bike types/decisions [longish]

Ride one.. Seriously.

They don't feel like you would expect based on looks. You seem to
adapt to a variety of riding positions based on prev choices. So,
the only thing that does gives the Fazer a "tourer" feel is the
longish wheelbase, but that adds to stability and the Fazer is
*very* stable.

The only drawback is that fucking polystyrene gearbox, but that's
only an issue if you intend to mono-cycle everywhere.

I imagine the new Fazer 600 is less "tourer", if grunt isn't an
issue. Looks the dogs bollocks though.

 

Well, I'm sure they'll be a few in breakers, and seats often enough
escape damage that I would expect to be able to find one. Maybe I'm
being optimistic. But, as you say, if buying new I'm sure a dealer
would sort it.

Yeah, fair enough comment.

 

And for which, I imagine, you give daily thanks

 

Never been a problem with mine. It used to be called "The Rainmaker", it
got rained on so often.

WTF? How the hell did he manage that?

I've run out of petrol, ummm... more than once, anyway[1], and it's
always fired straight up as soon as it's had some go-juice in the tank.

My theory: User Defect.


[1] Damn those Italians, their deceitful fuel warning light, and their
cockpit displays that show you all the cool stuff like lap times and max
speed, but nothing practical like a fuel gauge.

 

<fx: lightbulb> What about ... a BMW R1150S ?

 

Hmmm? Pray tell...

 

I've heard that it can happen with bikes fitted with fully floating disks
[1]. If you go down a bumpy road at speed the disks rattle in their mounts
and knock the pads back. First time you hit the brakes the lever goes back
to the bars as all you do is push the pads back. After that all is normal.

[1] I've never had a bike posh enough to have floating disks so wibble flip
wibble do.

 

This might be just what you're after.

http://www1.suzuki.co.jp/motor/show/tokyo2003/images/wallpaper/w_choi_m.
jpg

 

Never mind, seen it now.

As has already been suggested: tankslapper thingy?

 

Don't think the incident was preceded by any particularly enthusiastic
riding - it was the north circ after all - though I suppose I couldn't rule
out going over a pothole or something.

 

I wouldn't want a Fazer 600 in a million years.

 

two slow, too expensive.

 

I don't think so.

 

Fair enough. You are shorter than me, after all.

In which case, why not look in the back of streetfighter?

Buy them all!
<insert manical laugh>

 

It appears you have already made up your mind and this is just attention
seeking.

 

Only two are certain, the other one went while someone else was
riding. Someone whom I later discovered had a grudge.

OTOH, I know an 18 stone beer swilling salad dodger who's covered
about 20k miles on an R1. Front wheel only did about 10k miles
and the gearbox lived.

 

And you need an 40" inside leg to straddle one, and they are
slow, and uncomfortable to ride.

 

not at all. I cannot choose between the Z1000 and the Tuono[1] - I
really just cannot make up my mind. The OP was really to see if I'd
forgotten anything. Nothing that anyone has suggested so far - apart
from your MZ1000S and the Benelli abortion has been something I didn't
think off, and your two, apart from anything else, fail on the "no
full fairing" rule.

[1] though it did sort of occur to me today that the Tuono is well
over a grand more expensive than the Kwak, which does count for
something.

 

I wish I were less interested in the appearance of whichever bike I
buy, but I'm afraid I am.

 

hasn't yours gone wrong in about three hundred other ways, though?