Decisions, decisions. What to buy (long post)

I can't handle this 'no bike' lark!
Trouble is, I'm not sure exactly what I want when it comes to 'modern'
bikes.
Any more then two cylinders is a waste, so it'll be a single or twin.
My last mount (about 18 months ago) was a Yamaha SRX400 import.
I don't go a bundle on 'sports bikes', and wouldn't be seen dead on anything
'Harleyesque'.
And I'm 6'1" & 19 stone and my better half/pillion is 5'6" and 'under 12
stone', so it needs to be a physically largish bike.
I need to see exactly how much cash I can afford to blow on a bike, but
assuming the amounts below, are the following good choices for my needs, or
are there other bikes I'm overlooking?
Do I spend around the £1000-1500 mark and get a used Suzuki VX800 - nice and
upright riding position, shaft drive for low maintenance, nice V-twin
engine, and probably a comfy bike with a pillion on board?
Or spend around £3000 on a Suzuki TL1000S or Honda VTR1000 Firestorm - both
quick, etc, etc, but maybe the riding position is a bit too 'sporty' for me?
Maybe a Suzuki SV650S would be a good bet?
Or around the same price for a Yamaha SZR660 - beautiful bike, but probably
cr*p two-up?
Or £4000 on a new Sachs 650 Roadster - arguably one of the best looking
range of naked bikes available new, physically large, nice Yamaha(?) single,
but will the finish stand up?
Or about £4000-5000 on a nice Moto Guzzi 1100 Sport Injection - my dream
bike, but can I afford to keep it going?
Or £5500 on a new Sachs 800 Roadster - as the 650 version, but VX800 engine,
shaft drive, upside down forks, physically larger still, etc, etc? I'm very
tempted to try to track down a nearly new example...
Dale Turley
http://www.practicalclassics.btinternet.co.uk
'39 Standard Flying 8
'66 Singer Vogue IV (Brit Difrunt)
'71 Triumph Herald 13/60 convertible (Brit Rusty!)
'73 Austin 1800 MKIII
'01 Peugeot 306 Meridian
'02 Citroen C3 1.4HDi 16v Exclusive

 

Isn't a VX800 "Harlyesque ?

 

In your price range of £1-5500 you could get a SOBMW or a fairly modern
1150 boxer twin.

e.g. from MCN bikemart:
BMW R1150GS April-2000, 14700m, pannier & Givi topbox, silver, ABS,
h/grips, h/gaurds, e/bars, FSH, garaged, 1-owner, genuine reason for quick
sale, £5000, 01304-620143 KENT

 

""Isn't a VX800 "Harlyesque ?""

That's the VS800. The VX uses the same engine, but in a 'kind of'
Banditesque bike.
Dale

 

""In your price range of £1-5500 you could get a SOBMW or a fairly modern
1150 boxer twin.""

That's another possibility - a Telelever suspended naked 850 or 1100. But
would my price range not restrict the options to 'despatched' examples?
Dale

 

MrT was seen penning the following ode to ... whatever:

Nope, you should be able to pick up a nice R850R or R1100R for less
than 5k privately, possibly even from a dealer. They aren't that
sought after - most people want a GS - so prices are fairly moderate.

 

On Fri, 14 Nov 2003 18:00:03 +0000 (UTC), "MrT"

<snip all the wordy heartandwalletsearching>

Buy a Bandit 1200.

Ride it.

Be comfy.

Be suitably scared.

Grin - a lot.

Refuel - a lot.

Grin a lot more.

 

""Buy a Bandit 1200.
Ride it.
Be comfy.
Be suitably scared.
Grin - a lot.
Refuel - a lot.
Grin a lot more.""

And grimace at all the money I've wasted on those two unneccessary
additional cylinders ;-)
I notice you've got an RF900RR - if I was after a cheap hypersports bike,
that's the one I'd have too. Good choice.
Dale

 

Get a blade. I'm a similar size and it's perfect for the road.
It just so happens I'm selling mine

 

I had a Bandit12, which White Van Man took away from me.
The RF was a "bike at the right money, at the right time" thing, after
my bones had knitted following the loss of the Bandit.

The Bandit, although it has a big engine and loads of grunt, is a
friendly, comfy, easy-to-get-along-with bike (provided you stop every
100 miles and fill the tank). It did everything I wanted and begged
for more, doing long hauls and blatting with sportsbikes. Apart from
a vibe in the right bar, it was supremely comfy and I will have
another.

There aren't many Bandit12 owners (and there's a few round here) that
have many bad things to say about them. That's why I put a
semi-serious head on when I answered your somewhat confused/ing query.
A B12 will do most things pretty well - and make you grin like hell
while you're doing them. The vibes through the pillion perch are
pretty interesting too, so I'm told ...


The RF is a "sports tourer". Mine has 125bhp and goes like ****.
Although it shares many components with the Bandit, it is very
different. I don't find it very comfortable, as it has a strange
semi-crouched riding position which requires me to sit with my feet
further forward than, but as high up as on a Blade for example. This
leads to numb feet in short order. It has served me well for over a
year, however - and I've managed to keep up with most people on
rideouts - and I really must get round to servicing it sometime.

As a cheap, quick bike you're on a winner - but make sure it fits you
first. I would not recommend it to someone coming back to bikes,
however. It has too many insidious, unpleasant quirks for that. A
Bandit 12, on the other hand ...

 

Never heard an RF900 called a hypersports bike before. Not really in
the same league as the GSXR1000, CBR1000RR, ZX10R and R1 is it?

 

No. Not really. Not as fast, doesn't stop as well, handles like a
supertanker with a tug pulling it to the oiutside of the bend. Mined
yew, compared to a VX800 ...

 

Ahh yes - I stand corrected.