What's your ideal winter hack?

[garth]

Yeah, sorry for bring up winter already, but it's going to happen!

I'm looking for a winter bike as I get fed up of not riding when I don't have one. My criteria is fairly simple;

Shit
Robust
Low maintenance
Cheap (sub-£600)
Capable of 2 up riding (and some luggage, Dragon Rally is calling)

I'm thinking about getting an old Diversion, looking at one tomorrow night, had an XJ-N before (Same engine, utterly dull, did the job) but what would you go for?

[P.addy]

Read title and thought XJ straight away.

What about a typical 500cc twin or the NTV/Bros 650

[MarJay]

First and foremost it needs to be cheap. The second criteria that I think is important for the winter hack is light.

So, in order of importance (for me) it needs to be

Cheap
Light
Reliable
Easy to maintain - not too complex
ideally be able to take decent rubber (120/70 180/55)
Good MPG.
Has good carrying capacity for commuting

At the moment my ideal winter hack is almost a BMW F650CS! It does 80mpg, its not too heavy, very reliable, belt drive, takes decent sized tyres and has a storage area and often a top box too.

Sadly the cheapest one I've seen is £2k which is a lot for a bike discontinued around 2002!
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F; Cheap project: CBR900RR FireBlade
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[map]

My ideal winter hack is what I've got.
Kawasaki GT550 with fairing and hard luggage.

Built from left over Forth Rail Bridge girders.
Low maintenance (I'm sure that rattle will go away!)
Cheap to run.
Parts readily available from breakers/eBay.
Can do 2 up riding.

The handling is 'interesting' but not unsafe. It's just not a modern bike after all. On mine the link between brake lever/pedal and disc/drum is as quick as carrier pigeon (so I tend to plan ahead, which has to be a good riding thing).

Buying the same again I'd still be looking for a shaft drive bike, so a 900 Diversion would be in the running.


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...and the whirlwind is in the thorn trees, it's hard for thee to kick against the pricks...
Gibbs, what did Duckie look like when he was younger?

[flyer]

I had a Genesis last year. F reg, cost only a few hundred with full mot, cheap to run, still quite fun.

Old enough not to worry about corrosion or washing it as well
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Stand up paddle surfing wales Caravan decking wales

[nowhere.elysium]

Bandit 6. Once it's gotten to the "Oh god, it looks like crap" point, it's not likely to rust any further, and the engines are hard to kill (Paddy's one notwithstanding). Suspension's a known weak point, as are the brakes, but neither of those are lacking to the point of being actively dangerous.

If not that, then Divvy 9, or possibly an old NTV, although that has the disadvantage of being liquid-cooled, which ups the maintenance requirements.
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'10 SV650SF, '83 GS650GT (it lives!), Questionable DIY dash project, 3D Printer project, Lasercutter project

[bikertomm]

I'd want something that started no matter what the weather!

Shame there's not a cheapish supermoto because chucking knobblies / (Studs ) on for the snow would be sweet!

Probably vote for the GPZ.
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07' Honda Hornet now full powaah! My guide on performing an oil change!

[Vincent]

The best winter bike I ever had was a BMW R80ST - it was mega reliable, didn't have much to rust, handled well and was excellent in the ice and snow. I bought it off an old geezer who'd fitted GRP leg shields that looked hideous but actually did a good job of keeping some of the chill off too.
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Space Is Deep

[blurredman]

Shaft Drive!
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CBT: 12/06/10, Theory: 22/09/10, Module 1: 09/11/10, Module 2: 19/01/11
Past: 1991 Honda CG125BR-J, 1992 (1980) Honda XL125S, 1996 Kawasaki GPZ500S, 1979 MZ TS150.
Current: 1973 MZ ES250/2 - 18k, 1979 Suzuki TS185ER - 10k, 1981 Honda CX500B - 91k, 1987 MZ ETZ250 (295cc) - 40k, 1989 MZ ETZ251 - 51k.

[Slacker24seve...]

Interesting question. I'll be after a hack around October to keep the Dayton shiny.

I have just bought an old BMW e34 for a handful of magic beans though. It is immaculate - its almost a shame I'll be using it for a banger rally. It's got me wondering, would I rather have a roof over my head? The jury's out at the moment. It's almost tempting to buy an old e36 or similar and strip it down in April, turning it into a track car and hammering it until it breaks.

Repeat each year for a couple of grand a year. Hmmmm.
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Triumph Daytona 675 track bike + girlfriend's Honda Hornet 600
Selling a hack/winter bike for less than a grand? PM me.
Banger rallies are ace

[DrDonnyBrago]

My "ideal" winter hack would be a car.

No bike is good in the morning black ice that takes over from december-feb and getting cold/wet sucks no matter how much we try to convince ourselves otherwise. Four wheels and a heater trumps any two wheeler, if it wasn't for traffic/parking/cost I'd take any car over any bike.

That said, I just use my CBR with a set of bar muffs and try not to crash. Wouldn't mind something a little more crash resistant and upright but I don't want to own two bikes.

[G]

You know what mine would be .

With a budget of £600 I think I'd just be looking at what was good on sale in budget at your price point and go from there.

[garth]

[Nick 50]

It might be worth ringing local training schools. They have bikes which are set up for a spill or two and will be updating there stock for Jan.

Cb500/Er5's a plenty and should be dirt cheap.


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Current Bikes: ZX7r 97 (Black Beauty), VFR400 NC24 (The banana)
Previous Bikes: Aprilia Tuono 03 (The Beast), CBR600f (97)
First bike: A GZ125 Lemon.......

[Jefr0]

My winter hack is my CBR 600 which I use all year round. In winter, chuck the bar muffs on, put the thermals in the goretex gear. Sorted.

For when there is ice/snow I've got a XR 125 for it. Very light, nimble and good to use in the conditions. If I drop it, it won't damage alot and can pick it up again. It's also a back up should the CBR fail for any reason.

Your criteria you are after is any commuter bike you would use in the summer? Nothing related to winter? Saying that, a divvy would fit the criteria for you.

All geared up with the right stuff keeps you warm and dry through winter so you don't get cold or wet and resort to a car *cough* Donny *cough
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Rides: Honda XR 125 ('03) Honda CBR 600F ('91), Ducati 916 Biposto ('95)

[DrDonnyBrago]

[hazza]

I have a '98 Bandit 6 that I use all year but would still love a hack. Even though its old ive got a soft spot for it and really don't want to drop it. It's condition isn't really what i would call 'hack' either.

https://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/ff501/harrybarfield/IMG_20120708_155346.jpg

I think the most important thing for me would be shaft/belt drive and something really light. I even considered a suzuki burgman. No chain to worry about, lots of weather protection, it has a boot and more instruments/windsheild than the bandit, light and im really not going to give a shit about cleaning it or dropping it. Its just getting over the embarrassment of riding it.
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3 Honda NC50's(Sold)-->'72 Puch Maxi S (Sold, want it back!)--> '90 Yamaha RXS 100 (Stolen)--> '87 Honda Cub 90(Sold) --> '95 Kawasaki Eliminator (Sold) --> '98 Bandit 600 (Sold) -->'07 SV650S (Current)

[Irn-Bru]

I will be getting a KLE 500 (detuned GPZ 500 engine I believe) for my winter hack, probably will do some touring on it too. I miss having a cheap bike.
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KTM 990 SMT & Suzuki DR-Z 400 SM

[garth]

[yambabe]

[hazza]

[garth]

Because the actual working surface (The drilled, floating outer) is massive.


I'm really not interested in lots of power on the road, it's completely wasted and just frustrates me.

[hazza]

Thats true actually, never notices, the pads dont even contact some of it!

I'm not a power junkie, i'd much rather have torque but i also like to be able to cruise at 80 ish and i don't know if the beemer could do that (top speed iirc 99 mph).

I wouldn't want it to feel like a 125. Its the same reason i was put of MT03's, I really ought to test ride a few bikes and see for myself.
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3 Honda NC50's(Sold)-->'72 Puch Maxi S (Sold, want it back!)--> '90 Yamaha RXS 100 (Stolen)--> '87 Honda Cub 90(Sold) --> '95 Kawasaki Eliminator (Sold) --> '98 Bandit 600 (Sold) -->'07 SV650S (Current)

[Irn-Bru]