I recently bought a 1991 VFR 750 for winter, cheap and reliable, so I don't have to use the Tuono. Was a bit cheeky with my bid but the guy wanted rid, so who am I to complain. New tyres, c/s and nearly brake pads all round. More mots and service history than any other bike I've owned! Now in daily action through the rain.

It'll keep me in good practice for next year, where I plan to get some more track days in and a trek through Europe. Not done either for a couple of years for one reason or another.

Lovely looking TDR gyp, always fancied one of them. Shame they never did a twin headlamp version like the 125 though whcih I think looks fantastic.

Didn't have it for long, and I'm not sure all was well in the YPVS department, as it had minimal bottom end them went absolutely barking at high revs.

In town it would struggle to get away from the lights at all, then would slowly struggle to about 30, at which point it would scream like a banshee, hoist the front high into the sky and blast towards the horizon as I clicked from gear to gear.

At this time I was running the R 1150R, and the TDR, and ended up using the big Beemer in town and the little Yam out which was somewhat the wrong way round

I recently bought a 1991 VFR 750 for winter, cheap and reliable, so I don't have to use the Tuono. Was a bit cheeky with my bid but the guy wanted rid, so who am I to complain. New tyres, c/s and nearly brake pads all round. More mots and service history than any other bike I've owned! Now in daily action through the rain.

It'll keep me in good practice for next year, where I plan to get some more track days in and a trek through Europe. Not done either for a couple of years for one reason or another.

Spill, how much?

£875. Considering some of the others I looked at for more money that then needed something or other I thought it was a good price. Just need to see if my aches and breaks will last the winter. Now where did I put my thermals long johns.....

Here's the KTM after I was hit by VW Golf. The poor Golf was in far far worse condition.

Comparing to the TDM, the SMT is a lot lighter (nearly 30kg and will be over 40kg once I change the cans to Ti Akro's), it has more power 86 vs 115, have a much better choice of tyre due to the 17 front rather than the 18. Much more agile, a lot quicker to accelerate, however the top end speeds are comparable at about 140mph. I've already run out of space on the tyre so not much more to learn over. For a modern bike there is also an amazing amount of space under the seat. I have a puncture repair kit, a pump, tool kit, visor cleaner, pressure guage, silk glove liners, spare ear plugs, waterproof trousers, a duster, a pot of vaseline, and still manage to get a friends thermal jacket liner in there. The WP suspension is very good, need to get it setup up properly, Brembo radial brakes, and master cylinders make stopping frightening if you're not used to it. The engine is sweet maybe ever slightly more viby than the I2 of the TDM, but nothing compared to the NC700 that I test rode. It comes with ABS and soft panniers as standard so you can start touring straight away.

The seat height is slightly less than the TDM, and the weight is carried a lot lower than the TDM (which is one of the reason that I started looking for another bike).

The instrument is clear and simple, no fuel guage however (do miss that from the TDM, but it was the same on the previous bike). It would be a nice feature along with a BMW style computer but it's just a nice gadget.

The two areas where the TDM has the advantage is fuel economy SMT 140 to reserve compare to 190 on the TDM. Also on comfort the TDM has a slight advantage. However I intend to get the gel seat so should be just as good. And the fueling is a little bit harsh at low speeds and revs. Looking having it changed, as it is a result of the emissions regulations.

Very very happy overall, the only time I regretted selling the TDM was when I have her all cleaned and polished trying to sell, and then part exchanging. But as soon as I was on the SMT, never looked back.

It's a bike that just wants the throttle to open more more more more.

Very nice to see the pics cheers. Pics above that is never the same person on back of tiger as little tike in the side car???

Oh yes. Scary. Very scary. And the Tiger pic was 15 months ago so he's my height now

lol genius I would not have thought of that wish I had saved some money that way in the past!

And it's not as if I'm even from Yourshire.

Edited 12 October, 201213 yr by Gyp

Here's my current bikes

The VFR in the south of Spain in June

The TDM on a wee spin up the coast

Here's my current bikes

Very nice, I always feel very jealous when people say the word bikes being plural you rich folk make me sick!

Very nice, I always feel very jealous when people say the word bikes being plural you rich folk make me sick!

Rich Folk I say old chum, the TDM is 9 years old and the VFR is 12 years old so not expensive and insurance is all under one multibike policy.

I take it you're the same FrDougal as on Carpe then? (I'm ChrisG over there)

Loving the look of that SMT Kevsta

Edited 12 October, 201213 yr by RizzoTheRat

Choice 3 just get one and don't ask might be worth a week in the dog house in the end or tell her FUBAR said so. "Some bloke on the internet told me to"

One likes, neigh, enjoys, having, and would very much like to maintain the position and comfort level of one's cojones, SO, that would be a definite, NO, brave and stupid I am not.

I take it you're the same FrDougal as on Carpe then? (I'm ChrisG over there)

I am indeed, and same name on VFR Forum and a couple of other places. :yes:

Or get bike and at appropriate juncture get both sons to learn to ride - I still firmly believe that a stint on a M/C makes for a better car driver . I held my bike licence before I went for my driving lessons - do think it helped alot.

Hopefully your better half would see the sense in this too and then everyone is happy

I agree with your basic premise, it defo makes you more aware and, I think, a better car driver, BUT.........

My oldest really wants a bike the youngest isn't interested. Swmbo wants the boy to have a couple of years in cars before he gets a bike, the bottom line is, she is scared that what happened to me (despite almost thirty five years of experience on all sorts of bikes on and off road) happens to him , or worse, and sadly, worse means dead.

If I still had a bike I think he would have met with much less resistance, however, I would also worry about him too, although before my accident I would have worried less. I would have made sure he took as much training as I could persuade him to go for. I would even have paid for it for the peace of mind it would have brought.

Still, that's all, if, but and maybe's, the only way I can see him get a bike now is if and when he leaves home and buys it himself. He will get all the help we can give him while he runs a car but I think, (I know), if he chooses a bike, he's on his own as far as Swmbo is concerned.

Fear robs you of reason and she has waited once already, not knowing which way it was going to turn out, all the comfort she got from the Doctor was, "prepare yourself for the worst" fortunately it didn't come to that, but the fear remains. I don't know how she would deal with it if it was our first born, hell I don't know how I would deal with it. This comes from a man who is desperate to get another bike too, only the other day I got a little shot on some private land of my mates CBR 900 and I WANT, no, NEED, another bike.

Ain't it $**t when you can't get what you want, just to keep the ones you love happy and sane? Never mind how miserable it makes you?

Edited 12 October, 201213 yr by Coffin Dodger

Very nice, I always feel very jealous when people say the word bikes being plural you rich folk make me sick!

Pot, Kettle, Black, Fubar, you run BOTH a VRS Octy 2011 vintage and a 2012 Kawa Z1000 (rich bloke from my point of view)

Edited 12 October, 201213 yr by Coffin Dodger

Rich Folk I say old chum, the TDM is 9 years old and the VFR is 12 years old so not expensive and insurance is all under one multibike policy.

Like your VFR mate, very nice! Same model as mine (was).

Pot, Kettle, Black, Fubar, you run BOTH a VRS Octy 2011 vintage and a 2012 Kawa Z1000 (rich bloke from my point of view)

The car is pushing 18 now and the bike 2 was saving for a house when I bought car then was saving for house in wake of blowing a lot on car and bought bike but tbh I got bike by trading in the old one and wasn't overly a lot on top. I blame it all on being an overworked civil servant! For the rest of the month I have £124 in my current account (UK one that is) and have to go to the UK for work and need to pay for hotel and food out of that then get it back later on expenses so in advance thanks for the hotel fellow tax payers :p

The car is pushing 18 now and the bike 2 was saving for a house when I bought car then was saving for house in wake of blowing a lot on car and bought bike but tbh I got bike by trading in the old one and wasn't overly a lot on top. I blame it all on being an overworked civil servant! For the rest of the month I have £124 in my current account (UK one that is) and have to go to the UK for work and need to pay for hotel and food out of that then get it back later on expenses so in advance thanks for the hotel fellow tax payers :p

Is that pushing 18 months or grand? If the latter that's more than we paid for our house, mind you it was, Ah Hm... 25 odd years ago. Nearly mortgage free! The only benefit of getting old!

Is that pushing 18 months or grand? If the latter that's more than we paid for our house, mind you it was, Ah Hm... 25 odd years ago. Nearly mortgage free! The only benefit of getting old!

Yes months not grands lol I am not made of money! Come to think its almost 19 months old!!!!!!! bike is almost 2 I think or just over one or the other. I am saving for a house again though . I intend to cash in on others misfortune with the current financial climate and get a cheap one. Need a new job soon as my contract ends in the near future so if you need someone to ride your bikes clean your toilets etc gimmie a shout!

NEWSFLASH FUBAR!

Was having a general conversation with Swmbo today whilst out in the car and she told me I COULD have another bike if I wanted, BUT, (there's always a but mate) the Fabia would have to go as we can't afford to have both just now.

OH MAN! the dilemma, what to do?

£uck it, winter is coming so, wait until spring and then make up my mind. BMW GS 1200 is looking good.

NEWSFLASH FUBAR!

Was having a general conversation with Swmbo today whilst out in the car and she told me I COULD have another bike if I wanted, BUT, (there's always a but mate) the Fabia would have to go as we can't afford to have both just now.

OH MAN! the dilemma, what to do?

£uck it, winter is coming so, wait until spring and then make up my mind. BMW GS 1200 is looking good.

Fabia stays cheaper bike

NEWSFLASH FUBAR!

Was having a general conversation with Swmbo today whilst out in the car and she told me I COULD have another bike if I wanted, BUT, (there's always a but mate) the Fabia would have to go as we can't afford to have both just now.

The missus told me last night that I could have another Hayabusa if I wanted BUT, only if I got the stairs re-carpeted.

<fires up Autotrader>

The missus told me last night that I could have another Hayabusa if I wanted BUT, only if I got the stairs re-carpeted.

<fires up Autotrader>

Dam that means you would have to do the rest of the house you could get the real deal and have a ZZR1400?

Dam that means you would have to do the rest of the house you could get the real deal and have a ZZR1400?

:p

The missus told me last night that I could have another Hayabusa if I wanted BUT, only if I got the stairs re-carpeted.

<fires up Autotrader>

Wish mine was as easy to please!

Stairs re-carpeted, doddle job mate.

Edited 13 October, 201213 yr by Coffin Dodger

Fabia stays cheaper bike

Something against GS's Fubar or is it just that they are expensive?

I must admit i would like both but, she's got a point, mind you an old R80 RT would do the job just as well.