholics get elected Pope.
Also, Ford Focus? I thought that was built in Saarlouis??
Just to say, there will not be a Hardly Capable in my garage before hell freezes over, I have ridden a sportster before an hated it.
Moto Guzzis have never excited me I'm afraid so they fail the garage appeal test.
Garage appeal, if it doesn't make me smile every time I see it in the garage it's not going to be the bike for me,
Kind of hard for us all to guess what bikes get you excited though innit.
Maybe do that, then come back and lay them out and we can all wazz on your motorbike chips 😉👍
Go old school? Laverda Jota, original triumph or a kwaker z of some flavour?
Hardly Capable
it's Hardly Dangerous, at least get your insults right 😉
Saarlouis??
I feel like I'm missing a joke?
I keep looking at Multistradas. They really appeal right now. But I utterly adored my two KTMs. The 950sm was bonkers: so capable, handled like a 100hp Kona Stinky, was incredibly accessible with pretty much no vices except a slight weave >140mph perhaps, it really wasn't designed for that though, made me giggle all the time.
The 1290 Super Adventure was astonishingly good. You'd forgive its Kryton-humped-a-skateboard looks after one ride. Very little was faster than it, it was draped in tech that was all properly integrated and useful, the handling was sublime. The dealer however was loathsome. Every niggle could be traced back to the dealer's incompetence. The worst being the coolant leak that went on for 18 months, that I traced back to a loose radiator cap - after multiple services and troubleshooting visits, one of which supposedly involved the replacement of the coolant! Bike was solidly built, just needed nobody in the UK to touch it after delivery.
Did KTM sort out their finances? I recall them circling the plughole a while back.
What are you hoping to use a 2nd bike for ? trips to bike hangouts / camping / international touring ?
I've got a 1200GSA and love it - it's not as quick as my pals on their KTM GTs/Multistrada/XR etc - but it ticks the box for me taking big days out around Scotland
Do you apply the same prejudice to people who drive a Ford Focus?
I think its fairly reasonable not to want to be associated with Americana right now. As I said, if I had one already then fair enough but just like Tesla, I wouldn't be buying one despite being in the market for both a new EV and a big pointless bike.
then there’s Chinese stuff like the Kove800?……..
I think the jury’s still out on whether they’ve sorted the Cheesy camshaft and I suppose you’ve got to be brave on depreciation.
I suppose the biggest issue is that they don’t have a desirable name (yet).
What are you hoping to use a 2nd bike for ? trips to bike hangouts / camping / international touring ?
A good question, I've two young kids and a busy job so long trips aren't really on the cards. It'll be used for the quick stolen hour rides when I want to reset the brain, nipping to the gym ad the odd commute to the office (c125 mile round trip).
I popped in to Webbs in Peterborough yesterday to have a mooch around the showroom, had a sit on a Bobber and it felt pretty small so I think that's off the list. I'm test riding a Scrambler 1200XE tomorrow
I think its fairly reasonable not to want to be associated with Americana right now. As I said, if I had one already then fair enough but just like Tesla, I wouldn't be buying one despite being in the market for both a new EV and a big pointless bike.
Fair enough, the forum does run a lot smoother since Drac ditched his iPad and no one's used google in the last year either.
Although the difference between HD and Tesla, is Musk is a **** whereas HD was very much on the pro-DEI to the point where if you believe MAGA it cost them significant market share.
Interesting that we're still allowed to want a Ducati or Moto Guzzi even after Italy elected an inexperienced populist to head of state on an anti-immigration, anti-Islam, anti-LGBT manifesto? Is this boycott really down to the quality of the coffee rather than politics?
I'm test riding a Scrambler 1200XE tomorrow
30kgs heavier & 30bhp down on my "scrambler" but you wouldn't thank me for the recommendation 😬
In your shoes I'd be looking at a R12GS in black with gold rims...
Interesting that we're still allowed to want a Ducati or Moto Guzzi even after Italy elected an inexperienced populist to head of state on an anti-immigration, anti-Islam, anti-LGBT manifesto
Tbf, as the guzzi recommender, I own a Harley Sportster so I'm probably a maga goon 😉
Can we buy a Triumph either, the politics in Thailand aren't that good either.
R12GS in black with gold rims..
The bmw retro bikes are all quite nice, I had a black and yellow r100gs bitd - shouldn't have sold that one! ( px'ed for a firestorm)
I have to own up and say I had a HD 1200 Sportster back around 1991. Fitted a Sportsbob tank for a bit more range, an S&S Carb etc. It went OK and and I rather enjoyed it.
I went from a Street Triple to a T120 3 years ago.
I needed to race the Street Triple everywhere, which was fun, but also annoying because I couldn't ride it in a laid back way. The T120 is comfortably fast enough to overtake cars if you want to, but you don't feel the need to. I imagine the Scrambler will be similar in this way.
I thought I wanted a Thruxton, but the T120 just felt 'right' in every way. Steering balance, component quality, lovely twin clocks, Goldline finish etc.
I also have the king&queen seat which makes it taller and loads comfier, plus much easier to strap a bag to for overnighters or commuting. Michelin Road Classics were a huge improvement over the original tyres. Suspension is 'workable', that might get upgraded at some point.
If I had 2 bikes now, it would be my Bonneville and a fast modern naked.
I also have a Street Triple RS that I feel the same way about, wants to go fast, always, and a bit dull/uncomfortable when going slow. It’s actually my 3rd Street Triple now.
So I bought a Speed Twin 1200 thinking that was the answer, it wasn’t. Too small and uncomfortable for me, loads of grunt but the handling was meh, even with full Nitron set up. The noise it made with Vance and Hines pipes was epic, but not enough to keep it around.
I still have the RS for blasting around tracks and a quick hour ride, but mostly use my 1250gsa for anything else as really quite fun at road legal speeds and so much more comfortable for me at 6’2”.
I'll be looking at the QJ motorcycle options when I get round to a new bike. Probably the 125cc scooter from their range. I'm hoping they will bring out a competitive electric scooter which might cost a bit more than the petrol but cheaper than current offerings from other bike companies.
https://qjmotor.co.uk/new-bikes#hero-image-2071
Tbf, as the guzzi recommender, I own a Harley Sportster so I probably a maga goon
True, I guess that means the only way of not being a Fascist or support mass murdering tyrants is to buy a German or Japanese bike, funny how things turn out!
Or Spanish’ish 🙂
TBH I live here and I’m sort of trying to support the local economy.
Other than doing in the Incas and a few heretics (and a lot of themselves) have more brownie points currently.
https://rieju.com/es/off-road/129/125/aventura-rally-307r
Not quite the cafe racer/bobber style your options suggest but this thing is an absolute hoot. A total hooligan of a bike at any speed past 5mph, the thumping 990cc V-twin is just so much fun. I commuted for a year on a 390 Duke and wanted the same nimble nippy feeling but bigger: the 990SM is exactly that.
I'm 6' 1" btw and it's the comfiest bike I've ridden.
Echoing the post above, I've had a 990 SMT for over 10 years and it's a fun, rowdy but tourable bike. There's a new generation out now. An 890 parallel twin vs the old 990 V twin.
