The Bikeshite Thread

[UltraWomble]

Im limited really to one bike, so needs to try and be the best of both worlds.

Security with commuting isnt too bad as I work at one of Her Maj's secure institutions so at work its locked up tighter than a nuns chuff in a dedicated secure bike garage. At home its the shed with more locks than a lock shop sale.

I'd probably go for another CB500 if wanting a commuter hack just for commuting only. The NT650 sounds interesting though - I hadnt realised they were shafties.

[castros_bro]

You could get a Sachs B-805 for £2.5k, possibly.

[hairnet]

mk1 versys

 

have seen merkins put off road tyres on them

 

looking at buying summat to ship to nz and these come in well under 2k with not stupid miles on them

 

only probs in 2 years and 40k was split stick coils - they live deep in head and split causing misfires but densos coils sort it and half the cost of kwak

 

this might be up for sale once i decide what to buy next

 

 

[twosmoke300]

“Mustn’t off versys for sale , mustn’t offer versys for sale “

[Mike D]

My MZ Baghira doesn't meet your sub 500 (its a 660) or mag wheels, but it'd make a cracking commuter. You'd have a grand left from your budget too!

[hairnet]

“Mustn’t off versys for sale , mustn’t offer versys for sale “

make him buy the priller

[twosmoke300]

Oooo yeh could do with getting rid of that

[Jazoli]

Versys' are great bikes, really great, mine was fantastic and I'd have another if I didn't spend my weekends riding with mates on sportsbikes.

 

I am going to buy another as a second bike when I can afford it.

[bangernomics]

mk1 versys

 

have seen merkins put off road tyres on them

 

looking at buying summat to ship to nz and these come in well under 2k with not stupid miles on them

 

only probs in 2 years and 40k was split stick coils - they live deep in head and split causing misfires but densos coils sort it and half the cost of kwak

 

this might be up for sale once i decide what to buy next

I don’t need it but I want even more bikes that I don’t have room. How much?

[hairnet]

cheapest crashed ones ive seen are 1700

 

this isnt but its got 45k on it - its a 13 plate

 

need to find a tracer or 500x first - but got foreign shizz going on that need bike for

[blackboilersuit]

KLE500 might fit the bill, don't know why I forgot about them. GPz500 with knobbly tyres essentially. Should be a good commuter and could do some gentle lanes if you're careful. No great following so can be had for £cheap if you look around.

[Jerzy Woking]

For any fellow Bikers interested in a new backpack, I spotted this and promptly ordered one seeing as it was 80% off.

I wouldn't pay full price for it but at this price I couldn't resist!

 

https://www.xlmoto.co.uk/slipstream-waterproof-mc-backpack

 

 I bought one of these a couple of months ago and I like it - straps are long so no struggle to get it on, although it has leaked slightly after I rode for about an hour in heavy rain.

 

I go through backpacks quite quickly, usually ones I get off a market for around a tenner. Fed up with this I went out and splurged £70 or so on a Knox - absolute garbage - leaked,  zips broke, seams split, all within a couple of months. Went back to market stall stuff until I got the Course pack. 

[Eddie Honda]

Bike for commuting - Honda NTV650. Shaft drive, cheap, what more could you ask for.

 

 

Something less dull?

[Eddie Honda]

Plus they're heavy (steel frame), over 500cc and the centre stand was a optional extra.

[Jerzy Woking]

My MZ Baghira doesn't meet your sub 500 (its a 660) or mag wheels, but it'd make a cracking commuter. You'd have a grand left from your budget too!

 

 Great bikes - although not the prettiest, built well (parts bin special with lots of KTM and BMW parts, decent Acerbis plastics and super reliable Yamaha 660 engine.

 

I did 13,000 miles on mine in just over 6 months commuting into work, with just a few oil changes and drive train adjustment.  Bit heavy for off road stuff though - more "S

treetmoto" than "Supermoto"

[Jerzy Woking]

 

 

Bike for commuting - Honda NTV650. Shaft drive, cheap, what more could you ask for.

 

Something less dull?

 

 

 Makes even the Dullville feel exciting in comparison

[DodgeRover]

I bought one of these a couple of months ago and I like it - straps are long so no struggle to get it on, although it has leaked slightly after I rode for about an hour in heavy rain.

 

I go through backpacks quite quickly, usually ones I get off a market for around a tenner. Fed up with this I went out and splurged £70 or so on a Knox - absolute garbage - leaked, zips broke, seams split, all within a couple of months. Went back to market stall stuff until I got the Course pack.

Have you spoken to Knox about it? The rep for them that used to visit us 10 years ago would have been mortified about that performance, unfortunately they may not care as much now?

[Eddie Honda]

Suggestions please for me saving my pennies for a commuter bike.

 

1) lightweight

2) small capacity ( sub 500cc)

4) Wouldnt say no to something with a bit of ground clearance for green lane use.

3) Prefer cast wheels but not essential. ( I seem to fook up spoked rears in short order).

Forget 4 and get a CB Two Fifty?

[5speedracer]

I bought one of these a couple of months ago and I like it - straps are long so no struggle to get it on, although it has leaked slightly after I rode for about an hour in heavy rain.

 

I go through backpacks quite quickly, usually ones I get off a market for around a tenner. Fed up with this I went out and splurged £70 or so on a Knox - absolute garbage - leaked, zips broke, seams split, all within a couple of months. Went back to market stall stuff until I got the Course pack.

Buy Kreiga, not cheap but very good. My ex manager swore by them and he's a fussy bigger.

 

Sent from my Redmi 4 using Tapatalk

[spike60]

I'm not so much a bike type but I know a little and I thought Kreidler were just name from tiddler racing back in the 70's.

Last week this was outside a restaurant in Bad Neuenahr in Germany. I didn't see it move in a few days but the other bike parked with it came and went. Not shite, it looked very tidy and I assume rare in the UK.

 

[John F]

^ Kreidler Dice CR125, apparently the engine (an in-house design) is based on the Suzuki GN125 lump.

[gtd2000]

Well that's the old '86 Gixxer through its first ever MoT.

[twosmoke300]

No racing for me this Sunday for a change so once the housework is done I’m getting the versys ready for mot and the road

[gtd2000]

Didn't realise the Kreidler name was back.

 

Basically, a Chinese bike with a more robust price tag then?

[LostnotFound]

If we're talking cheap luggage my solution is a tenner tail bag from Sportsbikeshop. Then shoving a ruck sack in it, which I prefer to wearing one while riding.

 

As good a picture as I have is below:

 

On the upside it's cheap enough to just leave attached to the bike when parked up, it's also large enough that it inserting a bag isn't a faff. It's only had showers as a test rather than proper rain but as I then have a bag inside realistically for me personally I can't imagine riding in conditions that would get through both layers.

 

The downsides are the straps that come with it aren't confdence inspiring, I'd replace them if I was doing longer distances and the zipper pull has bent which doesn't exactly scream quality.

[John F]

Didn't realise the Kreidler name was back.

 

Basically, a Chinese bike with a more robust price tag then?

 

No, they're made in Germany IIRC.

[gtd2000]

No, they're made in Germany IIRC.

 

I think it's a bit like the Mash idea - they make out it's a French bike but it's just a Shineray at the end of the day with slightly revised specifications?

 

"Kreidler is more well-known for its e-bikes and bicycles, but has now launched a new motorcycle line-up, using a generic Chinese-made, Honda-inspired, fuel-injected 125cc single for most of the models. This makes 8.4kW, meets Euro 4, and can drag the 112kg CR-125I up to motorway pace if required.

 

The Kreidler costs 3999 Euros in its state of origin. LED lights, a stainless steel exhaust system, inverted front forks, and adjustable suspension help give the CR-125I more cachet than most commuter rides."

 

Could be wrong of course.

 

But there's this:

 

"Vor einigen Jahren kaufte die Cycle Union aus Oldenburg, bekannt für Fahrräder, den traditionsreichen Namen, verlegte den Firmensitz ins westfälische Rheda-Wiedenbrück und lässt Mopeds, Roller und 125er bei Quingqi in China unter dem Label Kreidler mit eigenen Ideen produzieren."

 

Several years ago, the Cycle Union from Oldenburg, known for its bikes, bought the traditional name, moved the company headquarters to Rheda-Wiedenbrück in Westphalia and produced mopeds, scooters and 125cc's at Quingqi in China under the label Kreidler.

[John F]

Fair enough - the article I read obfuscated the Chinese origin of the engine, implying that it was an in-house development by Kreidler

 

You're right, this article seems to tell a more complete story and suggests that the Quingqi plant builds engines under licence for Suzuki.

[martc]

It's not in front of me but I do recall that in an Observers Book of Motorcycles from the 70's I have it mentions that Kreidler would issue medals (or was it a badge for the bike?) to owners who exceeded certain mileages. I think the first medal was for 100,000km. On a 50cc moped. Will the 'modern' ones be capable of this?

 

I think there was some connection between Kreidler and Van Veen (as an aside some one I used to work with had only ever ridden a motorbike once (and this was as a pillion) - the motorbike? A Van Veen OCR1000 (look them up)).

 

Later - I was right, according to the 1977 edition of the Observers Book of Motorcycles - 'The company's faith in the reliability of its product is reflected by the golden pin and performance plaque that it presents to Kreidler owners on completion of 100,000km.'

 

The 'product' was the Kreidler Florettt Sports.

Edited May 16, 2018 by martc

[gtd2000]

There's a few lads on the Lexmoto Facebook page that have logged very high mileages on their Chinese machines. One lad supposedly had done 176,000 and had a spare engine with around 70k on it! There are a few folk that will put down anything Chinese as a liability but they did say the same thing about the Japanese bikes back in the day as well.

 

I know that a few of my pals managed to kill what are now considered to be Japanese "classics", at a very early age!

 

One notable Kawasaki KH125 managed 9 months before it was FUBAR....