What to get? - I need some help.
 

Well mighty .Org I come searching your advice, advice for another bike.

Yes the GSX-R is rubbish and I'm going to sell it (ok so that's a straight lie, I'm keeping it a while yet).

The truth is that Holland has rubbish roads, a lot of policing, both cop cars AND speed cameras, no hills and a very conservative tight fisted population (a suprise to many) where 2nd hand bikes cost a fortune, and importing one from the UK is a right hassle. So although my GSX-R is an idea real world bike in the UK (definitely in Yorkshire), amazing for track days and the Ring, great for a week away touring it's rubbish for the flat lands here just above and just below sea level. So I need another bike out here.

What I need from my "other" bike:

1) Character - I don't want a UJM, CB500 etc. and I want to be smiling when I get off and want to get back on again.

2) Slow - an SV650 would end up getting me in trouble out here, I don't know how I kept out of trouble in the UK on one but out here I'd soon be locked up. No real need to go above 90 mph flat stick.

3) Fast enough - I'll still need to overtake cars sat at 55-60mph safely

4) Cheap - This also means old out here, my budget is tight, which means a UK equivalent of approx 1500-2000 max in UK prices, but possibly something that would sell for even less in the UK

5) A modicum of reliability - I want to be able to jump on the thing and use it, hence why I think late 70s/early 80s bikes are out of the window unless anyone knows better.....

6) Able to take a pillion - Not looking for super pillion comfort, just so I can take whatever girlfriend I have out for a drink somewhere on the islands, no more than 45mins stints at a time, maximum mileage of 100 ish in a day.

7) Be ok on single track roads - I live on the edge of Zeeland out here in Holland, a collection of islands, most of the interesting roads are single track and follow the polders, the surfaces tend to be dodgy with the odd bit of gravel on top of the tarmac mid corner.

8 ) Can commute - I only have 12 miles to work, fine on the push bike in summer, but the car gets used a fair bit still and gets held up for up, to 6 mins at an annoying set of traffic lights, there's a short stretch of DC but it's limited to 60 mph (the dutch in general hate high speed :rolleyes: ).

9) Handle a bit and be fun - I need to go round corners at some stage

10) Cool - I'm vain. Enough said.

So scoring each category out of 5, what do you think I should get?

Thoughts so far:-

Suzuki

DR 800 (DR Big)
DR 350/400
GSXR 750 Slab side

Honda

Dominator
Transalp
Africa Twin
Old 500 V4 thing

Aprillia

RS 250

Yamaha

XT600/660
TRX850?
TDM 850 (900s are too expensive)

BMW

old R90s

SO, what else is out there mighty .Org? And what are the scores on the doors (remember the budget)?

Re: What to get? - I need some help.
 

DL650? :) May be pushing the budget though..

Hmm, I have a copy of RiDE with just what you need!

And there's the list!

For around £1500

1999 KTM Duke
2002 Honda XR650r
2000 BMW F650gs
1999 Cagiva Gran Canyon

For around £2000

2000 Yamaha TDM850 (You said! On the ball)
2004 KTM LC4 640 Adventure
2004 Yamaha XT660r (You said?)
2000 Honda XrV750 Africa Twin (again you said)

Re: What to get? - I need some help.
 

can i ask whats wrong with the CB500 (bar being a honda). It's raced so i imagine it will easily get you into trouble and sounds bout right for your needs?

Re: What to get? - I need some help.
 

XT 660/600
Mechanic just got Rid of his, moved onto a Deauville, hes getting old.
This is just going from what he said/what I can remember.

1) 3/5
2) 4/5 Only got 50bhp or something from emory, and a single, so not exactly fast.
3) 4/5 Enough for general road use
4) 3/5 Can be quite expensive sometimes.
5) 4/5 Quite realiable from the words
6) 3/5 can't see it being that comfy, but its possible.
7) 3/4 /5 depends what tyres are on, knobblies would be good for this
8) 5/5 Nice and Thin, easy for filtering etc.
9) 3/4 /5 depends what tyres again, he didn't use it for hooning, so no feedback on that.
10) 3/5 Not very cool.


A big fat no to the RS250, things a beast, would demand to be ridden hard all the time.
And you wouldn't have a choice.

My post isn't very informative, sorry, all I really can remember.

Re: What to get? - I need some help.
 

All a waste of time & effort, Tim.
Get yourself a season ticket on the Hull ferry!
Job jobbed.

Re: What to get? - I need some help.
 

Thanks for the suggestions. All those KTMs are still pricey here, the Africa twin etc will have to be older versions, that BMW is too "dull" for me, may look into the Cagiva and the XR650R (is it a hard core off roader? ) .

Re: What to get? - I need some help.
 

I think they're fine bikes, but they don't shout out to me, and I think they're maybe a little too quick/accomplished for what I want, if it can be raced I'll try racing it.....

Re: What to get? - I need some help.
 

Seriously considering one of these (XT), ticks lots of boxes, and the possibility of some soft roading (I could tow it down to the Ring with the GSX-R and do all the fire tracks if it rained).

I think you're right about the RS, I'm just trying to justify one on the most tenuous of grounds, I'd be spanking it all the time!

And Puny, the ferry is a less good when you just want to take a girl out for a drink, I don't want her getting ideas and her thinking I'm taking her home to meet the parents etc...!

Re: What to get? - I need some help.
 

No need to justify it, I'd love one to. You'd either be spanking it or rebuilding the top end...

Re: What to get? - I need some help.
 

As much as I would love a RS, it would get you in trouble, lovely bike though.
Will try to get more info on the XT.
Reasonably sound bike as far as I heard, but someone with more knowledge will tell you better.