Recommend an all-round sporty/streety middleweight

[someotherguy]

I'm coming up to a year riding a YBR125, so it's time to think about getting something bigger now that I have a full licence and (all being well) 1 year's NCB.

I generally do around 25-30 miles a day, from Surbiton to Central London and back again in rush hour, all year round, plus leisure miles. What would you recommend? I'm after a sporty/streety middleweight that I can do the daily commute on - which I could also tour on occasionally and do the odd track day on.

Criteria:

- At least 600cc
- At least 55bhp
- Fast-ish
- Comfortable-ish for occasional two-up riding and the odd trip abroad
- Ideally a triple or a four, but I'm open to suggestions
- A fairing would probably be good, because I ride all year round and a screen would be nice (and simply because faired bikes are sexier ) - although it's not a deal-breaker
- Good-ish fuel economy, because it's mainly for commuting (although I would like to have a bit of fun on it at the weekends and do the odd track day)
- Used - ideally 3/4 years old
- Reliable and able to cope with being ridden daily right through the winter (shaft drive would be good... but I doubt I'll find a shafty that fits the bill)
- Light and narrow, because it'll be easier to chuck around London traffic
- Loud, because pedestrians need to hear me coming
- Needs ABS
- Large-ish tank - filling up can bore off

So far, I've ridden:

- Triumph Street Triple - loved it. The engine was brilliant, it sounded great, it was comfortable, and fast. However, my test ride was on a beautiful sunny day. I wonder how it would cope with a freezing cold wet January ride. Maybe I need something faired...?
- Honda CB650F - much better engine than some of the twins I tried, but there was something not quite right about this bike. It felt heavy.
- Yamaha XJ6 Diversion - it felt heavy, and I found it uncomfortable. I did like the engine though.
- Kawasaki ER-6n - felt comfortable and easy to ride, but it was boring. The parallel twin just didn't rev high enough for my liking.
- Yamaha MT-07 - similar to the ER-6 really. I found it comfortable to ride, but it was just far too quiet and sedate - and again, being a twin, not enough revs.

tl;dr - which all-round sporty/streety middleweight should I buy?

inb4 get two bikes, one for the commute and one for the weekends
inb4 Paddy pimping out the Striple

[Beehive Bedlam]

There's a black Hornet on ebay asking price is a grand.

[someotherguy]

[Rogerborg]

So you want big and comfortable but light and narrow and powerful and fast but economical and efficient and old but new but...

You forgot the tight turning circle.

You said 3/4 years old but tried an MT-07 and CB650F. Wut?

Too tight to splurge on an MT-09 then?

Tiger 800.

CBR600F.

GSX650FA is probably a bit too much of a barge.

Have you considered a TDM?
____________________
Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[Polarbear]

If you ride all year round you will certainly want a bike with a fairing or at least a screen.

Yes, of course you can do it on an STR but it won't be fun when you are soaked through and cold.
____________________
Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[Polarbear]

I would seriously be considering 2 bikes, a work horse and a fun bike.

A scooter of some sort for the commute and the STR or equivalent for the lols.
____________________
Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[someotherguy]

[goto10]

[Rogue_Shadow]

[someotherguy]

[Matt B]

[Rogerborg]

[Talking about SV650]
And they've worked through all the issues years ago. Fender extender to limit spray onto the front cylinder, away you go.

eBay asking price is currently £4.5K for 0 mile bikes, likely pre-reg, but I think you can do better. They've been down as low as £4K new when Suzuki are dumping them. Bear that in mind when looking at what folk are asking for used examples.
____________________
Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[weasley]

Well if your age criterion is negotiable, I'll chuck in the Yamaha Thundercat, which meets most of your other criteria (no ABS and not especially narrow). Or a FZS600. Or an FZ6. Or FZ8.
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Yamaha XJ600 | Yamaha YZF600R Thundercat | KTM 990 SMT | BMW F900XR TE

[grr666]

Circa 2009 S2 FZ6?

https://motorbike-search-engine.co.uk/2009-motorcycles/FZ6-S2-1.jpg

I'd own one happily.
____________________
Currently enjoying products from Ford, Mazda and Yamaha
Ste wrote: Avatars are fine, it's signatures that need turning off.

[c_dug]

Having done a near identical commute for the last 4 year I am increasingly convinced that the best bike for the job is the F800S:

https://guzzitech.dk/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/BMW-F800S-2012-1.jpg

Narrow, Economical, good handling, belt drive, sporty looking, loud (with a loud exhaust), ABS.... blah blah blah....

I'm currently using a VFR800 Vtec, I should have gone for the F800.
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I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.

[pig hog]

[c_dug]

Is that based on experience or pure supposition?

While my aforementioned VFR800 might not be the best city commuter, the fairing really does do a properly admirable job of keeping me dry, particularly when above 40mph or so.

Actually I am genuinely considering trading the VFR in for the F800S and getting a set of fairings from pyramid: clicky, such is my belief in a fairings ability to assist in weather protection.
____________________
I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.

[blueglue]

I bet the dealers love you.

"yeah can i have a go on everything"

[pig hog]

[Rogue_Shadow]

[Rogerborg]

[someotherguy]

Thanks guys - this is all really helpful.

I wasn't expecting so many replies, but keep 'em coming!

[chris-red]

[Mudshark]

[chris-red]