Why did you choose the bike you have?

Why did you choose the bike you have?

Author
Discussion

FNG

4,157 posts

223 months

Friday 14th February 2020
quotequote all
Dorsoduro 750. I wanted an upright bike, didn’t need it to be as mental as a 450 supermoto, need something pretty big, and liked the idea of the v-twin.

Still gelling with it (as I’m st, and super sticky tyres don’t help at this time of year) and it’s got some running problems but ultimately I didn’t have much money so didn’t have much choice.

But am loving the torque and the engine braking, it’s got decent brakes and suspension which I promised myself not to scrimp on this time, and it looks great.

I think I need a middleweight cruiser too though...

Evo Sean

223 posts

165 months

Friday 14th February 2020
quotequote all
BMW S1000XR

I had a Honda CB1000R and loved the relatively high revving nature and the buzz it provided but didn't really gel with the naked bike so much. I wanted the sporty engine in a chassis that delivered comfort and sports behavior in one. I rode the Tracer MT09, liked the seating position but it just didnt have the grunt I wanted. The only thing that fitted that bill was the BMW. A great motor that can be sedate and cruiser friendly yet be an absolute animal when you want it. The ability to take two people and have all the toys (cruise, heated grips, gps etc). Not be too ugly on the eye for just a few reasons. I still don't believe there is a bike out there like it that has the same do it all perfection of the BMW.

That's the beauty of opinion, someone else will think their bike does all the same!

Gixer968CS

586 posts

87 months

Friday 14th February 2020
quotequote all
Ducati Monster 1200R

Having ridden sports bikes for over 30 years I decided it was time to sell my GSXR1000 and buy something a little more befitting my 50 years and also more upright, comfortable and something that would not ask to be ridden so fast all the time. The Monster R is just gorgeous with all the bling, smaller seat unit, extra ground clearance etc. Thought it'd be a great transition from Sports to more sensible. Nope! The thing is totally mad and totally impractical. Nowhere to store anything, or carry anything. You can't ride it in the rain because a) it wears Supercorsas and b) because the rear fender stops no water fling at all and instead sends all the water off the rear wheel down your neck. I absolutely love the Ducati, but shortly after I got it (and I still have it two years later) I also went and got a BMWR1200GS, which is now what I ride all the time. Fantastic bike. The M12R is now reserved for fun weekend blasts. It is a thing of beauty, sounds awesome, goes like hell, but is totally impractical in every way.

myvision

1,931 posts

135 months

Friday 14th February 2020
quotequote all
FZS 1000
I couldn't get on with my ZZR1200 as i found it uncomfy as hell offered it for swaps and got offered the Fazer I find it much better than the ZZR but I don't use it as much as i should. Want to swap for an ST1300 but can't see that being easy I may have to sell then add money to the pot.

YZF600R
I already had one and do a lot of trips with the owners group this one came up for sale with really low miles in excellent condition and at a bargain price so I had to have it and sell my old one. Going to Romania on this in July.

VFR800FI (Pre Vtec)
I'd had enough of my Hornet which was my first bike and wanted a V4 so I put it up for swaps asking for a VFR bloke rang me that day and we swapped it that weekend. I like it can't see this one going anywhere in the near future.

Wildfire

9,774 posts

251 months

Friday 14th February 2020
quotequote all
Gixer968CS said:
Ducati Monster 1200R
It is a thing of beauty, sounds awesome, goes like hell, but is totally impractical in every way.
I've just picked up a Monster 1200S MY17 that is more similar to the R. Planning to tour on it this year!

Gixer968CS

586 posts

87 months

Friday 14th February 2020
quotequote all
Wildfire said:
Gixer968CS said:
Ducati Monster 1200R
It is a thing of beauty, sounds awesome, goes like hell, but is totally impractical in every way.
I've just picked up a Monster 1200S MY17 that is more similar to the R. Planning to tour on it this year!
Nice bike! The S is an inch lower, has a wider, more comfy seat and slightly less extreme suspension, but broadly very similar. I have Krauser paniers for the R (which look awesome on the bike) and also a Puig screen and I'll be going away for a week in Spring (if the forecast is dry!!). However, it's still less suited to touring than even a GSXR, no protection, no USB for a phone, nowhere for a tool kit. the rear seat on the R is tiny, so no pillions. Still, I love it to bits

lukeyman

1,009 posts

134 months

Friday 14th February 2020
quotequote all
Google [bot] said:
Excellent choice Sir.
Thanks!

r1flyguy1

1,567 posts

175 months

Friday 14th February 2020
quotequote all
2009 ZX10R - bought it brand new after being bikeless for a couple of years due to training. It was so cheap at £7.5k, always being a Kawasaki man, last one before this was an 05. Had to sell it to fund the final part of training for a career change. I skipped the Barra as it was just such a horrible looking bike. The 09 is a robust bike and comfy granted it’s not fire blade or R1 track territory but since 2009 I’ve thrown everything at it other than engine mods. 8k miles and full dealer service history. Not sure I’ll ever sell it but who knows.

2016 - Winter test ZX10R - After the 09 mods, the 16 had all the gadgets and it’s worlds apart in how it rides, slightly more cramped, but such a smoother engine. I saw the internet renditions of it before it was launched and ordered it.

2019 H2 - when they were first launched I though they were FUGLY!! But the dealer where I’ve been buying my bikes for past 20 years let me loose on one for a few hours and that was it. Amazing how a test ride can alter your perception no matter how ugly I though the bike was. I love it’s instantaneous power and the more you look the more the little details of the bike make it so appealing. Only downside is the injection system is a little hesitant at low revs when manoeuvring slowly

Edited by r1flyguy1 on Friday 14th February 13:19

carinaman

21,224 posts

171 months

Friday 14th February 2020
quotequote all
lukeyman said:
Google [bot] said:
Excellent choice Sir.
Thanks!
If that's the Z900RS they went up in my estimation after seeing a YouTube review where someone took one to Santa Pod.

Was it a 12 second 1/4 mile?

Pat H

8,056 posts

255 months

Friday 14th February 2020
quotequote all
1981 BMW R100.

I didn't choose it.

I was given it when my uncle hung up his helmet. By then he was in his eighties.

He'd bought it new.

I would never have gone out and bought an old BMW. And the first time I rode it I wondered what the hell the attraction was. It's like a two wheeled Panzer.

But the damn thing grows on you. Even today it's a comfortable and reliable touring bike.




black-k1

11,889 posts

228 months

Friday 14th February 2020
quotequote all
Pat H said:
1981 BMW R100.

I didn't choose it.

I was given it when my uncle hung up his helmet. By then he was in his eighties.

He'd bought it new.

I would never have gone out and bought an old BMW. And the first time I rode it I wondered what the hell the attraction was. It's like a two wheeled Panzer.

But the damn thing grows on you. Even today it's a comfortable and reliable touring bike.



thumbup

I have one at the back of the shed that's exactly the same. Great bikes for "every day use". Very comfortable, loads of character and quick enough to keep up with traffic.


Janluke

2,552 posts

157 months

Friday 14th February 2020
quotequote all
FNG said:
Dorsoduro 750. I wanted an upright bike, didn’t need it to be as mental as a 450 supermoto, need something pretty big, and liked the idea of the v-twin.

Still gelling with it (as I’m st, and super sticky tyres don’t help at this time of year) and it’s got some running problems but ultimately I didn’t have much money so didn’t have much choice.

But am loving the torque and the engine braking, it’s got decent brakes and suspension which I promised myself not to scrimp on this time, and it looks great.

I think I need a middleweight cruiser too though...
I loved my Dorsoduro, one of the bikes I probably got rid of too soon

Pat H

8,056 posts

255 months

Friday 14th February 2020
quotequote all
When Doris passed her test a few years ago we bought an XBR500.

Easy to manage. Big single has loads of lumpy character and is powerful enough.

Cheap classic insurance, no depreciation.


Se7enheaven

1,709 posts

163 months

Friday 14th February 2020
quotequote all
BMW S1000XR

I had previously owned a 2014 Multistrada. I found the fuelling to be pretty awful, it felt too weighty and particularly bad with pillion and loaded up. Couple that with a bit of thumb arthritis kicking in , and all the slipping the clutch to make as smooth progress as possible in traffic all added up to the element of fun going from it.
So step in the S1000 XR. Ticks all the boxes the Multi didn’t. Goes like a scalded cat ,but smooth as silk when pootling about. And I actually find it more pleasing on the eye than the Multi . I absolutely love it.

Ryan-nunm9

207 posts

70 months

Friday 14th February 2020
quotequote all
Mine, I knew I wanted a powerful naked bike after than I was pretty open to what I was shopping for. It was relatively cheap with 10,500 miles on it two years ago this month. We're now at 53,000 and it gets used for everything.

2011 BMW K1300R - If I were to replace it I'd be looking at the BMW S1000XR or the KTM SuperDuke GT







HairyMaclary

3,649 posts

194 months

Friday 14th February 2020
quotequote all
Versys 650 GT

Needed something with plenty of weather protection and reasonable mpg for commuting. Also want to do the occasional Euro trip.

Commute without the luggage but looks pretty with it smile


bimsb6

8,034 posts

220 months

Friday 14th February 2020
quotequote all
Pat H said:
1981 BMW R100.

I didn't choose it.

I was given it when my uncle hung up his helmet. By then he was in his eighties.

He'd bought it new.

I would never have gone out and bought an old BMW. And the first time I rode it I wondered what the hell the attraction was. It's like a two wheeled Panzer.

But the damn thing grows on you. Even today it's a comfortable and reliable touring bike.
I had one of those yeasr back r100cs same colour scheme .


Stuart Fordyce

1,169 posts

60 months

Friday 14th February 2020
quotequote all
Had started earning some money again and wanted a faster bike to do trackdays, European tours, commuting and two-up riding. Didn't want a budget 1000 as I'd been down that road before with a Honda CBF1000. A Yamaha FZ6S2 seemed to do the job, particularly as it had a fairing, ABS (and unlike a Monster 821, my wife could reach the grab handles - weep!). There was also a really good second hand guide in Motorcycle Sport and Leisure.

I test rode a couple, bought one in Birmingham back in early 2017. Since then it's done trackdays at Snetterton, Donington and Val de Vienne, taken me on work trips in England, Scotland and Wales, commuted daily and toured in France, Belgium, Germany and Luxembourg. Most of the time it's been great.

Now it's getting over 40,000 miles things are starting to get expensive. In the past few months it has needed an ABS sensor, coils, new downpipes (and when fixing these a new cat) - with a lot of labour. OE Yamaha parts are eye-wateringly expensive and very slow to arrive. As the wife won't be going pillion for some time, due to the arrival of our first child next month, if I ever have some cash available I'll be looking for something else to be honest. I'll have another look at the Monster, perhaps a Kawasaki ZX-6R, and I also test rode an Aprilia Shiver 750 and enjoyed that too.

rigga

8,727 posts

200 months

Friday 14th February 2020
quotequote all
350lc with a twist
Had one in my youth when I met my now wife, always wanted another, so found this a couple of years back for my 50th birthday


DuncsGTi

1,152 posts

178 months

Friday 14th February 2020
quotequote all
Reasons for my current fleet:-

MT10. I fancied a fast naked, watched the 44t first ride vid of one so booked a test ride. Accidentally popped a massive wheelie on the test ride so I went straight back to the dealer and placed a deposit!!

848 Evo. I had always wanted a Ducati and love the shape of the 848/1098/1198. Went on a work ski trip and dislocated my shoulder. The work compensation scheme threw me £6k for the injury so I treated myself before I was even out of the sling.

K3 GSXR 600. My brother in law passed away unexpectedly last year and left me this. I'm slowly converting it into my track bike