Bike recommendations, please

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
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
- Decent weather protection, although it'd be teamed up with the K so I
don't mind if the weather protection's worse

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.

 

Boring as hell, but reliable and great for commuting.... Divvy 900.

 

Triumph Tiger.
Suzuki 650 Bandit (new FI model)
Suzuki 650 V-Strom
Ducati Monster (preferable 750)
Honda CB900F

*Sulk*

 

Agree on all counts. Brilliant long-distance commuter, but by Christ
it's dull.

 

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.

 

Fazer thou, a new, modern 150BHP one, that won't break down as often as
your usual dinosaurs.

 

Maybe worth a sit on.

Hmmm... Probably, but the knee angle does look off for me. May need to
have a sit on one.

Well, that looks better. Not perfect, but better.

Fuggedaboutit. I look at them every time I have a bike MOT'd (only MOT
station in town is the local Ducati dealer) and it's too "sporty".

Hmmm.

In fact, it does look like a lot of older bikes may be more
suited. That, and the dreaded 'C' word.

 

Hmm. Mind if I try your Z for size?

 

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.

 

Presumably you mean Factory Custom?

They fail two of your criteria: tank range and filtering width.

In all other respects not such a bad idea.

 

Glad to see the Morini is staying.

Obvious. A big 'Morini'. No not one of those 87 degree things bearing
the hallowed name and designed by Lambertini.

You want a nice 1000cc 72 degree V twin you do. A Voxan Street Scrambler
with a screen like the one had a go on last December and Whinging
Courier was half thinking about.


--

+-------------------------------------------------------------+
| Pete Fisher at Home: |
| Voxan Roadster Gilera Nordwest Yamaha WR250Z |
| Gilera GFR Moto Morini 2C/375 |
+-------------------------------------------------------------+

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, Timo Geusch
<> typed

I'm thinking of flogging the BlingMobile.

Umm... Compared to many supertankers, certainly.

Check.

You should buy it.

--
Wicked Uncle Nigel - "He's hopeless, but he's honest"

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 (Falling apart) Kawasaki ZN1300 Voyager "Oh, Oh, It's so big"
Suzuki TS250 "The Africa Single" Honda ST1100 wiv trailer Norton 850 Commando

 

Mumble.

You're talking about the Voyager, I assume?

I *guess* I could be tempted. How much, and would you take a VFR in p/x?

 

Indeed, oh old one.

Well, depending on which factory, I could stick on an aftermarket tank
and different handlebars. I should've clarified the requirement as 'not
much wider than the K' as that filters reasonably well, as opposed to,
say, a GS Adventure.

's kind of what I thought.

 

An old VT import or a big Virago then, all else is shite.

 

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.

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, Timo Geusch

I am.

Dunno, and no.

Let's see. I paid two grand for it (IIRC) about three years ago. I've
since acquired quite a few spare parts for it (including the unobtanium
panniers and a fuel tank that I've had repainted). Oh and a spare pair
of rear air-shocks "against the day". They'd all go in with the deal.

Downside is a high-speed / large throttle openings misfire that's
probably down to shit in the tank causing a fuel-flow problem to the
fuel pump (ooh! there's a spare fuel pump too!). I'd have to buy a new
battery too, because the current (hah!) one is (I think) fucked.

It's taxed until November and I'd stick a year's MOT on it.

Umm...

Offers around fifteen hundred?

--
Wicked Uncle Nigel - "He's hopeless, but he's honest"

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 (Falling apart) Kawasaki ZN1300 Voyager "Oh, Oh, It's so big"
Suzuki TS250 "The Africa Single" Honda ST1100 wiv trailer Norton 850 Commando

 

You're making space for the Bonneville then?

Good, good.

 

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

Heh no. That looks like it's going to fall through. Apparently the
bloke's son has woken up, seen an heirloom about to leave, and decided
he wants it.

--
Wicked Uncle Nigel - "He's hopeless, but he's honest"

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 (Falling apart) Kawasaki ZN1300 Voyager "Oh, Oh, It's so big"
Suzuki TS250 "The Africa Single" Honda ST1100 wiv trailer Norton 850 Commando

 

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.