Motorbikes + Back Pain

Me too, hence it only gets used for long motorway runs. Mine converts
into a rucksack, so I just stick it on my back when I get to the
twisties.

Steady on now, you don't want to be making any rash decisions in your
current state of mind.

 

Reason #2 - I can't see the clocks.

<awaits debunking answer>

 

I'm still this >< close to just buying a VStrom 1000 with the lowered
seat...

if it's shit, well I'll still ride it the same amount as the GSX-R ;-)

 

It depends on the bike & your riding style. It doesn't interfere at all
for me on the Tiger, but the MV 'encourages' you to move around a lot
more & lean your body into the corners, at which point I find the
tankbag interferes with my upper arms.

 

Is this a specific V-Strom that's been modified, or just a V-Strom in
general? If the latter, my dad's thinking of selling his if you're
interested.

 

The one ones come with different seat heights (apparently).

, or just a V-Strom in

Why is he selling (I'm still in two minds as to whether or not it's a bike i
will keep for the long term, which is really what I want in the next bike I
purchase)?

It's ugly as f*ck, which is one 'issue', but it's got a stonking motor

I'm just not sure about how it'll handle once you get down to 'making
progress'.

 

No, fair play. I like my half loaded tankbag for resting on in town and on
motorways giving my back a reprieve (and I can see the clocks) and it
doesn't cause problems on twisties, although I wouldn't want it on a track.
And at full capacity it's a different proposition. But It's always a
compromise: With panniers you have filtering issues- I've ripped a wing
mirror off before accidentally- and you get weave at certain speeds.
Rucksacks aren't much fun at speed either and they can feel restrictive.

 

Mainly because of its weight. He ideally wanted a 650 V-Strom, but all
the dealers told him Suzuki weren't going to make one, so he got the
1000. The 650 was announced a couple of weeks later IIRC.

He used it a few times, then went back to the Vincents & Guzzis like he
always does. So the V-Strom's been sat in the workshop doing nothing.

I've not ridden one, but I'm sure it'll be similar to all the big
trailies - brilliant on tight & twisty stuff, but a bit weavy on 90mph+
sweepers. Not dangerously so, but a little disconcerting until you're
used to it.

 

Well it certainly would if you were hanging off but then panniers restrict
you in that respect as well. And I probably cba to move around on a bike if
I had a heavy rucksack on either.

 

No, it's impossible for me to hang off with panniers as well. And there
really is only one position where the panniers sit securely.

I'll bet. My first back protector interefered with my helmet when looking
anywhere above road level.

 

On Sat, 05 Feb 2005 21:30:08 +0000, Bear wrote:

I find it *dreadful*, unless I'm going extremely fast. Being taller when
I crouch down I end up with my shoulders above or even in front of the
bars, which means there's a lot of weight on my wrists. It's particularly
bad on today's miniscule sports bikes.

 

About 20kg in it... 190 for the 650, 210 for the 1000. Now personally I'm
not sure I'd notice the difference of 20kg except maybe when it falls over
and I'm struggling to pick it up!

And the increase in power is rather impressive for those 20kg...

Hmm - how tall is your dad as a matter of interest (inside leg ...fnarr) ?

Yes - this was mentioned when I chatted to the dearler "it kind of gets a
mind of it's own over 100mph but on the twisty stuff and general riding it's
fantastic"

Very much in two minds - ho hum.

 

About 6' (height, not inside leg). His legs don't appear to be
freakishly disproportionate, so 'average'. He is however 67ish, & 50
years of kick-starting Vincents have taken their toll, as did a
particularly horrific crash a few years ago. So his idea of heavy won't
necessarily match yours.

It's the only way to be when deciding on a new toy

 

[snip]

On the other hand, the Duc 999 has an adjustable seat, allegedly...

 

dwb emerged from their own little world to say

The GS is very much like that. You can cruise quite happily at an
indicated 105. Go any higher and the steering becomes vague [1] and the
windblast/noise becomes intolerable. I've wussed out from finding the
top speed.

Take a test ride but don't limit yourself to the Suzuki. I'm only 5'8"
and found the Caponord and GS[2] had low enough seats for me. Only the
Tiger felt too high & top heavy[3] for me

[1] the beak probably starts to generate lift
[2] has an adjustable seat
[3] I've found other Triumph triples top heavy due to the way the engine
carries its weight

 

I found it quite stable in high-speed sweepers: better than the Tiger.
Not quite as good in the really tight stuff.

 

I've been using a rucksack a lot lately - because I've been using the Zed
so much - and it's not at all bad. It's a padded one to take a laptop,
which I originally bought to use for work, with my push bike.[1] I really
don't notice it much at all, although I suspect that would be different on
a faired bike: my speed is already restricted by lack of a fairing so the
extra drag of the rucksack isn't really significant to either speed or
comfort.

I do find that I notice its *absence* if I go out again after taking it
off.

[1] Just a cheap thing from Black's.

 

GS is £3500 more expensive (if buying new) - and that's just too much to
justify for what I intend to use the bike for, plus the insurance would be a
killer[1].

At approx £6000 (if buying new) the V-Strom seems to be a lot of bike for
not a lot of dosh - similar to the SV1000, but I don't really want an SV1000


The other thing is servicing etc - I literally have a very good (to me!)
Suzuki dealership within a 5 minute walk. That's quite important in terms of
servicing, not to mention haggling a good deal out of them - they know I'll
be back.

Seat height wise, I sat on the DL650 and could flat foot that on both
sides - the 1000 is 2cm higher - not sure how much difference that really
makes, but they do have a lower seat option.


[1] Seems the base cost currently has more bearing on my quotes than the
grouping - no idea why.

 

Heh! Great, I'm thinking about a bike that 67 year olds buy. Mind you, his
insurance quote must have been good ("It appears we owe you £10 sir")

I sat on the 650 - apparently that's 2cm lower and I could comfortably reach
the ground with both feet (at 5'6).

Yes - Expensive mistake to make if it doesn't work out though...

 

Find a dealer that will let you test-ride one.