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Bike recommendations, please
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Right, after a lot of soul searching I've decided that I'll rid my
garage both of bikes I don't really want to keep and of bikes I can't
ride anyway (with the exception of the Ducati).
So the plan is to reduce the number of bikes from its current high point
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Er, the text in French that I quoted compares it to the Clemenceau, which
is... er... this:
Seriously:
- I could never drag my knees on a Diversion 600... similarly fun the 900
must be.
- But looks like the sort of bike I'd choose for thravelling a gazillion
miles in confort.
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to something like four bikes (the Morini, the Duc, the BMW, and either
the chop or the CB450 - most likely the chop).
Which means that I've suddenly got oodles of space, so I guess I can
fill this with one other bike. And that's where the recommendations come
in. Unfortunately the answer is *not* 'Gixxer Thou', as riding anything
remotely sporty like either the VFR (with bar raisers) or the R1150RS
loaner is literally, very painful. In fact, one of the reasons I'm
trying to get the VFR MOT'd tomorrow is that it's slightly less painful
to ride compared to the RS so I'm less likely to arrive at work
impersonating Quasimodo's grumpy, ugly brother.
Right, here are the parameters:
- Fairly upright seating position so I don't have a lot of weight on my
arms/hands.
- No sporty knee angles either - the less I have to bend my iffy knees,
the better.
- Decent fuel range
- Fairly narrow so it filters reasonably easy
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Ti.. Oh. Ah. Maybe not. Narrow the Tiger ain't.
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I wouldn't exactly call the K1100 'foot forward'. It certainly isn't for me,
it's just a tad less than the VFR.
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- Decent weather protection, although it'd be teamed up with the K so I
don't mind if the weather protection's worse
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Fazer thou, a new, modern 150BHP one, that won't break down as often as
your usual dinosaurs.
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I would like to point out that I have only had to get *one* bike
recovered so far this year. And last year, the two breakdowns were both
on the VFR.
That said, noted your suggestion.
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That was my other choice - more powerful and probably better than the
Z1000 but a lot pricier in the slightly second hand stakes. And the
06 version has fuelling glitches.
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Sounds like my recent thoughts and actions. My answer was the Z1000 -
dunno if that fits all the parameters but certainly a few of them.
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Exactly what I was going to suggest. And the 750 version is available
for buttons nowadays.
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Well, I'll have a look around. Unfortunately the local Kwak dealer
doesn't seem to have any.
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Hmm. Mind if I try your Z for size?
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Norra prob. It's not the narrowest bike ever, but it's not so bulky
as to be impossible through traffic. Weather protection isn't great
either, but it's as good as it gets in the class. Good seating
position - upright but slightly over the bars. Fuel range about 140
full-fumes in mixed use on the evidence so far, 13 quids worth to fill
the tank.
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There is only one real answer, although you'll have to put up with howls of
derision from this lot.
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No offense, but I'd rather buy a Harley.
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It certainly meets the stated brief.
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Oh, and comedy answers like "a car" will not be counted in the final
votes/recommendations. And comedians like the one GP who suggested that
I simply should stop riding[1] don't need to apply either. Oh, and no
Piaggio Apes either.
I do have a couple of ideas but none that I dare utter in UKRM (apart
from, well, a Drifter). So, any suggestions/recommendations
welcome. Budget isn't that much of a concern, if worse comes to the
worst my credit rating should be able to take the hit.
[1] He got a bit of a earful for that and a *strong* recommendation to
remember that certain things are non-negotiable.
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