Bike dreaming

I am a motorcycle owner but unfortunately only an occasional motorbike
rider as my bike is a 1973 classic Honda and not really suitable for
commuting to work on every day, though it's a great bike and I love it.
Therefore every Summer I sit in my car watching all the bikes go past
in the traffic jam wishing I was on two wheels and think about what
bike I'd buy when I eventually have some extra cash which may happen
this Summer. I'm almost convinced I should go with a big scooter -
something like a Burgman, Majesty or Piaggio X9 (of 250cc or over) as I
think they would be very practical as I could just chuck all my stuff
under the seat and go, I've ridden smaller scooters in the past so
comfortable with "twist n go"- and I think car drivers don't try to
race you as much on a scooter as they do on a bike.However I've always
fancied a Suzuki SV650 - I really like the look and sound of them and
would be very tempted to buy one of these instead but I don't actually
know if they're any good.

At the moment it's just a pipe dream but anyone have any suggestions
(nice ones hopefully) for a bike (or scooter) of up to about 700cc for
a female rider of medium height (so probably not a trailie) to use for
commuting mainly (motorway and town roads) but also the occasional
pleasure ride? I'm not looking for an out-and out sportsbike or a
custom type bike, I'm looking more for reliability and practicality but
the SV has the kind of looks that I do like. From the scooter side I'd
lean more towards the X9 on looks, I like the Honda Silverwing also,
but it'd be too expensive.I am a motorcycle owner but unfortunately
only an occasional motorbike rider as my bike is a 1973 classic Honda
and not really suitable for commuting to work on every day, though it's
a great bike and I love it.
Therefore every Summer I sit in my car watching all the bikes go past
in the traffic jam wishing I was on two wheels and think about what
bike I'd buy when I eventually have some extra cash which may happen
this Summer. I'm almost convinced I should go with a big scooter -
something like a Burgman, Majesty or Piaggio X9 (of 250cc or over) as I
think they would be very practical as I could just chuck all my stuff
under the seat and go, I've ridden smaller scooters in the past so
comfortable with "twist n go"- and I think car drivers don't try to
race you as much on a scooter as they do on a bike.However I've always
fancied a Suzuki SV650 - I really like the look and sound of them and
would be very tempted to buy one of these instead but I don't actually
know if they're any good.

At the moment it's just a pipe dream but anyone have any suggestions
(nice ones hopefully) for a bike (or scooter) of up to about 700cc for
a female rider of medium height (so probably not a trailie) to use for
commuting mainly (motorway and town roads) but also the occasional
pleasure ride? I'm not looking for an out-and out sportsbike or a
custom type bike, I'm looking more for reliability and practicality but
the SV has the kind of looks that I do like. From the scooter side I'd
lean more towards the X9 on looks, I like the Honda Silverwing also,
but it'd be too expensive.

 

Cheapish, reliable, very capable and loads of fun.

*paging Christofire*, damsel in distress for ya.


--
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MIB#26 two#54(soiled) UKRMMA#26 BOTAFOT#153 X-FOT#003

 

loony scribbled on the back of a napkin:

What kind of classic Honda would that be then? My CB is a '72 and I
would like to think that that would do me nicely for the occasional
commute to work. Which happens to be 60 miles each way and includes
braving London traffic for at least 45 minutes.

 

Mine is a CB350F.. and I'm sure it could cope with it and if I had it
with me I'd probably ride it in every now and then on a Sunny day, but
I'm in Herts and the CB is in Dorset... so it would be quite a commute
from there..!!

 

loony scribbled on the back of a napkin:

Now that's a bike you don't see that often...

Why not take the bike with you to Herts?

 

True - it's a US impor they are pretty rare here, I've only seen one
other. I wrote an article about it for www.realclassic.co.uk once. What
is yours? A CB750?

I don't have a garage and the bike is too nice to leave it out in the
elements..!! It's in really good condition and I'd hate to see it
deteriorating! I do miss it though! One day I'll have a house with a
bike-garage!

 

True - it's a US import they are pretty rare here, I've only seen one
other. I wrote an article about it for www.realclassic.co.uk once. What
is yours? A CB750?

I don't have a garage and the bike is too nice to leave it out in the
elements..!! It's in really good condition and I'd hate to see it
deteriorating! I do miss it though! One day I'll have a house with a
bike-garage!

 

loony said...

Gixer Thou, no question about it.

Ahh, I see you're a female...ZX-9R then, or R6.

HTH

 

probably a bit to sporty for me.. I'd be a little different to the old
honda.. though to be honest I'd be more scared of the brakes than the
power. The disc brake on the 73 honda is crap...I'm used to holding on
for dear life and praying.

 

That last bit, i do that when giving the wife one and calling her by
her sisters name.

Alan

 

loony scribbled on the back of a napkin:

I had wondered if that was you. There aren't that many 350 Fours in the
UK

No, a CB450K - US model that used the same engine as the Black Bomber.
It's this one:

http://www.unixconsult.co.uk/bike/cb450k.html

Hopefully I'll get it back on the road this year. Actually, I've said
exactly the same last year...

Yep, that's why I moved out of London, so I could get a smaller house
with a bigger garage!

 

loony scribbled on the back of a napkin:

They're all like that, from the CB750 down. Chain and anchor tends to
help with emergency stops.

 

I caned the tits off mine, 45K miles and it was still going strong when
I sold it. I also pitched it down the road twice, once off the rear end
of an SUV. It was rideable both times. Loved it.

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, loony

<perk>

Whereabouts?

Oh, and leave some context in, or people will be rude at you.

Check out the UKRM CBT at: http://www.ukrm.net/faq/UKRMsCBT.html

--
Wicked Uncle Nigel - There are few things in life more sinister than a
public toilet with the lid closed.

WS* GHPOTHUF#24 APOSTLE#14 DLC#1 COFF#20 BOTAFOT#150 HYPO#0(KoTL) IbW#41
SBS#39 OMF#6 Enfield 500 Curry House Racer "The Basmati Rice Burner",
Honda GL1000K2 (On its hols) Kawasaki ZN1300 Voyager "Oh, Oh, It's so big"
Suzuki TS250 "The Africa Single" Yamaha GTS1000

 

Ah, rodeo sex. In from behind, hang on to the hair and try to hold
on.

And this ^ bit should go /beneath/ the sig separator.

 

Nice Bike!

 

Just saw the article in the RIDE mag about the SV650 - looks good!!

 

What? Where?

Much as I appreciate your snipping of the previous massage, it's
possible to go too far, you know.

 

http://www.realclassic.co.uk/honda05012100.html

Nice write-up. I don't know the current status of US imports, but some
years ago it was common to find bikes that had been hardly used and were
in superb original condition. One of my GSs has a US import engine in it
- only had 4000 miles on it when I bought it. The bike it came out of
looked like it had just been assembled for the showroom floor.

 

A mate had one. God, it was gutless. Honda did the right thing, taking
it out to 408cc and adding a sixth gear....