another what bike thread

[eifion]

Hi guys and gals,

Did my CBT a few weeks ago, currently riding around on a L plates on my yamaha sr125 and loving it. Planning to keep the SR over the winter, get more experience, and do DAS sometime early next spring.

But don't know what bike to go for. I'm not really interestied in a 200mph crotch-rocket, but nor do I want a big fat tourer that's so thirsty I might as well get another car. I also don't want acres of chrome to polish.

What I'm looking for is a standard bike, fairly upright position, but with a decent fairing so you don't get blasted by the wind at speed. Definately not a sportsbike, but something with enough power and comfort to do 2 or 3 hours down the motorway, and that would be suitable as an every-day commuter / riding around for the hell of it bike.

A friend has suggested a GSX-F. Any others that fit the bill?
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SR125 -> 6 year gap -> SV650 -> Deauville -> NC750X -> Vstrom 650

[Irezumi aka Reuben]

Yamaha Fazer 600

[Trixie]

I know I've suggested this before, but you can't go too wrong with a Honda CB500S (the S version has a half fairing). In my days of owning one, I did some fairly hefty motorway journeys and it was never a problem. I found the seat comfy, the fairing worked (i.e. I didn't get blasted) and the bike could comfortably sit at a good speed.

Other bikes you could consider are a Hornet S, a Bandit S and Kawasaki do the GPZ500S. They're all faired/half faired.
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Dead nobodies in company cars...

[St0rmer66]

Kawasaki ER6-F seems to fit the bill also.
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:: Honda XR 125 L ('53) => Kawasaki GPZ 500S ('02) => Suzuki SV650S ('00) => Aprilia RSV-R ('51) ::

[Zen Dog]

I had a go on my mates new Firestorm the other day, and it was surprisingly comfy. I could have happily used it for all the things you refer to, although motorway would be better with a double bubble...

Basically, what i'm saying is, dont write off certain kinds of bikes, look around, see what you fancy, find something you can just fall in love with.

Zen Dog
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Current - '94 VFR750FR (Dead), '00 VFR800FI, '10 600 Hornet - Previous - '11 CBF125, '10 Street Triple R, '92 MZ ETZ301, '05 TTR250, NSR125R, KMX125, "Honda" Win
My bike trip around S.E. Asia 2010/2011

[KTM Gordo]

There is a plethora of good all-round 'bikes out there, and the best thing is to get ourself out and look at them, sit on them, and (once you've got your licence) test-ride them.

If you're thinking of buying new, then you could get yourself to the NEC and try the offerings from Yamaha (Fazer S2), Kawasaki (ER6), Honda (CB-F & Hornet) and Suzuki (Bandit, GSR600 & SV650).

I bought one of the original Fazers (FZS600) in 2000 and I'm still enjoying it today, six years and 41k miles later.

HTH
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Change is inevitable - except from a vending machine.

KTM 990 Adventure | KTM EXC 250 Racing | Land Rover Freelander SE Td4

[alone]

I've had two GSX-F's. an '89 model, which I'm (sort of) putting back together. and a '99 model. The latter I covered over 15,000 miles on, in under 10 months. Had a numb bum after 450miles to York, but other than that, fantastic bike. Never missed a beat or had any other problem. It was quite a weighty bike though, but if you are just after something to ride rather than thrash, the weight can be (I found anyway) quite confidence inspiring.

There's a lot of info around about the other bikes mentioned above, if you do a search. But there's my 2c on the GSXF.

Oh, and for the record, I owned the 750.