A 600 would be less buzzy, IMHO>>
True, though a 1000 would be less buzzy than a 600, there is something satisfying about a small high revving 4 cyl bike engine.
>>. How about a SuzukiSV650?
>>
Looks carp and Suzuki finish is way behind Kawasaki yet alone Honda and Yamaha.
|
Drop the RGV 250 from the list if you want a cheap bike. Probably the nearest thing ever made to a GP bike that was road legal. Chews expensive tyres like there is no tomorrow and knackers bores and rings at almost the same rate. Will have been soundly thrashed by the previous owner and probably thrown down the road on a few occassions as well.
I can't see any insurance company offering cover without taking a deep breath and looking at how many zeros will fit on the calculator screen.
--
|
Buy a ZZR600. Great all rounder and cheap. £2k will get you a well looked after late 90's model with the upgraded front forks. The 400 is a great bike, but the 600 is hardly any more expensive to buy or insure, and is that bit more effortless.
A real "do anything" bike. Tours well (500 miles in a day on mine once with only a slightly numb bum), 180 mile tank range when touring, very protective fairing, yet more than capable of being chucked about if you want to go scratching. Good pillion seat, lots of bungee hooks for attaching bags and cargo nets, and very reliable. Never was the "latest and greatest" sportsbike, so they don't tend to get mercilessly thrashed, or command silly used prices. Great engine which is tractable and smooth (and economical) under 8,000 RPM, but goes absolutely nuts from 8,000-14,000 RPM.
Look for rotten downpipes and warped discs. Otherwise the finish is generally pretty good. Rear shock upgrade (Hagon, £250) transforms it and was the best thing I ever did on mine.
Cheers
DP
|
|
Get yourself a bike course as well. COming back to bikes at this sort of age is statisically risky even after two years.
|
Get yourself a bike course as well. COming back to bikes at this sort of age is statisically risky even after two years.
very good point........... a bike course IMHO is absolutely essential, otherwise if you're lucky you'll have a few near misses....and if you're not lucky................?..........it doesn't bear thinking about
10 years ago i came back to biking after a good 12 year gap........ i thought that because i was an advanced police driver i'd be laughing........well in some repsects i was..........but in others i most definitely wasn't and should have had some extra training, wish i had.... would have saved some brown trouser moments
|
|
|
|
"Suzuki finish is way behind"
So everyone says. My 6-year old GS500 lives outside and remains pretty tidy, however... :-)
farm1.static.flickr.com/128/406621800_3fee99d530_o...g
|
|
...and my GSX600F was 14 years old on it's original (tatty) exhaust and in daily use (inc. winter), when I traded it in last year for a brand new Honda 125 (due to greatly reduced commute). Honda already has rust on the frame, downpipe and various fasteners after only one winter.
|
Get yourself a Yamaha Fazer FZS600, 1998 - 2002 version.It is a bike that will do anything you want from nipping down to the shops to touring.
It a smooth easy to ride bike that is reliable and cheap to run and insure.
Lots of information for a new owner at
www.foc-u.co.uk
|
Get yourself a Yamaha Fazer FZS600, 1998 - 2002 version.It is a bike that will do anything you want from nipping down to the shops to touring. It a smooth easy to ride bike that is reliable and cheap to run and insure.
Good tip, I know of one that was still going strong at over 200,000 miles.
|
|
|
|
"Suzuki finish is way behind" So everyone says. My 6-year old GS500 lives outside and remains pretty tidy, however... :-)
AIR HORNS - don't you just love 'em? Did you declare the bike as 'modified' when you insured it?
:-)
Hawkeye
-----------------------------
Stranger in a strange land
|
|
How about a early cbr(fm on) and fit a fs rear wheel and ram air? i did they are cheap and plenty of bits around.
|
IMHO go for a Honda the buil quality of the eara you are looking at will surpass anything out there. Modern Hondas are good but not as good as they used to be.
If you do go CBR route check out the charging system lots of bodged bypassed wiring as the connectors corrode. Other than that they are fairly bullet proof.
|
I came 'back' to bikes 3 years ago when then age 60 after a lapse of 37 years without any probs following a 'refresher' basic training course. Bought a new Triumph Bonneville T100 790cc which suits my style of riding and have no regrets on my choice of machine.
|
|
|
|
"Did you declare the bike as 'modified'..?"
Well, I said it now had an alarm fitted... :-)
|
|
|
|
|
|
