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UncleFester |
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UncleFester World Chat Champion
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MarJay |
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MarJay But it's British!
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chickenstrip |
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chickenstrip Super Spammer
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Posted: 13:57 - 18 Jun 2020 Post subject: |
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Well, it seems you may have settled on something that is a good compromise, despite mainly being for your commute. I think that is what these litre IL4s do best - compromise (as long as we're not talking sports).
I really fancy one of those Z900s too, ever since I saw that green one with the little fairing I posted a photo of elsewhere a while back. I wouldn't leave it standard though, would definitely look to up the power a bit...or maybe a lot!
Feck it, let's have another look!
https://i.postimg.cc/tgLRk35c/DSCN1206.jpg
____________________ Chickenystripgeezer's Biking Life (Latest update 19/10/18) Belgium, France, Italy, Austria tour 2016 Picos de Europa, Pyrenees and French Alps tour 2017 Scotland Trip 1, now with BONUS FEATURE edit, 5/10/19, on page 2 Scotland Trip 2 Luxembourg, Black Forest, Switzerland, Vosges Trip 2017
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MarJay |
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MarJay But it's British!
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chickenstrip |
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chickenstrip Super Spammer
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Posted: 14:45 - 18 Jun 2020 Post subject: |
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That looks nice too. The fairing on my pic reminds me of the old GS1000S, which I always liked. Plus, if I were to tune the nuts off it, a little wind deflection might come in handy! ____________________ Chickenystripgeezer's Biking Life (Latest update 19/10/18) Belgium, France, Italy, Austria tour 2016 Picos de Europa, Pyrenees and French Alps tour 2017 Scotland Trip 1, now with BONUS FEATURE edit, 5/10/19, on page 2 Scotland Trip 2 Luxembourg, Black Forest, Switzerland, Vosges Trip 2017
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chickenstrip |
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chickenstrip Super Spammer
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Posted: 15:33 - 18 Jun 2020 Post subject: |
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MarJay wrote: | The VFR might not have lasted, it is 20 years old now. |
Btw, my Fazer is on over 50k miles now and has never had a problem. I get the impression that you look after your bikes properly, so I think you'd still get a lot out of that Viffer yet. ____________________ Chickenystripgeezer's Biking Life (Latest update 19/10/18) Belgium, France, Italy, Austria tour 2016 Picos de Europa, Pyrenees and French Alps tour 2017 Scotland Trip 1, now with BONUS FEATURE edit, 5/10/19, on page 2 Scotland Trip 2 Luxembourg, Black Forest, Switzerland, Vosges Trip 2017
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MarJay |
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MarJay But it's British!
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chickenstrip |
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chickenstrip Super Spammer
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Posted: 16:03 - 18 Jun 2020 Post subject: |
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MarJay wrote: | chickenstrip wrote: |
Btw, my Fazer is on over 50k miles now and has never had a problem. I get the impression that you look after your bikes properly, so I think you'd still get a lot out of that Viffer yet. |
Yeah I can (and the VFR is better now than when I bought it, by a LONG way!) but the issue is the 100 miles a day commute. If something goes wrong on any of my other bikes I can fix it and it's not an issue. If something goes wrong on my VFR on the Hogarth Roundabout? I'm in trouble. |
The point is, they're generally reliable bikes though. If it receives all the necessary servicing, what is likely to go wrong?
Ok, it's a Honda, maybe carry a spare reg/rec and battery ____________________ Chickenystripgeezer's Biking Life (Latest update 19/10/18) Belgium, France, Italy, Austria tour 2016 Picos de Europa, Pyrenees and French Alps tour 2017 Scotland Trip 1, now with BONUS FEATURE edit, 5/10/19, on page 2 Scotland Trip 2 Luxembourg, Black Forest, Switzerland, Vosges Trip 2017
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MarJay |
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MarJay But it's British!
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Irezumi |
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Irezumi Nitrous Nuisance
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MarJay |
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MarJay But it's British!
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MarJay |
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MarJay But it's British!
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Posted: 11:07 - 01 Sep 2020 Post subject: |
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If anyone is interested:
https://cdn.bcf.44bytes.net/files/topbox_172.jpg
It seems to be very stable, and is longditudinally very solid. But it does have a bit of lateral movement because the seat moves side to side a bit. I'm a little concerned that I might lose the seat maybe? It's probably irrational, but I'm thinking of running a piece of webbing strap around the subframe tubes and between the seat and the top box plate just to add a bit of belt and braces.
I think actually this is also quite decent aerodynamically. It creates a bit of a vaccum between my back and the top box at speed when I'm bolt upright sat at the front of the seat, but if I go into more of a racing crouch everything goes very smoothly. It doesn't really like side winds though! ____________________ British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another. |
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Freddyfruitba... |
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Freddyfruitba... World Chat Champion
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MarJay |
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MarJay But it's British!
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luna mina |
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luna mina L Plate Warrior
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Posted: 17:20 - 18 Sep 2020 Post subject: |
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Because you want to go out riding hugging your new lover... but his bike doesn't have the pillion seat fitted |
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grr666 |
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grr666 Super Spammer
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Posted: 10:50 - 19 Sep 2020 Post subject: |
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I enjoyed reading this thread. Some very interesting points. ____________________ Currently enjoying products from Ford, Mazda and Yamaha
Ste wrote: Avatars are fine, it's signatures that need turning off. |
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MarJay |
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MarJay But it's British!
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Posted: 12:32 - 19 Sep 2020 Post subject: |
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grr666 wrote: | I enjoyed reading this thread. Some very interesting points. |
Yeah I quite enjoyed giving it a re-read.
Update on the top box if anyone's interested, I bought a luggage strap with a quick release clip, and fed it under the subframe so it goes around the whole assembly on the back. This will hopefully give me the peace of mind I need not to granny around on the bike when the top box is fitted.
https://cdn.bcf.44bytes.net/files/topboxstrap.jpg
I'm still enjoying the bike, and it's actually been my go-to ride for just taking out for a blast just recently. Part of that is novelty because it's my new shiny thing, part of it is because it has the top box so it's practical. I said it didn't feel much faster than my Street Triple... well... I felt I was neglecting the S3 just recently so I took it out for a blast. It's much more like a race bike. The suspension is more taut and doesn't give as much feedback, but it feels like once everything is warm you can press it harder and it just feels 'right'. This should be obvious as I've had the bike set up for me but it's nevertheless something I noticed.
The triple engine however, it still has the anger, it still has the noise, but it feels a bit asthmatic compared to the GSX. This is a good thing I guess, as it shows that the GSX is actually quicker, it just sort of feels the same. I also threw the Street into a roundabout as I would on the GSX and then jerked around it like a newb because the injection is so much more jerky. Part of this is because of the remap. Tony Scott warned me that it would be direct, and up until now I've not really noticed because I was just used to it. It does show how silky the GSX's mapping is though, and how good a job Suzuki have done on it. It doesn't need a remap, it doesn't need an exhaust change - it just works.
Back to the GSX - There is something I can't quite put my finger on with the suspension, it feels odd - possibly that the front and rear are a little bit out of sync with each other. It's not a big deal though and I can fling the bike around with abandon as much as I have been able to on any of my bikes. I'm still very pleased with it, and I'm still sure I made the right choice. It does feel softer than the Street but doesn't really feel like that would affect anything short of a Trackday fast group - which I'm not quite quick enough for anyway! The limitation with ALL of my bikes is definitely the rider!
I've also noticed that the GSX clutch biting point is rather close to the bar, and with the Suzuki's 'pull away assist' (it revs the engine a little as you let out the clutch) it's hard to control a slow pull away. I need to very much keep it under control because my driveway has a lip on the end of it just in front of quite a steep dropped kerb, so you need to sort of gently get over it, then turn onto the street in a very smooth action. This is easier on the Street Triple, but harder on the GSX. It's not a bad thing, just something I need to get used to.
Overall though I'm still blown away by how good the GSX is. I can't honestly see the need to go full GSXR unless I was racing it, and from a dyed in the wool fan of sportsbikes that is high praise.
(Although when I look at my biking history I do see a lot of bikes that might not fit properly into the sports category - so they aren't all race reps, but they all tend to be fairly lightweight nice handling machines - perhaps this is why the GSX suits me so well?)
____________________ British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another. |
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MarJay |
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MarJay But it's British!
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mentalboy |
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mentalboy World Chat Champion
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MarJay |
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MarJay But it's British!
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Posted: 15:06 - 19 Sep 2020 Post subject: |
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mentalboy wrote: |
That looks like something Smiler might do. I can't remember how the thread read, is this setup so that you can easily revert to a pillion, sans box, or is it a bastard setting up a fixed mount on that model.
(Feel free to tell me to re-read the thread if the answer is in there). |
I'm a bit hurt by that to be honest, although Smiler's a great lad I know he's not the most mechanically resourceful sometimes.
I still have the original Pillion seat, and the box is obviously removable from the plate which is bolted to my spare seat. So I can either remove the box and put the straps under the seat with the plate on it, or I can swap the plate for the original seat, no bother. That's one of the reasons I did it this way.
The strap makes sense as there are loads of warnings on the box not to exceed certain speeds, and I've also lost a Monokey box off of the back of my VFR before after hitting a prominent crease in the M3 on the outskirts of London. Luckily there was no damage other than a few scuffs on the top of the box. This is with a fully functional monokey system on a proper Givi wingrack, so I figured my heath robinson setup could probably do with belt as well as braces. The strap goes around the subframe so it means the box doesn't rely on its attachment to the plate, nor the plates attachment to the pillion seat, nor the pillion seats attachment to the subframe.
Yeah so it looks a bit pap, but there was thought behind it. ____________________ British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another. |
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mentalboy |
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mentalboy World Chat Champion
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Posted: 16:09 - 19 Sep 2020 Post subject: |
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MarJay wrote: | mentalboy wrote: |
That looks like something Smiler might do. I can't remember how the thread read, is this setup so that you can easily revert to a pillion, sans box, or is it a bastard setting up a fixed mount on that model.
(Feel free to tell me to re-read the thread if the answer is in there). |
I'm a bit hurt by that to be honest, although Smiler's a great lad I know he's not the most mechanically resourceful sometimes.
I still have the original Pillion seat, and the box is obviously removable from the plate which is bolted to my spare seat. So I can either remove the box and put the straps under the seat with the plate on it, or I can swap the plate for the original seat, no bother. That's one of the reasons I did it this way.
The strap makes sense as there are loads of warnings on the box not to exceed certain speeds, and I've also lost a Monokey box off of the back of my VFR before after hitting a prominent crease in the M3 on the outskirts of London. Luckily there was no damage other than a few scuffs on the top of the box. This is with a fully functional monokey system on a proper Givi wingrack, so I figured my heath robinson setup could probably do with belt as well as braces. The strap goes around the subframe so it means the box doesn't rely on its attachment to the plate, nor the plates attachment to the pillion seat, nor the pillion seats attachment to the subframe.
Yeah so it looks a bit pap, but there was thought behind it. |
Gotcha, no offence meant, I assumed there was good reason behind the strap.
I'm surprised at your losing a box in the past, my old monokey lock looked a bit lightweight but it never gave out - the locking mechanism in the box itself was a pain in the butt that needed occasional oiling otherwise it wouldn't lock, apparently a design flaw with them, but it was always obvious when the thing was in need of oil as it wouldn't stay on the plate.
Does the strap help with box vibes, mine used to vibrate, not much but annoying, on long straight runs? Perhaps it'd look more in keeping if the strap were colour coded to the box rather than the paintjob? ____________________ Make mine a Corona. |
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MarJay But it's British!
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lilredmachine |
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lilredmachine World Chat Champion
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Posted: 23:13 - 30 Sep 2020 Post subject: |
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MarJay wrote: | chickenstrip wrote: | Talking of which, I know you, MarJay, had to take this into account. But what bike would you have bought if this wasn't a consideration for you, out of curiosity? |
Exactly what consideration do you mean? If the ULEZ wasn't an issue I'd probably have just run my VFR into the ground which I know is a bit of a boring answer but it's true.
If full fairing wasn't an issue I might have ended up with an S1000R or similar.
If fuel range wasn't an issue then I'd have either had a Katana or maybe a Tuono V4, but I hear they get through top ends in 10,000 miles... so maybe not.
The GSX-S engine IS a GSXR engine. It's also been continually rumoured that it's true top end power is a lot more than the claimed 149bhp quoted - supposedly it's good for 160bhp according to some drunk Japanese engineers on the launch. That said, I've not seen any dyno charts that go that high.
People liked the Bandit and it used a detuned GSXR1100 engine. This bike isn't even the modern equivalent of that because it has the high quality forks and traction control etc.
I don't honestly believe people need more than 150bhp on the road. I don't think anyone needs much more than about 110bhp if I'm honest. Even so, I'll concede the GSX-S only feels a mite quicker than my Street Triple, but it does have another load of kilos to lug about. And I haven't really had much of a chance to whang open the throttle to the stop and let the engine get to the redline... so maybe I'm just grannying it a bit? |
I'll admit, the GSX1000S is impressive on the dyno for a naked [though i'd point out that my 1125CR twin was putting out 140RWHP] however my original point stands.
There is no reason to have any naked litre sportsbike over a 765 RS. The litres accomplish nothing other than being heavier. 180Kgs plays 210kg when wet, 122hp plays 145hp at the rear wheel. The reason your GSX1000s doesn't feel much faster than your street triple is because it actually isn't. Like I said, if you look at raw laptimes the street triple is just as fast as the 15k MT-10 SP. People always argue that laptimes don't mean anything on the road, but they do. It's the purest form of speed, and is not really a disputable metric.
All litre Jap nakeds fall into the same bracket of disappointing, they are far from their faired bretheren that they so often claim to be based on. It's not even an opinion, it's just fact.
The 2005 Gixxer was the last gasp of the analogue sportsbike, the most advanced, most aggressive, the lightest, and the least restrained by emissions rules of the time. Are we really that brow beaten by Jap manufacturers that a naked bike with slightly less horspower than a 15 year old sportsbike of the same capacity is anything to be proud of, or shout about?
What happened exactly? where did they go wrong?
I think the relentless pursuit of the jap 'all rounder' has led to the bland mess that is the naked section of the market. Europe has it right, mega power Aprilias and Ducatis abound for those that can afford them, though realistically they are a small amount of extra PCP payment over a Jap snoozefest.
As for the ZX1000S being a sales success, I remember reading that at one point not long ago, you could have one for 1500 quid down and 105 quid a month. That counts as a sale, but is not much more than the phone contract of a millenial tech addict. Is it really representative of being a popular bike? Or the least expensive way of getting into a modern litre naked on a budget?
I dislike them all for this reason. They are the representation of the middle ground, the true face of 'accessible premium'. They render the emotion of motorcycling moot.
I understand you needing a ULEZ compliant bike. I disagree with anything other than that as a reason though, your V4 VFR has more heart and soul than any Jap bike will ever have again.
Aprilia top end is 42,000 miles by the way, and the rebuild is 4500 quid. Not that a mate who commutes on one had it done recently. ____________________ Bikes: too many, too much for one man to maintain anyway. |
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MarJay |
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MarJay But it's British!
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Posted: 08:24 - 01 Oct 2020 Post subject: |
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You're in a minority though aren't you? Most riders have moved away from 'fastest, biggest, sportiest'.
The fact is, this is still the quickest bike I've owned, and it IS faster than a Street Triple. This is something I have to be very wary of on the road. The main difference I think is down to wind protection. I haven't actually owned a fully faired 'big' bike for a number of years. I forgot how it can make the bike feel like you're not going as quickly...
I've wanted a litre sportsbike for years, but not recently been able to justify having something uncomfortable and impractical. Now I don't need to make that compromise, but I can also admit that I don't need 200bhp.
The 765RS is actually a spectacularly bad example for the road, as it's missing the midrange and useablility of the older bike. On a track it's faster, but we're not talking for track use here are we? I have a track bike for that.
To be honest I don't need 150bhp. I don't need fully adjustable suspension but I am open to having those things as long as my bike is comfortable, keeps the weather off and is able to ride day in day out up the M3. The fact that it's also good at all the other stuff is by the by. ____________________ British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another. |
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Kris |
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Kris World Chat Champion
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Old Thread Alert!
The last post was made 3 years, 246 days ago. Instead of replying here, would creating a new thread be more useful? |
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