What's the most important thing to you about a bike?

[mark83]

Obviously you can't choose a bike based on one factor alone, but there must be something which you couldn't live without on a bike!
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Kawasaki ER6n -> Honda CBR600RR -> Honda VTR 1000 -> Moto Guzzi Norge 1200
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[.....]

[bazza]

A seat.

HTH.
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'98 Ducati 750SS, '08 Suzuki GSX650F ©2004-2014, Bazza's Harmless Banter

[MarJay]

Vast gobs of torque, or insane powerbandy top end.

I'd have to say it wouldn't be a motorcycle without an engine...


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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F; Cheap project: CBR900RR FireBlade
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[feef]

handling

practicality

comfort

and speed (to the extent that I can make comfortable progress without thrashing it's tits off.. not so that I can do 100mph + everywhere)

a
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[Annabella]

You missed the one essential quality for me:

Seat height.

If I can reach the floor with at least one toe, then the bike's a good'un.
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[yambabe]

None of the above.

For me it's that intangible feeling when the bike feels like it becomes part of you and you are (wo)man and machine working in perfect harmony with each other...........

Don't get that with every bike but when it's there it's just brilliant.
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Sod falling in love, I wanna fall in chocolate.

[cc123]

As long as it has a 'Ninja' sticker I'm happy!
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Old bikes >>> https://www.bikepics.com/members/cc123/

[dainesefreak]

Price is another big factor. I really wanted an R1 a few years back but wasn't willing to pay full whack for it. Yamaha had cut the margins with their dealers and couldn't offer the same deal as Honda, so a 954 Blade it was. The Blade wasn't as sexy as the R1 but it was a much better deal and a bike that did much the same thing.

[Dazbo666]

..at the moment?? Reliability.

I'm using the GPZ as a winter hack / commuter, so I need to be confident that it'll start when I want it to, so that I can get in to work on time and not risk losing my job?!

The GPZ had a problem apparently caused by a dodgy battery recently but luckily for me it was at the end of the shift, and not at the beginnging...
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1st bike (Sept'06 - May'10) : 1991 GPZ500S / Current bike (since Nov 2009) : 2003 Suzuki Bandit 600N
Word of the day : DILLIGAF

[mark83]

[NickD]

Reliability every time. Just knowing that when you hit the button it's gonna start every time is priceless.
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[G]

Fun.

A combination of handling, power delivery etc.

For a 'get around' bike then cheapness is usually more important.

[mark83]

[mr.z]

reliability
Maintainance (ease of, general lack of need of)
Luggage capacity (it gets used or everything inc shopping)
Comfort
Decent bimbling pace loaded up


Uniqueness is nice, although its not some rare peruvian motorcycle made from the pubes of nordic virgins the bike i have is still one you'll never see another of because of the added bits..

With my first cx (which looked like any other) i was going back to where i parked it to see my red cx coming arround the corner as i got ready to lob my helmet very hard at the offending tea leaf i realised it wasn't mine at all
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>RidingSkills<->Tech Tips<->MyBikes<

[cc123]

[b-f-c]

Not listed.....

The freedom & the grin factor

[Wave2k]

Speed Performance and looks
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Ducati 1299 Panigale
2009 Corvette C6 z51
RS125->CBR400->RXS100->GSXR750K2->Ducati749S->CBR600RR5->TL1000R->DRz400->RSVR1000->Honda VTR SP1->CBR400->GSXR1000K6->Honda H100->CBR600RR3->Ducati1299

[DEN MONKEY]

haha cool.
I chose reliability but thought I was going to look like a nong for doing it.
Turns out its top of the list.
I figure looks and power aint shit if it doesn't go every second day.
I could always look cool sitting on it in the shed making brooom brooom noises I guess.
Not sure how many birds I would impress though.

Not to mention that while its nice to have the rest of the list between your legs, if you dont have a ride you can trust it can be down right dangerous.
Dont want it shitting itself mid corner while Ive got it banked over.

Also I think I recall a post on here ages ago with someone who was ready to give up biking because he had a bike that was always in a state of disrepair.
Has to be heartbreaking and frustrating to not be able to ride.

Think I'd prefer to ride a piece of shit then ride nothing at all.
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meh

[Wave2k]

kawasaki and reliability go together like cola on cornflakes.
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Ducati 1299 Panigale
2009 Corvette C6 z51
RS125->CBR400->RXS100->GSXR750K2->Ducati749S->CBR600RR5->TL1000R->DRz400->RSVR1000->Honda VTR SP1->CBR400->GSXR1000K6->Honda H100->CBR600RR3->Ducati1299

[Keen]

if its something I couldn't live without it would have to be decent space for a pillion. My girlfriend is on the back all the time, we go most places by bike so it has to have it.
Since I commute on it comfort is relevant too, but to be honest I'd sacrifice a bit of comfort for enjoyment. I just put renthal ultralow bars on my hornet yesterday, it will mean more weight on the wrists but hopefully more weight on the front tyre and more feedback, so its worth it for the fun it'll bring I also haven't fitted a screen despite it probably being a good idea because to me they look shit, so there again looks come before comfort
Performance isn't so relevant, anything with at least 4sec 0-60 is fast enough for me, handling is much more important. But I do like the sensation of thrashing it a bit, so a revvy bike is good.

Overall for me it has to be a balance, I need a bit of everything
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[cc123]

[JonB]

It pains me to say it and be boring, but it has to be reliability. I like the fact I can leave my Bandit in the garage over the winter, connected to an optimate and when I go to start it starts first time.

I like to not have to worry about the bike failing on me tbh.
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[Barry_M2]

For me, its having a bike that your not going to see every time you go out for a ride......

eg: R1 / GSXR / Blade etc....

I love the 90's sports bikes, and having 1 of only 182 sold in the UK makes mine a pretty rare bike!
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[Mudskipper]

Didn't need to hesitate in choosing reliability.

If it doesn't start, it doesn't matter a jot how pretty/fast/comfy the feckin thing is!!!

Mudskipper
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CBR125|||GSXR400|||CBR400|||CBR400|||CB250RS|||GSXR750|||CB250RS
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