What type of bike have you had most 'fun' on?

[droog]

'Fun' is kind of a cheesy expression but I can't sum up the concept any better than this.

I guess this is principally a sport v naked question - I'm in the market for a mid-noughties litre sportsbike but I've got a sneaking suspicion that in terms of actual fun and happiness something like a Kawasaki Z1000 or similar naked would be the better option for me.

It's based on the idea that these bikes are designed to be used and experienced in different 'zones' - and that you should choose a bike based on the kind of 'zone' you spend most of your time in - whether that is the road or the track - or maybe this is just horsesh*t which is why I'm interested in your opinions.

I remember reading a Bike magazine article where a 954 Blade and a Kawasaki Z1000 went back to back on the public road. The upshot of the article was that while the Blade represented the pinnacle (at the time) of motorcycle performance and technology the Z Thou was the more rewarding and fun bike to ride because all of the sweet spots in the Kawasakis performance and handling were calibrated to coincide with the kind of speeds and conditions we experience as road riders - whereas with the 954 the whole package (while brilliant) only really came together at the kind of sustained high speeds you only really get to see at somewhere like the Nurburgring.

If you have experience of both types of bike I was just wondering if anyone has any thoughts on this?

[pepperami]

Hmmm? Off road my Bultaco Pursang that was modified for playing motoball (Google it) gave me many hours of fun and more than a few bruises.
On the road , I loved my Yamaha RD 250lc and again gave me many hours of smiles!

As with most of us here, I’ve had many bikes since, but those two stand out as smile makers.
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I am the sum total of my own existence, what went before makes me who I am now!

[chickenstrip]

Different kinds of enjoyment for different reasons on many of the bikes I've had, but for pure fun, I guess I'd have to say the RG500 and the Street Triple were probably top of the list.
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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
THERE'S MILLIONS OF CHICKENSTRIPS OUT THERE!

[spottedtango]

First generation Aprilia tuono 1000, it’s hard to express the how hilariously fun it is and it’s easy to ride in town although it likes to heat up.

The way the rotax engine delivers low down punch and top end rush, you need to hold on with an iron grip. It also handles brill like it’s sister bike the Mille, it handles a bit too well sometimes.

Also it’s reliable except regulators can fail and you need to replace the side stand with one of a Honda blackbird. They have a bad habit of falling over in high winds. Would recommend.

Would you consider a twin or is your heart set on an I4?

[Polarbear]

Fun purely in bike riding terms, A few old Yammy 2 smokes back in the youthful days (could be a tint of rosy glasses there mind)and recently, my Street Triple R for sure.

But I get huge enjoyment touring around on my bikes and for that my Goldwing 1800 was the dogs danglies and I loved it. Does enjoyment and fun equate?

Obviously that wasn't as exciting (as in wetting myself type of exciting) as when I hit stupidly illegal 3 figure speeds on my Busa on a motorway in the early hours of one morning but my nerves wouldn't stand that too often. Some people might call it fun though.

So Street Triple for me.
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Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[redeem ouzzer]

Anything two-stroke. I just prefer the sound, feel and smell plus I’ve never really got on with engine braking on a 4t. Disclaimer- I do more miles on my four strokes and really enjoy it, but I wouldn’t say it’s as much “fun”.
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Be a REAL MAN!

[xX-Alex-Xx]

Had a load of fun on a CRF-50. Two of us drifting them around in the football field next to work, even managed to high-side it when the back end dug into some mud and it flicked me off.

Or trackdays on my F4i.
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DILLIGAF

[P.]

For all round laughs and enjoyment, Street Triple, 100%.

[stinkwheel]

Most fun on a bike? Small bikes with silly power delivery.

1980's 100cc air cooled 2-strokes are a good example. Utter hoot, grin from ear to ear every time I go out on one. 9bhp, skinny tyres and a wafer-thin powerband can be a right laugh.

I preferr riding a naked bike to be fair, a sports bike is more purposeful and mindful. A fairing is sometimes necessary.

I'm (hopefully) going on a Euro-trip later on this year. Last years Euro trip had certain places I had to be at certain times (Spa classic racing then Vosages) and some of them a long way away. My VFR was the tool for the job. I can say for a certainty that going on a lower powered/naked bike would have definately been less fun. This year, we've decided on a loose 150mile/day limit and staying off motorways in the Spanish Picos. I'm giving serious consideration to taking my tuned Enfield bullet
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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.

[TheIncredible...]

My experiences are vastly fewer in quantity to most on here, especially with anything other than Sports Bikes, having only ever ridden 2 Naked bikes in my time.

The first was an old GS500 which I passed my test on many moons ago, which being the first bike I'd ever ridden, felt fast.......

Then I ventured on to a Bandit 1200 which I borrowed from a mate and that was incredibly good fun, until I hit about 75-80mph at which point it felt like the buffeting was going to dislodge my shoulders from their sockets.

From the very first time I rode a sports bike (if you can call a J1 ZX6-R a sports bike?), I've been hooked ever since and probably will be until such time that my ageing frame cannot hunker over the tank to reach the bars.

Oh and I've had the pleasure of riding an RS250 which was immense fun but by the very nature of the "beast", it was such hard work to make progress compared to other bikes I'd ridden at the time. Full throttle or nothing at all, which was fun but draining!
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Current Bike:-Suzuki GSXR 1000 - K3
Past Bikes:- ZX6-R, ZX7-R, RSV Mille x2 (1st Gen).

[MarJay]

[droog]

Interesting comments - thanks

[spottedtango]

Actually funny you say that.

The tuono is a tall bike along with the 900ss and yeah it makes the speed feel less because you’re further away from the road.

Bit like when you drive a car vs a van vs go cart. The go cart at 60mph is gonna feel ridiculously fast, the van not so much.

[wr6133]

Probably my GSXR K1 1000 is the most fun I've had. I know that bike as well as I know my own cock. No electronic safety shit, stupidly loud and obnoxious, faster than anyone could ever need, handles like it's on rails, in certain gears if you sneeze and twitch your hand it'll lift a wheel. It's bonkers and with no gay electronics it's far more engaging (and slightly dangerous feeling) than the more recent equivalents I've ridden. Even after the years and miles I've had it for it can still scare the shit out of me while making me grin ear to ear. Add to that excluding topping it out in a straight line it manages to entertain me to that level while probably not even seeing half it's full potential.

I've ridden other bikes that are as bikes maybe more fun, either for good or comedy bad reasons, (looking at you stupid Suzuki X7) but I think time and miles on the GSXR mean it probably will not be eclipsed.

That said I barely ride it anymore, buying an Enfield introduced me to a whole new world of fun at a slower pace.

Powerful litre nakeds I just don't get. Why buy a bike that comes alive at triple figures if doing triple figures tries to tear your arms off and blow you off the back.

[chickenstrip]

[TheIncredible...]

[MarJay]

[droog]

[droog]

[martin734]

The bike I have had most fun on was an old DT125 YPVS I used to own in Israel. Riding one of those offroad through the Negev is one of the highlights of my youth. (can early 20's be described as youth?)
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Current bike: ST1100 "Big Red"

[droog]

[stevo123]

2 stand out, an old Yammy DTR 125 that was stripped of street gear and used for razzing about the hills and woods with a mate of mine when we were about 14 or 15.

2nd is my first road bike, Honda NSR 125 (twin round headlight jobbie). I left home to get a bike because my dad gave me the old not under my roof routine haha. Lots of sunny rides and thrills had on that old bike. Night rides over the moors - just you and the bike. Magic!

had other bikes as well, I stepped up to a TZR 250 after the Honda and although quicker it never felt as sure footed or rewarding. Since then I have learnt about the importance of good boots and setting the bike up to your own preference.

Had my ZX6r (2006) since Feb and just about got it dialed in now. Love it to bits.

[MarJay]

[barrkel]

SH300 and Brutale 920.

The SH300 scooter is massive fun in London traffic. The low centre of gravity means it's got quick steering, but the 16" wheels give it more stability than something like a Vespa, the engine is enough to dart for gaps in the 20-40mph speed range, and the brakes are surprisingly good in case you misjudge, with ABS for good measure. At city speeds, I'd rather be on the SH300 for an emergency stop than on the S1000R with its Brembos & fancier ABS.

I kept doing accidental wheelies on the Brutale the first time I rode it. It has very little torque just off idle, so you need to slip the clutch more than a little, and then it goes pow. It feels quite short, and is a lot of fun on mountain passes - more fun than my VFR was on tight Alpine-style roads - and I rode it back and forth between France, Switzerland and Italy multiple times on the one tour I took it.

The Brutale has a lot of jerk; it hits maximum acceleration faster than my S1000R, even though it's got a good 30hp less power. That means it's quicker to wheelie, and feels both more responsive and more dangerous. It's not smooth unless you are.

It's also quite hard to get parts for, the ignition coils in particular were falsely advertised as for sale on multiple sites. If it had better support, I'd probably have kept it - or traded it for a higher power version.
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Bikes: S1000R, SH350; Exes: Vity 125, PS125, YBR125, ER6f, VFR800, Brutale 920, CB600F, SH300x4
Best road ever ridden: www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2MhNxUEYtQ

[ThatDippyTwat]

KX500 Supermoto. Without doubt the biggest shit-eating grin I've ever had on a bike. Hard work to ride it on public roads within limits, totally unsuitable as a daily, or for keeping your license long. But it's the most fun I've had on a bike. Ever.

The only thing that's come close was a Tuono V4 I handed back to my mate after 10 mins. It cost me a lot to get my license back, and I don't fancy losing it again, which is a given with me on that bike. A slightly less manic grin, but that is a proper tool for antisocial riding, it carries its weight (comapared to a 2t Motard) very well.
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'98 VFR800 (touring) - '12 VFR800 Crosrunner (Commuting) - '01 KDX220 (Big Green Antisocial Machine)