Just landed a job the other side of the severn bridge which means an easy 40' commute. But there's that hefty £5.10 toll = £1224 per year. Well, I'd rather put that towards a bike really...

I 'retired' my Ducati 900 engined Cagiva Gran Canyon about 12 months ago. Prob needs some suspension work, tyres, bits for where it fell over on the drive etc etc, and its 8yrs old. So...

What's out there now? Wishlist is :

1. Not a bike that encourages me to get my knee down at every opportunity - have 2 kids now and already have the shot of me getting my knee down on the wall thanks;)

2. 50mpg ideally

3. 100hp ish

4. Comfy for a 100 mile daily motorway commute

5. 5k ish or less - second hand ok too

Whats a decent Varadero/Africa Twin/Gran Canyon type these days - or maybe a VFR? Sorry - well out of touch so pointers welcome.

D

Suzuki V-Strom is great value. It's as ugly as sin but a brilliant bike. Never sold especially well so relatively cheap. Plus I believe Suzuki are doing 0% on them new right now...

Buell Ulysses might be a little too pricy but it's a cracking bike and I commuted from Croydo to Didcot on one for a bit.

Suzuki SV1000 if you don't want a monster trailie again. Great bike, great value and about to be deleted so again relatively cheap if you can find one.

SB

you have probably mentioned the best bikes for the job, i like the big traily idea i think there hard to beat, on todays roads, plenty of traffic visability, good on bad road surfaces, and road,weather conditions, hold there value well
and can still handle the bends:thumb: :thumb:

oops:lol1:
sorry for treading on the toes of mr bradley ????????????

i like the idea about bikes that are not very desireable, being very good and cheap:thumb:

Great advice Googlimng like mad!

I too like a bargain - paid £4500 for the Cagiva [ a wot?] and got 6 years out of it. Loved it and quids in :)

Cracking reviews on the V Strom. Can get one for 5k quite easily too. Is this a tall bike - big trailie type like my Gran Can? D

What about a 5 year old Fireblade?
Comfortable and will hold their value. Don't have to ride them like a nutter but great if you fancy a track day every now and then.

Cracking reviews on the V Strom. Can get one for 5k quite easily too. Is this a tall bike - big trailie type like my Gran Can? D

Yep its a tall bike, guy at work has one and hes loved it from the minute he bought it. If I was moving away from a sports bike i'd probably look at one of these before anything else.

Might I respectfully point sir in the direction of Suzuki V-Strom (http://www.motorbikestoday.com/reviews/Articles/v-strom.htm) - the first review we ever did...

SB

Might I point out the Fazer1000 as an option too, the mk1 version, its big, comfy, loadsa grunt, and eats miles and has a 200 mile tank range if ridden sensibly. Obviously, I have one, and I think its marvelous. :)

Had a look at a V Strom and am test riding it Weds. Have found an 03 with 250 miles on it for £4.5. Its a pukka dealer, but still a bit odd to reg it and leave it hanging around...:wonder:

Centre of gravity is lower than my fine handling previous Cagiva and it felt quite 'right'. Undertaker grey and black - yuk.

Ohh and get thee behind me with your stories of Fireblades 'you dont have to ride it like a nutter' [but get an M3 on yer tail and everyone does;)]. I'd love one, but no! Fazer I knew of and had checked out - pref the taller bike initially.

Thanks

D

yea fazer / fz1 - is easily a better bike , even the newer versions can be picked up for 5 grand . had a v-strom as a courtesy bike and i found it very poor all round , sluggish / heavy / poor power / rubbish brakes - and pants getting through traffic due to its size and what felt like inadequate steering lock , demo it m8 but try something else for comparison as if you have been out of biking for a long time any bike feels good when you ride it .
good luck .

What was your usual bike then mate [DONT say Fireblade - I really am not going there;)]

gixxer thou - r1 - and hornet . { at that time } but ive rode just about everything available including big trailies and tourers . everyone gonna have a different opinion m8 , best advise is demo a selection and compare them yourself .

gixxer thou - r1 - and hornet . { at that time } but ive rode just about everything available including big trailies and tourers . everyone gonna have a different opinion m8 , best advise is demo a selection and compare them yourself .

your a secret HONDA RIDER FSCOOB ...... QUALITY :thumb:

fsd's experience with the V-Strom is interesting, and goes against just about everything I've heard and experienced myself.

But his advice is good - get what *you* like and remember that opinions are like arseholes. Everyone's got one. Most of 'em stink...

SB

For five k you have a pretty wide choice of secondhand machinery. I reckon you'll need a full fairing and that rules out the Fazer thou (unless you go aftermarket). You might just squeeze in a cheap BMW GS if you really want trail style, failing that one of the other Beemers. Personally, I can't stand them.

One other option since you come accross as a fairly sensible type. How about a nice Hayabusa/Blackbird? Excellent bikes, full fairing, cheap (relatively) and suited to the discerning biker who can control their lunatic urges (once in a while should be ok though ;) ).

Screwd.

your a secret HONDA RIDER FSCOOB ...... QUALITY :thumb:

grrrrrrrrr it wasnt a secret m8 , i loved my little hornet { mind you it was full hornet cup spec - soooooo fast } and i am the current owner of an old 918cc rrs blade that im turning into a stunter , just waiting on the 50 tooth rear sprocket and crash cage and shes away { up the street on her side probably --- doh !!!!!!!!!}

sb , i know what your saying and i expected that , but it all boils down to experiance { and riders ability levels and / or style of riding }. if we all agreed we would all be riding round on 1 bike and all look the same . imagine it the world full of yellow gsxr 750,s and only gsxr 750,s . point is bikers are all individuals every bike looks different even if its the same model , and everyone rides at different levels and can find / or not a bikes weakness or plus points . :wonder: does that make sense !
p.s. ive had 2 gixxer 750,s so i aint aving a dig { well perhaps i am at yellow ones , and the fact they dont know if they want to be 600,s or 1000,s
mind you thats all irrelavant now with the gixxer thou mode switch , i can hear the death bells ringing for the 750 now !!!!!!!!!! }
rant over { to much sun me thinks }