time for a new bike

[harriebird]

seeing as it's been a bit quiet on here recently i thought i'd start another riot :laugh1

my GSXR is going up for sale. we have been madly in love and will always remember each other fondly but it's time to move on.

i'm not sure what i want next.

well i have a pretty good idea, out of 2 possibly 3 bikes, all a bit tall for me really but this is bothering me less and less all the time as i get used to riding around the problem! i havent test ridden any of them yet but will be doing so very soon.

i just want to make sure i've thought of all possible options.

physical size is important (for obvious reasons) but character and all out love for the bike is equally important too.

sports 600 is out. IL4 1000 is out. GSXR750 is out.

photos/details of my GSXR will be up soon if anyone is interested in a slightly less than mint GSXR1000 K6 which has been well maintained and much loved.

i thank you - now let me have em!

[DoodleBug]

sports 600 is out. IL4 1000 is out. GSXR750 is out.

Ooh, got an italian wiff this one already! Ever ridden one of your ducatiwotsitsname mates big twins?

You know you need to try a RSVR.

But when you look at size, not being a 4, and loverlyness, I'm thinking triple ;)

[kasandrich]

Monster S4R?

[harriebird]

i would love a monster, and was very tempted by the blingy S4Rs (especially the gorgeous sparkly white one) but it would need too much cleaning.

plus phil has had all manner of annoying problems with his 620 (mostly due to electrics which ducati have apparently since changed their supplier for)and given the bike will need to go through the winter again, i'm having to discount this.

but my heart is tending towards a nice big twin i have to admit :love3

[v8-powered]

I have recently taken delivery of a rather pleasant '04 RSVR Factory and find it pretty bloody special....

Worth a look at a late RSV-R or Factory.....

[harriebird]

i would love one but i sat on an early one a few months back and it was just massive. tall and wide, not the best combination for a titch like me!

but i will find a new shape one and park my butt on that and see what i think :grin2

[Lateshift]

I think you will find that the later one is just as wide and a smidge taller due to the seat, i dont recall being able to put my feet flat on the ground (could comfortably get the balls of both feet down).

Its also 185kg dry too, so when you weigh up that its got at least another 18kg of fuel to go on that it stops being anything like a lightweight point and squirt ;)

And its the last bike you would want to commute on, its got a heavy (but reliable) clutch that needs lots of work at low revs ;)

[harriebird]

i guess that would be true for the Tuono as well then ;)

[Lateshift]

In actual fact the Tuono is probably slightly more manageable due to its bars being more upright, however the trade off with that is that it wants to wheelie far too much :D

[harriebird]

i meant the clutch :grin2 but good point on the bars. hope i dont find them too wide.

i was stunned because when i sat on facesliders at BP that time, it felt huge. then i sat on one at Bikefest at Donington and it felt fine, so maybe i'm jsut getting used to it or the newer ones are a little differently shaped of seat :grin2

[Lateshift]

The newer Tuono is just the newer RSVR with different bars for the most part, the clutch is the same unit (and needs bleeding a lot) :)

Definitely not what i would be looking at for commuting as they would never give me anything more than 100miles between fuel stops and could be quite hard work in traffic once it got a bit warm (especially on the legs :D ).

But Tuono or RSVR, they are fantastic to ride, but without a shadow of a doubt they need to be ridden well to get them to work properly (something that i only experienced a few times :D :D :D ).

They arent like a forgiving IL4 thats for sure and can be as temperamental as a Ducati if they arent looked after properly, expect them to drink a bit of oil too ;)

[harriebird]

tbh i've got a bit tired of the IL4 since my racing adventures on 50bhp (just!) of v twin....

i love my GSXR to pieces but racing has really highlighted to me that i am never going to put the GSXR to its best use on the road (without losing my licence or hurting myself or worse someone else)

damn you chris pfeiffer for showing that you dont have to be on a track to be enjoying yourself on your bike :jumping2

[DoodleBug]

BEFORE (http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/News/newsresults/mcn/2007/July/july9-15/jul0907newbuell1125rrevealed/) you dismiss it out of hand, read the whole write up. I want one. NOW.

[harriebird]

i wouldnt dismiss it out of hand at all, i am hoping to test ride a buell of some description but not sure if it'll be a goer - they dont have a great track record re reliability. plus i think the nearest dealer is in newmarket :eek: so not great for servicing.....

[DoodleBug]

Just wondered if you had a money tree, they are about £8.5K.

I always liked the idea of a Buell, but wouldnt want a HD engine. Now they have a rotax. :love1

They have basically built the bike I designed for our logo. So I should get some commission really :)

[harriebird]

i know they aren't cheap, but that's the same as my GSXR cost. i'm not sure i could spend that again on a new bike i wasnt going to have forever, and given i thought i'd have this one forever i am trying to avoid getting a brand new one!

i'm not stinking rich before anyone asks, i just spend my money on bikes and not much else :grin2 (apart from my sodding mortgage :shooter)

[stu600cc]

And racing.. :jumping2

[Gixxer-TeZ]

I doubt if you would get on with a new RSV or Tuono. You struggle to touch the floor on the gixxer and thats a lot lower to perch yourself on.
I like the RSV but it's way way way too high for me and I'm a bit taller than you (albeit not a lot) :grin2.

[harriebird]

as i said above, i sat on a Tuono at Bikefest and was surprised that i actually managed it ok. obviously i'd need to ride it to see how the weight was on slow turns etc. i havent sat on an RSV but would expect it to be about the same.

i dont think i struggle on the gixer. granted i dont have two feet flat on the floor, but i manage fine on one. i have adapted my riding and am much more confident on the ball of one foot than i ever used to be. i plan ahead more and pick where i stop (wherever possible, obviously emergency stops can't really be planned for).

i don't know how tall you are, but i have surprisingly long legs for such a short lass!

[gixer400]

Get an order in for a Desmosedici!! go on, you konw you want to!

Seriously though i rekon a monster. Id love one, but im a bit partial to fairing.

Defo has to be an italian twin though, much more fun that il4

[MICKTLS]

ive been saying for quite a time that theres not a new bike on the market that i like , well that was until i picked up mcn today at about 6.45 am i saw the new Buell on the front page and str8 away said to myself i want one of them well now to start saving the pennies for one lol

[ant_vaz]

Well it's goin to have to be a bit special to break you away from the TLS I'm guessin Mick...hopefully my mate will bring his copy of MCN to work 2moro so i can check the Buell out myself...I've always liked the look of them as it goes

[DoodleBug]

or you could could just read the link I posted above. :rolleyes:

[MICKTLS]

oh i think it is but if i do go for it i will still keep the TL