This batch of lovely spring weather has me itching to get on the open road! and the muddy off-road..

This batch of lovely spring weather has me itching to get on the open road! and the muddy off-road..

 

I have been looking over last few days at bikes online ZZR1200 and ZZR1400's again............ Killing me! 

Not a day goes by when I dont miss my Honda RVF400 NC35. I was a tool for selling her.

 

Not what you want to hear but I still miss my VFR400 must be more than 10 years now since I sold her.

I put her off road for 18 months while I was banned and when it came time to get back on the road I couldn't afford to insure her. sold her cheap, too cheap. Now I cry as I watch the price of them rise. 

 

We live and learn. I just need something to fill the hole in my heart now.

Hi,

 

I have a Cagiva Xtra Raptor that looks like this:-

 

 

This photo was taken whilst I was out on last years Round Britain Rally, a photographic scatter rally run through the summer each year, just getting ready for this years rally.

 

The bike uses the Suzuki TL1000 engine, it is a limited edition, only 1000 were made.

 

Am hoping to be at Squires Cafe this Sunday.

Nice rare bike there!!!

Wish I'd been able to keep my zx7r as well as mille but space etc

They will be worth money in a few years

They will be worth money in a few years

I, like many, regret parting with my RD250LC.

Nice rare bike there!!!

Wish I'd been able to keep my zx7r as well as mille but space etc

They will be worth money in a few years

This weekend I'm building our 3rd shed, to go with the garage as we are bursting at the seams, I have the Xtra, a chopped Iron Head Sportster 1000, a Ducati SD900 and a Yamaha XT500, son has a Fireblade, a Honda RVF400 and a Honda NSR125...

Want one of these?

Now up for sale..

This weekend I'm building our 3rd shed, to go with the garage as we are bursting at the seams, I have the Xtra, a chopped Iron Head Sportster 1000, a Ducati SD900 and a Yamaha XT500, son has a Fireblade, a Honda RVF400 and a Honda NSR125...

 

You have officially made me jealous!    :'(

I tried out one a few years back, so not the latest model, and it is a cracking bike but I just couldn't justify the cost.  The latest one like the Ducati and Triumph equivalents are serious amounts of money, especially if you want all the gadgets generally.

 

Carlo has a good point with the 700 and 800, both engines may well give you what you want and without the massive weight of the 1200.

 

That said though the GS of bikes has had an exceptional following for many years and I think they do tend to not drop in value quite as quickly as others.  Then again how many of us buy a bike based purely on practicality?

Yes its a difficult one. I visited a Honda dealer on the way to a BM dealership today and there was nothing there that floated my old boat, so off I went to the land of blue and white propellers

With a decent pair of sturdy trainers on just to get a feeling of what it would be like with boots on I found sitting on the GS a pleasant surprise and it didn't feel overly heavy, due in part to the wide bars and upright seating position. Granted it didn't have any fuel in it but it didn't make me feel uneasy though I know I'll need to be careful. I know they are expensive to buy but I do like the boxer engine..... it's a bit of a marmite thing I guess and to be honest buying a bike is hardley a sound financial decision so I might as well go for it.

I measured the showroom bike up and after checking when I got back home it looks like it'll fit in the garage so next step is the test ride, they even suggested riding one home to make sure it fits. Just need to wait for a decent day when I'm not at work now....

Yes its a difficult one. I visited a Honda dealer on the way to a BM dealership today and there was nothing there that floated my old boat, so off I went to the land of blue and white propellers

With a decent pair of sturdy trainers on just to get a feeling of what it would be like with boots on I found sitting on the GS a pleasant surprise and it didn't feel overly heavy, due in part to the wide bars and upright seating position. Granted it didn't have any fuel in it but it didn't make me feel uneasy though I know I'll need to be careful. I know they are expensive to buy but I do like the boxer engine..... it's a bit of a marmite thing I guess and to be honest buying a bike is hardley a sound financial decision so I might as well go for it.

I measured the showroom bike up and after checking when I got back home it looks like it'll fit in the garage so next step is the test ride, they even suggested riding one home to make sure it fits. Just need to wait for a decent day when I'm not at work now....

Boxer for the win I have had 3 GS's over the years and they will do pretty much anything you want them to do, and they do hold their value pretty well. oilhead 1150GS Adventures are still going for £6k or more for tidy ones.

 

gave mine it's first post winter scrub at the weekend, and was then forced out carpet shopping so the lad hopped on the back with me.

 

So where did you put the carpet? LOL

Yeah, they do hold their value, but that's not why I want another boxer. It's just a beemer thing...which As you've had 3 you'll know better than me!

cheers

Ade

So where did you put the carpet? LOL

Yeah, they do hold their value, but that's not why I want another boxer. It's just a beemer thing...which As you've had 3 you'll know better than me!

cheers

Ade

 

Wife was in the Scout along with her new rug

 

Full of character the GSA, but they are not without their faults. Mine, being a GSA is a heavy old beast with a full fuel load (33 Litre tank) but that vanishes as soon as the wheels turn. It's great fun though and a useful tool for work. 

I have boiled my wants down to one of these.

Needed to consider the weights too.

 

BMW F700GS

Suzuki V Strom 650

Kawasaki Versys 650.

 

Doing the dealer thing now, & pricing up.

Aprilia Tuono r For Sale.

Have to say that I've heard enough horror stories about bmw build and repair problems that I don't think I could bring myself to buy one.

I've got 2 boxers from the 1980's and they're fine, but the modern stuff isn't up to scratch imo. A real shame as I've really like their ideas, but the execution is now poor

I'm obviously going to jump to the defence of mine, but 1200's did suffer problems originally but most if not all are sorted. I've put almost 12k on mine since buying it in April last year and it's been 100% reliable, ridden all year and not disolved, my previous 1200 was the same, and my 1100GS before that was faultless to (47k on that one in 3 years).

 

Mines one of the last of the twin cam's so I am happy that all the earlier bugs have been ironed out, at least one 1200 I know of has run over 100k miles and he takes it over to Alaska every year as well. There's an 800 GS owned by one of the guys on UKGser (Mickey) and it looks like new, honestly it does, and it's done over 100k to.

 

They are not built the same as earlier ones though granted, and they are cheap and nasty with toolkits to now, where they used to be legendary before. My next purchase will be an airhead though, I just love the wee buggers.

My R1150R was dreadful in terms of materials and build quality, and people at work have had brake and electrical problems with late F series bikes.

The chap that runs Cardiff Motoraad reckoned the new BMWs were marvelous on the basis that fixing them was going to set him up for a very comfortable retirement.

Interesting stuff. What year was your 1150r gyp as my 2002 never missed a beat in the 6 years I had it and the build quality was better than the fireblade I had for 5 years before? hopefully now the newer part water cooled boxer engine has now been in production for a year or thereabouts they will have solved any teething probs with that by now.

Carlo, let us know what you think once you've had your leg over all 3 of em as I've never ridden either a Suzuki or Kwakka of any type though choosing a bike is even more personal than cars, guess its because a bike is so much more involving and you don't have to put up with the missus wittering on from the passenger seat....

Anbody apart from me old enough to remember the vf750 Honda with the chocolate camshafts? Mate of mine had one and the cams were goosed in just a few thousand miles. My CB750 would speed weave somewhere between 85 and 100 and the discbrakes were crap in the wet. Those were the days.....

Anbody apart from me old enough to remember the vf750 Honda with the chocolate camshafts? Mate of mine had one and the cams were goosed in just a few thousand miles. My CB750 would speed weave somewhere between 85 and 100 and the discbrakes were crap in the wet. Those were the days.....

Yup, I owned a VF750F Incerceptor, and a VF1000R Bol back in the day Chocolate cams on the 750, but in fairness all put right by Honda, mine was well out of warranty iirc when it happened. It was my first new bike as well 

And they then bought out the rc30 so I forgave them! Nearly bought one of the last ones but changed my mind. Whatamistakatomaka

Interesting stuff. What year was your 1150r gyp as my 2002 never missed a beat in the 6 years I had it and the build quality was better than the fireblade I had for 5 years before? hopefully now the newer part water cooled boxer engine has now been in production for a year or thereabouts they will have solved any teething probs with that by now.

Anbody apart from me old enough to remember the vf750 Honda with the chocolate camshafts? Mate of mine had one and the cams were goosed in just a few thousand miles. My CB750 would speed weave somewhere between 85 and 100 and the discbrakes were crap in the wet. Those were the days.....

 

2003. Mine never went wrong, but the corrosion on the fastners and alloy was dreadful. I sold my Harley to buy it, and the 6-year older Harley was a joy to work on in comparison. It was the comedy electric brakes that encouraged me to sell it and buy the significantly better put together GSX1300R. I've since moved to a Triumph Tiger 1050 and that's OK apart from the radiator which has failed twice. Apart from that it's a brilliant bike.

 

And yes I remember the VF750. Didn't the VF1000 suffer the same problem?

How NOT to ride a bike.....

Thank The Lord for go pros and idiots!

He was doing so well unitill...................

I watched that video yesterday.

I live right next to the cat and fiddle so know the road like the back of my hand.

Im not sure what he was thinking when he started overtaking on those solid whites.

I reckon he went into the corner too fast for himself though, panicked, went for the apex too early and the rest is downhill, literally haha.