Scrotes Nicked My Bike

[Prawny]

Yeah I’m thinking the same. Lots of bandits available in budget and look in decent nick.

Not had anything with carbs on since my first car so a bit unsure, but the lack of electronics would likely be a good thing being kept outside? Or would the bowls will with water? I’m mechanically inept.

My only minor concern is the lack of abs on older bikes, but then again bandits seem to have it more often than not
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Yamaha Vity 125 (gone) Kawasaki ER6N(dead) 2022 Royal Enfield Meteor 350 (nicked) 2003 DL1000 V Strom

[kawakid]

Feel sorry for you mate, sons got nicked in August when he left it after a breakdown and RAC were saying 6.5 hours.
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I've a twin and a 4.

[Prawny]

Morning Chaps, any reason not to take a punt on a 2003 Vstrom?

Guy has just finished a European tour on it, done 44k miles, it's up for £1900.

CFO has given me a budget of £2k tops, preferably less. This is local, has an MOT and comes with a topbox and heated grips, looks tidy too.

Anything to look out for?
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Yamaha Vity 125 (gone) Kawasaki ER6N(dead) 2022 Royal Enfield Meteor 350 (nicked) 2003 DL1000 V Strom

[MarJay]

44k is a lot for a bike. I'd be checking the rear shock, fork seals, fork bushes, bearings etc. The engine will be fine, it's massively understressed, both the 650 and 1000cc engines are designed for bigger/better/faster things, so should last fine.
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[Prawny]

Yeah tbh with my budget everything I'm looking at has done mega miles or is a stupid distance away unfortunately. I'm happy that anything I get will need some fettling to keep it going.

To get something with a lower milage I'd be looking at 2.5-3k which I'd need a loan for and the boss wont sign off on that.
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Yamaha Vity 125 (gone) Kawasaki ER6N(dead) 2022 Royal Enfield Meteor 350 (nicked) 2003 DL1000 V Strom

[grr666]

Vaguely on topic, I went out yesterday to book mine in for a chain adjustment and saw a trashed MT10 SP new
shape outside the place. Asked the mechanic what happened and it was stolen ragged and crashed. He said it had 10k
worth of damage because they had cracked the frame and it would be written off. I bet the owner like me hadn't
had his bike very long and waited best part of a year for it to arrive, I wonder if it was the SP that was sold two bikes
ahead of mine. I'll have a look at the numberplate when I pop in later today for my chain adjustment and see if it was
from Fowlers. I'm on the ramp at half past 3.
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Currently enjoying products from Ford, Mazda and Yamaha
Ste wrote: Avatars are fine, it's signatures that need turning off.

[to v or not to v]

the Yamaha Thunderace is sub £2k for a good nick bike. surprisingly comfortable and fun to ride too.
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current bike Yamaha Thunderace.
its old and fat, but its a damned good ride. the bikes not bad either.

[Prawny]

I ended up taking a punt on the strom, owner gave me good vibes bike looks mint for it's age and mileage, couple of little bits I could tidy up if I want to but already looks in better nick than the Enfield did.

Only ridden it the 7 or so miles home, it's a bit different lights are much better, mirrors work at 60, ride position is good, higher seat seemed to stop me getting dazzled as much by oncoming cars, but I can still reach the floor with my little legs.

I think maybe the clutch basket could do with replacing, there is a bit of a rattle 2-3k rpm but it's not unrideable, with the limited miles I do I'll probably just ride it until I either want to sort it or I want a new bike. I'm going to learn how to do some spannering on this with the assistance of a guy in my street so might keep this long term, I saw on the Stromtrooper forum there's a guy with one that has nearly half a million miles on it so it should last a while for me with some TLC.
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Yamaha Vity 125 (gone) Kawasaki ER6N(dead) 2022 Royal Enfield Meteor 350 (nicked) 2003 DL1000 V Strom

[Fat Angry Scotsman]

[Prawny]

I don’t know about 100, I’ve read various reports between high 80s and mid 90s but I’m sure a loads of them wild horses will have gone to the glue factory in the last 20 years.

It’ll do though, more than quick enough for me.

I see you made the leap too, not going to pretend I’m not a bit jealous, really nice bikes them.
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Yamaha Vity 125 (gone) Kawasaki ER6N(dead) 2022 Royal Enfield Meteor 350 (nicked) 2003 DL1000 V Strom

[Fat Angry Scotsman]

[Prawny]

Ha! The XR is mental isn't it?

Had a ride on the Strom on Saturday, only 20 miles or so because I've had a cold since I picked it up, the screen buffeting is horrendous with the touring screen, if I stand up a bit or crouch down it's fine so I must be exactly the wrong height. I've bought a cheapo wind deflector off ebay to try because wind protection would be nice but if it doesn't work I might just take a saw to it.

Weirdly for some reason, even though it's a big bike, with 2 headlights, people keep pulling out on me. Might have to get moar lights.
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Yamaha Vity 125 (gone) Kawasaki ER6N(dead) 2022 Royal Enfield Meteor 350 (nicked) 2003 DL1000 V Strom

[grr666]

[Prawny]

We've already covered that he doesn't need to think about money
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Yamaha Vity 125 (gone) Kawasaki ER6N(dead) 2022 Royal Enfield Meteor 350 (nicked) 2003 DL1000 V Strom

[Fat Angry Scotsman]

[Prawny]

Well the V Strom has turned out to be excellent if completely unsuitable. I’ve been crunching the numbers and as well as being a bit of a beast to handle in city traffic it’s costing me £8 a day to freeze my balls off just in fuel, I can get the train in to work for about a tenner and have a little sleep.

I’m starting to think about really cheap commuting, would I be mental getting a CBF125 for putting to work and back, even on the Strom opportunities for safe overtaking is infrequent, filtering is much more of a time saver. I know it’ll be absolute shite on the motorway so I might just not bother with that. Or am I being mental.

I know that I wasn’t happy with the speed of the meteor, but the VStrom is literally double the cost in fuel, and that’s not viable sadly.

Anything else notoriously cheap to buy and will do 70mpg plus?
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Yamaha Vity 125 (gone) Kawasaki ER6N(dead) 2022 Royal Enfield Meteor 350 (nicked) 2003 DL1000 V Strom

[A100man]

[Easy-X]

Loads of small alternatives. There's the 471cc twin in the various Hondas, the 373cc single in KTM/Husky, Kawasaki Z400... all >40bhp which is useable (if not ideal) for motorways and dual-carriageways. Probably all of them are lighter than a Meteor
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Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[Polarbear]

That's the 650 V Strom right? I'm amazed it's fuel consumption is that shite unless your are screwing the tits of it everywhere.
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Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[Prawny]

[Nute]

No idea where you are or how long the commute is but if you need the motorway this won’t be for you.

I saw one of these a few weeks ago, turns out it’s someone down the road from me who has it. Prob not the thing to admit on a bike site but I quite like it. If I lived in London and only drove locally I’d seriously consider one.

https://www.citroen.co.uk/ami#my_ami_ami

£99/ month and it must be dead cheap to charge.

I’m wondering if 2 people could pick one up and put it into the back of a van, but the pool of people who’d buy a nicked one or joy ride in it must be pretty small

[jeremyr62]

I'm sounding like a parrot here but if mpg is a concern, you have to reconsider the NC750 variants of all ages. Even if you redline it everywhere you'll still get +50mpg.

[WD Forte]

My 20 year old deisel car does more to the gallon than some of those bikes.
If all you want is a commuter but a feckin 300/400cc scoot
Economical, good stowage for your lunch box and toys
Good weather protection so no need for expensive gimp suits.
cheap/er insurance and tax than bigger bikes.
If you must maintain your 'real biker' status buy a garage queen you can wank over in your spare time.
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bikers smell of wee

[Fat Angry Scotsman]

[Prawny]

The idea of a big scoot is quite tempting, I was thinking about it even before I did the maths to be honest. I did used to like having warm dry feet.

My only concern with scooters is that car drivers in Brum tend to treat them all like deliveroo CBT wankers whereas proper bikes get a bit of respeck.

Might have to see if I can blag a test ride on one, hated the riding position on my old vity which is a concern.
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Yamaha Vity 125 (gone) Kawasaki ER6N(dead) 2022 Royal Enfield Meteor 350 (nicked) 2003 DL1000 V Strom