If someone asked you for a bike that does it all…

[Martylaa]

I’m interested to know your thoughts on this one..

If you were only allowed to own one bike, then what would you have and why?

I’m thinking about a bike for going off on days out, days touring away around parts of the country and also something fun to have a daft few hours on when bored…

What you thinking?

[doggone]

Yamaha T700

[kgm]

Road use only? Crossrunner or Tracer 900.
Off-road ability too? Yamaha T7 or KTM 790 adventure.

Everything is always a compromise somewhere.

[pepperami]

[arry]

Tenere would have to be up there.

But any bike will tour various parts of the country - as long as you've got enough time!

[B5234FT]

Street triple R

[Fat Angry Scotsman]

[ThatDippyTwat]

No bike will ever "do it all".

But if I could only own one... I already have it, the VFR. My personal preference being 4th gen 750 followed by the 5th gen Pre-VTEC 800.

There will be bikes that are faster, better handling, have off road, ability 2T, more modern, more elegant... the list of specialities is endless. But the VFR has it's reputation as one of the best all rounders ever for good reason. It'll get me to work, it'll get a surprising hustle on, it'll tour for years.
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'98 VFR800 (touring) - '12 VFR800 Crosrunner (Commuting) - '01 KDX220 (Big Green Antisocial Machine)

[stinkwheel]

Another vote for VFR750. Providing it's not to be used offroad.
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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.

[ThunderGuts]

VFR800X Crossrunner - I've got one and it does everything on the road. As happy lugging camping kit as an evening blast.

Edit: I'd argue it builds and further improves the "all rounder" ability of the normal VFR; I find the more upright position, slightly higher seat height and bigger screen makes it a better tool for commuting. Possibly at the slight compromise of outright handling, although I don't feel it has any great limitations.

Shameless excuse to show mine in action, firstly on an evening blast over the Snake Pass, secondly hauling camping kit across the Brecon Beacons.

https://www.bikechatforums.com/files/upperderwentsmaller.jpg

My Crossrunner is the one at the back.

https://www.bikechatforums.com/files/brecons1small.jpg
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TG.

[chickenstrip]

[Martylaa]

Apologies no fighting here lol, ahhh it was just some thoughts on if you had to have the one really…

I’d have to agree with the Street Triple R comment (and I own one), it’s probably why I’ll end up with two bikes (just defeated the purpose of this thread lol) another more in the Touring vein…

Have to say I have looked countless times at those VFR’s but never seen that touring version before…

[xX-Alex-Xx]

GSXR-1000. My (lightly modded) K5 was a monster.

Did everything you listed and it did them all perfectly.
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DILLIGAF

[chickenstrip]

[stinkwheel]

Blackbird could probably be added to the list.
____________________
“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.

[chickenstrip]

[ThatDippyTwat]

[chickenstrip]

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

1200GS or Tiger 800 xca or xcx - I say this, having never ridden either. So, if those aren't allowed, zx9r. I think they might be easier to work on than the vfr because they're just a UJM il4 config. Also, from the C iteration onwards they might be a bit lighter than the vfr as well. They're definitely faster - but ride extremely well very slowly. Trickling and filtering is piss easy - and the (cable) clutch is light too.

As noted - above - this era litre class, fully fared jobs, are roomy and biddable. More so than many would imagine. Also, in the case of the zx9r, they're strong bikes - i hammer mine down all sorts of horrendous lanes and it shrugs it off. I swear modern equivalents would have dented rims more and visible wear and tear generally. My mate's 2012 zx6r is no where near as robust. Although it's a lot lighter, to be fair.
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"Life is a sexually transmitted disease and the mortality rate is one hundred percent."

Mobylette Type 50 ---> Raleigh Grifter ---> Neval Minsk 125

[chickenstrip]

[Kentol750]

Ktm 790 adventure. Maybe an 890. Yam t7 is overrated and not in the same class. Ktm blows gs850 and tiger 800xcx away. 7k on mine since July and love it. With no off road wants ever, Fireblade.
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Some bikes.

[stinkwheel]

[ThatDippyTwat]

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

Mine are in at 80k sfaict, I last had them checked at 20k. I don't think many of the bikes from this era need much tweaking after the first adjustment. Unless they're in the red 50% of the time, but who rides like that? No need to - 750 and above has so much accessible power pretty much everywhere it seems.
____________________
"Life is a sexually transmitted disease and the mortality rate is one hundred percent."

Mobylette Type 50 ---> Raleigh Grifter ---> Neval Minsk 125

[hellkat]