Good bikes you never gelled with?
Discussion
I've been through quite a few bikes in my time. Some I feel in love with at first ride, some it took time, others were great but it was time to part ways. And some were just plain old s
te (I'm looking at you, ZZR600!)
Have you guys and gals had similar experiences?
I'm struggling to get on with a very good condition 01 VFR800. There's nothing wrong with it, but we don't seem to click. I don't like the clutch, it's bigger and heavier than I'm used to as well, which at 5'4" isn't helpful. I've had one or two rides on it that have been just pleasure rides for fun, and they've been good, but I can't help thinking I'd have enjoyed them more if my A65 could go for more than 10 miles without stting out it's exhaust and I'd been on that.
Still, the ride to work today was much better than being in a car.
te (I'm looking at you, ZZR600!)Have you guys and gals had similar experiences?
I'm struggling to get on with a very good condition 01 VFR800. There's nothing wrong with it, but we don't seem to click. I don't like the clutch, it's bigger and heavier than I'm used to as well, which at 5'4" isn't helpful. I've had one or two rides on it that have been just pleasure rides for fun, and they've been good, but I can't help thinking I'd have enjoyed them more if my A65 could go for more than 10 miles without s
tting out it's exhaust and I'd been on that.Still, the ride to work today was much better than being in a car.
Ducati 848 Evo.
It looked ace, sounded brilliant. Was plenty quick, but just wasn't right for both me, nor for what I was using it mostly for.
In more detail, I was new to biking, and with it lacked confidence. Although zipping around the countryside at the weekend was a big part, so was riding to work and dealing with traffic.
The bike just seemed very lumpy and likely to stall at slow (~20mph) speeds even in 1st. So there was lots of clutch slipping required. Also, since geared so high, didn't really need anything much over 2nd or 3rd gear if riding within speed limits, and so found -very- direct throttle and twitchy bike when riding (as in such a low gear). At those same slow speeds it also felt heavy and turned like an oil tanker. It really wasn't a good bike for dealing with heavy traffic and slow speed traffic. It just felt massively awkward doing that.
Due to new rider caution, I didn't really get the most out of the high speed stuff either, I couldn't tell you about how nicely it tipped into corners, or it's stability at max lean... as I'd not got that far.
As I say I did like the look, and the sound, I don't mind the engine braking either. It's just something that didn't suit me at the time.
It looked ace, sounded brilliant. Was plenty quick, but just wasn't right for both me, nor for what I was using it mostly for.
In more detail, I was new to biking, and with it lacked confidence. Although zipping around the countryside at the weekend was a big part, so was riding to work and dealing with traffic.
The bike just seemed very lumpy and likely to stall at slow (~20mph) speeds even in 1st. So there was lots of clutch slipping required. Also, since geared so high, didn't really need anything much over 2nd or 3rd gear if riding within speed limits, and so found -very- direct throttle and twitchy bike when riding (as in such a low gear). At those same slow speeds it also felt heavy and turned like an oil tanker. It really wasn't a good bike for dealing with heavy traffic and slow speed traffic. It just felt massively awkward doing that.
Due to new rider caution, I didn't really get the most out of the high speed stuff either, I couldn't tell you about how nicely it tipped into corners, or it's stability at max lean... as I'd not got that far.
As I say I did like the look, and the sound, I don't mind the engine braking either. It's just something that didn't suit me at the time.
Another one for Ducati. I never really got to love my 1198. Gorgeous to look at but could be a pig to ride sometimes. It was sublime on the track at full bore right on the edge, but never seemed fully happy anywhere else and was one of the most uncomfortable bikes for the road i've ever owned.
Russwhitehouse said:
Another one for Ducati. I never really got to love my 1198. Gorgeous to look at but could be a pig to ride sometimes. It was sublime on the track at full bore right on the edge, but never seemed fully happy anywhere else and was one of the most uncomfortable bikes for the road i've ever owned.
Worrying - I was thinking of getting a Ducati to replace it with next year! Maybe after a Euro-trip with my brother. Probably a 600 Monster though so a bit more cheap and cheerful, less powerful, lighter, more upright seating position and lower. I'll not be commuting in a month so don't need to munch up the miles on the dual carriage way any more, which to be fair, the VFR is very, very good at.
Another Ducati one...
My 749S - it had all the kit, should have been brilliant.
It was lumpy down low, suspension was stiff, seat was almost non existent. Never had so much weight on my wrists.
It was crap around town and to a point, country blasts.
Took it on track and it was excellent - but I didn't fancy the repair bills when the worst happened.
Think my 749S was the least amount of time I've owned a bike - under 2 months.
My 749S - it had all the kit, should have been brilliant.
It was lumpy down low, suspension was stiff, seat was almost non existent. Never had so much weight on my wrists.
It was crap around town and to a point, country blasts.
Took it on track and it was excellent - but I didn't fancy the repair bills when the worst happened.
Think my 749S was the least amount of time I've owned a bike - under 2 months.
I had a 2000 SV650S bought new and just never really got on with it. Was so much to like about the bike engine wise if only it hadn't been built to such a cheap budget in terms of suspension, brakes and build quality. It really could have been a great bike but Suzuki made it that way and it required ££££ to address everything lacking.
Shortest time I've owned a bike from new 6months and did 3000 miles on it just didn't really gel with it - I guess for others they may have had lower expectations than me with this bike given how popular they were.
I bought it as a London commuter and fun bike and it was a second bike bought while my then ZX6R was away being fixed after an accident.
It just didn't compare to the ZX6R which was so much a better bike.
Sadly the story didn't end there a work mate who'd just got his license then bought the bike (from the dealer I'd traded it to bizarrely rather than coming to me directly) who then was taken out a number of weeks later by a supermarket artic truck turning across him writing off the bike and almost himself
he did recover ok eventually but immediately gave up biking.
Shortest time I've owned a bike from new 6months and did 3000 miles on it just didn't really gel with it - I guess for others they may have had lower expectations than me with this bike given how popular they were.
I bought it as a London commuter and fun bike and it was a second bike bought while my then ZX6R was away being fixed after an accident.
It just didn't compare to the ZX6R which was so much a better bike.
Sadly the story didn't end there a work mate who'd just got his license then bought the bike (from the dealer I'd traded it to bizarrely rather than coming to me directly) who then was taken out a number of weeks later by a supermarket artic truck turning across him writing off the bike and almost himself
he did recover ok eventually but immediately gave up biking.<sigh> and another. My 848.
Addressed one of it's shortcomings by a smaller front sprocket. Made it a lot nicer in regular use. But it was hard work at sane/legal speed, and I'm pretty wussy about going really fast on road. On track, I never felt like I had much clue what the front was up to.. but I'm no rossi and was tootling around in novice so I assumed incompetence and tried to go faster - I fell off! The following outing I lost the front again (but got away with it). Pretty much sealed it for me. Shame 'cos (to me) it's heartstopping pretty, and the engine, especially on decent cans is just magic. Loved the whole thing dearly, I can still hear it several years later, but just couldn't make it work for me.
Corollary is I bought a 99 R6 for track duties and immediately went to the top half of intermediate. Slower bike, but I could ride it..
Addressed one of it's shortcomings by a smaller front sprocket. Made it a lot nicer in regular use. But it was hard work at sane/legal speed, and I'm pretty wussy about going really fast on road. On track, I never felt like I had much clue what the front was up to.. but I'm no rossi and was tootling around in novice so I assumed incompetence and tried to go faster - I fell off! The following outing I lost the front again (but got away with it). Pretty much sealed it for me. Shame 'cos (to me) it's heartstopping pretty, and the engine, especially on decent cans is just magic. Loved the whole thing dearly, I can still hear it several years later, but just couldn't make it work for me.
Corollary is I bought a 99 R6 for track duties and immediately went to the top half of intermediate. Slower bike, but I could ride it..
isnt this the thing with life in general?
its the faults that endear things to us.
I've only on my third bike, no love for the 125 it just worked, the zx6 was great because it lacked bottom end and had to be worked. The harley is all torque and is a bit all or nothing, its hard to ride smoothly for that reason and it weighs as much as a ships anchor.
There are days i just don't want to ride it but i wouldn't swap it for something like a VFR.
its the faults that endear things to us.
I've only on my third bike, no love for the 125 it just worked, the zx6 was great because it lacked bottom end and had to be worked. The harley is all torque and is a bit all or nothing, its hard to ride smoothly for that reason and it weighs as much as a ships anchor.
There are days i just don't want to ride it but i wouldn't swap it for something like a VFR.
crofty1984 said:
Worrying - I was thinking of getting a Ducati to replace it with next year! Maybe after a Euro-trip with my brother.
Probably a 600 Monster though so a bit more cheap and cheerful, less powerful, lighter, more upright seating position and lower. I'll not be commuting in a month so don't need to munch up the miles on the dual carriage way any more, which to be fair, the VFR is very, very good at.
I'd not worry too much, the ducati sportsbikes are quite different to other sportsbikes.. the monster is rather more mainstream and very popular, rather suspect the aflictions of the former don't apply to the latter - unless anyone knows better, but I'd expect the monster to be rather easygoing given it seems to be loved so broadly..Probably a 600 Monster though so a bit more cheap and cheerful, less powerful, lighter, more upright seating position and lower. I'll not be commuting in a month so don't need to munch up the miles on the dual carriage way any more, which to be fair, the VFR is very, very good at.
crofty1984 said:
Russwhitehouse said:
Another one for Ducati. I never really got to love my 1198. Gorgeous to look at but could be a pig to ride sometimes. It was sublime on the track at full bore right on the edge, but never seemed fully happy anywhere else and was one of the most uncomfortable bikes for the road i've ever owned.
Worrying - I was thinking of getting a Ducati to replace it with next year! Maybe after a Euro-trip with my brother. Probably a 600 Monster though so a bit more cheap and cheerful, less powerful, lighter, more upright seating position and lower. I'll not be commuting in a month so don't need to munch up the miles on the dual carriage way any more, which to be fair, the VFR is very, very good at.
Good torque and it is light, steers great, strong brakes, powerful old-school sound, easy to run, does not burn legs or bottom.
Not really for tallish riders though, still rideable and enjoyable though.
Suzuki GSXR 750
I loved my gsxr600 SRAD but I’ve since owned a 750 K2 and a 750 SRAD but didn’t keep either long. The common opinion is that it’s the best of a 600 and a 1000 but I tend to think it’s the worst of both... No torque like a 600 but you can’t thrash it like a 600 without ending up at silly speeds, so you ride in the flat mid range.
I can see why the 750 died out as a class.
I loved my gsxr600 SRAD but I’ve since owned a 750 K2 and a 750 SRAD but didn’t keep either long. The common opinion is that it’s the best of a 600 and a 1000 but I tend to think it’s the worst of both... No torque like a 600 but you can’t thrash it like a 600 without ending up at silly speeds, so you ride in the flat mid range.
I can see why the 750 died out as a class.
Ducati 748 - Loved looking at it but every time I took it out I wished I'd taken my 929 blade.
Blackbird - Only had this for a few months. Replaced the fork and rear springs and it's much better than it was but still not feeling it for the job it's intended to do - commuter.
KTM Duke 990 - Didn't gel with this at all. Didn't like the engine and the ergonomics only worked for me in town.
Kawasaki zx6r G2 - Hated the front end, felt really remote.
Blackbird - Only had this for a few months. Replaced the fork and rear springs and it's much better than it was but still not feeling it for the job it's intended to do - commuter.
KTM Duke 990 - Didn't gel with this at all. Didn't like the engine and the ergonomics only worked for me in town.
Kawasaki zx6r G2 - Hated the front end, felt really remote.
Edited by dern on Tuesday 4th September 11:50
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