Recommend me a bike - Updated - Bought one

[Valver]

But not the usual 'recommend me a bike' thread.
I'm looking for a sub 600cc, sit up and beg style bike for less than £1000 that handles. I doesn't need to be quick, in fact i'd prefer something that's known to be a bit of a turtle. The only other preference I have is that I don't want something too ugly. It's not going to be used for commuting just the occasional 500mile country lane blast.

I'm 30 and have 9 years NCB so insurance isn't an issue, I guess it could be over 600cc but as said, nothing quick. Other than 3 supermotos i've never owned anything other than sports bikes. I just sold my ZX7R last week, my R1 the week before and I still have a 748 but it should be going in the next few days. I can't ride these bikes anymore as I've just been diagnosed with a joint/bone problem.

So, i've only got as far as bandits and hornets just now as these type of bikes have never interested me before and there doesn't seem to be much in my price range for either. Any suggestions? Ideally something with a hhigh seatlow peg set up to give me knees a rest.

Thanks

[Tome]

Hornet?
If anything it's a good referance point Quicker or slower? More or less upright?
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Kawasaki ER-5 - Honda Hornet 600 S
"A foetal shape is the body's default performance setting - think jockey, downhill skier... Tron."

[Valver]

I can't find a hornet for around the grand mark. If I could then i'd stick a grand in the owners hand and ask for a test ride. The only similar style bikes i've riden are Bandit12, GSX14 and XJR13. Any of these would do me nicely but again, the cash is the problem. Yes i've just sold two bikes but the cash I got for them has been swallowed up by house renovations that i'm not longer capable of doing myself

[Whosthedaddy]

CB1 or even the CB500?
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Current : MSX 125 Past : CBR 900RR Monkeybike : c50 LAC : ZXR750 H2 : FZR600 : ZX7R P3 : YW100 : TRX850: Trophy 900 T309 : GSXR 600 L0: Monkeybike : XJ6S Whosthedaddy

[arry]

Click my sig link fella - if it can be gone sometime this week I'll take £700 as I've no room in the garage now!!

[Valver]

[Ingah]

[eddyh]

CB500 would be what you need, its not too bad around the twisties either if you should ever get the urge. lol

[nick.h]

So that would be in the test bike catagory?

Honda CB500
Kawasaki ER500
Suzuki GS500

Owned a GS500e, build quality isnt amazing, but it boils down to how you look after it i suppose, mine was lucky to be cleaned. Brought a 9000 mile mint 1996 for £950, and sold it in a sorry state for £300~ but still low miles. It managed 1000miles on a weekend trip to france.

check out www.biketrader.co.uk for some estimates on prices.


Nick
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[Italjet MM5A] ll [Rieju RS1 Evolution] ll [Suzuki GS500e] ll [Suzuki GSX600F] ll [Honda CG125] ll [Pug Elyseo 125] ll [Yamaha YZF750R] ll [Yamaha Thunderace] ll [Yamaha R6] ll [Triumph 955i] ll [Hayabusa RZK3] ll [Suzuki RGV250] ll

[Valver]

Ok, ER5 and CB500 are out, i'm not a fan of twin shocks and the CB500 definatly doesn't have enough ground clearance for twisties. GPZ's seat is just too low. I'm liking the CB1 and Bandit6 so far but still to check out a GS500 in the flesh.
Trouble is that the price of these bikes is kept so high because they are so accessable to new riders. I just sold a crackin ZX7R for £1150 and i'll be seriously depressed if I have to pay the same kind of money for an inferior machine. Gonna check out a bandit first then see if I can find a dealer that stocks these bikes.
Cheers for the help

[Dr. DaveJPS]

fzs600? the old model can be had for under a grand (so i've heard)
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"intelligent inattention is preferable to unintelligent tinkering"
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[KevTM]

Bandit 400 with a few cheap mods (gsxr shock, better tyres, etc).. fun, not that fast, handle quite well once you do the mods and stick 15w oil in the forks, progressive springs should help, too (but i haven't got that far).. or a new front end lol

Welcome to have a shot on it next time you're around, or we're at a meet or something. Could possibly manage something this weekend if you're around as I might just go a wee run somewhere.

Can usually get them for around £400-$700, or free, if you're a dirty sponger like me

[Timmeh]

Have you ever considered an NTV650?

Cheap as chips, easy to maintain and with the right tyres you can easily get your knee down. Mate I knew used to get his scraping the pegs on BT45s, and this was an old commuter bike with 90k on the clock.
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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

[yambabe]

550 Zephyr?
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Sod falling in love, I wanna fall in chocolate.

[Valver]

[multijoy]

[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

Bandit?

You can get some Hornets for a grand.

SV650S curvy.

Early Fazer.
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[the grim reaper]

Cagiva Canyon 600? Cheap as and a lazy single rotax engine, same engine as the BMW F650 but much cheaper to buy.

Cheers

Grim
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Adverts don't always work: Remember that advert, where the army are running across the desert and they have a wounded man on a stretcher. They get to a ravine, the bridge is down and a caption pops up that says, 'What are you thinking?'. I don't know about you but I was thinking, 'Christ, I'm glad I'm not in the f***ing army'.

[Valver]

[craigs23]

Under a grand? I wouldn't stop searching until I found myself another CB1. Massively underated bundle of fun, a decent one to be had from £500. Watch the regs/recs, and the 'interesting' lack of a front brake (helps keep momentum) but other than that, ride it like a supercharged CG125. Reasonably practical too.

[boundy]

SV650n is a nice bike, should be able to get one for under a grand.

If you want to go to a 750 my mate has a 2000 Suzuki GSX750W, nice and easy on the back and wrists.

[Knacker]

GSXR6,R6 rip the fairing and clips ons off and put some renthals on it.

Best of both worlds

EDIT: If you can do all that with 1K Doh !
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Current: Gsxr 600 Srad - GS125 - DT125
Previous: K1 GSXR 1000

[Valver]

I bought a new bike today and pick it up tomorrow. It's an interesting one that i'd never heard of before.

ZX400D Xanthus - Basically a ZXR400 in naked form. It's an import with 10,000km on the clock, 1995, 12 months T&T £670.
Apparently it's the exactly the same engine and frame as the ZXR so should be a hoot. Can't wait for a blast tomorrow

[Andy C]

Very nice, never seen one of those before!
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99 RS125 --> 02 SV650s --> 03 Speed Four --> 92 RXS100 --> 93 CB400sf --> 01 CB600f Hornet

[Knacker]