Recommend me a bike.

[noggythenog]

[quote author=noggythenog link=topic=12260.msg136307#msg136307 date=1395510990]
[quote author=ogri48 link=topic=12260.msg136305#msg136305 date=1395510089]
Can't recommend a sorted fz1 enough nogster. Been out on mine all afternoon, only went out to pick up some lacquer and wet and dry and ended up doing 130 miles, despite the cold. They don't fetch a lot second hand, and I guess there not particularly fashionable falling in a bit of a no mans land between all the latest super nakeds and the more sensible gen 1, but bugger it's a good bike. When one had to go to pay for me van, I just couldn't bear to lose the yam, hence the cb1300 is on e bay. So light and nimble, (and like you I'm heavy), and so much fun whatever your doing or wherever your going.

This is the input i need see...& it seems to fit most of my criteria apart from top end is too tempting but if i could gear one to give more mid then it could be an option...i gotta say if they were commanding top dollar then my answer would be no....but again you make a good point that perhaps if they just aint the most fashionable right now then i could get a bargain....dek had or has his bike up for sale for 4k...modded up to its arsehole with trick bits & performance enhancing...........stuff.....it looked sweet...it is sad that when i went to yamaha last week they had no gen 2 thou...only the 8....i'll know in about 15 seconds whether it is what im looking at ergonomically...& devilsyam now seems to have an upgrade to raise the seat height a smidge too.


One thing that is shining through................[size=78%]..thous are good for big fuckers[/size] :lol



[/quote]


Noggy , you are welcome to come over or meet half way and you can try my FZ1s, its the only way to find out
[/quote]


Cheers Bill...mighty kind...must be sumingk about gen 2 owners...harsh but kind...dek was offering a test on his modded thou but he's in scotland.....i'd have to get fully insured if i did so id speak to my insurance about that...either that or id have to have the wonga to replace which i dont have right now but the offer of a spin is great.

[stevierst]

I love my gen II but I'd love to have a long term ride on a ktm 990sm/superduke. I almost struck a deal with a ktm owner before Christmas but he backed out last minute. Bugger or blessing, not sure.

Another rival would be a speed triple, either a 955, or a 1050. That engine is addictive, and the chassis is almost like a BMX but can take bigger blokes. I think the street trip would be a bit too small for ya.

Tuono is a magnificent machine if your a v-twin fan, and reliability??? My bro-in-law has 48,000 on his Prilla, and it's still going strong!
Falco maybe if you wanted something different but still goes like the proverbial off a shovel.

If your after a new bike that's a bargain, the mt-09 is worth a sniff. It definately ticks all your boxes! Massive fun 8)

Cbf thou?? A torquey 4 pot that is like a gen 1 but with Honda character (a bit grey).
The venerable gen 1. If I needed just one bike for everything I do (16,000+ miles/annum) this would be it. Gotta be worth a lot of consideration!

Get out there and test a few.

Good luck with getting the bike for you

[nick crisp]

I'll just leave this here........

KTM 1290 Super Duke R - The Beast Escape

[mickvp]

I think there was quality issues with the KTM's previously noggy, yes. Im not sure what they are like now, but I know from talking with Andy (Aegis Bearing Mel) that he had a hell of a time with his, the brakes in particular. I think KTM's recommended fix to his issue was to clean the brakes every time you had used it or some other bollox. As I say, it may be a better situation now?

[bigbluebear]

I think KTM are getting better over the years by all accounts their reliability is getting stronger, a bit like Aprilia.....the 1290 is a stonking bike with a price tag to match....maybe better waiting a couple of years to see what the reviews are like and the second hand ones become more in reach

[Chris]

A friend of mine has a KTM 990 superduke, it's been great, just need to make sure the front calipers are kept fairly clean or they can seize up. The other good thing is that you never have to buy front tyres  Sound amazing with an Akra system on them.

Chris

[Lez72]

Hey Noggy. I might have missed it despite having read through all of the previous posts but is a Gen 1 in the equation ? Surely its an option ?

I personally think the Street Triple will be a bit cramped if you have long legs. You also mention you like to do 300 odd mile round trips and although most bikes will do this, there are obviously some that are better at it than others. I personally think bikes like the Street Triple, KTM, Tuono, MT09 etc would be a little tiresome over these distances but that's just my opinion as I haven't owned any of them but have considered them. I sat on a Tuono a couple of weeks back and the seat was like a plank. The same as with the MT09 and with the tank range of the MT09 you would have to fill up at least twice over 300 miles.

Have you considered (dare I say it) a Suzuki Bandit 1250 or a Triumph Tiger 1050 ? I'm thinking they are better for a taller rider, have plenty of grunt, are comfortable and could quite easily cover 300 mile stints. I'm also sure in the right hands they could be thrown around a fair bit too. Deceptively so in fact. The Tigers are still a bit expensive 2nd hand but the bandits are superb value for money. There is a 2011 model on Ebay at the minute with barely over 1000 miles on it for £4500 and it looks mint. They even made a limited edition streetfighter model of the 1250 with a single seat cowl, dual exit exhaust and Renthal bars as standard. Nothing groundbreaking I guess but they look pretty nice and the 1250 engine is allegedly a cracking engine with 80 ft lb of Torque delivered at around 3700 rpm.

They may not be what your looking for but if you go online and read the reviews, most of them are positive. I'll probably end up with something like that as although I can dream about a Ducati Hypermotard, MT09, Tuono V4R, KTM Superduke etc etc etc I don't really think they are mile munchers. I'm quite confident that they are stonking bikes but for me personally I imagine I would be wanting to go home after a 50 mile blast if my licence was still intact.

As a side note, Ogri's CB1300 looks awesome  :b

[Grandma]

Fazer8 excellent had reservations as had R1 for 10 years plus Gen 1 Fazer 1000 but love it now I am used to less top end, very gutsy bike.

[Oldgit]

dontfukaboutgetabmw.

[stevierst]

Tiger 1050. Hmmmmm. Good for mileage, big blokes, and carrying kit/pillion.

Don't expect it to go round corners quickly unless you spend a few quid on a new shock, the standard one is weighted for an 11 stone rider and bugger all damping! And yes, they came out of the factory like that.>

If I didn't have to spend £500+ on the sussies, I'd still have it.

As for a BMW, well you can look down your nose at other riders and not return the nod.

[noggythenog]

Ok lads & ladettes.....really good input here, i hope it is interesting to see what else is out there, many of you have clearly been in this position before...many seem to perpetually be in this position.

I've been giving it much thought....& i've got time to change my mind....but at the moment it is a matter of narrowing down the test ride bikes.....& i've got quite a short list.....on paper i think i have a clear winner....mainly thanks to some of the others now being discounted really......yes it's a Honda :o .....The CB1000R.
Initial reasons to discount some of the others:-
KTM & Aprillias......i just can't convince myself that they will be long term reliable.
The others - either not sit up positions with wide bars, or not sweet enough in the handling departments, or too much top end.
But in close competition with the CB for the win is the FZ1 8) ....& im not just saying that to humour or keep us fazerists happy...it really is.......Not the gen 1 for me though....very nice bikes but i'm looking to go newer, more advanced technology...less age on the various parts regardless of mileage....& i want a nimble bike........the FZ1 is that nimble bike from all accounts......but one of my main criteria is grunt.....& the FZ1 seems to be about top end.....ok so it will be more grunty than my 600....but compared to the CB1000R then the Honda has the most grunt........so the contest is back to Handling.....for arguments sake i can't see that there is much between them....both have trick parts, good handling, 1000cc, & reliability.......See the pics for the type of trickeduptotheballsness i am after:-

One factor that has already been pointed out though is that the FZ1 is perhaps a little less fashionable at present & i can see this with the prices...there's basically a 1K difference between the Honda & the Yam.......& that's considerable.
but again back to power delivery...some reviews on MCN...ok they can talk shit but will be broadly accurate:-

FZ1:-
[font=]The Yamaha FZ1/FZS1000 is derived from the R1 which means the latest technology with proven reliability. Injection is quite sudden on the 2006 machines – it’s something you get used to or solve with a Power Commander and some dyno time - although it's much improved on 2007-on machines. A little more low and midrange power would be nice but the sensation of the top-end rush, amplified by the high bars, is astronomic.[/font]
[font=]ok so basically a really fun bike......but exactly the type of top end rush i am trying to get away from....fun....but licence defying.[/font]

[font=]CB1000R:-[/font]
[font=]The Honda CB1000R uses a 2007 FireBlade unit that has been retuned for maximum torque and midrange. It’s similar to the CBF1000 engine but gives stronger performance. As such, 130bhp is plenty but it’s more about the torque and the way the power is delivered that impresses. It comes on clean and fat to the point where sixth gear will pull 30mph with no shakes just clean drive. That said it doesn’t howl or really get you excited. It has the looks of something really aggressive but it never really wants to kick off. In comparison to the Speed Triple it’s not quite as raw, but that makes it easier to ride than all its rivals.[/font]

[font=]Boom!...just what i was after....but has less character.....but i'm thinking a fat exhaust would go some way to sorting that out...it is what im looking for...something big, handles nicely & has lots of grunt.[/font]

[font=]But there is 1 more important factor which the test rides will clarify......ergonomics......how squashed are my legs..how wide are the bars...how heavy do they feel....but i'll keep in mind that Devilsyam appears to have produced a jack up thingy for the gen 2 now.[/font]
[font=]I'm getting close though i reckon[/font]
[font=]Still haven't heard much about those belt drive BMW F800S....maybe not a big enough jump from the fazer i suspect?
[/font]

[noggythenog]

Another worthy contender......Kawasaki Z1000sx....sorry Lew i overlooked that one but i looked at the characteristics:

Kawasaki Z1000sx
It’s the same 1043 inline four cylinder engine from the Z1000. Thankfully Kawasaki haven’t de-tuned the engine or water downed any of the fun factor, so you still get a claimed 138bhp. But its not all about peak power - there is real usable grunt from as little as 4000rpm and a lovely spread of mid range grunt. Towards the top of the revs there's a nice little kick at 7,000, which adda a bit of zest. Fuelling is excellent - one of the best motors around at the moment combining real world usability and top end rush. 

[Chris]

Cb1000 would be great, plenty of grunt but as above it does feel a bit bland to ride, got to try one to see what you think of it though!

Z1000 is great fun, I've had a go of the naked z1000 but it's a licence looser mate... properly rev happy and don't realise how much you're pushing it until you look at the speedo, and that was with the wind blast of a naked so can only imagine it's worse on the faired one. Doing 80 half way through 3rd gear and it's begging to be opened up and before you even put it in 4th it's over the ton....

Chris

[noggythenog]

Cb1000 would be great, plenty of grunt but as above it does feel a bit bland to ride, got to try one to see what you think of it though!

Z1000 is great fun, I've had a go of the naked z1000 but it's a licence looser mate... properly rev happy and don't realise how much you're pushing it until you look at the speedo, and that was with the wind blast of a naked so can only imagine it's worse on the faired one. Doing 80 half way through 3rd gear and it's begging to be opened up and before you even put it in 4th it's over the ton....

Chris

Ye i thought it might be a bit fast...prob out of my price range too
The CB looks the tits...perhaps a little boring delivery compared to other thous...from youtube it is kind of smooth like the FZ8 & the FZ8 looked a little lacklustre in that department....but then FZ8 owners dont seem to care about that so maybe the whole experience is different, i wonder will all that extra oomph & quality compared to my old 600 will it still seem exciting....can't wait to try it and the FZ1 and find out.

[mickvp]

You will need to let us know your thoughts as you test drive different bikes noggy. Your in the same boat as me and sound like your looking for the same sort of bike, something grunty instead of revvy. Only difference is I'm a short fat foccer :lol

[noggythenog]

You will need to let us know your thoughts as you test drive different bikes noggy. Your in the same boat as me and sound like your looking for the same sort of bike, something grunty instead of revvy. Only difference is I'm a short fat foccer :lol

I will do Mick...i'll do my own makeshift reviews
i'm so far away from any main dealers but i'll need to arrange some proper test rides on some twisties.....none of this a couple times round an industrial estate rubbish....i'm off  to Newport on 12th April & they have a couple of yamaha dealers so i'll be defo visiting them....i'll try the FZ1 & the FZ8.....i can't be doing with the MT09....i dont like the reviews about the different modes, far too complicated plus it just looked a bit small & mickey mouse when i seen one in the metal.

Foc knows where my nearest Honda dealer is...time for a google...hopefully in the sticks so i can have a nice rideout to get there.

[chaz]

You are describing a MT-01? I love mine, use it for a steady ride out, it handles fine for a big lump, engin is nowhere as smooth as the fz6 or as fast but the 150n of torque means that you don't have to rev it much over 3k.
http://youtu.be/1_QbYOcoALM

[stevierst]

I had a go on the cb1000r a few years ago, it's spot on for mid range, handles really well and looks awesome. I just thought it was a bit too.......Honda.
I told the salesman it was like riding a high powered operating theatre. You could ride it like a pro, but it was too prescribed and lacked character.

The speed triple is the nearest contender as it has the best mid range, the fz1n a close second.
But please have a go on the mt-09 and see for yourself. The mode button is more than just a gimmick, it really does make a difference. I was in 'b' mode round town, and 'a/standard' out of town.
Massive low and mid range punch, comfort even for my 36" inside leg, and more fun than you sometimes deserve. Ridden a standard one, and one with a few bolt ons (full akroprovic/screen/remap). The modded one was a world apart, and would easily keep up with more expensive bikes.

[Chris]

That's a good point, what about the new MT-09?? Maybe a bit on the pricey side but some good finance deals about.

Chris

[noggythenog]

You are describing a MT-01? I love mine, use it for a steady ride out, it handles fine for a big lump, engin is nowhere as smooth as the fz6 or as fast but the 150n of torque means that you don't have to rev it much over 3k.
http://youtu.be/1_QbYOcoALM

Holy Foccin shit :eek ........they are amazing!!!!.....this is getting the prize for the most oddball suggestion but waw i was smiling watching that video........that would be close to flying a spitfire........perhaps just over my budget...god if i dont get one this time i must have one before i die.....& you are right....it is everything i have described...& i'd love having something different & i wouldnt end up doing silly speeds....it's like the fun of a chopper & sport bike combined into 1.....gotta say i'm blown away by that Chaz..thanks....how cheap have you seen decent ones go for out of interest???...god i'd love to see folks faces getting passed by that beast.

Also the MT09....i'm not overly enthralled by it....but i can give it a chance, they are pushing the test rides so why not...but again out of my budget...im trying to steer clear of finance....maybe at a push if 0% & if maybe only financing half of the bike....i'll see what cash flow is looking like......still smiling about that MT01

& the CB1000R...another review about how clinical it is......on paper it looks awesome...ive been compiling torque figures just as a quick comparison for grunt & it's stats sit nicely in the grunty paradise...i know torque isnt so straightforward to analyse into riding though...but i'll post up some stats for a rough comparison.