Help on what bike

[timboellis]

I have been looking round to see what is avaialble in my local area well 300 miles south of me max with a spending limit of £1200

These bikes i have found just wondering if any of these would be a good starter.

I am looking to take my son off camping on this so long journeys on school holidays but the rest of the time back and forward to work 3 mile trip and round about town.

Also I and not keen on this leaning forward sports riding , i like to sit up and not fussy about speed as long as it is happy getting up to motorway speeds and is low maintence

YAMAHA XJ DIVERSION Diversion 600
KAWASAKI GTR ZG1000 A1 997cc
YAMAHA FZS FAZER FZS600
SUZUKI RF400R 400cc
SUZUKI GSX 600 FX 600 F
SUZUKI GSX 600F 600cc
HONDA DEAUVILLE NT650
Also BMW touring bikes the old ones

Any of these no use to me so i can thin it down

[c-m]

SUZUKI RF400R 400cc you can remove this. It won't be pleasant 2 up on long journeys.

[timboellis]

Thanks i will whittle it down one way or another.

[Pete.]

The Dullville stands out from the list as fitting your bill the closest. Thoroughly competent, and thoroughly boringly Honda.
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a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good

[c-m]

It sounds like you want a sports tourer that can also act as a bit of a work horse. Medium ride position, decent ish on fuel but still bloody fast.

I'd be looking at the following:

CBR600F
VFR750
VFR800 - the non-vtec models

Creative match: Kawasaki ZX9R (probably too high maintenance)

I would avoid 400cc bikes. Great fun, but you want to tour with your son on the back, plus part will be getting harder to come by.

The old-style BMWs with the massive fairings are great for touring, but not exactly sporty, and I think you list that as one of your requirements.

The GSX600F while it would fit your needs, is bloody disgusting..just look at it. There is a reason it's called the teapot.

The Fazer 600 is a good all rounder. Could probably use a little more protection, but would certainly fit the bill. I'd choose one of these over the Diversion 600 that you list.

[flumpy7]

[quote="c-m"]

The GSX600F while it would fit your needs, is bloody disgusting..just look at it. There is a reason it's called the teapot.

quote]

I had the gsx750f for a while same sort of thing but bigger engine. The thing is yeah they look a bit odd but because of this they get a bad rep which means MAJOR bargains can be had (on 600 and 750). I put up with the unusual shape cause it was such a nice ride and i got it bloody cheap. Cant speak for the 600 but the 750 is a really smooth ride with bags of power (its a detuned 750 gixxer motor) and is seriously comfortable on long journeys due to the more upright riding position. Lots of luggage options as well. Worth a look IMO as it sounds like youre after something useable not a trophy bike.
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2012 Sinnis apache

[timboellis]

Well i quite like the look of the GSX600F to be honest and still at £68 for insurance.

All at a good price as well I assume i would be able to get some kind of panniers i could stick on it?

[c-m]

[timboellis]

Those bags look exactly what i am after , that was one of the reasons i was going for a deuville as i did not need to fork out on extra panniers.

So this bike will not send me reaching over the tank will not get my belly over it

Also the speed will not be too much of an increase for a just recently passed?

[c-m]

[ollieholt]

ive got a fazer 600 so i will be biased but the fzs has everything ive asked of it and more. upright riding position, easy to maintain and cheap too. insurance is cheap, it has a 200 mile tank range on motorways, sometimes more. depends on how you ride it.

when you fancy that sunday blast there is always that thundercat engine between your legs and a decent enough suspension setup + a six speed box. plenty of fun when you need it to be and like a sofa on the motorways. paniers will fit although i havent tried on mine. its more an all rounder then a sports tourer but can be blisteringly good fun. they can be had for less then 2 grand in decent nick. bought mine from a dealer for £1900 on a 99 with 11k on it 1 lady owned with a full service history. mint condition.

good luck and have fun
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< This? Well this is just a day brightner.

[timboellis]

Well got a choice of 2 at the mo any feedback is greatfull

https://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/bikes-for-sale/searchresults/detail/Yamaha/FZS600-FAZER/1999/_/R-NXGN-7549470?mfy=166.536305

https://www.mitchellsmc.co.uk/newbikes.php?showdetails=1097&status=NEW&status2=&highlighttarget=1097

I have pictures for this one at https://www.piggywig.co.uk/bike

https://www.mitchellsmc.co.uk/newbikes.php?showdetails=1321&status=NEW&status2=&highlighttarget=1321

https://www.mitchellsmc.co.uk/newbikes.php?showdetails=1318&status=NEW&status2=&highlighttarget=1318

What would you suggest Inverness ones look good as all localish

Thanks

Tim

[ollieholt]

lol @ that picture on the gold fazer advert!!!! wtf
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< This? Well this is just a day brightner.

[ollieholt]

sorry for laughing and not giving advice.

just silly, why has he photoshopped, sorry, painted his bike into his garden and drawn a shadow on the floor. no stand as well....

anyway should be fine but that seems way to cheap. when u check it out have a good ride if u can or someone else, take a mechanic if you are not to sure on what you're looking at.

the bandit looks good.

personal choice from here on in dude.
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< This? Well this is just a day brightner.

[timboellis]

[Clanger]

As I say to most people, look around this forum, there are tonnes of 'what bike next threads', write down the list of bikes you have seen listed, go onto google images, look at all the bikes. Cross off your list the ones you don't like.

Then go out to a few bike shops and look at the ones you do like, and if possible go for a test ride, (if able) if not, at least sit on the bike and get a feel for it - distance from seat to footpeg, how long the reach to handle bar is, that sort of thing...

Then make an informed decision based on what suits YOU.
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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

[ollieholt]

[londonbill]

I'm only commenting on bikes I have experience of.

YAMAHA XJ DIVERSION Diversion 600

Worthy bike.
I owned one for two years and took it on a 3000 mile tour across
Europe with the Mrs. on the back and Givi's filled to bursting.
It never missed a beat.
Very underrated bike provided performance is not high on your list of criteria, but not built all that well.
Corrosion is an issue.
If you find a clean one, that means it's been doted over.
These bikes don't do winter all that well.


KAWASAKI GTR ZG1000 A1 997cc

Bloody Hell.
There's a blast from the past.
This was Kawasaki's attempt to reign in BMW as the premier maker
of tourers, and was an unashamed rip off of the K100LT of the day.
The problem was that the ZX10 motor, (that would eventually find it's way into the ZZR), was considered a bit too frantic and peaky
for a relaxed tourer, and they did not sell all that well.
In todays touring market, things have changed a lot and people do want sports performance as well as comfort, which ironically makes
this bike more relevant today than it was in the 80's.
If memory serves, these have only single pot calipers which are woefully inadequate for a bike of these proportions, so if you get one, you'll be wanting to upgrade those.


SUZUKI RF400R 400cc

In this country, only the RF600 and 900 were imported.
If it's a 400, it'll be a Japanese import


SUZUKI GSX 600 FX 600 F

Another underrated and overlooked budget middleweight.
Probably because of it's odd looks, which gave it the nickname of
"teapot"
I remember being lent one for the day while my bike was in for a service and I thought it was pretty bloody impressive.
The engine of course is basically the same as the Bandit, so well proven and durable.


SUZUKI GSX 600F 600cc


Which is basically the same bike as the above isn't it ?

Also BMW touring bikes the old ones

Consider an early K series.
The best of these is the K1100RS which is a stonking bike, and superbly built.
It's a bit on the heavy side by todays standards, but is very compact and easy to ride.
It's quick too.
Also, in terms of practicality, you'll find it near impossile to find one that hasn't had the proper (and at the time expensive), BMW luggage fitted by at least one of it's former keepers.

You've some up with a very diverse selection there.
Good luck

[defblade]

[Alex A]

Yes, but he doesn't want to buy a rust ridden, 12 year old, imported bike with 99,000km on the clocks for £1400!

You can get a far better bike for that money, especially at this time of year.
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Current: Ducati Panigale R / Ducati Streetfighter S / Suzuki GSX-R1000 L5

[timboellis]

THanks for the responses so far and it has got me thinking of putting another £100 on it.

So the choice is now :

Bandit Either faired or non faired

https://www.mitchellsmc.co.uk/newbikes.php?showdetails=1318&status=NEW&status2=&highlighttarget=1318
this one looks clean and low milage i assume 25k is low

or non faired https://www.mitchellsmc.co.uk/usedbikes.php?showdetails=1318&status=NEW&status2=&highlighttarget=1318
at 5k on the clock does nto look as tidy

or the Deuville that looks tatty as hell

https://www.piggywig.co.uk/bike/010.JPG

or will it buff out and would it outlast the bandit

also i will be riding it every day , rain or shine and snow for that and will be left outside , will the Deauville not take that better or will the bantit be okay its not going to rust to bits in a year?

ANy feed back before i head off would be good and what to look for on the bikes

[timboellis]

Oh and one other thing i assume me and my son could quite comfortably do a 300/400 mile trip on it okay ?

[Alex A]

Your son should be comfortable on either. The faired bandit should do the job just as well as the Deuville, probably better.

At the same money, buy on condition.

It's worth looking private though, not just at one dealer.
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Current: Ducati Panigale R / Ducati Streetfighter S / Suzuki GSX-R1000 L5

[timboellis]

Thanks for the response, off o hav a look now will let you knwo if i get anything.

I had looked for sometime and nothing within 300 odd miles of me that would do and at my budget.