I want a new bike to commute on.

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

Right brief history, I had Speed Four which I love, bike has been with the insurance company for 7 months now. I bought a GS500 to replace it, I dont like this bike. There have been numerous things go wrong with this bike (Which I have nearly all sorted) and it is just not fun to ride. My plan was to keep the GS and the Speed Four on the road have the Four for summer days and the GS for everything else.

What I'm after is a do anything bike. I want something more powerfull than the GS and something that has better suspention. I'm 6'5" so it must be fairly big. I commute 30miles round trip a day to London so can't be too bulky and heavy.

My comute is fairly spirited and I regularly ride 110 miles to Portsmouth and want something I can have a bit of fun on.

Bike Must,
Be reliable.
Fairly cheap on insurance.
Fairly maintainence free.
Have decent stiff(ish) suspention.
Less than 2k
Can't be too heavy
Easily capable with 100mph+ speeds

Prefered
Top Box
Shaft drive
Something big (tall)
Around £1500

I have been looking at Transalps, TDM's, TRX's, and DL650's, anymore?
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Well, you know what they say. If you want to save the world, you have to push a few old ladies down the stairs.
Skudd:- Perhaps she just thinks you are a window licker and is being nice just in case she becomes another Jill Dando.
WANTED:- Fujinon (Fuji) M42 (Screw on) lenses, let me know if you have anything.

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

Also looking at VFR 750's and Africa Twins, but not sure about the Africa Twin's skinny front wheel mind. TDM seem good and cheaper than the Africa twins but reliability seems to be an issue apparantly they drink oil like no tommorrow.
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Well, you know what they say. If you want to save the world, you have to push a few old ladies down the stairs.
Skudd:- Perhaps she just thinks you are a window licker and is being nice just in case she becomes another Jill Dando.
WANTED:- Fujinon (Fuji) M42 (Screw on) lenses, let me know if you have anything.

Reppyboyo · Nearly there... Joined: 15 Sep 2006 Karma :

Get your S4 off the insurance then.

They had mine for about 3 months before I got sick of waiting and told them to bring it back to me.
That claim is still ongoing also.

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

It's not ridable and I can't afford to get it fully fixed. The damage is £2k, I could make is ridable for <£500 but I would not get that money back if the claim goes my way.

I want a commuter anyway so I can keep the S4 for nice sunny days.
____________________
Well, you know what they say. If you want to save the world, you have to push a few old ladies down the stairs.
Skudd:- Perhaps she just thinks you are a window licker and is being nice just in case she becomes another Jill Dando.
WANTED:- Fujinon (Fuji) M42 (Screw on) lenses, let me know if you have anything.

B_A_B · Brolly Dolly Joined: 03 Apr 2008 Karma :

What about a honda varadero (or something along those lines).?

My mates got one and we did a quick swapsy for an hour when we were out on our sunday cruise.....it`s a really really comfy bike,handles well...and has a big punch for when you want a bit of fun.Not bad at all.
It`s perfect for someone your size too........it`s BIG. Very Happy

I`ve got an old CB500 for commuting and i can`t fault it at all but i`m thinking of replacing it with a "trans-alp/supermoto" type ride soon.......theyre great commuters. Very Happy

Timmeh · World Chat Champion Joined: 01 Nov 2006 Karma :

hmmmm.

NTV650 will fit your list.

Cheap, reliable, shaft drive, goes forever, simple engine, fuck all to insure.

Thumbs Up

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GSXR400 x2 | '94 RVF400 | '93 TZR125 4DL (again)
20:22:30 BLUEX5: i would love to be forced to undergo a**l plugging with different sizes
20:48:18 Temeluchus: comp you hunk of smouldering homos3x you

hmmmnz · Super Spammer Joined: 22 Aug 2006 Karma :

Timmeh · World Chat Champion Joined: 01 Nov 2006 Karma :

hmmmnz · Super Spammer Joined: 22 Aug 2006 Karma :

i think the tdm or trx is the way to go, although they arn't particularly tall, but bigger than most sports bike i sapose, i sat on one just a couple of days ago, and thought it was quite comfy (im 6'4")
and like any parallel twin engine, it will drink oil if you are giving it a good thrashing,
my money is on the tdm Thumbs Up

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the humans are dead
I kick arse for the lord
Wiring Diagrams BIDNIP it bitches

Itchy · Super Spammer Joined: 07 Apr 2005 Karma :

the NTV650 isn't a midget of a bike its narrow , but its fairly long , compared to an IL4 its kinda small , but compare it to all of the 500s and its pretty big.

BUT NTV650s are getting on these days , I think you can probably get an NT650V instead, though they aren't that sporty though as said its not what you ride but how you ride it.

Gaz was a lunatic on the NTV everytime I took it to him he'd take it for a spin to bed the brakes in or something,
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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.

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

veeeffarr · Super Spammer Joined: 22 Jul 2004 Karma :

VFR750 fits the bill. Shame just to use it as a commuter though.

T

Mudskipper · World Chat Champion Joined: 22 Aug 2006 Karma :

Divvy?

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CBR125|||GSXR400|||CBR400|||CBR400|||CB250RS|||GSXR750|||CB250RS Mr. Green

"You're clumsy, you eat too much and you behave like a 12 year old boy. But you know what? Every once in a while, you find a thumb."

EddyJones · Crazy Courier Joined: 20 Jan 2007 Karma :

Bandit 6 or 12?

hmmmnz · Super Spammer Joined: 22 Aug 2006 Karma :

a trx or tdm is reliable as any parralell twin, good bike imho Thumbs Up

____________________
the humans are dead
I kick arse for the lord
Wiring Diagrams BIDNIP it bitches

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

Itchy · Super Spammer Joined: 07 Apr 2005 Karma :

Buy a steelie CBR or a G (pre twin lights) ZX6R
____________________
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.

veeeffarr · Super Spammer Joined: 22 Jul 2004 Karma :

colin1 · Captain Safety Joined: 17 Feb 2005 Karma :

no he said his budget for a bike was £1500, and the damage on his speed four was £2k
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veeeffarr · Super Spammer Joined: 22 Jul 2004 Karma :

colin1 · Captain Safety Joined: 17 Feb 2005 Karma :

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

I actually was because I could get a vfr that would be fine 1990-1995 for 1k - 1.5k I don't want to spend more than I have to especially if the only major difference is the shinniness of it.

I've heard VFR's are a pig to work on because of the V4 engine can anyone confirm?
____________________
Well, you know what they say. If you want to save the world, you have to push a few old ladies down the stairs.
Skudd:- Perhaps she just thinks you are a window licker and is being nice just in case she becomes another Jill Dando.
WANTED:- Fujinon (Fuji) M42 (Screw on) lenses, let me know if you have anything.

veeeffarr · Super Spammer Joined: 22 Jul 2004 Karma :

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

veeeffarr · Super Spammer Joined: 22 Jul 2004 Karma :