Motorcycle users group, seriously !

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landsurfer
Posts: 5327
Joined: 27 Oct 2012, 9:13pm

Re: Motorcycle users group, seriously !

Post by landsurfer »

mark a. wrote:Hopefully next year I'll be joining the motorcycle world. It's something I've wanted to do for years and soon I'll have the time and money to give it a go.

I don't have any family with motorbikes, and only one or two friends have or had one, so I'm not entrenched in the world. What I'll end up getting is completely up in the air - I don't even know what type of bike to get. I have vague plans of a Honda CRF250L to start, then an Africa Twin later on, but it might just come down to the fact that the Yamaha dealer is within walking distance.


Try this .... https://www.royalenfield.com/motorcycle ... ayan/bike/
“Quiet, calm deliberation disentangles every knot.”
Be more Mike.
The road goes on forever.
reohn2
Posts: 45158
Joined: 26 Jun 2009, 8:21pm

Re: Motorcycle users group, seriously !

Post by reohn2 »


I saw a couple of these parked up last time we were in Hawes,they looked the business but I couldn't help thinking how they stack up against the Hondas and other Japanese examples.
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"All we are not stares back at what we are"
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mark a.
Posts: 1375
Joined: 8 Jan 2007, 2:47pm
Location: Surrey

Re: Motorcycle users group, seriously !

Post by mark a. »



I need to completely re-calibrate my budget expectations. Only £4k? It's easy to spend more than that on a modern bicycle :shock:

I'm a regular visitor to Brooklands Museum and I enjoy looking at the BSAs (and, of course, the Brough Superiors) so something like the Royal Enfield could be a way of getting a similar machine without quite so much oil leakage.
100%JR
Posts: 1138
Joined: 31 May 2016, 10:47pm
Location: High Green,Sheffield.

Re: Motorcycle users group, seriously !

Post by 100%JR »

reohn2 wrote:

I saw a couple of these parked up last time we were in Hawes,they looked the business but I couldn't help thinking how they stack up against the Hondas and other Japanese examples.

Outside Pennygarth Cafe by any chance?We used to ride up there then onto Sedbergh,Kirby Lonsdale then back down the A65.
My parents have lived just outside Hawes since 1998.
tatanab
Posts: 5033
Joined: 8 Feb 2007, 12:37pm

Re: Motorcycle users group, seriously !

Post by tatanab »

100%JR wrote:I did the Hardly Dangerous thing the wrong way around ie in my early 20s not late 40s :wink: I was coerced into buying an 883 Sportster which was a total waste of time so I swapped it for a 1200 Sportster after a couple of weeks.....which was no faster,no better at stopping and generally as bad as it’s baby brother.
I used to live in the USA and several of my work mates and bosses had HDs. We had great fun bantering about Hardly Able To or Hardly Affordable versus ligtweight Triumphs that get around corners and don't need polishing because they are surrounded by an oil mist. It was fun, but there are people who take these things just too seriously, much like the Jap versus British discussions of the 70s. Just enjoy riding!

In 1996 I went to a BSB round at Thruxton. One of the supporting events was a race for 883s which were allowed only minor modifications. It was entertaining seeing them trying to muscle them through the chicane, but it was close racing and very entertaining - just as it should be.
reohn2
Posts: 45158
Joined: 26 Jun 2009, 8:21pm

Re: Motorcycle users group, seriously !

Post by reohn2 »

100%JR wrote:
reohn2 wrote:

I saw a couple of these parked up last time we were in Hawes,they looked the business but I couldn't help thinking how they stack up against the Hondas and other Japanese examples.

Outside Pennygarth Cafe by any chance?We used to ride up there then onto Sedbergh,Kirby Lonsdale then back down the A65.
My parents have lived just outside Hawes since 1998.

Possibly.
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"All we are not stares back at what we are"
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Hobbs1951
Posts: 480
Joined: 15 Apr 2014, 10:48am

Re: Motorcycle users group, seriously !

Post by Hobbs1951 »

tatanab wrote:
100%JR wrote:I did the Hardly Dangerous thing the wrong way around ie in my early 20s not late 40s :wink: I was coerced into buying an 883 Sportster which was a total waste of time so I swapped it for a 1200 Sportster after a couple of weeks.....which was no faster,no better at stopping and generally as bad as it’s baby brother.
I used to live in the USA and several of my work mates and bosses had HDs. We had great fun bantering about Hardly Able To or Hardly Affordable versus ligtweight Triumphs that get around corners and don't need polishing because they are surrounded by an oil mist. It was fun, but there are people who take these things just too seriously, much like the Jap versus British discussions of the 70s. Just enjoy riding!


With respect a Sportster is only half a Harley, I've never owned one nor would I. My sportbike credentials are pretty impressive (even if I say so myself). Examples being; Laverda Jota & Ducati Darmah. I've always avoided Japanese sportbikes (race reps if you will) simply because they're just not my cup of tea - although I've ridden most examples over the years.

I've also owned and ridden in anger a number of off road machines including my XR600 and Husqvarna CR500 (that's a two stroke), in the stable currently - the H-D, a 1979 Suzuki GS1000E (touchstone motorcycle) and a 1950 Triumph Thunderbird.

My H-D has now covered just over 40.000 miles (by me) including a ride to Athens for the Olympic Games, I rode my GS1000E to Barcelona for the '92 Olympics.

Rant over !

John.
100%JR
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Joined: 31 May 2016, 10:47pm
Location: High Green,Sheffield.

Re: Motorcycle users group, seriously !

Post by 100%JR »

Hobbs1951 wrote:With respect a Sportster is only half a Harley

Interesting opinion but they all sound the same...ie "agricultural".I've ridden and been pinion on a couple of other HD and they all ride the same too IMO.They just feel "old".I've never been a fan 0f "V" engines on bikes.I prefer the sound of an inline 4.A work colleague bought a Ducati Panigale this year after years of owning Japanese Sports bikes and initially he liked the sound but now hates it :lol: He says it's a brilliant ride,extremely fast but just sounds awful.He rode to Southern Italy then back through Switzerland,Austria,Germany,Belgium over the Summer and absolutely hated the sound by the time he returned home :lol: He's currently looking at deals to trade it in.
Each to their own.
My only other dabble with something other than Japanese(mainly Kawasaki) other than the brief HD thing was a BMW K75 when I was a Motorbike Courier in the 1990s.Boring,sounded horrible but ran and ran and ran 8) After killing a couple of GPz 750s I ran the Beemer for 4 years and put over 300,000 miles on it before finally gave up the ghost :shock:
Hobbs1951
Posts: 480
Joined: 15 Apr 2014, 10:48am

Re: Motorcycle users group, seriously !

Post by Hobbs1951 »

100%JR wrote:Interesting opinion but they all sound the same...ie "agricultural".


If you've only ridden an H-D with an Evo engine (which Sportsters have - to keep prices low) then I can understand your comment/experience. Mine has the Twin Cam 88* (1450cc) and is a Dyna (rubber mounted in the frame) and is light years apart from the Evo motor - it's a V of course but smoother (not smooth though, it has character).

In addition another nice H-D product I had was a Buell M2 Cyclone - tuned 1200 Sportster motor.

Interesting your comment about the K75 - I think they're a little unrefined (and bland to boot) !

John.

*H-D motors have moved on since mine.
kwackers
Posts: 15643
Joined: 4 Jun 2008, 9:29pm
Location: Warrington

Re: Motorcycle users group, seriously !

Post by kwackers »

Hobbs1951 wrote:Interesting your comment about the K75 - I think they're a little unrefined (and bland to boot) !

John.

*H-D motors have moved on since mine.

I thought the K75 was an horrific bike - didn't it have 90 degree crank?
I think if I was going to buy a BM it'd be a R1200RT. I like the idea of a boxer and in touring dress to boot.

Haven't ridden an HD for the longest time so my opinion of them (they're crap) is probably highly coloured... ;)

Most of the bikes I've had over the years have been Japanese, my current bike is fairly long in the tooth now, a ZX12 I bought new in 2000.
tatanab
Posts: 5033
Joined: 8 Feb 2007, 12:37pm

Re: Motorcycle users group, seriously !

Post by tatanab »

There were several reasons I disliked the BMW R80 which I had for a year, a tool for a job. My R80 had RT bars so I was sitting almost bolt upright, like a monkey riding a camel. Bear in mind that I was used to a rather more tucked position with British café racers then a Ducati Monster. I disliked the very soft front end under braking. I disliked the high seat which was enough to have to assess the camber to decide which foot to put down when stopping - no I am not a short legged person with a low CofG. I hated that I could never find an appropriate choke setting to start it easily. Why did I buy it? I needed something for short commutes of 30 mile round trip (I cycled half the time and used the BMW or my van the rest) and it had to live outdoors, so a shafty was called for. I might have been better off with a Honda Deauville but the ones I saw were real dogs.

I've only ridden twin cylinders, never a triple or four or more. I've had parallel twins from 250 to 750, and V twins in both configurations.
mark a.
Posts: 1375
Joined: 8 Jan 2007, 2:47pm
Location: Surrey

Re: Motorcycle users group, seriously !

Post by mark a. »

I don't even own a motorbike yet and I'm already bored with the HD debates. Perhaps I'll save up and get a BMW GS and annoy a whole other strata of bikers.
Tiberius
Posts: 799
Joined: 31 Dec 2014, 8:45am
Location: North East England

Re: Motorcycle users group, seriously !

Post by Tiberius »

mark a. wrote:I don't even own a motorbike yet and I'm already bored with the HD debates. Perhaps I'll save up and get a BMW GS and annoy a whole other strata of bikers.


To add to your misery...

I've owned three Harleys..an 883, 1340 Lowrider and a V-Rod... All great bikes. I toured all over Europe on the 883, and all three were 100% reliable. One thing that I loved about the 883 and the 1340 was that they were such simple things. They were an absolute doddle to look after, particularly the 1340 with it's belt drive.

I've owned two BMW GSs...an 1150 and a 1200. Again, both were great bikes but the older 1150 was so much better made and finished than the newer 1200. I traded the 1150 in for the 1200 and on the day of the switch over I knew that I was making a mistake. My 1150 was actually the best motorbike that I ever owned, and I've owned more than I can remember....dozens....really.

If you are serious about a GS then I can thoroughly recommend the GS web site UKGSER.COM. I'm still a subscriber to that web site and I haven't owned a GS since 2009.

And anyone who thinks a Harley 883 is gutless should stay away from the BMW 850 'Boxers' I didn't like that thing one bit.

I still fancy one last two stroke, ideally a Yamaha RD 250/350 LC, but the prices are now mad so it will probably never happen.
mercalia
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Joined: 22 Sep 2013, 10:03pm
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Re: Motorcycle users group, seriously !

Post by mercalia »

I have mostly sorned these days a Yamaha XJ900s Diversion. I will really miss it when it goes as it has been so little trouble and low maintenance. Now at 70,000+ miles. Done all the work my self including changing the exhaust system and rear sus and the engine timing & brakes
Whippet
Posts: 458
Joined: 7 Dec 2011, 1:22pm
Location: Newbury

Re: Motorcycle users group, seriously !

Post by Whippet »

You might as well keep it Mercalia. Probably won’t get much for it, and at least you know it’s well looked after.
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