Which bike shall I buy?

[NTECUK]

Adventure bike. Big seat and if you have seen one of the guys from the fire bike crew you can have a hoot on the track too

[JulesW]

Originally Posted by Ninthbike

And now comes the dilemma - what should I get??

What a brilliant dilemma to be faced with!

You haven't given us much to go on apart from track days, no hardcore sport ergo and occasional pillion. Are you leaning toward any particular type of bike or manufacturer? What about budget? Will it be used or brand new?

Anyhow, back to what should you get?

I imagine your main pleasure rides will involve wonderful twisty mountain passes and the like. So ....

A few spring to mind. I agree with a previous poster, Triumph Street Triple R seems bang on the money given with vague criteria.

I'm a big fan of KTM as a brand, love their 690 Duke R, 1290 Superduke R, 1190 Adventure R and my big favourite the KTM RC8 R.

I'm also a huge fan of strokers, perhaps irrelevant to you, perhaps not. For back road twisties and mountain passess I'd take a Yamaha TZR 250RS or Suzuki RGV250 Gamma SP VJ23A in Lucky Strike colours but they're not common, need lots of tlc, but are fantastic scratchers (although bad ergos for stiffer, older bodies).

Ducati Streetfighter 848 looks great and really performs according to some reviews I've read.

Hey, what about the Aprilia Tuono V4 R APRC, looks great and the reviewers love it.

Given the chance (and the budget) I'd take any of the above. (All of the above when I win lotto this weekend )

Bikes to avoid: Any of the Japanese inline fours! Not because they're no good, they're all great bikes but ubiquitous and their rivals are giving us a wealth of choice meaning we can dare to be different and still get a reliable and awe-inspiring head turner that does everything we want it to and more.

I love your 'dilemma' and hope I am blessed with a similar curse before too long.

Many here would rightly recommend extensive test riding and buy the one that feels awesome and looks awesome, I too would make that same recommendation.

Now, I hope that when the decision is made you will let us all know and post up many pics of the exotic beauty you choose to ride.

Enjoy the process and enjoy the purchase even more

[NTECUK]

Speed triple
More room than the street

[sniff]

BMW S1000R what a bike!! Perfect in almost every way apart from the cost

Thanks guys. Between you, you have more or less confirmed my feelings. I'll be taking quite a few out for test rides when the days get longer and the weather improves but I'm leaning towards a Speed Triple R. I rode the first Street some years ago and loved every second. To fill in a few details, I'll be looking at a new bike which I can buy direct from most manufacturers at cost due to my job. I still need to investigate whether to buy a UK model, pay VAT here and ride it over or buy a Spanish market model, excluding VAT and register it in Spain. The Spanish equivalent of VAT is 21 or 22% so it will depend upon the sale price for each model. You're right, it is a great dilemma to have and if/when the house purchase is confirmed I'll keep you all abreast of activity. I'm also getting a 125cc scoot for me, my wife and daughter to use for trips into town. I'm told that one of the best is the X-Max 125 Yamaha.

Can you get us all bikes at trade price/ factory cost??? I'd luuuuurve that.

Chance would be a fine thing!

Bmw gs1200

Havent ridden it but the MT07 felt very nice to sit on at the bike show. Cheap, too

Mt-07 nice bike, but seeing as the MT-09 is not much more, I would love to own that !!