Suggest me a commuter tourer [Archive] - SV650.org

plowsie

08-05-09, 03:55 PM

Well I'm in the market for a Commuter hack to do 64+ miles a day (25 motorway 12 central london each way) and wondered if anyone had any suggestions on cheap and solid machines :)
Serious when I say a Deauville. Speak to stig_of_the_dump, he gave me some useful information when I was in the market for one. I soon knocked the idea on the head as i stopped commuting and my plans to go to Switzerland were scuppered as the place is not available now :(

Deauvilles are shaft driven so no chain maintenence (but I have no clue on servicing the drive shaft prices...), good on tyres, some storage room, and the two that I sat on and 1 that I rode, very comfortable.

Geoffrey

08-05-09, 03:58 PM

old bandit or an old fazer if an sv is out of the question for some unknown reason.

smaller bikes would be gs500, gpz500, or the cb500. all good and underestimated bikes for daily commuting

Sally

08-05-09, 04:03 PM

blackbird :)

Is that you'r answer to everything? ;)

dizzyblonde

08-05-09, 04:07 PM

Deauville FTW.

Yeah, but they are the most dull, uninspiring bikes you'll likely come across.
How about a Transalp...yeah yeah and i say a dullsvilles dull, but I have a mate who has a transalp, and he thinks its brilliant for what he does.

Sally

08-05-09, 04:15 PM

Deauville is slow though.
And I wouln't use it for commuting, too wide for filtering.

Alpinestarhero

08-05-09, 04:23 PM

Deauville is slow though.
And I wouln't use it for commuting, too wide for filtering.

-1; dullsville is fine for filtering. its as wide as its handlebars, no wider (ok, maybe mirrors, but they fold in :rolleyes:)

I've seen many people filtering very efficiently on dullsvilles

plowsie

08-05-09, 04:44 PM

Those that call it dull, are pussies ;) ride that thing to the pegs and back!

Anyway, the guy asked for a cheap tourer, the deauville is a tourer.

Sally

08-05-09, 04:59 PM

Point taken, forgot what we were asked to recommend here..

Has got a stereo though ;)
And the built in panniers are a bonus..

Definately a realiable, comfy, mile cruching tourer..
And commuter if need be! :)

Dan

08-05-09, 05:23 PM

VFR750 or 800.

Cheap as chips, reliable for ever. Simples.

Daimo

08-05-09, 07:41 PM

fizzwheel

08-05-09, 08:47 PM

I'd say 1250 Bandit if you want a mile muncher / commuter, I had huge fun on the one I rode a while ago. If I was in the market for a commuter thats what I'd get.

BigFootIsBlurry

08-05-09, 09:01 PM

Is that you'r answer to everything? ;)

Its a good answer!

How about a FZR 1000, stick some luggage on it and it should do the job nicely.

imaleon

08-05-09, 09:10 PM

ZZR1100 - A friend picked one up the other day for under 2k, has got a few miles on it but very well looked after. Seriously fast, comfortable for cruising, not too bulky, bullet proof engines

cb5_keith

08-05-09, 09:18 PM

Honda CB500 - comfy, cheap to buy and run, bombproof, fairly nippy, good in the rain

Holdup

08-05-09, 11:38 PM

Honda CBF600 or CBF1000, 600 is detuned CBR600RR lump and 1000 you guessed it detuned fireblade lump so you can still pretend your riding a sports bike :D

Stu

09-05-09, 01:33 AM

ZX6R G1
I got 60 mpg on mine 210 miles to the reserve tap on the Hastings mayday run.
Always reliable.
What more do you want from a bike ? :smt102

Jamiebridges123

09-05-09, 03:08 AM

ZX6R G1
I got 60 mpg on mine 210 miles to the reserve tap on the Hastings mayday run.
Always reliable.
What more do you want from a bike ? :smt102

Good turning circle would be nice.. :smt021

Get a Honda Hornet, a 98-2002 one, cheap and will last forever. Loads about and most have heated grips, Scottoilers and the like..£1800 or so.

BanannaMan

09-05-09, 04:13 AM

GS500

Bullet proof motor, fun to ride.
Quite civil at slow speeds but it lives to be flogged for all it's worth.
Handles amazingly well for a small bike if you drop in some new front springs or (at the least) add another inch of spacer to the stock springs.
Enough power to ride with bigger bikes at sub 100 speeds. Good mpg.

Here's mine:

at home
http://cenvachristiansportbike.homestead.com/files/gs500e.jpg

on an 1800 mile trip
http://cenvachristiansportbike.homestead.com/files/gs1.jpg

Mr Farley

09-05-09, 12:17 PM

Another vote for er5/cb500/gs500.....excellent for commuting, good mpg, low seat height, cheap to run, buy and insure.

Not sure how they'd tour though, my er5 sits comfortably at 70-85 on the motorway.....anything more and you'd need a screen.

Which reminds me....its currently up for sale as I've just bought an SV :-dd.

yorkie_chris

09-05-09, 01:27 PM

Bandit 1250 deffo.

650 is ok, but is nice to have the extra umph of of the bigger engine. Plain, simple, easy to ride for what you need it for. Big tank (200+ miles odd) and cheap and easy to maintain. Good turning circle.

Then save for a nice 2nd bike.

Nah go for an oil cooled. A sight cheaper and less complicated. The water boilers get EFI (annoying), more parts to break, another fluid to replace (annoying) and have shim under bucket valvegear rather than the screw and locknut type on the proper engine. Plus, the bandit 12 engine is probably the easiest to tune motor on the block which will keep its reliability even with some more poke.
Annnd there's a huuuge supply of parts out there, because pretty much all the oil boilers share loads of parts.

A ZX6R would do the job fine (lots of pistons to sieze up front though!). I'd be split between the bandit and a dullsville. The bandit would probably win.

mjc

09-05-09, 05:03 PM

1989 yamaha tzr 125?

:crutches:

Lozzo

10-05-09, 10:58 AM

GS500

Bullet proof motor, fun to ride.

I'd disagree on both those points. They are slugs, handle horribly, have awful brakes and I've had to replace three GS500 engines that each had less than 20K miles on them. All of them had done the cranks in.

Buy a Versys instead.

plowsie

11-05-09, 08:24 AM

Theres always the ZZR600. They're pretty cool.

Paul the 6th

11-05-09, 08:30 AM

honda cbf1000

http://www.arpem.com/motos/modelos/honda/fotos/2009/honda-cbf-1000-s/honda-cbf-1000-s-escape.jpg

I had the 600 for 6 months. Amazingly boring and ridiculously reliable, but cheap as hell and it'll commute perfectly :D

Mej

11-05-09, 09:27 AM

St 1050 or VFR

yorkie_chris

11-05-09, 11:02 AM

Theres always the ZZR600. They're pretty cool.

And also excellent for the job.

Local motorcycle mechanic round here had one and commuted 1000 miles a week on it for a couple of years.

plowsie

11-05-09, 11:04 AM

And also excellent for the job.

Local motorcycle mechanic round here had one and commuted 1000 miles a week on it for a couple of years.
Think Philbut on here also has one. Still shifted pretty well :)

krhall

11-05-09, 11:34 AM

I have a CBF600 on a 58 plate at the moment as a courtesy bike and I didn't think I would, but I love it. What a cracking bike. Looks like s*** though.

wyrdness

11-05-09, 01:40 PM

Well I'm in the market for a Commuter hack to do 64+ miles a day (25 motorway 12 central london each way) and wondered if anyone had any suggestions on cheap and solid machines :)

I'm in a similar position. I'm moving out of London and want something a commuter / tourer for lots of motorway miles. I've got a Speed Triple at the moment and don't know how suitable it will be, as there's no weather protection. The new 700 Dullville looks OK, but there's really expensive and underpowered. I could swap the Triple for a Sprint 1050, or even a Tiger 1050, though I'm not sure if the Tiger will be much better than the Triple for motorways.

I'm a bit biased against VFR's for some reason - they just don't float my boat, even though it could be the idea bike. I really like the Blackbird and am wondering about getting an old one as a long distance commuting hack.

Luckypants

11-05-09, 01:46 PM

Well I'd have to say that a VFR is probably expensive as a commuter. If you can find an independent mechanic for the 16K service (VTEC valve check) servicing is OK, but costly plastics to scratch on van mirrors and the like. Not many cheap ones around either.

It's an excellent tourer though and sporty enough to be a lot of fun at your destination. I guess it depends on whether you need it to be a commuter bike first and tourer second or vice-versa.

ophic

11-05-09, 01:48 PM

i'm not moving anywhere but i do huge amounts of motorway miles - which is a shame cos i really want a speed triple. Looks like i'll have to get a hayabusa instead :cool: *keeps on saving*

To give it credit, for both town riding and 110 miles a day on the motorway, my faired SV is pretty much ideal.

philbut

11-05-09, 01:50 PM

ZZR600 - i have one as a winter all rounder and its comfy, bullet proof engine, took me to Bosnia and back, good for luggage and pillions, and you can pick thm up for small change really.

philbut

11-05-09, 01:53 PM

Think Philbut on here also has one. Still shifted pretty well :)

lol, just read back and saw this, yes I do. It is hard as nails. My neighbour drove into it a month or so ago, made one god awful crash when it hit the deck but hardly and damage! result!

Usual Kwak build issues, but then we are all Suzuki owners or ex owners so that will come as no surprise.

Jamiebridges123

11-05-09, 01:59 PM

I'm in a similar position. I'm moving out of London and want something a commuter / tourer for lots of motorway miles. I've got a Speed Triple at the moment and don't know how suitable it will be, as there's no weather protection. The new 700 Dullville looks OK, but there's really expensive and underpowered. I could swap the Triple for a Sprint 1050, or even a Tiger 1050, though I'm not sure if the Tiger will be much better than the Triple for motorways.

I'm a bit biased against VFR's for some reason - they just don't float my boat, even though it could be the idea bike. I really like the Blackbird and am wondering about getting an old one as a long distance commuting hack.

Old man has a Tiger 1050 and says the Windblast is very good and it's only the standard screen. You sit miles back from the screen so it goes wayy over your head.. lol not much better than a speed triple really XD

Daimo

11-05-09, 03:23 PM

Nah go for an oil cooled. A sight cheaper and less complicated. The water boilers get EFI (annoying), more parts to break, another fluid to replace (annoying) and have shim under bucket valvegear rather than the screw and locknut type on the proper engine. Plus, the bandit 12 engine is probably the easiest to tune motor on the block which will keep its reliability even with some more poke.
Annnd there's a huuuge supply of parts out there, because pretty much all the oil boilers share loads of parts.

Mines oil cooled, and the worst part about is it takes an age to warm up the oil in the winter.

When your on a motorway within a few minutes of starting off, and due to the high revs nature, it means i have to stick at 60-65mph (6000-6500rpm) for a good few miles before i can go a bit quicker as U have to wait for it to warm up properly.

Someone said Hornet..... :lol: Ever seen the tank size on those? Be better off with a Honda SP1 ;)

But 22,000 miles, (and she gets used properly!!!!!!), and i've only had a gasket leak which needed replacing (under the bike clutch casing). Otherwise no probs at all. From hot summer days, to Ice covered snow :D