most reliable bike ever... aka i need a bike

[hmmmnz]

right guys, the mission should you chhose to accept it,
is to help me decide on a bike,

1. the requirements
it needs to be able to do 600miles every weekend right through the coming nz winter with out breaking down
2 it needs to be able to maintain 70mph with overtaking power when needed (so bye bye to the infamous c90)
3. it needs to be phisically large, as im 6 foot 4 and not getting any younger, i dont want a sports 400, i did my time on them and don't want to go back
4. a decent tank range would be good, but not essential
5. parts availability, i dont want a bmw or a aprillia or mv or anything european. the parts just arn't available in nz for them
6 \i would prefer naked but thats not essential and probably just silly considering its intended use.


thats all for good ideas

cheers
____________________
the humans are dead
I kick arse for the lord
Wiring Diagrams BIDNIP it bitches

[chris-red]

[hmmmnz]

i did consider a tdm and the trx but they never made it to nz in large numbers and the ones that have are mostly over 100000km on the clock, i do love the parallel twin sound though
____________________
the humans are dead
I kick arse for the lord
Wiring Diagrams BIDNIP it bitches

[chris-red]

[mooserx]

hows about a cb1300?
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TL1000r-handful.

[Chriss]

Bit boring, but Suzuki GS500? My last one died with 87,000 miles on.
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TheShaggyDA: I've got 3 or 4 pairs that predate my wife, so at least 11.5 years old.

[DaveH]

Old BMW twin...?
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https://www.timhastingsracing.co.uk/

ZX7R & ER6F

[thewildblue]

Kwacker versys ?

[Seb]

A ZZR600 would be a good starting point. I had one as my first bike and it happily soldiered on through 16000 miles of me not really knowing how to maintain it properly as well as a couple of comedy standing drops. A good scrub down and a fresh pair of brake disks later and it even looked mint again, granted I did religiously coat it in FS365.

Worst that ever happened on that thing was a chewed speedo cable and blown rear bulb. It started on the button every time and didn't go near an optimate once in the time I had it.

Looking back, the only area I went wrong on it was failing to look after the brakes properly, the disks warp pretty easy and stopping power suffers bad in the wet. I got lucky and picked one up with a stainless OE exhaust system on it too, I hear the original downpipes are mild steel and like to rot through bandit style.
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2010 Triumph 1050 Sprint ST

[Smooth]

It's a shame that the TDM isn't available to you -a cracking all-rounder.

ps. The older ones are conventional parallel twins, that later model has an off-beat 270 degree crank.

[Itchy]

Anything that uses the transalp engine sounds like it ticks all your boxes:

Ie

Bros 650
NTV650
Africa twin
Transalp

The NTV transalp and Africa are physically big bikes and you need to be fairly big to ride them.

Or just get what everybody gets ie a CBR600F ,
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Spain 2008France 2007Big one 2009 We all die. The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will. In the end, your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching.

[Kwaks]

Its gonna be a Teapot for you
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Fallen Angel "Nae sniffing my seat now!!!!! "
www.cliqueycuntsmcc.co.uk
I AM NOT A FAST RIDER!!!!!!!!!

[c_dug]

Most of the 500cc parallel twins would do the job, i.e. cb500 gs500 gpz500 etc...

I cant really comment on the others but my GPZ does 50mpg with me riding it, and trust me im not an eco-rider! Its the highest strung engine out of all of the 500's and im still constantly being told that it will go forever...

Oh and 70mph is only sitting at 5.5k rpm, it will hit an indicated almost 120 so it should have it on the speed front.

Anyway thats my biased oppinion

c_dug
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I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.

[hellkat]

Where you riding to/from every weekend?
(just interested)

What about an XJ900?

Ours went from Auckland to Timaru and back without complaining, 2-up, decent tank size, fully loaded with 3 weeks worth of clothes, and I'm a REALLY fat bastard. It still had plenty of welly across places like the Canterbury Plains, got us up and down all manner of gorges and metal roads, despite Andy having no experience of NZ twisties/road works, and is comfortable.

They're big enough that they should accommodate your size, and there should be plenty of parts still around.
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Not nearly as interesting in real life.

[Thom]

XJ600
Dull but perfect mini-tourer with spares a plenty.
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Current Bike: 1996 Yamaha TRX850 (The Japanese-Ducati One).
Previous Bikes: 1990 Honda NSR125 'Rothmans' (The smoking one), 1990 Suzuki GS500e 'Caf? fighter' (The loud one), 1987 Kawasaki GPX400r (The quick one), 1997 XJ600s Diversion (The reliable one), 2000 Kawasaki ER-5 (The spontaneously combustive one)

[Wooly R6]

Fazer 1000
Blackbird
VFR800
ZZR1100/1200/1400
GSX1400
CB1300
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R6 has been sold - 2004 Honda VFR VTEC now sold too - no bike at the moment

[stinkwheel]

A '97 VFR750 or a '98 VFR800.

Pre v-tech, gear driven cams, 8,000 mile oil changes, 14k between major services, Honda build quality.

At 70mph will sit in top gear sipping petrol, I'd guess over 200 miles to a tank. I get 160 miles from a tank doing an AVERAGE speed in excess of 70mph.

Only dodgy bit is the reg/rec. Easily replaced.

600 miles every weekend on an unfaired bike? Fuck off!

Fit a high level pipe for ride in, ride out tyre fitting, undo 4 bolts to drop the rear wheel off the hub like you do in a car. Mainstand fitted as standard.

Luggage? No problem.

EDIT: Only problem I've had in the last 30k miles is the reg/rec going. Not unexpected.

Service intervals are important when doing that kind of mileage, you'd spend half your life doing oil changes on some bikes.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[hmmmnz]

[Flip]

Yamaha XJR1300.

Yes I'm biased.

[SlimRick]

+1 for the ZZR, I'm doind 500 miles a week on mine at the moment in all weathers anf f'king loving it.

[hellkat]

Everyone in my house is going "Fuuuucccckin hell! Taupo to Wellington and back every weekend."
That's quite some ride, dude
Suggestions other than bikes are:
Get a helicopter
Get a job in Taupo
Get a job in Wellington
DEFINITELY get a comfortable reliable bike
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Not nearly as interesting in real life.

[Clanger]

Honda Bros 650

OMG! Lake Taupo (one of my fave places ever...ahhh beautiful)
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Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter won't mind - Dr. Seuss

[hmmmnz]

yep good ole taupo is nice, im sitting on the balcony looking out over the lake to the mountians now, nice hot day
im originally from here, but decided when i came back from the uk i'd live in wellington as there'd be more work, unfortuantly the construction work has all dryed up (spark work too) and something came up back here, so ive had to leave the scottish girlfriend in wellington and come up and work, funnily enough the pay is miles better in taupo, go figure.

but the commute is gunna be a bugger, nothing like riding the dessart road in the middle of winter oh well gotta be done i suppose,

back to bike, im liking the vfr more and more, i had almost written it off thinking it was like the vt with the barrel being part of the bottom end
(just rebuilt a vt250, which was a complete arse to work on)
i have found a naked one for not much dosh
https://images.trademe.co.nz/photoserver/84/86164184_full.jpg

it has a nice set of usd's and i dare say with some moto-x bars and a fly screen, heated grips, and brush guards, and some steel home made crash bars (with some foot rests on them) ill have the perfect weapon, appently its been owned by a mechanic , but we all know what a builders house looks like
____________________
the humans are dead
I kick arse for the lord
Wiring Diagrams BIDNIP it bitches

[craigs23]

I second the mid 90s VFR750 recommendation.

[deliriousthun...]

I'm not really qualified for this, having only been riding for about a year and a half, but I'll give my anyway..

In terms of riding enjoyment, the VFR would probably be a good choice, my mate has a newer 800 and I get the impression he's pretty pleased with it, suopposed to be a great balance between being a fast/fun bike, and a really comfortable, smooth tourer..

In terms of riding 600 miles a weekend and wanting to keep servicing and cleaning etc to a minimal (because really, who likes cleaning/working on bike in the middle of winter ).. I'd have to second something like an NTV650 or an XJ900.. they both have shaft drive so day to day maintenance doesn't really exist

The NTV 650 is supposed to be a bit of a dark horse too

From the picture of the naked VFR you posted there, an NTV doesn't even look all that different
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Tom