European expedition June 2008

c-m · World Chat Champion Joined: 12 May 2006 Karma :

Hi,

I am still on my CBT and ride an RD125lc when its working Wink

A friend and I are planning on traveling around Europe for one month next summer (June). We will both be taking our Standard or DAS in the next 3 months and were wondering on type of bike to get for this adventure.

I know this has been asked before but i'm looking for some more specific answers.

I will have a budget of around £1000 for a second hand bike and want something that will be able to carry all my gear and potentially a pillion (for some of the way). It needs to be cheap and easily serviced with parts common around mid/eastern europe.

Ideally i would a fairing for some weather protection

What would your recommend?
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Itchy · Super Spammer Joined: 07 Apr 2005 Karma :

Get a courier bike, when I say this I mean a bike a courier'd use but not one that has been couriered on,

NTV/GT550/750/CX500/CB500/CB1/Bros/XJ900

+ aftermarket fairing, (NTVs can be had for oh £300 these days just get one OUTSIDE the M25 infact all of the above bikes get one outside the M25).

utterly indestructable in the hands of dispatch riders , and thus no real need to have something that has parts avalible in those erm parts, they know how to fix that stuff too ya know,

the NTV/GT/CX have the advantage of shaft drive also = less chain adjusting , though still get a scot oiler.

All of them cept the CB1 and Bros have big tanks (the XJ has a big tank but is terribly thirsty), can carry luggage and are cheap for parts and deadly common too.

Maybe also consider a pre 98 CBR600F (yeah I know you can get CBR600F4 on for about £1500ish) , or ZX6R mid 90s , for some sporty performance , (I went touring on a CBR600FX carried 110 litres of luggage fine and would have carried a passenger fine and still went over 150mph) but bad on fuel if you are like me.
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c-m · World Chat Champion Joined: 12 May 2006 Karma :

seen a lot of people talk about the vfr400 and it being a very good all rounder.
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Itchy · Super Spammer Joined: 07 Apr 2005 Karma :

The VRF400 is a good touring bike, Maurice swears on his 80K one, CRM250 , Matt have toured on theirs:

It has problems though:

> 2 up its not very good

> 2 up + luggage its worse

> VFR400s run HOT , even if you clean up both radiators (be careful as the fins bend easy) by design , Maurice in 2004 went to Spain and it overheat badly , even worse in cities this added to the hot climate = v bad , my CBR went left in the hot sun the fan was on almost all the time and firing it up it started (the temp) on the middle.

> No cush drive, (rubbers between the sproket and wheel) which means they are hard on Chains and Sprokets, and need a fair bit of adjustment VFRs eat those things alive

> 18 Inch rear tyre, most common types are 17 inchers which mean you break it or wear it out many places may not have them in stock

> Its seating position is very racy, its ok for a couple hours ride out but when you start racking up the distance you may need to be surgically removed from one al la DM when she went to Cadiz on hers (and DM is 5.1 and tiny).
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c-m · World Chat Champion Joined: 12 May 2006 Karma :

Fair enough.

I'm coming from old 2 strokers like Rd125 KH125 etc.. so anythiing will feel like a massive power leap.

2up (obviously i've practice first) would only be some of the time.

I'm happy to look at 400-600cc don't want to go too mental after first passing my test.
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EuropeanNC30R... · Gay Hairdresser Joined: 20 Jun 2002 Karma :

VFR400's aren't great with pillions without luggage, I wouldn't look forward to trying it with luggage tbh.

Otherwise can be quite good for a sporty Europe tour!

Itchy · Super Spammer Joined: 07 Apr 2005 Karma :

Honda Hornet? , the older F one which had a bikini fairing on top, for wind protection, handles pretty good enough bhp to handle luggage and pillion (though in some discomfort) and suspension able to handle it too,

though has an appauling tank range via a tiny tank and a endurance tank bodge will take up valuable space.

Perhaps you should credit card tour? , or just bring 2 sets of clothes, wash one wear the other , infact on my tour I wore only 3 T shirts out of the 6 I bought 2 pairs of socks and 2 pairs of jeans and I bought way too much
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Spain 2008France 2007Big one 2009 We all die. The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will. In the end, your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching.

c-m · World Chat Champion Joined: 12 May 2006 Karma :

Can you get a lower fairing at all for the CB500s?

Also what about the GPZ500 and GS500F for touring?

Another question is how do these compare performance wise to something like an NC30?

I have noticed that most of the bikes you listed actually had less BHP than the NC30, yet should be able to handle more wieght?
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Itchy · Super Spammer Joined: 07 Apr 2005 Karma :

quik_d · Could Be A Chat Bot Joined: 18 Mar 2005 Karma :

unless i've missed it nobody has mentioned the 600 bandit yet. I picked up a T reg one last august for £750, and it took me round Europe for a month fully loaded no problem. I regularly ride 2up now and its not problem with that either

Thumbs Up

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Itchy · Super Spammer Joined: 07 Apr 2005 Karma :

not seen bandits go for <£1000 tbh , (that is in good nick).
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Spain 2008France 2007Big one 2009 We all die. The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will. In the end, your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching.

quik_d · Could Be A Chat Bot Joined: 18 Mar 2005 Karma :

Method · World Chat Champion Joined: 02 Nov 2004 Karma :

GS500
- Rediculously easy to work on should you break down
- Parts are common as 1p coins
- Parts are as cheap as 1p coins
- Tyre is an easy size
- Bullet proof engine
- Will happily carry all the luggage you can throw at it
- Will take a pillion at the same time
- Actually handles better with a bit of weight on it
- Tank range is great, can get 150miles to a tank if your steady
- You feel like a hero once you complete you trip on one
- Can be picked up for about £500 now
- Aftermarket full fairings are readily available for them and give amazing amounts of protection
- Riding position is great
- A quick post on here before you go will see large amounts of people with parts that you may need, and lots of advice

Thumbs Up

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jimbothe · World Chat Champion Joined: 29 Sep 2006 Karma :

I didnt see any mention of bhp restriction.

If not why not go big air cooled like the FJ1200. This bike wrote the book on long distance travelling and a nice one can be bought for under a grand now.

If you cant get 140,000 + miles out of one you are doing something seriously wrong.

chris-red · Have you considered a TDM? Joined: 21 Sep 2005 Karma :

Itchy · Super Spammer Joined: 07 Apr 2005 Karma :

c-m · World Chat Champion Joined: 12 May 2006 Karma :

Saw GS500 close up last night, seemed nice, but looked particularly heavy.

I'm sure most of the bikes mentioned will be fine, its just a case of finding the one at the right price in the right condition.
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Itchy · Super Spammer Joined: 07 Apr 2005 Karma :

c-m · World Chat Champion Joined: 12 May 2006 Karma :

yeah did look like it had a short wheel base compared to the CBX750 and GPZ500
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c-m · World Chat Champion Joined: 12 May 2006 Karma :

Only 6 or 7 months to go.

Most the GS, GPZ, CB, NTV etc.. hanven't been going for as cheap as I expected on ebay, though still nicely under £1k

Probably won't be carrying a pillion, what are the more sporty options for less than £1k?
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c-m · World Chat Champion Joined: 12 May 2006 Karma :

c-m · World Chat Champion Joined: 12 May 2006 Karma :

Thought I'd revive this thread now that June is fast approaching.

I passed my test as planned towards the start of the year.

At the time i was desperate for a bike so bought a 1996 GPZ500 with 23,000 miles and some service history for less than three quarter of a grand. Tyres are good, so are chain and sprockets. I recently carried out a valve clearance, fitted a loobman and will be syncing the carbs this weekend.

So far I've done around 1.5K miles on it including long trips form Norwich to Canterbury, London and back again, but to be honest I'm already pretty bored of it. Handling isn't great and screen/fairing is a bit rubbish at high speed

I've got around £1.3 to spend and not sure whether I should be looking at getting something else.
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