Powerful big singles
Discussion
My father in law fancies a last-ever bike at 72, having sold his ''too-fast, too-heavy'' 2011 Fireblade last month and has asked me to find him a sporty big single, as he started out on singles way back when.
I have looked and other than a KTM Duke 690 with it's almost 70 bhp not much comes to mind. The Yamaha XT660 has 48 bhp and they seem quite quick but is there anything else?
No he can't afford £50,000 for a Ducati Supermono, we saw one of those for sale in Los Angeles last year and it had 76 bhp from just 572cc, a ludicrous output for a single thumper.
I have looked and other than a KTM Duke 690 with it's almost 70 bhp not much comes to mind. The Yamaha XT660 has 48 bhp and they seem quite quick but is there anything else?
No he can't afford £50,000 for a Ducati Supermono, we saw one of those for sale in Los Angeles last year and it had 76 bhp from just 572cc, a ludicrous output for a single thumper.
I've always had a soft spot for a Gilera saturno 500.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GILERA-SATURNO-500-1988...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GILERA-SATURNO-500-1988...
Grindle said:
My father in law fancies a last-ever bike at 72, having sold his ''too-fast, too-heavy'' 2011 Fireblade last month and has asked me to find him a sporty big single, as he started out on singles way back when.
I have looked and other than a KTM Duke 690 with it's almost 70 bhp not much comes to mind. The Yamaha XT660 has 48 bhp and they seem quite quick but is there anything else?
No he can't afford £50,000 for a Ducati Supermono, we saw one of those for sale in Los Angeles last year and it had 76 bhp from just 572cc, a ludicrous output for a single thumper.
I lined up next to a Supermono back in the nineties at Cadwell with New Era. He was very lucky not to be taken out at the first corner, by a novice. Chap wiped out 3/4 of the grid including the Chrysalis Racing BMW single that was due on the IOM shortly after. I was OK I have looked and other than a KTM Duke 690 with it's almost 70 bhp not much comes to mind. The Yamaha XT660 has 48 bhp and they seem quite quick but is there anything else?
No he can't afford £50,000 for a Ducati Supermono, we saw one of those for sale in Los Angeles last year and it had 76 bhp from just 572cc, a ludicrous output for a single thumper.
What a mess!
CousinDupree said:
An SZR600 if he's not too tall and can still get on with the inclined position. Dirt cheap.
Lovely alloy TZR chassis. The same can't be said for the Yamaha singles, but if that's what he wants.
Are they dirt cheap?! Not seen one for ages (and yeah I could search eBay but bang goes the conversation!). I’ve always loved single cylinder machines, looked at getting a Suzuki Goose a few years ago but they were hard to find!Lovely alloy TZR chassis. The same can't be said for the Yamaha singles, but if that's what he wants.
Grindle said:
My father in law fancies a last-ever bike at 72, having sold his ''too-fast, too-heavy'' 2011 Fireblade last month and has asked me to find him a sporty big single, as he started out on singles way back when.
I have looked and other than a KTM Duke 690 with it's almost 70 bhp not much comes to mind. The Yamaha XT660 has 48 bhp and they seem quite quick but is there anything else?
No he can't afford £50,000 for a Ducati Supermono, we saw one of those for sale in Los Angeles last year and it had 76 bhp from just 572cc, a ludicrous output for a single thumper.
New or used?I have looked and other than a KTM Duke 690 with it's almost 70 bhp not much comes to mind. The Yamaha XT660 has 48 bhp and they seem quite quick but is there anything else?
No he can't afford £50,000 for a Ducati Supermono, we saw one of those for sale in Los Angeles last year and it had 76 bhp from just 572cc, a ludicrous output for a single thumper.
New, it would have to be the KTM Duke, surely? Pretty spacious riding position for us old gits.
Also the SMC, I suppose, but it's more expensive and a bit "motocrossy" to sit on.The Husqvarna 701s (Vitpilen/Svartpilen/Supermoto) are basically the same as the KTMs under the skin.
Used...
Various different capacities of KTM Duke. Reliability & parts?
Yamaha MT03 660/XT660X.
Derbi Mulhacen 659. Yamaha 660 engine. Check the Fowlers website for Derbi parts availability.
MZ. Yamaha 660 engine. Parts again?
BMW F650. Built by Aprilia with a Rotax engine. Don't know what the parts supply is like.
Parts probably a challenge for anything Italian, like the Aprilia, Gilera or Cagiva singles.
"Sporty" would appear to rule out the trail and enduro bikes.
srob said:
Are they dirt cheap?! Not seen one for ages (and yeah I could search eBay but bang goes the conversation!). I’ve always loved single cylinder machines, looked at getting a Suzuki Goose a few years ago but they were hard to find!
Yeah they are! I've seen a few sell for not much over a grand. I was tempted to get one and put a 421cc YPVS motor with 90bhp in there. Trouble is, they are tiny.
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