A new bike?

cliff · Doctor Sicknote Joined: 10 Feb 2004 Karma :

I'll cut to the chase. Advice needed. Doing test soon, suggestions for bikes please. Unfaired. No sporty (too uncomfortable).
Thinking along the lines of cb400/500
Bandit 400
sv650 (I wish Razz

)
Bear in mind that I am little over 5 foot so seat height IS an issue.
Thankyou for any help. Mucho Appreciado. Thumbs Up

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PsychoHippy · Jammy Git Joined: 01 Jul 2002 Karma :

The shorties among us seem to like the CBR400 and I can personally recommend the Cagiva 650 Raptor (if you can find one) as they are quite short too.
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I spend all my money on bikes and beer, the rest I simply waste!

cliff · Doctor Sicknote Joined: 10 Feb 2004 Karma :

No italian! I want to ride my bike, not sit on it in the back of a van waiting to get it fixed. Italian bikes IMO are about as reliable as a paper umbrella. Laughing

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Sweet reggae music.

PsychoHippy · Jammy Git Joined: 01 Jul 2002 Karma :

I'm afraid I have to disagree there. I did 13000 miles on my V Raptor and had absolutely no mechanical (or any other) failures. Japanese engines you see Smile

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I spend all my money on bikes and beer, the rest I simply waste!

cliff · Doctor Sicknote Joined: 10 Feb 2004 Karma :

PsychoHippy · Jammy Git Joined: 01 Jul 2002 Karma :

Claud 14.7 to 1 · World Chat Champion Joined: 06 May 2004 Karma :

Cbr400 has a nice low seat height. I have one. Cant fault it (especially for a first bike). It has a sport riding position though.

Im 5 10 / 5 11 (on a good day) and its fine, but after an hour/hour and a half it gets a bit uncomfortable.

I live with it, because i like it so much.

G · The Voice of Reason Joined: 02 Feb 2002 Karma :

The SV is fairly low insurance group.
Have you tried riding something like the cbr400 when you say no sports bikes?

TiN · Pocket Tin Joined: 14 Feb 2002 Karma :

The Raptor uses the same engine as the SV650. I recall that the half-faired SV is group 10 or 12 insurance, and the naked one is 2 groups or so below. Although it's a 650, it's a 650 twin, and so produces less power than 600 fours.

As for making a decision - will you be law-abiding and fit restrictors etc? The CB4 will probably be the least powerful and hence the least choked by the washers.
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TiN
dotgems.net

Danny · Ask Me About Stoppie School Joined: 26 Jan 2003 Karma :

The SV650 is only one insurance group higher than my GPz550. Laughing

dandit · Nearly there... Joined: 04 May 2004 Karma :

you could allways go for the cbf 500 / 600 it's honda so reliabillity aint a problem or I'd recomend the 600 bandit but in saying that the sv650 is a group lower on insurance Shocked

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WHAT DO YOU MEAN 100 MPH THATS IMPOSSIBLE I STILL HAD 3 GEARS TO GO OFFICER. Currently riding a naked cbr 600 and driving a 52 plate 2litre tdci mondeo

Robby · Dirty Old Man Joined: 16 May 2002 Karma :

Well if you want ultra cheap go old - cb400 superdream, gs550, z400 twin - anything from the 80s will be cheap. Some of them are good and some are utter shit (z650 twin, gpz305).

More modern tackle - CB/GS/ER 500. I'd avoid the 400cc fours, as they do the same thing as the 500 twins but noisier and revvier, and cost more to run (and crash).

LustyLew · World Chat Champion Joined: 19 Apr 2004 Karma :

Aren't most 400's imports any way? I looked at the honda Super 4's and CB400's when I first passed, but they were all imported and bumped up my insurance.

Now the ER5, there's a nice bike... plug plug Laughing

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Like a Yorkie - I'm not for the girls Wink

Bendy · Mrs Sensible Joined: 10 Jun 2002 Karma :

I think Cliff's choice is going to be quite largely governed by his ickle legs... he needs to do some serious sitting on things to see what he can actually reach the ground on.

My CB5 had a fair number of clicks out of the suspension and still wasn't that low, and I'm taller than cliffy. Confused

cliff · Doctor Sicknote Joined: 10 Feb 2004 Karma :

Indeed Bendy is correct. I had a sit on a cb500 yesterday. Feels a bit chunky but after sitting on lukes r6 and (someone else who I can't remember his name) Rvf 400, It felt right, I prefer the streetfighter/naked style. I reckon The Speed Triple would do me nicely! Twisted Evil

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priller · Brolly Dolly Joined: 26 Jan 2004 Karma :

LustyLew · World Chat Champion Joined: 19 Apr 2004 Karma :

cliff · Doctor Sicknote Joined: 10 Feb 2004 Karma :

I had a look at an Er5 the other day in a car park. Kinda thing I'm after. Goose and Carvell will be pleased to know I'm thinking of a Honda Bros! Razz

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EuropeanNC30R... · Gay Hairdresser Joined: 20 Jun 2002 Karma :

I reckon it's still worth you looking at a sports 400, most people who find them uncomfortable aren't vertically challenged Razz

cliff · Doctor Sicknote Joined: 10 Feb 2004 Karma :

Oi! I'm not vertically challenged! I'm just everyone else is so tall!
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Bendy · Mrs Sensible Joined: 10 Jun 2002 Karma :

Goose's Bros might be for sale soon. Thumbs Up

cliff · Doctor Sicknote Joined: 10 Feb 2004 Karma :

I dont want to buy a bike that I have seen on the floor, with the owner laying in a bush laughing. Thumbs Down

Poor goose, his bros is a bit worse for ware. Razz

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dainesefreak · World Chat Champion Joined: 04 Apr 2003 Karma :

How much are you looking at spending? Only asking because Honda have put adjustable seat heights on the new CBF's I believe.

cliff · Doctor Sicknote Joined: 10 Feb 2004 Karma :

Not sure yet, I dont want brand new really. I am very tempted by the sv650. I'm gonna go druel over bike trader! Drooling

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Sweet reggae music.

EuropeanNC30R... · Gay Hairdresser Joined: 20 Jun 2002 Karma :

The SV650's are suprisingly tall, quite a bit more than a sports 400.