Which new bike would you choose?

A theoretical question.

You have 8 grand of your employer's money to buy a new bike with. It
will be used all year round and business journies won't be any further
than 170 miles to start, with a few calls within a 50 mile range of each
other, then 170 miles home again. Luggage is not a necessity but would
be useful for carrying a laptop/samples and some clothing for the odd
night out. Full-on sportsbikes such as R1s and Gixer Thous are not
acceptable to the employer and the employee doesn't want one anyway.

What would you choose?

 

For that kind of money? I'd look at a Fazer Thou, or if you (the
hypothetical you, that is) want to save a few bob for this
hypothetical employer a new Bandit 1250. That's assuming you want the
option of using panniers etc; otherwise, how about a new Speed Triple,
and see Pip's eyes turn British Racing Green? Oh, I forgot, it's all
in theory, isn't it...

 

R1200GS with all the extra's

(you may need to blag a few more quid though)

 

KTM Super Duke.

 

Spete says...

8K tops, no blagging.

 

~400-500 miles per day in the saddle on _that_?!

JB

 

Sprint ST.

--

+-------------------------------------------------------------+
| Pete Fisher at Home: |
| Voxan Roadster Gilera Nordwest Yamaha WR250Z |
| Gilera GFR Moto Morini 2C/375 |
+-------------------------------------------------------------+

 

Piaggio MP3

--
platypus

"Merely corroborative detail, intended to
give artistic verisimilitude to an otherwise
bald and unconvincing narrative."

 

CBF1000 with extras - panniers, screen, heated grips etc
Guzzi Norge 1200T

 

In no particular order:

Sprint ST, CBF1000, Fazer 1000. ZZR1400 is probably a bit out of price
range.

 

Champ says...

Are they under 8 grand?

 

Are they hideously ugly?

The new watercooled faired Bandit got good reviews. Well under budget
though.
Ducati ST4S. 996 engine and Brembo/Ohlins/Marchesini with good fairing
and panniers.
Sprint is the only other thing that really come to mind within budget,
unless you consider Honda and BMW.

If it's regular high work miles then hyperspeed probably isn't a great
idea anyway.

 

Ask Bear what his hypothetical (1) friend decided on last year.

(1) It was you wasn't it?

 

Lozzo coughed up:

Moto Guzzi Griso
Honda VFR800

--
Dan L

http://thebikeshed.spaces.live.com/
1996 Kawasaki ZR1100 Zephyr

BOTAFOT #140 (KotL 2005/6)
X-FOT#000
DIAABTCOD #26
BOMB#18 (slow)
OMF#11

 

Wot 'e said.

 

V-Strom GT

 

It's part of Lozzo's original question & a restriction though, isn't
it? And at ukp8995, it's rather a bit over.

Have you had a go on one or even sat on one yet?

I thought it would be the dog's bollocks and performance wise it
obviously is, but when I sat on the one at the NEC, I knew pretty
straight away that it didn't 'fit' me and would be uncomfortable for me
for any lengthy journey.

I'm not sure how much on it is adjustable though.

 

you've not tried enough different bikes, clearly.

neither of us have the time to go into this, I suspect.

 

The stretch to the bars was too much for me and the bike itself just
seemed very long.

Maybe it's you that's the freak )

 

Habana Cust...

Oh. Wrong OP.