bike purchase advice please - long

[Samsbike]

hi, I got left some money in an inheritance and want to buy a bike.

Let me elaborate, I have been riding for around 23 years and recently a lot of commuting from NW London into C London.

My Street triple's gearbox blew up, cost a fortune so I got a scooter for a couple of years. However I hate riding that so much that I take the train instead or cycle.

So my budget was around £2k for something fun and now given the dearth of bikes I am thinking of going up to £4k but no more.

The problem is I have no idea what I want.

The bikes usage will be
1. Commuting, around 85% of the time
2. The odd Sunday run or ferrying my son around on it for fun in the summer.

What I want
1. Something light and nippy, rules out Harley's which I do like
2. Something that when I go into the shed feel - Yes thats mine
3. Reliable
4. Cheap to service - well not specialised, which rules out Ducatis
5. ABS, but this isnt a dealer breaker
6. Post 2007/8 so I am not effected by the Ultra low emissions into London
7. A keeper as I cant stand the whole malarky of buying and selling
8. No clip on - I just prefer a more sit up and beg style

What I have considered so far and rejected
1. Ducati monster - servicing
2. Street triple - after my crap experience
3. NC700 - too bland
4. Harley/ GS/ Moto Guzzi/ VFR- too heavy
5. Fazer 1000 gen 1 / Fazer 600 foxeye/ Bandit 1200 - too old
5. MT07/09 - too expensive


What is on the table:
1. Fazer FZ1 - in budget
2. Honda hornet - nice and in budget, maybe a trifle bland but really reliable and does everything
3. Street Triple Gen 1, yes, I know, after the first experience I shouldn't but other than the expensive servicing (valve service), the 6k can probably be done at an independent for less, and it looks ok with the chrome etc.

So, what would you do and why.

I have already spend the whole evening trawling through the forum and I cant help feel the STR ticks the boxes. The only problem is finding a good one for £4k, loads at £5k but not £4k.

thanks for any advice.


What I ha

[iooi]

[Beehive Bedlam]

Out of the three I would get an FZ1.

[Matt B]

You criteria are pretty restrictive and this is such a personal & subjective choice it's hard to say.

Just out of interest though I had a look what's available near me for £2-4K and '08 onwards. The only bikes that I'd be interested in are a couple of Buell 1125Rs that don't match your criteria, a 2011 Street Triple and a 2009 FZ1.

As said though, you need to go ride a few and then see which one you prefer.
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stinkwheel: He had an animated .gif of a cat performing fellatio. It's not socially acceptable. It can have real life adverse effects on other people.

[P.addy]

Me, personally, right now, FZ6.

[Doovy]

FZ1
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Yamaha RXS 100 > Honda CD 250 > Honda Hornet 600 > Honda CBR 600RR > Yamaha RXS 100 > Kawasaki ZX6R J2 > Yamaha FZ1

[Samsbike]

I think I am going to go the the STR, and hopefully it will be OK on the night, who knows

[Rogerborg]

You're not asking much, are you?

As you're on a budget, have you considered a newer example of a budget bike rather than the last Triple in the shop?

Many of the good things that people are saying about the MT-07 now were being said about the SFV650 / Gladius and the ER6. Sure, the MT is (reportedly) better, and it undercut them, but there are plenty of the Suzukis and Kwaks around used to choose from.

£4K gets you nearly new, with a warranty, and possibly ABS.

Garage appeal though.
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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

[MarJay]

If you don't like the street, then there's only one answer.

Speed Triple.
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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.

[Silver_Fox]

Are the gearboxes prone to failure on the STR?

[MarJay]

[Samsbike]

I dont know about failure, some do and some don't. I was unlucky I guess.

I do like the street triple, having had one before which is why the R is on the list (I did the R mods to mine as the cost to change was too much as the time - shame I sold all the bits I had for it)

[Polarbear]

Never heard of the 675 engine having gearbox problems and they are in a lot of bikes. Street triples, Daytonas and the Tiger 800 is basically the same engine bored out.
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Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[Samsbike]

Well something went wrong and I had to sell it back to the dealer for peanuts as they said they would investigate and the tab would keep running.

I wonder if the MOT place just messed it up, by pissing around with it. Maybe I should have gone back, but the bike was laid up for a few months and I thought it was due to a slack chain - live and learn

[RhynoCZ]

[Matt B]

[Silver_Fox]

https://cs213.vk.me/u39346118/a_be518ab5.jpg

[c_dug]

If the budget can stretch you could look at a K1200R/K1300R:

https://www.totalmotorcycle.com/motorcycles/2012models/2012-BMW-K1300R1.jpg

They're supposed to be a fairly acquired taste cosmetically, though I've always liked them. You won't come across much faster for sure. The 1200 just about dips into budget, the 1300 would want an extra £1000 or so on top for a nice one.

Ticks most of the boxes, except for weight, but they supposedly feel quite light on the move.
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I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.

[Rogerborg]

[stevo as b4]

Shouldn't someone have snuck their head around the door by now and shouted Fireblades before running away like a little giggling kid?

For OP I think your list of wants and requirements is fairly reasonable and specific unlike many people that don't know what they want at all. The issue might be the cost of nice 2008> on bikes vs your £4k budget depending on how much bike you want for your cash.

Personally not being into modern bikes or street triples particularly then I'd never feel the desire to spend more than 4grand on a 6-7yr old bike. My new bikes were brought in the days of far lower sensible pricing, so I have no interest in over paying for newish machines.

I like Paddy's FZ6 suggestion, and I see it and the late Hornets as a poor man's Street triple and the FZ6 has some character like the first fazer 600's did too.

Otherwise Roger has a point of getting a newish sensible modern bike that's reliable and good for the everyday stuff,like a CBR650 or XJ6 etc.

Oh and is the speed triple alot cheaper for the same year Street triple? If so then I'd consider it as I'd like the bigger engine with more grunt more than the sweet handling hoonable nature of the street I reckon.

[Matt B]

[J4mes]

Superduke 990?

[bikertomm]

I have an 07' Hornet. It's a great bike and will do whatever is asked. Easy to service yourself, makes a lovely peachy/raspy sound on stock exhaust high up in the rev range. Light enough, naked.

Standard obligatory pic;
https://i1145.photobucket.com/albums/o520/bikerrtomm/20130820_192911_zpsce017205.jpg


I got mine for £2.4k (Over 2 years ago..) (29k miles FSH) but it seems to have held it's value pretty well. May be a little bland to more seasoned riders but it really does do what it says on the tin. (Would make a decent commuter really. 150+ tank range. The front certainly wants to rise upon hard acceleration. Go and try one out!

Oh, and, you could get a newer low mileage Hornet for that budget with an added bonus of an akra can on?
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07' Honda Hornet now full powaah! My guide on performing an oil change!

[M.C]

Big bike for mainly commuting in London, make sense

[Doovy]