Motorway basher

multijoy · World Chat Champion Joined: 03 Oct 2008 Karma :

Loving the 690 round town, but it's a bit exposed for longer runs.

Any thoughts for a cheap (~£1000) motorway basher? I'm not after warp speed, but because I've got short arms I find even the CB500 a bit of a reach forwards, so I'm more interested in riding positions.

I wouldn't even mind a shaft drive!
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'11 CBF1000A, '99 C90, '98 CB500
silky666: He rode amazingly well considering his bike is the weight of a small van and had slicks on.

Skudd · Super Spammer Joined: 01 Oct 2006 Karma :

Varadero 1000.

For your bike have you tried bar risers? These can help with your riding position.
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Famous last words of Humpty Dumpty. " Stop pushing me "
Petty Anarchists look at "1984".............. The Visionary looks at "Animal Farm".

SlimRick · World Chat Champion Joined: 29 Sep 2008 Karma :

ZZR 600

G · The Voice of Reason Joined: 02 Feb 2002 Karma :

https://gees.zenfolio.com/img/s2/v1/p577426687-3.jpg
Still got it sitting in the garage in bits Wink

.

R6 is good for a short reach to the bars, but even in winter you're going to be lucky to get a tatty one for that.

Any bike with standard top-mounted bars can easily be changed to be give less reach.
Especially if you want the bars towards you, it's often quite easy to stick such bars on a sports bike without too much modification - when looking at GSXRs, I saw one with streetfighter style bars added 'for comfort', yet the fairings still intact.

Amreet · Trackday Trickster Joined: 31 May 2010 Karma :

G · The Voice of Reason Joined: 02 Feb 2002 Karma :

It's a KTM690.

Taken the stuff off now, but it did the job at the time - cruising at pretty high speed was much more comfortable.

weasley · World Chat Champion Joined: 16 Oct 2010 Karma :

Yamaha Thundercat. You should find one for £1,000. Cruelly under-rated bikes.

Or you could have the CBR 600F of the mid/late 90s, if you want the same bike as nearly everyone else on the planet.

ollieholt · World Chat Champion Joined: 09 Apr 2010 Karma :

multijoy · World Chat Champion Joined: 03 Oct 2008 Karma :

G · The Voice of Reason Joined: 02 Feb 2002 Karma :

There's now a few ready-made rally kits for the 690. As mine was from the first batch, nothing was available at the time.

Or, there should be some (relatively) cheap 690 rallye models up for sale I reckon, as the Dakar is going to 450 only (privateer's can still use bigger bikes for the next one, but all 450s after that Sad

.)

Kickstart · The Oracle Joined: 04 Feb 2002 Karma :

Hi

Another vote for a ZZR600, although they have fairly high pegs for the low seat they have.

The K100 is a pretty tall bike.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

multijoy · World Chat Champion Joined: 03 Oct 2008 Karma :

Aye, I'm loving the Rally Raid Products adventure fairing

https://www.rally-raidproducts.co.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/54007041.jpg

A snip Shocked

at £900! Which still brings me in budget, as well as not needing to fork out any extra for tax, mot, insurance...

(although the wife is looking at me in disgust. I think she'd actually prefer me to turn up on a K100!)
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'11 CBF1000A, '99 C90, '98 CB500
silky666: He rode amazingly well considering his bike is the weight of a small van and had slicks on.

Kickstart · The Oracle Joined: 04 Feb 2002 Karma :

Imonster · World Chat Champion Joined: 18 Oct 2006 Karma :

TDM 850 - loads about for under a grand, and awesome for motorway plodding.
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Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.

weasley · World Chat Champion Joined: 16 Oct 2010 Karma :

You won't get a CBF1000 for a grand. An old Fazer maybe, but a 600 rather than a 1000. Besides, with smaller fairings these aren't the best at keeping the weather off of you.

VFR 750?

multijoy · World Chat Champion Joined: 03 Oct 2008 Karma :

G · The Voice of Reason Joined: 02 Feb 2002 Karma :

I believe there are cheaper examples around, though that looks pretty polished.

Wouldn't mind getting one that goes with my Safari tank some time (a few do).

There's someone selling a farkled'up 690 rally bike (converted, not a proper 690 rallye) on ebay. If it doesn't sell, could be tempted to ask if they want to sell some of the rally stuff separately.