Topic: The Motorcycling Thread

[dirtyjeffer]

I know where there's a minty Honda CB-1 (essentially the same bike) with 9,000kms on it for $4K.  Oh..and the CB-1 was 57HP.   

sigh...one of my all time fav bikes...i still remember the demo ride like it was yesterday...almost bought it too, but grabbed an NS400R instead (which was also fun, cool and rare).

[dkaz]

sigh...one of my all time fav bikes...i still remember the demo ride like it was yesterday...almost bought it too, but grabbed an NS400R instead (which was also fun, cool and rare).

It has your name written all over it.

[rrocket]

sigh...one of my all time fav bikes...i still remember the demo ride like it was yesterday...almost bought it too, but grabbed an NS400R instead (which was also fun, cool and rare).

I had an FZR400 which was awesome.

And wanted an NS400R.  Great bike!  Worth a fortune these days.

[dkaz]

rrocket had a Yamaha product?! 

[rrocket]

rrocket had a Yamaha product?! 

RRocket is a Yamaha slappie...where have you been?

Owned more Yamahas than any other brand....including a trio of some of the rarest Yamaha sportbikes ever made....and also a factory, race-only 250 GP bike.

[dkaz]

You only talk highly of KTM first and Honda second, then kinda shrug the R3 off as meh and persuaded another not to get I think the FZ-07, so I assumed Yamaha wasn't your thing.

[rrocket]

You only talk highly of KTM first and Honda second, then kinda shrug the R3 off as meh and persuaded another not to get I think the FZ-07, so I assumed Yamaha wasn't your thing.

As with any manufacturers, there are better bets out there than some of the Yamahas. I've owned a number of Hondas too...my very first bike being a Honda. I've owned a couple of Kawasaki and a couple Suzuki.

But mostly Honda and Yamaha. My KTM love is a more of a recent thing (apart from the off road offerings), as their streetbike division is relatively new.

[dkaz]

Eh I'd argue the R3 is best in class, I liked it a smidge better than the 390 Duke. I agree the FZ-07 was nothing special but I wasn't smitten by the SV650 either. I think I just don't like midsize nakeds in general, but I love the midsize ADV bikes.

[johngenx]

I didn't like most of the Yamaha line in the early 80s, and since I worked for Honda, I didn't really fall for the brand. So they stayed off my radar basically forever.

Then I rode the new 900 triple and damn did I start looking at Yamaha again!

My two go-to brands for my life of riding were always Honda and Suzuki. Honda for the design and fit and finish and superb quality, and Suzuki for engines. The GS1100 from the 80s really turned me into them and I just kept loving their big inline fours from there.


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[dkaz]

I also like Yamaha's triple 900, it's just too much bike for me at this point.

OMG I want the SHAD SH58X so much. It's a 46L top box that's expandable to 52L and 58L. My 42L box will be good enough for me for the cross Canada trip, most of my luggage will fly home with my family but this would be awesome for road trips and even Costco trips. Yes, I go to Costco on my bike. It saves me from buying too much.

http://www.twistedthrottle.ca/shad-sh58x-expandable-top-case-58-liters-carbon-look?gclid=Cj0KEQjwp83KBRC2kev0tZzExLkBEiQAYxYXOrqqDKIHaL2FmwCZjVHzd5L5ygb7V51sahcB1ICyzCQaAs0E8P8HAQ

[Grahn]

I have Honda CBR 650F and I really love it. Bought it a month ago to be honest and as I live in kind of a village with a lot of mountains it's great, but I'm coming back to CA for 8 months in September.

[dirtyjeffer]

hey DKaz, not sure if you saw it yet or not, but Ryan recently did a review of the Versys X-300:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYYf7iG1ih4

[dkaz]

hey DKaz, not sure if you saw it yet or not, but Ryan recently did a review of the Versys X-300:

I watched a bit of it when it first came out but I rarely have time to sit down for 13 minutes to watch an entire video. I just did, nice review. I like how cinematic it is.

I have to disagree with their view that dual sports are the superior way to go for ADVing. If taking the beaten path, sure, but for someone who may occasionally go on a forest service road where you're dealing with ruts at worst, I think the Versys-X will do the job.

It's the same reason why they have the KLR 650 along side the Versys 650, one is dirt oriented with road capabilities and one is road oriented with dirt capabilities.

[blur911]

^Speaking of dual-sporting, I just got back from vacation.  Got a few vids.

How would a Versys handle the beach?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAITj7BczWw

[rrocket]

Depends which tires I suppose...

[dkaz]

Nice video, looks fun. Where is that? Beach riding isn't an option in southern BC. Is that yellow bike legal on the road?

No doubt the dual sports would be better. But in the world of compromises, one will suit someone better than the other. Spend 25%+ of the time in the dirt? Get a dual sport. Spend less than 10% of the time in the dirt? An adventure bike (Versys-X, V-Storm, CB500X) will be more suitable.

I don't have a hatred towards dual sports by any means, I pretty much hogged them in riding school. My only gripes with them is that the seat isn't the most comfortable thing to sit on for hours and hours of touring (the bigger ones are), none of them come with ABS braking in Canada (CRF250L Rally in the USA gets it, makes no sense why Canada doesn't), and -- Honda specific -- why that bright red "look at me I'm a dirt bike rider!!!" colour scheme?

Speaking of dual sports, I noticed that Yamaha no longer lists the WR250R on their website.

[blur911]

Nice video, looks fun. Where is that? Beach riding isn't an option in southern BC. Is that yellow bike legal on the road?

Miscou Island, NB.
No, the yellow bike (DR125L) and the 13 year old riding it are not road-legal,  it was the boonies and we only went on the road where we couldn't do a trail or beach.

[rrocket]

Yea, you'd have people here trying to murder you if you rode on the beach.

[blur911]

No doubt the dual sports would be better. But in the world of compromises, one will suit someone better than the other. Spend 25%+ of the time in the dirt? Get a dual sport. Spend less than 10% of the time in the dirt? An adventure bike (Versys-X, V-Storm, CB500X) will be more suitable.

I think I'll eventually end up with both an adv-bike and a dual-sport.  It's always a compromise to try to make either work out of their true element.  If you require knobbies then they are usually horrible in handling and wear on pavement, same goes for any compromise tire in gnarly conditions.  The same can be said for the bikes they are on.
I don't think I'll be riding my BMW G450X on the street much, it's on barely legal knobbies and the maintenance is too high for regular riding, not to mention it's horribly uncomfortable seat.  For now I'm going to put more street oriented tires on my DRZ400S and use it for my more regular putting about and milder trail stuff, I can take the better half along as it has passenger pegs, she likes that bike.

[blur911]

Yea, you'd have people here trying to murder you if you rode on the beach.

There is one public beach there that you're not supposed to ride across, I think.

I never saw any cops, just a few atvs and a truck or two.  Oh, I did see a fisheries officer on a PWC