Help! Torn over 929 'Blade or tourer

Help! Torn over 929 'Blade or tourer

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Fastchas

Original Poster:

2,639 posts

120 months

Wednesday 8th August 2018
quotequote all
I've just sold my VFR750 and putting the cash and a little extra to another bike.
I was thinking of getting a Fireblade RRT like I had in the '90's. They are comfy and can accommodate Mrs Fastchas when the mood takes her.
Looking at spending £1200-1500 but struggling to find one reasonably (50 miles) local for the right price. Then I saw a 929 on ebay and offered £1500 after if failed to make his reserve and he's accepted.
Now, I've never sat on a 929. Are they much more extreme than the '96 RRT or just as 'spacious'?

The reason I ask is that I've also seen a CBR1000F with full panniers for the same price. I'm 48, struggle with Rheumotoid Arthritis but not REALLY badly and am considering a change of tact. Should I buy the CBR1000f and tour more with the missus?

So, is the 929 much different to the RRT or should I ditch it and go full tour...?

Jazoli

9,086 posts

249 months

Wednesday 8th August 2018
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929's are pretty roomy but I'm sure something like a Blackbird would be a better bet, CBR1000's are big heavy old buses and whilst perfectly good bikes are very old hat now, you can get a resonable BB for under £2k.

308mate

13,757 posts

221 months

Wednesday 8th August 2018
quotequote all
Fastchas said:
I've just sold my VFR750 and putting the cash and a little extra to another bike.
I was thinking of getting a Fireblade RRT like I had in the '90's. They are comfy and can accommodate Mrs Fastchas when the mood takes her.
Looking at spending £1200-1500 but struggling to find one reasonably (50 miles) local for the right price. Then I saw a 929 on ebay and offered £1500 after if failed to make his reserve and he's accepted.
Now, I've never sat on a 929. Are they much more extreme than the '96 RRT or just as 'spacious'?

The reason I ask is that I've also seen a CBR1000F with full panniers for the same price. I'm 48, struggle with Rheumotoid Arthritis but not REALLY badly and am considering a change of tact. Should I buy the CBR1000f and tour more with the missus?

So, is the 929 much different to the RRT or should I ditch it and go full tour...?
I had an RRT and found the 929 more comfortable and the blackbird distinctly uncomfortable. 929 would be the pick of the bunch, for me. Though the Blackbird pillion seat is far better. Depends how often you take a pillion.

PTF

4,252 posts

223 months

Wednesday 8th August 2018
quotequote all
I'm wondering what kind of 929 you managed to bag for £1500. I paid just over twice that for mine, though it's only done 12k miles and is pretty mint

Fastchas

Original Poster:

2,639 posts

120 months

Wednesday 8th August 2018
quotequote all
PTF said:
I'm wondering what kind of 929 you managed to bag for £1500. I paid just over twice that for mine, though it's only done 12k miles and is pretty mint
It looks fine! Done 30+K miles. It was on ebay and I asked him his reserve, he said £1700. It failed to meet it so I offered him £1500 and he accepted! I'm tempted just to get it for the price alone...

PTF

4,252 posts

223 months

Wednesday 8th August 2018
quotequote all
Fastchas said:
PTF said:
I'm wondering what kind of 929 you managed to bag for £1500. I paid just over twice that for mine, though it's only done 12k miles and is pretty mint
It looks fine! Done 30+K miles. It was on ebay and I asked him his reserve, he said £1700. It failed to meet it so I offered him £1500 and he accepted! I'm tempted just to get it for the price alone...
In answer to your question, the 929 is a comfy enough sports bike....for a sports bike. I used mine a little bit for commuting and it felt ok. The pop-up pillion seat is a nice little thing, big enough underneath for some jeans rolled up, or a 4pk of lager. Metal tank so it takes a magnetic tank bag. Enough grunt to make covering distance alright, though it does get a bit wrist heavy at low speeds.

I preferred the 929's riding position to my blackbird, which is more of a superman position and quite uncomfortable after a while. The 929 is great and "neutral" feeling at motorway speeds. Next to the blackbird the front end of the 929 is like a scalpel, where the blackbird is like steering an oil tanker.

I was perfectly happy-ish with the 929 until i tried a K1300S (yes, i know i'm bringing that up again). After a week of riding that i took the 929 out for a spin and it felt tiny and uncomfortable and about as fast as a 600.

So i'd say the 929 will be fine if that's the kind of bike you're used to as compared to some it's relatively spacious, but if you're coming at it from something more upright like a bandit/fazer/etc, you might find it still quite cramped/sporty.

HTH

PTF

4,252 posts

223 months

Wednesday 8th August 2018
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See here to compare ergonomics
http://cycle-ergo.com/

podman

8,849 posts

239 months

Wednesday 8th August 2018
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Cant lose at that money, if you dont like it and assuming its all ship shape, you can sell it on for a profit...

Fastchas

Original Poster:

2,639 posts

120 months

Wednesday 8th August 2018
quotequote all
PTF said:
See here to compare ergonomics
http://cycle-ergo.com/
That's brilliant! biggrin Thanks
According to that, the RRT is more 'cramped' than the 929 but only by a degree each on hips and knees, according to my height (6'1").

Jag_NE

2,949 posts

99 months

Wednesday 8th August 2018
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podman said:
Cant lose at that money, if you dont like it and assuming its all ship shape, you can sell it on for a profit...
he could try and sell it for more but his ebay episode indicates that the market isn't biting buyers hands off at more than what he paid for it.

Fastchas

Original Poster:

2,639 posts

120 months

Wednesday 8th August 2018
quotequote all
Jag_NE said:
podman said:
Cant lose at that money, if you dont like it and assuming its all ship shape, you can sell it on for a profit...
he could try and sell it for more but his ebay episode indicates that the market isn't biting buyers hands off at more than what he paid for it.
I agree but eBay isn't the best platform to sell something.
But I'd say not losing money is more important than making a profit. I'd hope to sell it for around what I paid.

PTF

4,252 posts

223 months

Wednesday 8th August 2018
quotequote all
Fastchas said:
Jag_NE said:
podman said:
Cant lose at that money, if you dont like it and assuming its all ship shape, you can sell it on for a profit...
he could try and sell it for more but his ebay episode indicates that the market isn't biting buyers hands off at more than what he paid for it.
I agree but eBay isn't the best platform to sell something.
But I'd say not losing money is more important than making a profit. I'd hope to sell it for around what I paid.
It's awful unless you're selling something CHEAP. I've had a mint ZX9 for sale on there for months (at £15 a pop) and despite hundreds of views and lots of watchers it's just sitting there. I could drop the price i suppose, but i'm not losing out on it. I'd rather have it as an ornament...

moto_traxport

4,235 posts

220 months

Wednesday 8th August 2018
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Bought and sold a couple of 929's at sub £1500 level trying to keep mileage off my R1.

Beware rusty fairing bracket (easy fix) and pitted fork stanchions (less so). Also scabby fork bottoms and paint lifting off wheels. Had a few Firestorms from the same era and they suffered in exactly the same area so I'm convinced it's a Honda spec thing.

One of mine had a faulty HIVX valve servo motor (Honda's version of Yamaha EXUP valve) - even when they're in fine fettle these have a brutal open or shut action which cocks the fuelling up when tootling around at low rpm (3000rpm from memory).

Lovely, lovely steering and brake feel when everything maintained okay.

Nice riding position but seat is hard for a week's to the South of France / big miles - not noticeable in normal use, okay-ish for pillion.

The CBR1000 is probably a more sensible choice but much less desire to pull it out of the garage in the first place.

moto_traxport

4,235 posts

220 months

Wednesday 8th August 2018
quotequote all
Jag_NE said:
he could try and sell it for more but his ebay episode indicates that the market isn't biting buyers hands off at more than what he paid for it.
Market is very stagnant at the moment. Mid August you've generally got what you want for that Summer / oversupply / potholes / brexit / autumn incoming / etc

Loopyleesa

2,894 posts

166 months

Thursday 16th August 2018
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I've got a 918, not much difference in them. I find it quite a small bike, I'm 5' 6 and it's a perfect height (for me) and a light weight bike.

I do use it to commute occasionally, but much more for B road riding. I wouldn't say it has a comfortable riding position, but it's definitely bearable.

For me, it has plenty of grunt, at all levels.

All of the earlier blades definitely hold their money, and can do stupidly high mileage if well maintained. If you can get it for £1500, why not try it for a bit?

bigstuff

10 posts

106 months

Friday 17th August 2018
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Dont know about the 929 situ but blade V Cbr1000...I've owned my RRP blade for years and usually have an old winter hack on the go. Winter hack being my recently sold cbr1000f. Spent years touring round Scotland on my blade and loved every minute of it but getting more painful over the years. Most I've done in a day on the old blade is around 550 miles from Glasgow area to Applecross and back, was half crippled at the end lol.
The cbr1000f was an old hack that I fitted with bar risers and renthals. Was like a big comfy armchair! Loved every mile of it and could ride all day in comfort. Bullet proof engine but has a lot of weight. I'm 6`1 as well and found the cbr1000 a lot more comfortable overall than the blade. If I had the choice I'd go for the big thou to be honest. Either that or an old Transalp.

Fastchas

Original Poster:

2,639 posts

120 months

Tuesday 21st August 2018
quotequote all
bigstuff said:
Dont know about the 929 situ but blade V Cbr1000...I've owned my RRP blade for years and usually have an old winter hack on the go. Winter hack being my recently sold cbr1000f. Spent years touring round Scotland on my blade and loved every minute of it but getting more painful over the years. Most I've done in a day on the old blade is around 550 miles from Glasgow area to Applecross and back, was half crippled at the end lol.
The cbr1000f was an old hack that I fitted with bar risers and renthals. Was like a big comfy armchair! Loved every mile of it and could ride all day in comfort. Bullet proof engine but has a lot of weight. I'm 6`1 as well and found the cbr1000 a lot more comfortable overall than the blade. If I had the choice I'd go for the big thou to be honest. Either that or an old Transalp.
Oh, maaannn...where were you last week? I've bought the 'blade now! biggrin
TBH, I'd probably have plummed for it anyway.

chris4652009

1,563 posts

83 months

Tuesday 21st August 2018
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Fastchas said:
Oh, maaannn...where were you last week? I've bought the 'blade now! biggrin
TBH, I'd probably have plummed for it anyway.
Any pics of it>?

Fastchas

Original Poster:

2,639 posts

120 months

Tuesday 21st August 2018
quotequote all
chris4652009 said:
Fastchas said:
Oh, maaannn...where were you last week? I've bought the 'blade now! biggrin
TBH, I'd probably have plummed for it anyway.
Any pics of it>?
I'm picking it up this weekend hopefully. I left a deposit on it and the seller kindly agreed to hold it while I was waiting for a house move to complete. I now have a garage again so will pick it up and post some pics on here.

chris4652009

1,563 posts

83 months

Tuesday 21st August 2018
quotequote all
Fastchas said:
I'm picking it up this weekend hopefully. I left a deposit on it and the seller kindly agreed to hold it while I was waiting for a house move to complete. I now have a garage again so will pick it up and post some pics on here.
Awesome mate, I do love the 929 and 954s. superb bikes all round