Shaft drive bikes

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I need some help trying to find a 2nd hand shaft drive bike 400-1000cc.
Requirements:
Must be OK for 5'5" female rider (oops - was 5'2" )
Cannot be a cruiser style - so out goes Virago VX535
Cannot be a Moto Guzzi
Some weather protection/fairing fitted or available

List I've got so far to work with is:
Honda NTV650 - are there any non-DR examples left?
Honda NT650R Deauville
Honda ST1100 Pan - sat on and too tall/heavy (lower kit required)
Kawasaki GT550 - sat on/pushed and thought too heavy

BMWs already ruled out as too big and expensive.
I've been scratching my head here and not getting anywhere
So can anyone suggest any others?
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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?

[TheShaggyDA]

XJ900F or Diversion 900. But if you thought the GT550 was too heavy, it kinda rules those out too.
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Current: CB500 Previous: CB100N, CB250RS, XJ900F, GT550, GPZ750R/1000RX, AJS M16, R100RT, Enfield Bullet

[i:6e3bfc7581]But still I fear and still I dare not laugh at the madman...[/i:6e3bfc7581]

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[TheShaggyDA]

Why must it be a shaft drive? I don't need selling on the idea myself (see sig) but at 5'2" bike choices are limited to a point anyway, so why limit it further?
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Current: CB500 Previous: CB100N, CB250RS, XJ900F, GT550, GPZ750R/1000RX, AJS M16, R100RT, Enfield Bullet

[i:6e3bfc7581]But still I fear and still I dare not laugh at the madman...[/i:6e3bfc7581]

[mr.z]

CX 500 or a GL

Can be got for £500 in excelent condition if you look hard enough...

To be honest though, without it being a cruiser your going to struggle for the height, i'm 5'8 and because the seat is quite wide it ment i could't quite get my feet on the floor (with a passenger i could tho) they made a cuiser version too...

EDIT: now i think about ithe sortest cx/gl club member is about 5'5 and has no problems...

Supposedly heavy, yes but felt allot lighter to push about than a zzr400, because its not all low down...

The deuvalle is a brilliant bike though, so underrated its rediculous, comfy, tours as well as a pan and allot cheeper, will still keep up with mates on a rideout (or if your a very good rider make them feel verry silly).
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>RidingSkills<->Tech Tips<->MyBikes<

[mchaggis]

There's always the Honda CX500! Also look at the F650, which comes in various versions, including belt and shaft driven. The F650 is really comfortable too.
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I must not be a troll...
Mmmm, Guinness
Discovering the delights of Hammerite and a 3/4" brush.

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[mchaggis]

I read and forgot the bit about the 5'2". An F650 would probably be too tall, even with a low seat on it, assuming you'd want to be able to get both feet down at once. The standard seat is just about right for me, at 6'0".
____________________
I must not be a troll...
Mmmm, Guinness
Discovering the delights of Hammerite and a 3/4" brush.

[map]

[TheShaggyDA]

But being a girlie means that finding a bloke to adjust said chain for her would be easy anyway Stick a Scottoiler on, saves a lot of hassle and increases the life of the chain too.
____________________
Current: CB500 Previous: CB100N, CB250RS, XJ900F, GT550, GPZ750R/1000RX, AJS M16, R100RT, Enfield Bullet

[i:6e3bfc7581]But still I fear and still I dare not laugh at the madman...[/i:6e3bfc7581]

[mchaggis]

Ah, my bad, I could have sworn I saw one with shaftdrive, but I was in a BMW dealership so could easily have got confused.

The R850 is a nice shaftie BMW, though probably too heavy and too expensive, not having been out for very long.
____________________
I must not be a troll...
Mmmm, Guinness
Discovering the delights of Hammerite and a 3/4" brush.

[jonboy]

[TheShaggyDA]

Shaft drive won't stop wheelies.
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Current: CB500 Previous: CB100N, CB250RS, XJ900F, GT550, GPZ750R/1000RX, AJS M16, R100RT, Enfield Bullet

[i:6e3bfc7581]But still I fear and still I dare not laugh at the madman...[/i:6e3bfc7581]

[ratcliffe]

But we all know that shaft driven bikes don't do wheelies...

[jonboy]

You can't countersteer on them either from what i've heard..

[Scotsman37]

Well, you can't get better than this site for shaft driven bikes put your speakers up !

https://www.motorcycle-recycle-center.com/rear_ends_for_shaft_drive_street.htm

or this https://ronfarthing.co.uk/bikes_show_detailed.php?bike_id=72

Back to the practical bikes;

Sachs bikes B-805 !

https://www.trevsmotorcycles.co.uk/sb805.htm

Yamaha XJ900 S

https://www.bikebrochure.co.uk/yamaha/xj900s.htm

spec; https://www.bikebrochure.co.uk/yamaha/specifications/xj900s_specs.htm


You can look at the pics & specs for many bikes via this link;

https://www.bikebrochure.co.uk/

[Tarmacsurfer]

I can't remember, but I seem to recall the Virago is a shaftie. They're great for the vertically challenged, and can be screened to some extent although not the extremes of the GT or Deauville.
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I'm immortal. Well, so far.

[TheShaggyDA]

It is a shaftie, except :-

[Tarmacsurfer]

OK, so my reading comprehension is challenged today. Either that or memory, so busy reading the original and informative responses that the first post got utterly forgotten
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I'm immortal. Well, so far.

[Kickstart]

Hi

At that height there are going to be enough problem.

About the only bikes that fit into the height category and the shaft drive are custom things, and some Moto Guzzis, both of which have been disallowed.

At that height the Divvy and older XJ900 would be way too tall, and heavy as well. All the shaft drive BMWs would be too tall, except the odd custom styled ones. The NTV would be quite tall, as would the Deuaville.

Realistically it is going to either have to be chain drive, or a custom or a Guzzi.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

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Update - have had earache from the lady concerned.
Done her an injustice - it's 5'5" tall.

- she thinks the 5'2" must be from my Kylie fixation
____________________
...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?

[Scotsman37]

Kylie Minogue charity cycle

https://www.ananova.com/images/news/cancercharity_kyliesPA410x410.jpg

[Zoffo]

V-Max........ as long as you never want to turn a corner or stop in a hurry.

[Gazdaman]

XJ900 would be FAR too big, and FAR too heavy.

I struggle and I'm 6' 2". It's a damn heavy bike, I'm by no means weedy, but getting that thing on and off the centre stand is a dropped bike waiting to happen.

How my mum manages not to drop it I'll never know.

Gaz

[Robby]

VX800 is a possibility - it is heavy, but the saddle is about the same height as a bandit.

As for looks.. a little hard to qualify. A bit like bandit, but stretched about 6 inches, with a large v twin engine and shaft drive.

Heavy.