View Full Version : The best new commuter bikes???
The SV's miles are now clocking up and now I think it may be time for a change.
Whats the best bikes out there, tried and tested for commuting? Best service intervals, good on fuel etc? Has to be brand new (and even better if it has 0% finance)
New phazer? (exhausts out the rear seat?)
SV650 (not S)
CB500?
What others can people suggest that I can look into?
Thanks
kwak zzr
28-01-07, 05:25 PM
a scooter :wink:
The Basket
28-01-07, 05:34 PM
New phazer? (exhausts out the rear seat?)
SV650 (not S)
CB500?
The CBF would be a top choice for commuting...but the SV-N can be had for little money.
Alpinestarhero
28-01-07, 05:56 PM
In-town commuting, get a ruddy scooter.
Otherwise a CB500 strikes me as a top commuting tool
Matt
Had a 200cc scooter, not up to the job. Driverbelts need changing too often as I do 27 miles each way every day (15 miles on motorway).
CBF is the new CB500 isn't it?
Would like something that I can still take out at the weekend and enjoy.
The Basket
28-01-07, 06:09 PM
Had a 200cc scooter, not up to the job. Driverbelts need changing too often as I do 27 miles each way every day (15 miles on motorway).
CBF is the new CB500 isn't it?
Would like something that I can still take out at the weekend and enjoy.
The CBF can be the 500 or 600...
Want a commuter AND a weekend tool...humpphh...not the CBF then :D
Back to the SV then!
Sid Squid
28-01-07, 06:09 PM
Also ER6 and ER6F are good.
I really like the look of the ER6F I have to say, I noticed its a twin cylinder, but from the front though?
Cloggsy
28-01-07, 06:17 PM
The new 2007 'Hairnet' looks OK too :!:
Cloggsy
28-01-07, 06:18 PM
DRZ400SM?
These are still on 0% finance with a £1 deposit too :wink:
Red ones
28-01-07, 06:19 PM
Whats wrong with a faired SV? Mine is fully faired and still commutes every day year round - in fact that reminds me - I must go home now!
I like the SV, but i've been taken out twice, and its a real pain to replace the fairings on it.
DRZ400SM isn't me, not into trials bikes and can't really take out the other half on it either.
Cloggsy, what manufacture? Hairnet brings up a load of women wearing Hair Nets on google :lol:
Nice....
http://www.seastarsuperbikes.co.uk/KAWASAKIMODELS/Kawasaki%20%2006%20800/ER6f%20800/06EX650A_BLK_RF.jpg
Also not bad...
http://www.seastarsuperbikes.co.uk/KAWASAKIMODELS/Kawasaki%20%2006%20800/ER6n%20800/06ER650A_BLK_RF800.jpg
And in silver..
http://www.seastarsuperbikes.co.uk/KAWASAKIMODELS/Kawasaki%20%2006%20800/ER6n%20800/06ER650A_SIL_RF800.jpg
Or these? The Yamaha Fazer?
http://www.motorbikestoday.com/reviews/Images/yam_fazer6_1_lge.jpg
http://www.motorbikestoday.com/reviews/Images/yam_fazer6_4_lge.jpg
If anyone has any opinions on the above i'd be gratefull. I know the ER5 was a shabby model, but surly the new o6/07 model with a brand new engine should be a lot better?
Cloggsy
28-01-07, 07:09 PM
Cloggsy, what manufacture? Hairnet brings up a load of women wearing Hair Nets on google :lol:
Honda "Hairnet" Hornet 600...
Some bloke in this month's RiDE has one on 110,000+ miles and he services it every 8,000 miles with GTX Magnatec :shock:
He says "He doesn't believe in all the 'bike oil' mumbo jumbo..."
Perhaps he's right :?: :?: :?:
Nahh, the SV used to loose power and feel a bit gutless when it came up to 4k, deffo needed an oil change.
Kinda ruling out the CBF500/600 after looking at some reviews.
Those KWAKS look the bo**oc*s, what are they like to drive?
Why don't you want another SV Daimo? :?:
No particular reason tbh, just if im going to get something brand new, I may as well go for something different and experience another kind of ride.
I love vee twins, but i've not experienced a 4 stroke 2 cylinder yet.
fizzwheel
28-01-07, 09:20 PM
But you can commute on anything. In the summer I commute on my GSXR... its no bother. If you want to change bikes dont base it on just the fact that you are going to do commuting on it.
Most bikes will competantly do anything you want them to IMHO.
ianofbhills
28-01-07, 10:00 PM
just keep the sv for commuting on as there isnt actually anything wrong with it is there.
if your determined to get another bike buy something to go alongside the sv as your wkend bike.
andyaikido
28-01-07, 10:55 PM
I love vee twins, but i've not experienced a 4 stroke 2 cylinder yet.
Errr... is your SV not a 4 stroke 2 cylinder?
Perhaps you meant 2 stroke 4 cylinder. :twisted:
instigator
29-01-07, 12:32 AM
For me, a commuter has to be damn good on fuel. Hence why I'd say the CB500. :) Hornet, good god no, it does about 45mpg on a very good day. :shock:
Just noticed, it's now the "cbf500"...would hope it does the same kind of mpg as the old one. But I doubt it since Honda seem incapable of making the majority of their machines, fuel friendly.
DanAbnormal
29-01-07, 07:55 AM
If you can get a cheapish Hornet you're onto a winner, Bandits aren't bad either. Hornets are light years ahead though.
DanAbnormal
29-01-07, 08:00 AM
For me, a commuter has to be damn good on fuel. Hence why I'd say the CB500. :) Hornet, good god no, it does about 45mpg on a very good day. :shock:
It depends how you ride as to how economical your machine performs. My 04 Hornet and my 06 SV pretty much performed about the same. Got about 150 miles from a tank on the SV and getting about 170 on the Hornet, I think the Hornet may have a smaller tank as well. This is purely based on motorway trips to and from work.
Jelster
29-01-07, 08:37 AM
Surely the faired ER6 will be even more expensive to fix as the fairing panels are larger ?
Daimo, get an IL4 and be done with it... Hornet, lovely bike, the Fazer's a bit rev happy for commuting.. They're a bit gutless below mid revs, but it'll see the SV off on the A2... Personally, I'd go for the older Fazer, probably the best for this job, but you did say you wanted to go for a new bike, so I'd settle on the Hornet myself.
I used to commute on my 'Blade, was fun every morning :lol: Alas, my commute time is now about 3 minutes, so by the time I've got my kit on I'd be at the office in the car :roll:
.
AndyA - Vee Twin, the ER6 is a IL2 4 stroke. Different power delivery, slightly more power than the SV650, but aobut 130 top end. Plenty really.
Till spring 08 i can only do about 30-40mph on the A2 due to traffic. So its looking like the Fazers powerband isn't the best as its said not to have the low down umph. But may be looking to move jobs so i go against the A2 traffic flow, but thats only a maybe at the moment (awaiting agency call back :lol: )
I was looking at the Hornet, but tbh, I wasn't keen on it last night, but having another look today, its starting to grow on me. But looking at it, its £6k, where-as the the ER6 (non faired) is £4500, a bit of a difference...
Reason I'd rather just go for a new bike is the less (supposid :lol: ) hassle, warrenty, shouldn't have any problems etc.. (although i know this isn't always the case). I can get 0% finance then, and don't have to get any kind of loan or anything.
I was getting about 150 to a tank on my SV. I'd let it rev to 9k once a day to keep the valves from dropping, but otherwise was happy to plonk it through the gears at low RPM in to.
IanofB, unfortunatly yes :(
Mind you, theres a 2nd Hornet at Reddogs, and seeing as the grand pappa has just spent £10k odd on a brand new MV Augusta there and knows him, hmmmmmmm............
speed triples of course, 86miles to the tank (on mine at the moment). Fantastic bikes....oh wait...perhaps not the best commuter then?
Great fun though, its worth leaving an hour early for work to hit the empty roads!
Dan
northwind
29-01-07, 12:00 PM
I love vee twins, but i've not experienced a 4 stroke 2 cylinder yet.
Say what? :lol:
Build quality on the ER6 doesn't seem to be all that good, I've seen a couple that get used for commuting and they're festering in places... Brake unions, axles, bits of the shock. Also, there's been a few reports of cracking frames caused by bad weld penetration, Kwak are replacing under warranty but it inspires no confidence. Shame, I really like them...
If I was buying a machine for short commuting, I'd get a faired Hornet. And for longer... Old VFR, Deuville or, well, faired Hornet :)
Jelster
29-01-07, 12:19 PM
I was looking at the Hornet, but tbh, I wasn't keen on it last night, but having another look today, its starting to grow on me. But looking at it, its £6k, where-as the the ER6 (non faired) is £4500, a bit of a difference...:(
Daimo,
Chalk and cheese mate... The build quality of Hornet is on another level compared to the ER6n, but is it worth £1500 ? Depends if you have to get to work by bike and it's the only bike you have.... I know I'll be shot down for saying this, but no matter how many bikes I could get in my garage, I'd always make sure at least 1 was a Honda...
Call it peace of mind, but after having problems with my SV, then numerous non-starting days with the Falco, I always know that my Honda will start when I need it to...
All very good points. Im going to have a look at some bikes with my dad, he's gonna go looking round for me as well. But cheers for the heads up on the ER6, i like to hear real peoples views, not the maanufactures....
Im also starting to open up to buying a pointy SV as well after looking in the FS's. I trust people on here a lot more than ebay and that as well, and I cannot knock the help you guys have given me.....
I'll let you know whats happened to the curvey now as well... :(
Regarding this post...
http://forums.sv650.org/viewtopic.php?t=50250&sid=30c496f1bddbb1746d84b6fde8553e82
Basically, i took the Starter motor off to find a small chunk of metal come out. Re-inserted, and the SM just span, not engadging anything (where as before it did, but badly..).
Tried the SM from my old engine, the same thing happened. Tried jiggling around with the position, and it grinded badly and won't fire up at all (i got it started once, and it ran absolutly spot on again, no problems at all, the issue is actually starting it).
It seems the cog on the 2nd ratio inside the engine (the first one inside the engine casing is fine, its the next one it seems) has sheered a tooth or two and simply will not engadge. To sort it out though means taking the engine out, again, stripping both my engines, replacing the parts between both, rebuilding, then putting it back in. Its a lot of work for a bike with 28k on the clock (this engine has only done about 15k now) so i think its time to cut my losses. I've done a good 20k+ on the bike, through every weather type possible. Maybe its time for a change....
Im going to strip the bike and sell everything. I've only just put two brand new 020 tyres on it (literally 2 weeks ago). Hopefully it'll give me enough for a deposit on another bike. I am seriously considering a pointy SV though...
So anyone want to buy 2 engines? 1 oil starvation (my bad), and 1 runs spot on, just needs the start up issue sorted......
I'll be posting FS in classifieds, so helpo a poor SV owner out to buy a new bike.
Till then, wee infested British Rail is my work transport, booooooooooooooooooooooo :cry:
Poor Curvey :cry:
All very good points. Im going to have a look at some bikes with my dad, he's gonna go looking round for me as well. But cheers for the heads up on the ER6, i like to hear real peoples views, not the maanufactures....
Im also starting to open up to buying a pointy SV as well after looking in the FS's. I trust people on here a lot more than ebay and that as well, and I cannot knock the help you guys have given me.....
I'll let you know whats happened to the curvey now as well... :(
Regarding this post...
http://forums.sv650.org/viewtopic.php?t=50250&sid=30c496f1bddbb1746d84b6fde8553e82
Basically, i took the Starter motor off to find a small chunk of metal come out. Re-inserted, and the SM just span, not engadging anything (where as before it did, but badly..).
Tried the SM from my old engine, the same thing happened. Tried jiggling around with the position, and it grinded badly and won't fire up at all (i got it started once, and it ran absolutly spot on again, no problems at all, the issue is actually starting it).
It seems the cog on the 2nd ratio inside the engine (the first one inside the engine casing is fine, its the next one it seems) has sheered a tooth or two and simply will not engadge. To sort it out though means taking the engine out, again, stripping both my engines, replacing the parts between both, rebuilding, then putting it back in. Its a lot of work for a bike with 28k on the clock (this engine has only done about 15k now) so i think its time to cut my losses. I've done a good 20k+ on the bike, through every weather type possible. Maybe its time for a change....
Im going to strip the bike and sell everything. I've only just put two brand new 020 tyres on it (literally 2 weeks ago). Hopefully it'll give me enough for a deposit on another bike. I am seriously considering a pointy SV though...
So anyone want to buy 2 engines? 1 oil starvation (my bad), and 1 runs spot on, just needs the start up issue sorted......
I'll be posting FS in classifieds, so helpo a poor SV owner out to buy a new bike.
Till then, wee infested British Rail is my work transport, booooooooooooooooooooooo :cry:
Poor Curvey :cry:
If its an SV you can do it with the engine still in the frame, its only the engine casing you have to remove afairc. Really, not that big of a job.
Dan
Really? Keep talking? Isn't the bottom end of the engine all connected to the blocks? And to get the blocks off you need to drop the engine out?
It only looks like you can take the complete engine casing off the bottom of the bike??
If anyone knows if its an easy job, please do drop me a PM to help me out?
northwind
29-01-07, 01:53 PM
I've no idea how to fix it... But I'm in the market for a busted, repairable SV motor so if it turns out it's not simple to fix let me know ;)
Oh yeah... A year old Hornet will probably be in better shape than a month old SV or ER6. I don't like the Hornet's engine much, personally, but if it weren't for that I'd sooner buy a used Hornet than a new SV. Even though the faired one's one of the ugliest bikes ever made...
Well if theres a way of getting the engine cover off on the bottom left hand side without stripping the engine apart, then im in with a chance of fixing it....
If theres no easy way, then i'll put the stuff up for sale today...
Its only that Sudoxes said it can be done easily without having to drop the engine, but looking at it, i can't see how its an easy job?
Older hornet (exhaust under seat) looks a good bike, but a half decent 2nd hand one still seems to be up in the £3500+ region, where as a 1-2 year old SV can be bought for that..
ARGGGHHHH
Well if theres a way of getting the engine cover off on the bottom left hand side without stripping the engine apart, then im in with a chance of fixing it....
If theres no easy way, then i'll put the stuff up for sale today...
Its only that Sudoxes said it can be done easily without having to drop the engine, but looking at it, i can't see how its an easy job?
Older hornet (exhaust under seat) looks a good bike, but a half decent 2nd hand one still seems to be up in the £3500+ region, where as a 1-2 year old SV can be bought for that..
ARGGGHHHH
I cant remember off of the top of my head. I do recall mine having a problem, and having to take the starter out and generator cover? off to fiddle with it though. However that was on a pointy? Or I could be thinking of two separate incidents in the same day.
Dan
Another update (I like things to happen fast :lol: )
Old mans been to his local suzuki dealer that he knows. Sounds like the starter clutch has let go.. Still an engine stripdown...
Doh... No worries with the instructions... :lol:
The kwak from the photo looks quite nice, however seeing it in the flesh it just looks out of proportion - the fairing just seems too far away from the rest of the bike.
Id like to try the Fazer - smart looking machine however i dont know whether i would like to put up with it needing a lot of revs.
What about BMW? Either 650 or 800? I appreciate these are expensive and may be out of your budget.
BMW far to out my budget..
However..
Old man has just found a good deal..
06 Suzuki Bandit 650cc. Black, top box, ABS, 0 miles (not registered yet), 2 years warrenty, 1 years free insurance. £4100...
Basically, this, but with the top boxes..
http://www.bikeparts.be/foto/7452.jpg
On the advice of you guys already, the Kwak ER6 is out of the running.....
He also said about a Yamaha Fazer, £4950, but has 5100 miles on it, and the above bike is brand spanking new. tbh, the one above is too expensive for me, but can be done, just.....
for that sort of price you could get a speed4 or a speed triple.... :lol: :shock: :shock: :lol: :lol: 8) 8)
See above for Triples fuel...
Are they brand new as well? I thought the above seems a good deal, might even be able to knock it down to £4k as well...
Go for a Fazer. It's supposed to be good on fuel, all the reviews report the fairing to be one of the most effective in class, looks well built, 6000 miles service intervals, 26000 miles valve clearances check. Try it for yourself. I had a go on one and I liked it.
northwind
29-01-07, 04:26 PM
Me, I wouldn't buy a Bandit... All the worst parts of the SV without the redeeming features :) Though they're very comfy.
Free 1st service
5% off crash bungs.
And sub £100 per month over 3 years, or £139 over 2 years.....
Good for the missis, Good for commuting, tbh, im very very tempted, so guess i just have to go and do some research on them.
ABS on a bike, that'll be strange...
Oh, and tank protector :lol:
andyaikido
29-01-07, 05:05 PM
AndyA - Vee Twin, the ER6 is a IL2 4 stroke. Different power delivery, slightly more power than the SV650, but aobut 130 top end. Plenty really.
Sorry, thought you had a red SV. I'm getting confused again. :?
vBulletin® , Copyright ©2000-2025, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.