Why is choosing a bike so tricky?

We (me and Horse) have started looking round at what's on the market
with the thought of perhaps (and that's definitely a perhaps rather than
a definitely) getting something nice and comfy to take us a few miles,
butis also practical for commuting

Despite loving the grunt from the engine and the smoothness of the
suspension, I'm not convinced the Busa is comfy enough for me (I know
others here think they are very confortable and they probably are for
them), and the R80's just a little long in the tooth to be used for
serious touring duties without spending a fair amount of time that I
don't seem to have at the moment sorting out a few niggles.

After doing lots of web surfing, we finally got our arses in gear
yesterday and hit the showrooms.

So far, after doing the sitting on while stationary bit, I'm rather
taken by the Tiger 1050 ABS, the CBF1000F ABS and the Dullville. Horse
is rather taken by the CB1300S and a GL1800. Until we'd sat on the 'wing
his standard response was "it's not as nice as the CB1300".

Time to get a few test rides in I think.

 

Indeed. There's a bit of bias towards Hondas there, have you been in to
a dealership that sells a wide variety of marques ?

All got too many cylinders for my liking except the Dullville. If you
are heading out in to uncharted euro territory having something with a
good dealer network might be a plus point and would favour Honda. A pity
modern beemers have lost the plot.


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| Pete Fisher at Home: |
| Aprilia Shiver Yamaha WR250Z/Supermoto "Old Gimmer's Hillclimber" |
| Gilera GFR * 2 Moto Morini 2C/375 Morini 350 "Forgotten Error" |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

 

Ah yes, you spotted that we started our search in Bransons Honda
dealership, but then I went out with the intention of sitting on a
CB1300 as that seemed a good place to start

I'll be popping into George Whites again later

I thought the Truimph with 3 would be a reasonable compromise in the
cylinder department

 

For comfort, have you considered a superscoot ?.
Something like the Silverwing which is an armchair on wheels with
lots of weather protection and plenty of stowage for gear.

 

Whilst they might make perfect sense in many situations, I just can't
get my head around the idea of paying that much for a big moped. Nor
doing 3-4000 miles in a fortnight on one.

I did sit on a couple of DN-01s yesterday though, and I am planning to
look at a Valkyre next week so I am considering options that my
diversity officer would approve of.

 

Or pay a visit to Uncle Nick and Auntie Linda to test ride two of those
models?

 

I told you it was pillion friendly.

Indeed. Only test the GL18 if you're absolutely sure you won't like
it, 'cos the little feller *will*.

 

Eh? Sorry, old chap, but you lost me there.

 

Ha, "double trouble" is bad enough. Though I'll grant the 'redundancy'
of extra cylinders can be an aid to making it to civilisation.


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+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Pete Fisher at Home: |
| Aprilia Shiver Yamaha WR250Z/Supermoto "Old Gimmer's Hillclimber" |
| Gilera GFR * 2 Moto Morini 2C/375 Morini 350 "Forgotten Error" |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

 

They are already on the consultancy panel

 

I'm safe regards the 18, as the (rather competitively priced) preloved
one in the shop would cost me more than the car did, and scarily is 1/5
what I paid for my house

 

Do you live in a bin liner?

--


Nige,

'That's shot the fox'

Eunos Roadster (for summer)
Grand Cherokee (for winter)

 

You've been there a while, then. A grand cheaper than mine, I see.

Oh, and the Big H's price for the GL18 went up by a grand on Jan 4th -
courtesy of HMRC.

 

a Moto Guzzi Norge - they've recently updated the bike - has the proper no.
of cylinders.

 

One factor that I think is important is service intervals. Currently
I commute on the Strom and with service intervals of 3500 miles that means
3 services a year for me, which gets to be expensive.

 

Oil filter ~£7, Oil ~£13. £60/year on my B6 ain't too bad.

 

I must admit my Mille was surprisingly reliable. How are they now they
are under Piaggio's wing (I think they still are).

There are rumours of an Aprilia Shiver 1200 GT or even Caponord. I
suspect Gyp is specifying shaft drive though.

--
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Pete Fisher at Home: |
| Aprilia Shiver Yamaha WR250Z/Supermoto "Old Gimmer's Hillclimber" |
| Gilera GFR * 2 Moto Morini 2C/375 Morini 350 "Forgotten Error" |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

 

Guzzi reliability is pretty good AFAIK, although the sample size is very
small. It's the poor distribution of dealerships that put me off. Worcester
or Port Talbot are my nearest ones. I'm not aware of an independent
specialist, although SteveH uses one in Bristol who works on Italian bikes.

CB1300 & Tiger are not shaft

 

Good point. Well perhaps he should be.
--
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Pete Fisher at Home: |
| Aprilia Shiver Yamaha WR250Z/Supermoto "Old Gimmer's Hillclimber" |
| Gilera GFR * 2 Moto Morini 2C/375 Morini 350 "Forgotten Error" |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

 

My Harley had 2500 intervals, so it's lucky I'm handy with the spammers

I keep seeing the specced up DL and thinking it looks like a viable
alternative, but when I rode the SV it felt a tad flimsy and underpowered,
so that's rather pit me off.