What fun road bike would you buy £2-4k?

[TiminYorkshire]

So obviously the ideal number of bikes you should own is N+1, where N is the current number (although in my case it's definitely N+2).

So with a modern do it all adventure bike I know I'll get a hankering for something a little sportier for the road, evening blasts, early Sundays. Given I live on the edge of the North York Moors, with easy access to the Dales something that is fun on the road, without being a power monster. Flickable, fun, quick enough for an overtake. Having had an SV650, K6 GSXR 750 and a 5VY R1, I think the ideal power range would be something like 80-120hp.

Current thoughts whizzing round my mind and eBay searches are below, but what would you go for? What else would be on your list?

Obviously modern classics are on my mind!

Aprilia RSV-R




Kawasaki ZX7R



Triumph Daytona 955i



Daytona 675



Ducati 900ss



Ducati 749s

[trickywoo]

VTR 1000 Firestorm

SV 1000

TL 1000

Tuono V2

I think you need a naked V twin.

[Xcore]

Street/speed triple or a tuono v2

Edited by Xcore on Sunday 22 February 18:41

[Caddyshack]

Gsxr750

[Obison]

Aprilia shiver 900.

[TiminYorkshire]

Caddyshack said:

Gsxr750

Yes, an SRAD should be on the list above too.

Edited by TiminYorkshire on Sunday 22 February 20:32

[wc98]

TiminYorkshire said:

Yes, an SRAD should be on the list above too.

Edited by TiminYorkshire on Sunday 22 February 20:32

They're harder to find but if you want to try an S-Rad i would try and get a carb'd one. From the get go Suzuki's fuel injection was the best but there was still a noticeable difference in throttle response, especially in the wet. I've had a fair few Gsxr's over the years and the standouts were a 750 wt (carbs) and K5. I believe that K5 motor, despite the bks power figures stated by the press over the years, is the most powerful 750 motor they ever made.

That was the first year that cats were mandated on bikes i think and Suzuki just built the engine for power as usual then flung a cat that did nothing but restrict breathing on. I put a can on mine and it would wheelie off the throttle in 3rd (i'm pretty small, i doubt it would do it if your 6ft5 and 18 stone though maybe given the huge tyre footprint the big lads have) although it was a bit of a rattling bag of ste in comparison to the K6 motor due to being down a balancer shaft.

The gearbox went on mine at the start of a summer so it got chopped in at my local dealer for a K6 ( he isn't popular with some but the bloke has seen me right since i was 18 years old and kept me riding multiple times when it would have been months without a bike waiting on parts/insurance/warranty work) and when i first rode it i thought it was broken. The forks on quick transition flip flops from left to right were terrible as well, felt like they were still at the top of the stroke when they should have been loading back up and i couldn't adjust it out although heavier mates couldn't get it to do the same. Was fine on standard brake, turn, throttle corners but got a bit vague on faster 5th and 6th gear stuff when the engine is running out of shove.

My ideal 750 would be a K5 engine in a K3 braced frame with a beefed up swingarm, the ergonomics on the K3 suited my riding style and size to a tee.

I like the 748/749s option as well. Been tempted myself recently along with a 996 or 999 although it will depend on how i can get on with a set of contacts just for riding as there is no way i would ride a sports bike with glasses, too much interference from frames and lack of peripheral vision as is.

[TorqueDirty]

My vote goes for the Aprilia RSV-R / 1000r v-twin Tuono.

I bought a 2009 Tuono last year for well within your budget. It is extremely entertaining, grin inducingly torquey (without being lethal), handles brilliantly, sounds incredible, has very good front brakes (rear is utterly ineffectual unless you blead it frequently). Overall it is pleasingly brutal whilst being a very nimble bike given its size. I love it.

I should imagine the RSV-R is even better if you can handle the riding position.

You do need to do some research though as they need a few essential mods.

[Chicken Chaser]

Tim Id be surprised if you chose any sports bike over the 1290 you bought, it's the perfect tool to still whip around the Dales and the NYM given the state of the roads. I was in Swaledale the other day and the road has subsided and the top surface non existent! The ADV will eat that kind of thing up.

That said, if n+1 was an itch, I'd be tempted with a 675 Daytona, 2nd gen Tuono, a 749 or a 999. I think a Triple would be a great companion to the big LC8

[srob]

I'd be tempted to go for something a little different, like an older 400 supersports bike.

A GSXR400 or ZXR400 should be in budget, uber-cool, you won't lose any money on it and you won't lose your license as quickly. Admittedly less power than you've said, but the lower weight and smaller size would make a nicer contrast to your adventure bike.

[black-k1]

trickywoo said:

VTR 1000 Firestorm

SV 1000

TL 1000

Tuono V2

I think you need a naked V twin.

I think most of these would be on my list too. A V-Twin street (as opposed to full on sports - 996, 998, RSV-R etc.) bike is hard to beat for "smiles per mile". That budget would get something reasonable with some change for some decent upgrades like tyres and suspension.

[P675]

I loved my 2003 Tuono, the sound and pull was so fun, only without it now because it got written off. Some age related issues with the fuel pump were annoying, and you need to keep the battery topped up at all times or it won't start. Plenty of advice available on the AP Workshops Facebook group.

[Biker9090]

Triumph Speed Four so I could feel like I was 17 again...

All the handling and braking of a sportsbike but without the fairing- rather than the cheap frame/suspension/brakes of so many other nakeds.

[John D.]

Ridden none of them aside from the Daytona 675R that I have, but I really fancy a GSX-R750 and a RSV.

[John D.]

Can't imagine you get much for £2k these days.

[trickywoo]

John D. said:

Can't imagine you get much for £2k these days.

You'd be surprised. Bikes haven't gone like cars. You can get some great bikes for £2k. Fair enough they might need a chain / sprockets or tyres soon and a fork service might not go amiss. There are still nice bikes available for around £2k with plenty of life left in them.

[bakerstreet]

I had a 2002 RSV1000. Mine was a a normal R model bike, but had a lot of nice bits thrown at it including Ohlins Steering damper, rear shock, Ohlins fork internals carbon hugger and front guard.

I didn't like it at all. My main issue with it was the low speed fueling. It just wasn't a nice bike to ride at town speeds. My old tech YZF750R was much nicer to live with despite it being heavier, slower...blah blah.

It sounded great, but also ran quite hot and that wasn't pleasant in the summer months as it basically cooked your knees.

[P675]

bakerstreet said:

My main issue with it was the low speed fueling. It just wasn't a nice bike to ride at town speeds.

Heavy clutch was quite hard work in town if I recall also. Not a bike that enjoyed going slowly

[A500leroy]

No Cbr 600?