Recommend me a winter hack...

[cbmotorsport]

...please.

Looking to buy an old hack to run over the winter, and don't wish to use my nice bikes. My criteria are as follows:

I'll be going into London on it, once or twice a week, so it needs to be relatively undesirable to thieving scum.

It will be a hack, so something I don't have to clean constantly over the winter months, and it'll stand up to this sort of treatent.

Something pretty bullet proof, I don't want to be tinkering with it.

500cc and over.

Max £1500, so if it does go walkies, I wouldn't claim for this amount.

Current bikes I'm considering are: FZ6, Honda Hornet 6, CB500, ER-5 all the usual commuter/courier type bikes.

[Jazoli]

V Strom 650, £1500 will get you one, or an early Versys, light manageable bikes, great in traffic, brilliant riding position as you can see over all the cars, punchy motors and long travel suspension for crap road surfaces and gliding over cats eyes whilst filtering, I wouldn't bother with a 4 cylinder bike personally for commuting.

[Rubin215]

Bandit 650.

You'll get an oil-cooled faired one with abs for £1500.

Easy to service, cheap to run, relatively undesirable.

[supercommuter]

Bandit

UrbanTucano Muffs

Heated Grips

Winter commuter sorted.

[cbmotorsport]

Bandit over a Fazer?

[Jazoli]

cbmotorsport said:

Bandit over a Fazer?

Depends how much you like riding bikes, I would never own a Bandit over a Fazer (Gen 1/1.5) or a Hornet, Bandit over a mk2 Fazer? yes, if there were no Hornets available

Edit, don't forget the SV650.

Its just a winter hack though, I would just buy the best example of any of the above, cover it in ACF50 and use it, you're hardly going to be pushing the envelope.

Edited by Jazoli on Wednesday 1st November 11:09

[cbmotorsport]

Jazoli said:

Its just a winter hack though, I would just buy the best example of any of the above, cover it in ACF50 and use it, you're hardly going to be pushing the envelope.

Edited by Jazoli on Wednesday 1st November 11:09

Lol. Fair point!

[road_rager]

Ive been using a 04 600 bandit for just this most of this year. Cost £1500 was local and in 'ok' condition. Seems fairly robust so far, had to fit new oil cooler and heated grips. Totaly anonymous, but not that exiting to ride if I'm being honest. Would have bandit over Hornet as much better tank range than the early ones, although hornet was more fun to ride.


Just to add dont forget ultra low emision zone coming into effect soon i think?(just checked and it's 2020) This means 07 onwards age bike i think!

Edited by road_rager on Wednesday 1st November 11:37

Edited by road_rager on Wednesday 1st November 11:43

[CaptainSlow]

CBF500 with ABS...cheap as chips and newer than the alternatives.

[jgy6000]

My Honda NT700 is up for sale and would fit the bill if it’s of any interest to you?

As a winter/ comuter hack it’s ideal and its not got a chain to worry about either

[sam_vfr]

Honda NX650 Dominator

[podman]

cbmotorsport said:

Jazoli said:

Its just a winter hack though, I would just buy the best example of any of the above, cover it in ACF50 and use it, you're hardly going to be pushing the envelope.

Edited by Jazoli on Wednesday 1st November 11:09

Lol. Fair point!

Its the only point...a £1500 bike soon becomes a 2K plus bike if all the consumables are shot and the thing wont start on a Monday morning, buy on condition, not because some one has recommended model "x" on the internet..

I always start my budget searches on autotrader, enter the cc(say from 500 to 1000) , mileage (say 20,000) , your budget, see what comes up and keep an open mind..also depends on how far you are prepared to travel of course..

In fact, ive done just that and there are some lovely bikes on offer for £1500, some on the list above, some not..

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

I like this..

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

[LFB531]

I've a 1996 ER/GPZ500 that I cut my 'post learning' teeth on and have used as a summer commuter. It's done a huge mileage (now nearly 3,000! ) but feels rock solid, weren't these popular with the courier boys back in the day?

Simple technology I like! The Beemer lined up to replace it seems properly complex.

[ZX10R NIN]

I'd say look for a ZX6R they make great hacks, they're a nice size & the fairing will keep the cold off of you.

ZX6R

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/KAWASAKI-ZX6R-G1-ZX6RG1...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2000-Kawasaki-zx6r-ninj...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Kawasaki-ZX6R-2001-12mo...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/kawasaki-zx6r-636-2002-...

[Tall_Paul]

I'd want a fairing/screen for winter use, you'd probably get a well used vfr800 non VTEC for £1500, mint ones go for £2k so should be easy.

[2wheelsjimmy]

I bought a blackbird as a hack. Was 2k and all New consumables. Not missed a beat in the 5000 miles in 7 weeks so far.

I will admit, I go into London once a week and it’s easy enough in traffic. But a sit up that’s <200kg would be easier.

As others said, get something with good life in the consumables. Or it’ll cost

[SteelerSE]

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

This is good value and has ABS.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

This is ugly as sin but at least has a screen.

The Suzuki would be my choice but it depends on whether you prefer a twin or a four.

[cbmotorsport]

Thanks folks, plenty of food for thought, and some good bikes linked. Thanks for taking the time :-)

[cpl_payne]

cbmotorsport said:

...please.

Current bikes I'm considering are: FZ6...

I've not ridden the FZ6 so take my words with a spoonful of salt, but I've heard the engine is a lot more revvy than its predecessor - the carbed FZS600. I've had my old Fazer for 4 years now, taking it from 30+k to 42 it has on the clocks, and it's lived outside for all that time, uncovered apart from the front being tucked into a bicycle stand. Oh, and nobody has tried to nick it as it's looking a bit shabby. It's stood up to everything and has never let me down, despite being left standing for weeks on a regular basis. Never needed anything other than basic consumables and servicing, the rear brake caliber needed cleaning and reassembly. That's a bike with 11 previous owners, so I have to say you could do far worse for a do-it-all machine. Very handy in town - with a comfortable seating position, grunty engine and fantastic brakes. Long live UJM!

[TwoStrokeNut]

Z750R from 2007 onwards.

Dirt chap and practical if you get the one with the small fairing.

Quick bikes too, They are everywhere in Europe, but strangely, not in demand here.