Man seeks forgiving bike

Hi All

I'm after recommendations for my next bike but with a few complications

I presently have a Bandit 600N (96) and have been using this since passing
my DAS in Sept 03, trouble is I am finding it a bit of a handful, by this I
mean heavy to move around and hard work at low speed and not quite upright
enough (by about an inch) also a little tall, by about the same amount.

For those that don't know me I am a bit disabled or as some on here put it
"a bit of a spaz". (got an iffy back, had loads of operations but still well
iffy)

So my questions are:

What bike is lighter, slightly more upright, slightly lower and easier to
ride? (maybe a parallel or V twin)

Would a 250 (CB250) be worth considering or would that be hard work because
it is too small.

Also would prefer to avoid a full on cruiser, not my thing, some Virago's
looks ok... ish though!

Any help would be great, don't want to stop riding so I need to start
thinking about something a little more manageable.

Cheers all, David

 

CB400 (modern 4 cylinder one, not a twin, not a CBR400) or hornet 250.

 

Wot he says. I had one as a loan bike for a day while mine was being
serviced. It was Jap grey import, nekkid thing and it was a hoot, once
you'd got the engine over 6k.

The brakes were shit though, but this thing had done a billion miles.

 

What about an SV650?

Similar power to the Bandit, but weighs less - not sure about it having a
more upright riding position though.

 

Bandits *are* heavy.

I'm not sure how you'll reconcile "more upright" and "slightly lower".
If you weren't /that/ concerned about the latter, I'd maybe recommend
a supermoto, because you're sat *straight* up on one - they're also
very light compared to a bandit (i.e. GSF600S : 206kg -v- CCM 404 DS :
126 kg) and even if you're too short to put both feet down (like me)
it's not a problem, as the lightness means you can just flick it from
side to side - also a piece of piss to move around - I could actually
lift the front of my CCM R30 off the ground and swivvle the bike round
on it's back wheel.

I know nothing about these.

ugh - you don't want to be spaz *and* hom.

 

Heh, certainly not the cbr, 400 sprotbikes are a bit too hunched over.

By far the most upright bikes that I've ridden have been trailies, but
depending on your leg length, getting one with a lowish seat is quite
difficult. Didn't find the DT125 too bad though - the seat height looks
*very* high, but once I was on it, I could touch the floor with both feet
(I'm about 5'9").

 

I would have thought that the seat height was slightly higher than the
Bindit. One of Dave's requirements.

ICBW though. It's been a while since I've sat on one.

 

.... err about the 400 - no idea about the 250.

 

What made me think of a 250 was seeing Bezza's CB250RS, which look real
nice!

D

 

The hornet 250 looks like the 600 but is smaller and lighter.

http://www.honda.co.jp/ACCESS/motorcycles/HORNET250/image/model_photo.jpg

They are grey imports but there are a lot around. Lots of people fit
renthals which make them even more sit up and beg. They rev like buggery and
are great fun to ride.

 

suzuki sv650

very low seat
upright riding
quite light
peice of piss to ride, it was my first bike and loved it...Im
considering getting another, or maybe the 1000 version or whatever their
super sports equiv is.

 

CB500? I've never ridden one but it seems to fit the bill. It's certainly
lower and lighter and I would imagine it's more upright too.

 

Can't think of anything to suggest, but I also suffer from back problems
after a few hours on the Tiger without a break, & that's a pretty
upright position. I discovered by accident that a well stuffed rucksack
strapped on the pillion seat makes a great backrest, & so far I've done
trips of up to 16 hours like that without any back problems.

I doubt my back's anywhere near as bad as yours by the sound of it, but
it might be worth trying if you haven't already.

 

I find the GSX-R crouch quite comfortable for my back - it's just the
stopping/getting on/getting off/not moving around
that causes the problems.

Having had lots of postural stuff explained to me recently, it's actually
easier to sit in an extremely bad (for my[1] back) way on an upright bike.

Much harder in fact on something like the GSX-R - mainly to do with the way
the (upper) spine curves.

[1] I say mine specifically because everyone is different and I don't think
taking a generalisation about backs is a good thing.

 

In uk.rec.motorcycles, David Thomas said:

A set of Renthals will sort all that, and maybe some platform heels.

A set of platforms it is then.

 

Don't you have to get all the control cables and wiring extended to put
higher bars on?

I remember platforms the first time round... Bowie was in the charts with
"Drive in Saturday" I was about 13, oh and I had a Puch Maxi to ride over
the fields... aah great days and my back didn't bloody hurt. Can I go back
please?

D

 

Im pretty sure that's what my (diminutive) sister-in-law got and she's
very happy with it. She's only about 4'4" or something and needed the
seat lowering by about an inch but that was all.

 

In uk.rec.motorcycles, David Thomas said:

Nope. Not unless you're thinking of going /really/ high, of course.

You're older than me then. I just about remember the laughing gnome and
I think I was about 4.

 

Great song the laughing gnome, still got it somewhere... oh yeah on mp3, "ha
ha ha he he he" yep still make me smile

A bit later came Aladin Sane and loads of geezers started wearing rather
fetching make up... anyone spring to mind?

D

 

Good choice.