Looking for a new bike!

Ok, try here first, I need a new bike. I have to commute between Durham
and Newcastle, and company car or no, I ain't going by cage for too
long.

So what do I want? Well, large, it has to be a biggish bike, cos' I'm a
16st fat bastard, and the commute is just a bit over 15 miles on fast
roads [1], so I want it to be easy.

Preferences... (not in order)

Pan Euro (Ok, that is actually No.1)
VFR
BMW R100 or R80

Or similar - open to suggestions.

Need it to be fairly local to NE, my missus won't drive far.

Budget. Well, being as I blew a load on amy new computer, I guess
something as near to £2k as I can get.

Any offers of shiny new wheels out there?

[1] Tyne bridge at 8:00am - yeah right!

 

Ewww. Broadband eh?

 

Andy Hewitt was seen penning the following ode to ... whatever:

Hmm. From experience of looking at too many of them I'd say 2k for a
Pan buys you somebody else's headache. I've only ever seen one Pan for
less than 2k and I left that one well alone. I think you'd still need
about 2.5k-3k to play, especially if you'd like an ABS model.

I don't know how tolerant your missus is of you buying a bike to tide
you over, but if you're seriously after a Pan I'd suggest you try to
find either a cheap R80/R100 or a cheap K100 and save up the missing
dosh...

Actually, I just came across this ad here, but that's about 100 miles
away from you:
http://www.findit.co.uk/motorbikes/bmw/classic/1066606.htm

I'd be tempted to stick an ad up on the BMW club website, someone's
bound to have a ShiteOldBoxer for sale in your area...

 

Welllll, I haven't set a fixed budget as yet, but it all depends of what
my financial advisor allows me.

I could probably push to £2,500 if needed. It doesn't help that I spent
£2,900 on the computer.

I must admit, a SOR80/100 does sound like it'll be the best bet,
certainly cheap enough on parts anyway. I fancy a boxer this time
around.

Still, if the right Pan turned up, who knows.

Cheers.

 

<snip>

How did you manage to spend £2900 on a computer?

 

We've just bought a new Thunderace, so the old one will be up for sale
when I get a tuit. Paintwork marked on both sides but well within your
price range. Blue/black, P Reg, 38k miles, FSH, part worn 020s.
Viewable in Washington. TOG saw it last year, reckoned £1.5 to £2k.

 

That must be a *hell* of a computer


--
Catman MIB#14 SKoGA#6 TEAR#4 BOTAFOF#38 Apostle#21
Tyger, Tyger Burning Bright (Remove rust to reply)
Alfa 116 Giulietta 3.0l (Really) Sprint 1.7
Triumph Speed Triple: Black with extra black bits
www.cuore-sportivo.co.uk

 

Because I was allowed to get the one I wanted!

New Dual Processor G5 Mac, 17" TFT monitor, extra 1G of RAM.

 

Not really my cuppa tea those. I really prefer a more touring type style
of bike. Thanks anyway.

Cheers.

 

Stupidity?

 

It is. Depending on whose benchmark tests you read, it's one of the top
3 or so computers currently available.

 

Andy Hewitt was seen penning the following ode to ... whatever:

You *can* get a Pan for 2.5k, at least down here. It'll be an early
one, probably in an unpopular colour like silver (which I quite like,
although I'd call it 'champagne') and it'll be fairly high mileage
(60k-80k). Oh, and definitely pre-ABS.

Ah, the joys of Orange computers . I've got seven machines here and
they've cost less all together. But then again I'm building the
fastish machines myself anyway, which keeps the cost down...

They are quite OK, but they're seriously old technology. Objectively,
your K100RS was a much better bike, don't forget that. And you know
that I really like ShiteOldBoxers...

Check Biketrader - I don't know your postcode, but there are several
in a hundred mile radius from me for about 2.5k.

 

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

You'd know if you had a look in his .sig...

 

There are couple of R80RT's for sale on the BMW site, doesn't say where they
are, but both have history, ones on there for £1100, and the other is £1350
go here....http://www.bmw-club.org.uk/home.html
and look on the message board, bikes seem to come up daily on there.
HTH

Dave

 

Fark
--
Catman MIB#14 SKoGA#6 TEAR#4 BOTAFOF#38 Apostle#21
Tyger, Tyger Burning Bright (Remove rust to reply)
Alfa 116 Giulietta 3.0l (Really) Sprint 1.7
Triumph Speed Triple: Black with extra black bits
www.cuore-sportivo.co.uk

 

*

Ta. Shall have a butchers.

 

I don't really care about colour, it just needs to go.

I would do, but you can't build a Mac yourself anymore.

Better in what way? Not being funny, but build and reliability are more
important than handling and 0-60 for me.

Righto.

Cheers.

 

That's true.

 

Looking at the bikes below, have you left a zero off the 15?

 

No, actually it's 20 miles, but I'm likely to be going SOB, and my
theory is if it's a bigger machine, it'll work less hard with me on it.

Although it's fast roads, I am suspecting a lot of congestion too.

I might also be considering longer runs too - like 300 miles.