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The Bikeshite Thread


warren t claim

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Totally agree - money spent on training is money well spent, and I'd do a Rapid course over any IAM course.. I am lucky in that my employers paid for me to be trained to to Advanced Level with the police back in 2001 which is maintained with an annual refresher course. And no, I do not work for the police. And as already said, raising your head and looking far ahead is key to safe riding.

 

I ride all sorts of bikes, my own and work ones, ranging from my 125 twist and go Yamaha to my KTM RC8, and my work bikes which are all a minimum of 1000cc. Some work bikes I don't particularly like riding as the seats get uncomfortable after a couple of hours - compared to the RC8, with its half inch thick seat, which remains comfortable after 8 hours.

 

If you want to see how the seating position of ANY bike will suit your particular bodily dimensions, have a look at http://cycle-ergo.com (which contains every bike you can think of) and displays seat height, forward lean angle, knee angle and hip angle, plus your height and inside leg measurement. It's great to see how the bike you ride and find comfortable compares with, say a Ducati Panigale, and you can see how drastically they differ or how remarkably similar they are. Great way to spend an hour looking at 20 bikes before trawling around the shops to actually sit on one.

Great site that used it to pick my vfr, didn’t tell me it weighed a shedload though.

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Guest Hooli

Weight of bikes is a funny thing. Lighter sports bikes often feel heavier than heavier bikes as sports bikes often have stacked engines (gearbox underneath not behind) so the weight is higher & topples easier.

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this

 

had tyres and chain in last month fresh mot and it need fork seals but theyll be done

 

46800 miles

 

fJzpfZZ.jpg

tABP315.jpg

i6ezvs2.jpg

dTRPlrp.jpg

 

lacquer is falling off the tank panels and the side panels are a bit meh but i have new replacements (god bless ryanair and america :lol: )

 

2 grand i would like for it - and it will go (as it has) anywhere

 

oil changed every 5-6k ( fecker) miles and only thing i change on it is front pads as its the only thing thats not diffcult local garage does anything else

 

G4vEl6q.jpg

 

Latest pic took on friday

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Guest Hooli

 

 

 The 4 carb setup appeals in a perverse way but perhaps buying trouble there?

 

Unless the bike has been sat for ages so the carbs have gummed up then at the age you're looking at carbed bikes often run smoother at low revs/throttle (where you'll be riding for a bit) than the early FI systems.

 

Plus FI bikes run four throttle bodies so need balancing exactly like carbs so no savings on servicing costs/times.

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Just can't get excited about those CBRs and I'm generally a Honda apologist. 

 

Either ZX6R #1, as it's the right colour, and a 636 - the slightly larger engine was well received by the press at the time, or go and wave 1900 cash under the nose of GSX-R #4.

 

I know there is a degree of reassurance in buying from a dealer but for me it's not worth paying an extra £500 or whatever, just put the money to one side if you're worried.

Any protection from the dealer is gone after 3 months I think anyway.

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Guest Hooli

If you can resist buying the first shiney thing you see then a trip to a dealer or two to sit on a few bikes is worth it. You might find one you really like just feels so wrong you'll know you'll never enjoy it. Surprisingly small differences between similar bikes make a big difference to how they feel.

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They all look dear to me, I have had examples of quite a few of them and have never paid much more than 1750, I do think the price of second hand bikes has risen.

 

I also think you are over thinking it, just go and look at a couple and buy the one that is in the best condition and has recent consumables, tyres/chain/sprockets etc as they can add £500 onto the price, theres not really a bad bike there, the best built will be the honda, then the Kawasaki with the Suzuki bringing up the rear, you want a bike that's been ridden in summer only as winter ruins them, my previous Hayabusa looked lovely and shiny and had only done 20k but was a mess under the plastic.

 

The Kawasaki's will be the fastest, with the honda and Suzuki about the same but different power delivery (i thought the gsxr600 to be gutless) there is quite a difference with the 636cc motor in the Kawasaki.

 

Have you seen this?

 

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F362349103972

 

They are a great bike, and the right colour

 

Left field choice would be a 929 blade, same weight as a 600 but an easy 130bhp and effortless to ride and all day comfy.

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Guest Hooli

The only reaplus with a dealer is (I THINK? can you guys confirm) they'll let me test ride the bikes with a small deposit, whereas testing a private bike I'm going to be dropping £2.5k in their hand and hoping they're still there when I get back....

 

Depends on the dealer, I didn't need to leave a deposit. Ask them as they'll all have different policies about new riders.

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I'd take the kawasaki, I like the looks, they are quick, handle well and are well screwed together.

 

I've ridden that model of honda (f4i) and it was a peach to ride, just far too competent if that makes sense? Not as much character? They are more comfortable for touring and generally easy to live with as a do everything bike. I do think comparing it to the suzuki and kawasaki isn't fair, you'd be better comparing the CBR600RR as the F version was always poised as more a sports tourer than a supersport.

 

The suzuki I haven't ridden, they are the iconic bike but suzukis like to rust, my dad's always garaged GSF600 was worse than any bike I've owned and mine are kept outdoors.

 

Basically if the kwak was the bike you lusted over its the only option. However if it were my money I'd be looking at triumphs, you'd easily pick up a 900 daytona for that coin.

 

Finally check insurance quotes as it can vary wildly on what seem like similar bikes..... My ZZR1100 is cheaper to insure than a GSXR600 for me

 

Sent from my F3211 using Tapatalk

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Having had another look at your list GXSR #2 would be the first point of call for me, simply because it has suspension and brakes comparable to modern stuff, the radial calipers are immense, plus its looks the nicest, they are physically quite small though so if you are tall and/or fat you may struggle after a short while, the only way to tell is to sit on one.

 

I have owned loads of sportsbikes over the years, I'm 6ft and 95kg's, the only one I have ever been comfy on was my 'blade, they are a pain in slow traffic and town, if your heart is set on one get one but other options like Speed Triples, Z750's and the like are far more practical and just as much fun, they are also easier for a newb to get the most out of, sportsbikes are pretty focused and are good at going fast, but that's it really.

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Thanks all. Jazoli that 636 you linked looks fantastic and is now on my short list. I've fired off an email to the seller for some more info.

 

Probably sounds silly but I want to get a 600 first, then in a year or two move to a 1000. I want to get used to the 600 then feel the increase in power etc - another performance step up :)

Some newer supersport 600s are more powerful than mid to late 90s 1000cc superbikes

 

 

 

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Some newer supersport 600s are more powerful than mid to late 90s 1000cc superbikes

 

 

 

Sent from my F3211 using Tapatalk

 

Peak power yes but they still wouldn't see which way an older thou went most of the time due to the instant torque, my friends new (2006) R6 was faster than my 1990 Exup in a flat out race but on the road the exup was always pulling ahead as you had to be totally committed to get the R6 to fly, which isn't really what you want on the roads. 

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Peak power yes but they still wouldn't see which way an older thou went most of the time due to the instant torque, my friends new (2006) R6 was faster than my 1990 Exup in a flat out race but on the road the exup was always pulling ahead as you had to be totally committed to get the R6 to fly, which isn't really what you want on the roads.

Awk I know, but it's crazy just how far the 600s have come.

 

Have to agree for 90% of the time something with a bit of low down grunt that doesn't need its neck wrung to go quickly is far nicer.

 

I can be very lazy on the ZZR, you can pretty much be in any gear for a corner and still pull yourself out.

 

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TBH I really don't get new* sportsbikes (i.e. anything since the mid-1990s). 

 

My 32-year old CBX750F is still a very, very rapid machine in comparison with even a fairly modern car (0-60 in 4.3 seconds), I'm not sure I'd want to ride anything quicker than that on the road because the limiting factor would be my thinking & reaction times. And I'm quite a bit older than my bike :-D

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This is the only thread on the entire forum talking about our bikes so as far as I'm concerned it is on topic :) 

 

 

TBH I really don't get new* sportsbikes (i.e. anything since the mid-1990s). 

 

My 32-year old CBX750F is still a very, very rapid machine in comparison with even a fairly modern car (0-60 in 4.3 seconds), I'm not sure I'd want to ride anything quicker than that on the road because the limiting factor would be my thinking & reaction times. And I'm quite a bit older than my bike :-D

 

Your 32 year old CBX also has little in the way of tyres, brakes and handling, faster more modern machinery has the brakes suspension and tyres to go with the extra power, I like old bikes but my thoughts are the complete opposite to yours, I like modern bikes with modern suspension and electronics, I like to know I can stop from speed with just one finger on the brake lever, rather than the death grip you need on a lot of older stuff, ridden within their limits older bikes are nice, but I prefer newer ones :)

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Guest Hooli

Awk I know, but it's crazy just how far the 600s have come.

 

Have to agree for 90% of the time something with a bit of low down grunt that doesn't need its neck wrung to go quickly is far nicer.

 

I can be very lazy on the ZZR, you can pretty much be in any gear for a corner and still pull yourself out.

 

Sent from my F3211 using Tapatalk

 

That's why I won't change my GSX14, it'll pull from idle in 6th without effort. That alone makes it so easy to ride for someone of limited talent like myself.

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Jazoli, on 13 Jun 2018 - 12:27 PM, said:

This is the only thread on the entire forum talking about our bikes so as far as I'm concerned it is on topic :)

 

 

 

Your 32 year old CBX also has little in the way of tyres, brakes and handling, faster more modern machinery has the brakes suspension and tyres to go with the extra power, I like old bikes but my thoughts are the complete opposite to yours, I like modern bikes with modern suspension and electronics, I like to know I can stop from speed with just one finger on the brake lever, rather than the death grip you need on a lot of older stuff, ridden within their limits older bikes are nice, but I prefer newer ones :)

 

Oh yep, I know it's the only bike thread we've got at the moment. Perhaps there's justification for a modern bikes thread in the "Modern shite" sub-forum?

 

And I fully appreciate your comments about braking & handling, the difference between my CBX and my slightly older but much heavier & more old-fashioned Katana is enormous :-)

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We had a similar discussion in the pushbike thread as its 50/50 carbon twat chariots/jumble sale Puchs, we left it all in 1 thread.

 

There's only a few of us post in here anyway, let's just accept it as "the motorbike thread" without further divisions, it's quiet enough already IMO.

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We had a similar discussion in the pushbike thread as its 50/50 carbon twat chariots/jumble sale Puchs, we left it all in 1 thread.

 

There's only a few of us post in here anyway, let's just accept it as "the motorbike thread" without further divisions, it's quiet enough already IMO.

 

This ^^^^, although needs more tatty FZR's andn ZXR's!

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Guest Hooli

No pictures as my hands were too mucky to take any.

 

I think* I've fixed my leaky clutch slave cylinder tonight. I found some hard dry corrosion in there that was stopping the seal sealing. I've cleaned it all out & the cylinder appears ok with no marks or ridges etc. It's rebuilt & all seems ok. I'll find out for sure in the morning when I see if I've got a clutch or not without a few pumps of the lever.

 

I can't complain really, it's only the second time the slave has been apart in almost 118k & it's still on it's original seals.

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