New bike time again...

[L-Jam]

Spitball ideas at me, I'm getting a motorbike again after a year in the car - student, cheaper, etc.

Must be around a grand

Can't be an absolute shitter that's going to cost a lot all the time

Must do at least 130

Preferably, 600cc+

Motorway miles and around town folks - mind you, I'm comfortable on a Gixxer doing both and a GS500 doing both, so this isn't that much of a limiting factor I suppose (no crossers though I guess)

Must be a bike I can look at with at least a small amount of pride


Bikes I've considered so far - Old blades, Hornet, Bandit 12, Thunderace

P.S. I don't want a CBR6F or a GS500 again, just because don't want same experience twice!!


Fire away, geniuses
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Journalist, student, egotist.
Click here if you're a young biker, wondering what to do after a moped/125!
Skp 50 --> GS 500 --> CBR600F with custom HRC paint jobby --> GSX-R 750 K7, beautiful!

[_Troy_]

You could probably get a ZX6R G model for a grand. They seem to do everything, and both of mine have been pretty reliable (bar god awful brakes). It will obviously do 130 quite easily, but probably isn't made for around town kinda stuff.
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Current bike: ZX6R J1
Previous bikes: CLR 125 | GS500 | ZX6R G2 | SV650

[pinkyfloyd]

[reed]

[DrSnoosnoo]

ZZR600. Mine isn't dog rough - too much.
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I'm Sam; Northern, Ginger, Lover
Did have: '95 ZZR600 '83 CG125 '97 ZZR1100 '15 Hypermotard 821 SP Do Have: '10 ZX10R

[Rogerborg]

[bikertomm]

In your shoes, I'd probably give a ZX6R/ZX9R a try.

Possibly a thundercat if one came up cheap?


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07' Honda Hornet now full powaah! My guide on performing an oil change!

[dydey90]

[L-Jam]

130mph because not gay.

Serious note, every bike I've ridden that has a top speed of 110/120 has felt under-powered to me. That's not a blanket statement, not me saying all bikes are under-powered below that threshold, just a personal preference.

_Troy_, I don't really 'get' the whole around town complex with bikes. The faster the bike I had, the easier it was around town to be honest! Less shifting, and I don't get a bad back in extreme riding positions (no homo).
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Journalist, student, egotist.
Click here if you're a young biker, wondering what to do after a moped/125!
Skp 50 --> GS 500 --> CBR600F with custom HRC paint jobby --> GSX-R 750 K7, beautiful!

[Andy C]

I recently got a 01 Hornet 600 for just over a grand and now its got a screen, new exhaust and a full service its great. Had 27k on it when I got it and should be fine for a good while.

Overall I prefer it to the speed four I had (also 600cc IL4) due to being smoother fuelling. I also really like the bars as do a lot of city riding and find clip-ons harder to steer and less weight on wrists (got a plate in one arm so reduces weight on it).

Also, I had just a motorcycle for all but last year of uni (share a car with gf) and it was winning all round. The car park at my uni (campus) was £1/hr but you could park in the centre of the uni for free if you had a motorbike. A security guard once approached me when I was getting on and thought he was going to give me a bollocking for my riding or how much noise my bike was making but he came to take down my number in case they see anything wrong with my bike while they are patrolling.

Probably a bit too rare now but I had a 400cc (CB400sf) at uni and found it was ideal and has a massive storage space.
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99 RS125 --> 02 SV650s --> 03 Speed Four --> 92 RXS100 --> 93 CB400sf --> 01 CB600f Hornet

[_Troy_]

[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

[map]

I nominate VFR750
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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?

[DrDonnyBrago]

At that price it is prob better to choose a decent example of whatever you can find than restrict yourself to a model in particular.

I'd start by looking for something along the lines of zx6r, zx7r, zx9r, thundercat, daytona, fazer, hornet, CBR, RF900 etc.

[_Troy_]

[nowhere.elysium]

[Wonko The Sane]

[map]

[stevo as b4]

Condition is everything with buying a decent second hand bike that's a reliable prospect.

If you want the sense of pride thing, then you just need any suitable bike that has nice shiny panels and bodywork and has lots of signs of TLC and caring previous owners.

After that, there's probably more bikes in the pool to choose from in the 4pot 600cc category, as it's the busiest sector of the market.

I've always generally said to people (with no direct experience myself mind), but to avoid big heavy bikes with lots of cc and horsepower at the bottom end of the market. They will generally have been run by those that can't really afford to keep them, and horrid loose wobbly chassis is par for the course.

As an example something like a sub £1000 ZZR1100 or Thunderace etc, would likely to be a fucking horrible and even dangerous experience.

A clean looked after RF600, Thundercat or ZX6R etc, could be a nice bike to ride and still very capable and within budget too.

[Groove]

A firestorm seems to tick the boxes.

But i agree, just keep an eye out at what's ending around your budget rather than limit yourself.
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|| Past: 1991 Kawasaki ZXR 250 ~ 2003 Honda CBR 600 F Sport ~ 2004 Kawasaki ZX6R B1H 636 ~ 1999 Yamaha R1 ~ 1999 Kawasaki ZX6R J ~ 2004 Kawasaki ZX6R B1H 636 ~ 1998 Honda VTR1000F Firestorm ~ K1 GSXR 600 Track bike ~ K6 GSXR 1000 ~ 2006 Speed Triple 1050 || Current: 2005 R1 https://www.adrucore.co.uk

[Clutchy]

SV650s?? Can do 130 and if you haven't had a V-twin yet its worth trying one for a while so overall I'd be going for a TL1000R



If not, ZXR400 or any sports 400 would be a fun bike
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Malaguti F12 Phantom-Dead, Suzuki AY50- Dead, NRG power DD LQ, CBR125.
*33 BHP restriction up on 10/12/14* Current bikes/car: SV 650 S/ MKIV GOLF
Guide to pass your test with no lessons!

[Richy CB1000]

Don't discount a Triumph Triple.

955/ Daytona / RS/ Trophy would all fit the bill under a grand should be available.
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CB1000 Big One, Triumph T3 Trophy 900

[reed]

[bikertomm]

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07' Honda Hornet now full powaah! My guide on performing an oil change!

[FriendlyEllis]

I'd go CBR600F but swervng that .........

ZZR600 ? like this?
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201406285376907/sort/recpriceascdefault/price-to/1000/cc-from/600cc/usedbikes/advert-type/Classified/postcode/cf102nb/page/5/radius/1500?logcode=p
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Honda CB600F Hornet 2013 -> Kawasaki Z1000SX ABS Tourer 2015