Motors Motorcycle Mayhem

Er, in a word "no" Empirically its the cheap end of the low budget middle weights. Actually in all fairness, the facelift model is an improvement in the looks department over the original

There's no accounting for taste

 

For anyone who cares, I made a bunch of changes recently to my little side project.

You can now search for "used", "new" and "low mileage", for example:

low mileage ducati or new triumph street triple or used gsxr

Upcoming is the ability to search exclusively for bikes with ABS (seeing as apparently people are searching for that! )

I'm also nearly done with the ability to search for generic terms, such as "used sports bike" or "low mileage commuter", which also people have been trying to search for!

Also, for whoever asked for the ability to override their location from the automatically detected location, you can now do that from the search results page

If you've been to the site before, make sure to clear your cookies - a few minor code changes require this!

 

Fitted a new battery in my bike yesterday and took it for the first ride of the year. It was barely above freezing point, so a bit too chilly for me, but did had a blast. Today I fitted an external charging point so its easier and takes less hassle to recharge my battery.

And had a little ride as well, still too cold but damn I love that bike.

 

Three of the favourite bikes I have had.

Honda 900F, Suzuki GSXR1100WP and my reliable old Thunderace YZF1000

 

I went from an RD250 to a 918cc FireBlade, I rode from Manchester to Nottingham on the RD, part ex'd it, and rode back on the Blade.

And I'm still alive !

(Although I will never, ever, forget that ride back to Manchester)

Have to agree with RRT - steer clear of four stroke parallel twins - dreary commuter class fair all of them (with the notable exception of the - now ancient - TRX850).

The SV650 is a great budget bike, and most of the modern in line 4 cylinder 600's are ok.

 

Sorry but have either of you owned a ER6? I would personally say a modern 600/4 is far more dreary than any twin, be it parallel or v. That's coming from someone who has owned both.

RTT, I'm sure your jibe about taste and ER6s was light hearted, but you also need to remember that the ER6 is affordable and the latest KTM/Ducati isn't. It's not always a a clean clear cut decision in the real world. The majority of ER6/SV650 owners didn't decide a Superduke or Monster wasn't for them.

 

As an SV650 owner as my first bike I can testify to it's from inducing, more beginner friendly characteristics. They're well worth a long hard look, though as I've said before, make sure you give it a thorough going over before you buy it. The guy who picked mine up yesterday (broke down!) said they're indestructible and an absolute hoot! 3.5 to 60 if you shift fast enough! You've just got to make sure you don't get one if the very rare, uncared for ones.

As RTT said, there's always room to improve them too - read suspension!

In related news, mine's in the dog house again. Made it to Cherwell Valley Services before calling the breakdown guys. Running like a dog - misfiring all over the show, unburned fuel in the (front) exhaust as it's discoloured and the exhaust fumes are sooty. Was like riding a kangaroo. Breakdown guy seems to think it might be a coil breaking/broken and or the TPS fouling the plugs due to poor fueling. He was a biker himself and seemed to know his stuff. Looks like another expensive repair for me... And some exhaust and engine/injector cleaner. Doh!

Also in the market for upgraded suspension as soon as I get some money. My rear shock is shot and my front has an ominous clunk in the right fork...

 

Damn that's unlucky, no end of trouble with that bike eh? Sorry man.

 

Consider Hagon shocks if you're on a budget, still miles better than anything OEM.

 

Yep. Pain in the backside! Still, determined not to give up on her unless it becomes ludicrously expensive. Love my bike!

 

I've ridden one from shropshire to berkshire for a few hours (a mates), so have been on board one for enough miles

Wasn't meaning any offence in the slightest, all bikes are awesome in their own right!

 

The "old" XJ600 was an air-cooled 8V 4-cylinder, and one of the gentelest and lowest maintainance bikes around.
The "new" XJ6 is a four cylinder, but aimed at the same market as the ER6/CB500...

Oh, and yes, prices go up as the item becomes usable, yes

You've got it mixed up with something else, the ER6 was designed to be a entry/middle class bike from scratch.
Not that there's anything wrong with that, especially if you're in the market for a first bike.

 

My apologies Chris, I don't own an ER6, and have only really ridden twin potters from the 1990-2000 era - so you're right, I'm not an expert.

 

3 days til MotoGP 2013

 

and BSB , Com'on Shakey

 

I personally find them really quite good fun, I much preferred the low down poke and shorter shifts compared to the 2008 ZX6R I had. I rode a SV650S 'Sport' (the fully faired one, black with red seat) around the Peak Distract for BiKE Magazine in 2008 and it was one of the reasons I ended up getting my current ER6. I'm sure I would bloomin' love a Superduke/Tuono/Monster for the same reasons, unfortunately anything fast with shiny bits are 6k+ these days and being a weekend rider, I know how that 6k would be better spent!

 

Yup! Hoping to see BSB at Oulton Park this year if I can make it.

Btw, MotoGP times (BST) for Qatar are:

Thurs: 15:45 onwards (free practise 1)

Fri: 15:45 onwards (free practise 2)

Sat 17:45 MotoGP Quali (new format, F1-like), followed by moto2 and 3

Sunday 16:45 Moto2 & 3 race
Sunday 19:30 MotoGP race


I'm thinking & hoping Crutchlow is going to have a total blinder of a season!

 

Im off to bsb this weekend. If anyone's interested il drop a pic or two in here

 

Might see you there Bobby.

 

I'm not a betting man, having worked in a betting shop when I was younger, but I seriously think that Rossi at 5/1 is a good call for the season.

Lorenzo, Pedrosa, Marquez and Rossi have all been within a knats in pre-season testing - but when the chips are down, in a final lap tussle, my money would be on Rossi every time.

Crutchlow is 50/1 - and while I'd love him to do well, and can see him maybe challenging for the front and maybe even winning a race, I can't see him better than overall fifth in the year.