Bike advice

[Doadman]

It's been a few years since I last had a bike and when I did, they were all sports bikes. My bike history went:

Honda 125 Superdream
Honda VF500
Honda CBR600
Kawasaki ZX-6R

Recently my boys started to ask about getting a bike to elarn on so I bought a Yamaha Virago 125 and I've been using it to get to work as it's so economical. It's annoyingly slow but it has given me a taste for my own bike again but I don't seem to be able to settle on exactly what I want. Here's my criteria:

1) Relatively cheap to insure
2) Good mpg
3) Reliable and durable as it will be used all year round.
4) Must have a full fairing
5) Seating position shouldn't be too upright but I don't want my hands level with the front axle either.

Much as I like sports bikes, I think they'd be too expensive to buy and run and probably too extreme these days so I need a more 'all round' alternative. So far I've considered these:

Honda VFR800 - Great bike in every way but not cheap to buy, on the high side for insurance and not the greatest mpg either.

Honda CBR600 - Obviously I already know this is good but again, running and insurance costs won't be all that cheap.

Kawasaki ER-6f - The riding position is far too upright for my tastes.

Kawasaki ZZR600 - Great bike but perhaps a bit long in the tooth now? Even so, I'm guessing these could be a really good used buy but not far off the Hondas in terms of insurance costs.

Suzuki GSX650f - Gets great reviews and looks OK but I wish the riding position wasn't quite so upright. It just looks 'wrong'.

Suzuki SV650 - Fully faired I think this looks a belting bike and is the cheapest to buy, insure and run. Not sure about a V-Twin engine but that may be because I'm more used to 4 cylinders. Riding position looks to be more to my liking

I'd really appreciate advice in getting this list down and hearing some comments on which might be best.

[rtho782]

You mention CBR600, I assume you mean the RR, but have you considered the new CBR600F?

Pretty bike, new so not many about, powerful but not as EXTREEEEEM as the supersports bikes and hence cheaper on insurance etc.

[c-m]

As an alternative what about one of the following:

Triumph Sprint St 955
Triumph Sprint RS

The RS is the sportier both will do massive distance and good MPG and both can be had for less than £2k in great condition.
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[jjdugen]

VfR's are not as good as the hype, especially if you have to do even basic servicing.
CBR 600's good, but command a higher price than they actaully deserve.
Everyone wants an SV, then just as quickly want to sell them..... Flacid performance, budget suspension, easy to work on, expensive for what they are.
ZZR 600's.... what can I say. Get one in good condition and you have an unsung hero, very tough, very fast, very cheap, very well appointed. The money you save on purchase will go a very long way towards running costs. perfect for shorter, lighter riders.
Big thumbs up on the Triumphs, but you will need one that has been programmed properly. (Most dealers do more harm than good). Heavy and long, smooth as butter, sound like they are falling apart at tickover, very cheap to buy, run and insure. More suited to the bigger rider.

[Doadman]

Many thanks indeed for the replies so far. Classing by insurance group, here's what my research suggests so far:

CBR600; VFR800; Sprint ST955i
These all seem to be group 14 insurance, which REALLY is at the top of where I want to go. My old ZX-6R was group 14 and I loved it so I can't help thinking that if I seriously considered the CBR, I might as well just get another one of those but I won't because at my age (47) I want something aimed a bit more at the real world. The Sprint ST really interests me. It's at the top of the insurance I want but it seems well built, fast, comfortable and cheap to buy. Of this group, the Sprint is the only one I am still considering.

ZZR600
This is group 13 and at this moment, I can't help thinking that I'd be better off with the Sprint for all the difference it would cost.

GSXR650f
Group 12 so not at all bad but I'm struggling to get over the fact that it's just 'wrong' with the handle bars so high up. I think it would be better for me if it edged a bit closer to 'sport' and was a touch less 'allrounder'.

SV650S
I just can't ignore this bike. With a full fairing it looks fantastic, it's cheap to buy, dirt cheap to insure at just group 9 and cheap to run with a nice sporty feel to it. It's not got a lot of power but then it is light and nimble and I like the fact that it has low down torque. In the reral world I can imagine it would keep up with more powerful machines surprisingly well. It may be 'budget' but the reviews are fantastic and there's no escaping the fact that it's a lot of bike for the money.

For value I'd move towards the SV650 and it remains in contention but I do also like the ZZR. I was left thinking that I wished they did a fully faired SV1000 so that I could have the SV650 with the punch of the ZZR and a bit more sophistication to the suspension. The riding position may be a touch less sporty but in many ways that seems to describe the Sprint ST955i so despite the fact that I don't really like the looks of the Sprint (not aggressive enough - it reminds me of an early SV650), it is the Sprint that currently interests me most, followed by the SV650.

I've also thought more about what I really want out of a bike if that helps.

1) To do 100mph but not much bothered beyond that.
2) Good accelleration and overtaking speed.
3) A flexible engine so it's not constant gear changes.
4) Track day ability doesn't interest me at all.
5) Excellent and confidence inspiring handling with loads of grip.
6) Good ground clearance.
7) Economical in fuel and insurance.
8) Fairly cheap to buy.
9) Not bothered about carrying a passenger.
10) Unlikely to do very long runs or touring.