The time has come......

Aprilia Shiver (when it comes out), Lots of variations on it, and the only write up on it seems very favourable....

.... I'm very smitten (COME ON SUZUKI! PULL YOUR FINGER OUT OF YOUR BEHIN AND DON'T LOSE CUSTOMERS!!!! SV800 with decent brakes and suspension please)

[Viney]

The new tiger is stonking with a capitial Stonk. I loved every minute of it

what about a cb1000f?

I sort of know how you feel Jelster. On a few rideouts this year when the pace was slower (towns and little overtaking in queues of traffic on the open road), my Gixer was frankly not an enjoyable experience. Once on the move it was fantastic as usual.

I have ridden the current 07 incarnation of the FZ-1, the naked version. No problems at all to report with the fueling at all, the chassis is very good and I found it bloody comfortable as well with the bars higher and pegs sitting lower than my gixer. Finish seemed very high as well, better than the FZ-6 little sister (but it costs a lot more so thats to be expected). After a 50 mile demo I'd removed the sizable chicken strips so handling although not as sharp as the gixer was pretty good. The engine is good as well but really takes off over 7.5K so still has that spark of silliness if you want it. Not as torquey lower down as my gixer though though but smoother.

The faired version is not just the front fairing bit. It has rear grab handles and a center stand as well as a few other detail bits and bobs. Hard luggage is good as well from what I've heard as well.

The new Street Triple is a cracking bike although I think you might miss the torque of the blade when riding two up. A buddy of mine gets his in a few weeks.

Take one out for a test, take em all out for a test for that matter.

For me, I could not bring myself to sell the gixer for those moments of sheer bliss on the open road, for slower stuff, I now have an MT-03.

[Luckypants]

Originally Posted by sideshow46

.... But for touring the VTEC can be a bit awkward. Id go for the non V-TEC one.

What do you base that on then?

I found the VTEC to be ace touring France this year, 2600 miles in 10 days. Bike is comfy but not all day comfy. Frugal as long as the VTEC is not employed, which on a long run it is not. Wind protection first class. Bars and pegs are comfy. Hard luggage carried all I needed, tent strapped to rear seat.

for two up, the pillion seat is comfy and secure. Pegs well placed. The bike handles 2-up really well.

for a blast, well ride it like a SS600, keep revs over 7K and revel in the VTEC howl (note to self, get some pipes!) OK is only 110 horses, but that plenty to keep up with most things. Handling is excellent, bike is well balanced, brakes are secure (not awesome though) and rough british roads hendled well by the more compliant suspension of a sport tourer than out and out sports.

I may be biased though......

Originally Posted by Luckypants

What do you base that on then?

I found the VTEC to be ace touring France this year, 2600 miles in 10 days. Bike is comfy but not all day comfy. Frugal as long as the VTEC is not employed, which on a long run it is not. Wind protection first class. Bars and pegs are comfy. Hard luggage carried all I needed, tent strapped to rear seat.

for two up, the pillion seat is comfy and secure. Pegs well placed. The bike handles 2-up really well.

for a blast, well ride it like a SS600, keep revs over 7K and revel in the VTEC howl (note to self, get some pipes!) OK is only 110 horses, but that plenty to keep up with most things. Handling is excellent, bike is well balanced, brakes are secure (not awesome though) and rough british roads hendled well by the more compliant suspension of a sport tourer than out and out sports.

I may be biased though......

Dont get me wrong the V-TEC one is an awesome bike but I spent 2 days on the back of one. Really comfy. Very sporty, great wind protection. But the V-TEC just felt a little jerky. Like going round corners it would occasionally kick in and unsettle it a little. So you had to spend a lot more time chooing the correct gear than with a normal bike. Which for touring sort of defeats the object for me.
But for a sunday blast as you say, keep it above 7K and it is a fantasic bit of kit.

I reckon the VFR would be great. I sat on one the other day, extremely comfy and very neutral riding postion. It felt like I could go ride it hard with the sports bike riders, but poddle along in loadsa comfort up the motorway or across europe

And with some louder exhausts on, you get a V4 growl thrown in. Brilliant!

Arn't honda bringing out a new VFR1000 though?

Matt

Regard the '06 Fz1, I tried it and found it to be the lumpiest pile of crap I've ever ridden. Smooth riding was impossible. Although I believe I may have had a friday afternoon special, it certainly put me off. Worth a test ride I s'pose though.

Sounds like it was a friday afternoon bike - I was expecting it to be crap and was plesantly surprised. I tried to reproduce the throttle problems and all I could get was a nano second delay once you were off the throttle and then back on it hard, the throttle seemed really linear and controllable.

One thing I found though with the FZ6 was that it was a bit too easy to ride - I find the SV a more challenging bike to ride, but much more satisfying!

Originally Posted by sideshow46

VFR800 is an awesome bike. But for touring the VTEC can be a bit awkward. Id go for the non V-TEC one.

Sorry but this is simply not accurate. The VTEC engine is fine and I never noticed much difference from my '98 pre-VTEC to the '04 VTEC model I had. It's a big V-Four engine, it has oodles of grunt and good for over 160. Two up it is simply sublime and great for the twisties as well. I used to keep up with Gixxers so no worries there. I love the VFR and will probably have another when I can't be bothered with the pain of riding a SS600 anymore.

EDIT: With race cans on it sounds like a NASCAR...........what are you waiting for!?

Multistrada S?