Changing bikes - Looking for fun

[loply]

Hi folks,

I'm looking to swap my 02 Mille for something. I used to ride tons and between a couple of years when I had an SV650 and an R6 I really enjoyed days out randomly bimbling around. Both those bikes gave me loads of confidence and were easy to have fun on.

I swapped the R6 for a Mille because I was commuting a lot, and the Mille is pretty practical (big fairing, tall, u-turns like no other bike believe it or not).

But I find it a PITA for fun rides to be honest. It's too much. To thrash it you're running highside risks all the time, and have to be doing rocketship speeds, and moving all over the bike. Kinda fun, but too dangerous after a while. I've never bothered riding it for months now.

I think I've never got on with this bike on reflection, and it's sapped my spirit for biking in a way. I rode it through winter when I was commuting, including on snow a few times, and highsided it (though not on snow) - and something about it just screams 'death' to me now. The handling doesn't give me confidence if I only ride it for fun occasionally.

You don't even know you're accelerating on the Mille, it makes no noise, just pulls pulls pulls. It's almost like sailing in a gale force wind.

I'd like something smaller, lighter, with an engine that talks to you a bit, and more man-handleable. Something I can thrash about without being in the dangerzone constantly. I'm not too bothered if it's an ultimate performance machine, I want confidence and fun.

I really lust after a KTM SuperDuke or SMT, though I think I'd honestly prefer them with a 750 motor, and they are definately out of my price range.

In lieu of that I'm kind of attracted to a Honda Hornet? I've heard they handle so neutral and predictably, I bet it could be fun to thrash around, and the high bars and comfy position would be fun on tight twisty roads I reckon.

Has anybody made a similar move? Any suggestions on bikes?
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Yamaha SZR660 Caution to the wind, the throttle pinned!

[GSF Jamie 600]

What about a Kawasaki Z750?
Supposed to be great on the twistys, pokey but not super fast, very sexy, and with it being naked you actually feel it goin fast,
which is what you want

[Alexio]

Maybe you just need something with a small engine but that revs really high? Like a CBR250RR kind of bike?

I'm sure there are a fair few bikes that revs above 15kRPM and aren't too expensive. Those kind of bikes sound really fun to me.
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will never give up his CG. I look at my fuel gauge more as a progress bar than a fuel gauge.
G: With my GSXR I do often effectively use it as a scooter with a clutch in town.
ms51ves3: why does it need 500 miles? Are you teaching it how to be a piston?

[loply]

Z750 is an interesting one but I'm not convinced about the handling and they seem a bit pricey.

Bikes that I'm tempted by are the Street Triple, Aprilia Dorsudoro, KTM 690 Duke (single), KTM SMT. I love the idea of the Duke - superlight 65hp single - but it looks a bit like a tiny toy and I'm a bit on the tall side, I wonder if that's going too far.

Also, all of those bikes are really a bit out of my price range. I could get em on finance but I'd feel more comfortable with something in the £2500-£3500 range.
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Yamaha SZR660 Caution to the wind, the throttle pinned!

[cyberglass]

Dl650 vstrom same engine as the sv and bloody good fun on the bends. Most people are quite suprised when they can't shake
it on the bends.
Chuck on a set of knoblys and a bash plate and it's great fun on the green lanes round the lakes.
220+ miles to a £18 fill means you don't need to worry so much about finding the next garage.

I love mine to the point I've tried to px her twice both times I've ended up paying cash and keeping her instead.
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DL650 Vstrom 2004
DRZ400S 2003
Yamaha R1 2005

[Jayy]

Get a duke! Most fun I had going from a super sport to a 640 duke 2. They're just so much fun to ride compared to pure speed, which is good but the novelty wears off after a while.

[iooi]

Kawasaki Versys 650 twin, loves to be reved and handles just great.
Good for comuting as it has a nice upright position.
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Just because my bike was A DIVVY, does not mean i am......

[neatbik]

Triumph Speed Four? Cheap, brilliant handling and well built.

I would stay away from the z750, the suspension (more notably the rear) is terrible, unless you want to throw a few hundred quid on a new rear shock.

I've recently gone from a 600 il4 to a 650 single, and im loving it.
Half the power, same torque at half the revs, twice the fuel economy - I mostly got it for comfort and going green laning, but its fun on the road too.
Maybe take the KTM out for a test ride, you might be surprised just how much fun it is....

[Irezumi aka Reuben]

Recently got a (new) bike in this sort of area after having done a fair bit of research and had test rides. My requirements are slightly different from yours as I use the bike mainly to commute and also for fun as it's my only form of transport. Coming from a DRZ400SM, and prior to that a ZX6R and Triumph Sprint.

Most of these bikes are new so it may be slightly out of your price range but hopefully gives a good idea.

I found all the four cylinder bikes relatively gutless and boring for what I wanted. I tried the GSR, XJ6 diversion, Z750 and Hornet. I am very light so all were reasonably well sprung in terms of suspension but I found them all a bit gutless bar the Z750, which I found a bit too bulky as I'm only a little bloke. The Hornet was the best, but like all Honda's I ride totally uninvolving for me. I had a go on the ER6f and found it a bit too bouncy suspension wise. I also found the engine a bit too gutless. Too much of an entry level/hack bike for my needs. New the prices have also gone up lately for Jap bikes, though you can easily haggle down, but the poor quality compared to the European bikes still shows.

I've not ridden any of the 690 SM's but if it's only a toy that you intend to use on very twisty roads then single cylinder bikes are great fun. Even the older KTM's lack a bit of oomph once the road opens up. On anything other than twisty roads and city centres theyre a chore to ride, and constant fuel stops can become annoying (80 miles or less are possible!). Good toy in specific environments.

After this I narrowed it down to the Europeans. Aprilia Shiver (same engine as Dorsduro), Monster 696 and the Street Triple.

The Shiver is a very good bike. Slightly larger physically so good if your tall. I was on tiptoes though I'm only 5"7. The De-cat toasted my left leg which was annoying and from idle to about 3000rpm the engine was very 'fluffy' and useless, not what I expected from a twin. Over that it was fine, very good bike. Stable handling and a bit slower to turn than I thought it would be. Front brakes were extremely good, rear was uselss. The different fuel maps were interesting too, although the 'sport' mode with the most power/torque wouldnt comfortably sit on a constant throttle which was annoying. Sounded amazing too.

The Monster was much better for my physically, so maybe not good if larger. It's a very very small bike. The engine was a lot better than expected but again there was a bit of a flat area until 3000rpm, it also seemed to be a bit lacking in town/city stuff probably due to being air cooled. Best quality of all the bikes I rode, and the brakes were exceptional. The handling was very stable like all Ducati's I've ridden but a bit more flickable probably due to it's physical size.

Lastly was the Street Triple. Having ridden a few Triumphs (mainly 955 engines) I dont like triple engines, I find them very boring and bland. The 675 engine though has a very flat torque curve and pulls hard and cleanly from low revs in any gear, very flexible. However it also has a peaky-ish bit at the top to keep it interesting. Probably my favourite engine I've ever had the pleausre to ride which I wasnt expecting. Handling was very flickable without being unstable, steering lock is a bit crap and could see it being an issue during filtering but no worse than the Ducati. On the standard bike I test rode the brakes were more than good enough but needed re-bleeding to get back to optimum it appeared. Strret Triple R has adjustable suspension (though I found the standard fine if a little harsh) and better radial brakes off the Daytona which are supposedly superior. Certainly a very fun and entertaining bike.

In the end I got a new Street Triple. Very very fun bike with more than enough power. At least 10hp more than anything else in the group it seemed like. Also very tractable as well though so good for commuting. Good comfy seating position (if you like naked bikes) and very easily useable and intuative.

Edit: If youve read this far well done for staying awake. I'd suggest getting some test rides!
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Pictorgraphicalfantastical