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Slavvy posted:The refinement, handling and power will be a gigantic leap compared to the SV you're used to. Also has a fairing which if yours was a naked, you may or may not like. 4th gen didn't have linked brakes. Also, re: valve checks, they are a huge PITA, but it isn't uncommon to find they'll go 30k+ without needing any adjustment.
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Apr 21, 2013 11:48
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yergacheffe posted:Looking at picking up a fourth gen VFR, coming from my first bike which is a second gen SV650. I'm hoping that the VFR is more comfortable (less vibrations, smoother power delivery, more upright riding posture/handlebars are closer because I have T-Rex arms). When I've ridden my Dad's VFR750F I've always thought that I've been leaning forward a long way, which Cycle-Ergo seems to confirm. It's not uncomfortable to begin with, but on extended trips my wrists tend to sieze up (though this seems to happen to me on anything with clipons). On the upside, it's got a phenomenally smooth engine, and I say that as someone who owns a Street Triple. You might also want to look at the starter relay and make sure the plastics on the rear section aren't cracked and still have all their tabs.
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Apr 21, 2013 12:46
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Slavvy posted:The refinement, handling and power will be a gigantic leap compared to the SV you're used to. Also has a fairing which if yours was a naked, you may or may not like. Why is it a horrible nightmare on the VFR? He's talking about the gear driven cam generation not the vtec models which I thought were the ones that had the complicated adjustment process. It's going to be a pain because of the orientation of the rear cylinder but that's a different matter. Shouting Melon posted:When I've ridden my Dad's VFR750F I've always thought that I've been leaning forward a long way, which Cycle-Ergo seems to confirm. It's not uncomfortable to begin with, but on extended trips my wrists tend to sieze up (though this seems to happen to me on anything with clipons). On the upside, it's got a phenomenally smooth engine, and I say that as someone who owns a Street Triple. Wrist paint -->> throttle lock -->> problem solved.
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Apr 22, 2013 01:01
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n8r posted:Why is it a horrible nightmare on the VFR? He's talking about the gear driven cam generation not the vtec models which I thought were the ones that had the complicated adjustment process. It's going to be a pain because of the orientation of the rear cylinder but that's a different matter. It's not so much the process as it is the access. I'm trying to remember what it was on my old 3rd gen (I never actually did them while I owned the bike), but I know it was more than just removing the fuel tank.
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Apr 22, 2013 01:08
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I have a DL650 right now as my one do-everything bike. I love it but I'm thinking that now that I have a little more money, I want to split this into two bikes that can do everything a little better  I'm still unsure about what to get as a long range touring adventure bike for extended trips to beautiful places. I want to go all around the Rockies this summer, and maybe along the west coast or maybe to Alaska depending how much time I can get off from work. I won't be doing anything more offroad intensive than what I did with the DL650 (fire roads), so I'm mostly thinking about improving the long range comfort (I have a lot of buffeting problems due to being 6'5" with the Wee) while keeping the mild offroad capability, great reliability and at least some of the sporting nature that the Wee has. A shaft/belt drive would be very nice too. Options I've considered: BMW GS - What are the differences between all the BMW GS models to know about? There are a million different 1100/1150/1200 GS GSA etc. Also, it seems like there is the reputation of these having reliability issues... did they ever fix that past a certain point? Yamaha Super Tenere - most of what I see seems to compare it unfavorably to the BMWs. Ulysses - sacrificing too much offroad-ability? I'm just picturing all the scratches and marks on my DL650s skidplate directly on the Ulysses' muffler. KTMs all seem to be much more offroad focused than I need, and probably wouldn't be as comfortable for long distance touring as a result. Or should I just spend some more time with better helmets and wind solutions on my Wee, call it a day and save probably thousands of dollars?
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Apr 22, 2013 20:36
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Man_of_Teflon posted:I have a DL650 right now as my one do-everything bike. I love it but I'm thinking that now that I have a little more money, I want to split this into two bikes that can do everything a little better I'm in about the same boat as you. Also to consider: the Triumph Tiger / Explorer and some Moto Guzzi or another. For my money, the BMW would be the most touring-oriented without giving up very much fire-road ability, while the KTM would be the most off-road oriented without being too bad at touring (also, the KTM is chain-driven). The Uly's exhaust also doubles as a jack point according to Clutchpuck. I'd be fine with lofted stones hitting it, but I'd be afraid to drag it over big rocks and logs.
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Apr 22, 2013 20:56
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Note that there's a Ulysses XB12X and an XB12XT, the T is more street oriented with a lower suspension and a normal front fender instead of a beak.
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Apr 22, 2013 21:03
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Hmm, the Tiger Explorer could be a choice too. The Guzzis are the most attractive in terms of looks (another place where my DL650 could use some help!) but I'm hesitant about their cost/reliability. Which BMW GS is the best for reliability?
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Apr 22, 2013 21:05
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Safety Dance posted:The Uly's exhaust also doubles as a jack point according to Clutchpuck. I'd be fine with lofted stones hitting it, but I'd be afraid to drag it over big rocks and logs. That's right, it's a combination jack point/muffler/bash plate. It's pretty drat tough, but I don't know how tough it would be if you high-centered it on a pointy rock. I would - and strongly - recommend considering the Uly (either the X or XT) as a durable, reliable, comfortable long distance tourer though, rather than the fire-road capable one. I mean, it'll do that too, but that rake and short wheelbase makes it interesting and I always worry about putting stone in the belt (hasn't happened yet though). One thing about the Uly that I love, that a lot of folks overlook, is that it's pretty drat light for what it is. I mean, it's no Ninjette but at 450lbs wet, it's about 100 lbs lighter than a Tiger Explorer or Super Tenere, and - to compare with other sport tourers - tens of lbs lighter than the VFR800 and nowhere in the same ballpark as a Concourse 1400. Lightweight plus TORQUE!!! equals massive amounts of fun. vvv re: buffeting - I pop my flyscreen off the Uly for long interstate hauls; I lose a lot of the buffeting in favor of a clean blast. I've never had a windshield that felt better than no windshield on the freeway. clutchpuck fucked around with this message at 21:42 on Apr 22, 2013 |
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Apr 22, 2013 21:35
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I think the reliability issues for the GS mainly centered around the bearings in the final drive fragging themselves, so that's the 1200. Don't recall much talk about the 1100, and stuff is supposed to fall off of KTMs more often anyway. Have you considered the 800 series? That's a chain-drive. Same with the Tiger 800s. I've heard Guzzis are very reliable so long as you keep up on the maintenance, but I've never owned one. The engines are tractorish and not worked very hard for their displacement. What I'd worry about there is the dealer network. Also, sup weestrom buddy. I had a serious problem with buffetting the top of my helmet until I monkeyed with the screen a bit, but what I've noticed is that if I stand, it gets my head out into clean airflow and it's much less irritating. To that end I've been thinking about trying a shorty windscreen.
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Apr 22, 2013 21:38
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I go without a screen on my wee for the clean air (tried a shorty windshield and it seemed like the worst of both worlds TBH), but for longer distance stuff it's nice to have something to keep the pressure off my upper body. I have the newer model vstream windscreen which is pretty tall (22 or 24" I think), but I'm so drat tall that even with it on a madstad bracket all the way up and back I still get some noise/buffeting. If I was a little shorter it would be fine but I can't ride hunched over all the time to hide behind it 
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Apr 22, 2013 21:55
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Phy posted:I've heard Guzzis are very reliable so long as you keep up on the maintenance, but I've never owned one. The engines are tractorish and not worked very hard for their displacement. What I'd worry about there is the dealer network. Very much this. A buddy of mine rides a Norge 1200 that was actually a rebuild from a flood/salvage claim. It's a tank, but when he does need a part for it he's waiting 1-4 weeks before he has it. There are a couple of dealers around here but their parts and service areas are the size of a 3 car garage. Everything comes from Guzzi corp on an as-needed basis and very little is stocked stateside. A lot of the common wear parts like lines, pads, rotors, seals, etc are able to be found in the aftermarket or from a different dealer that happens to make a comparable part, but the ability to call around local dealers and pick up a replacement in an afternoon is virtually non-existent. If I were in love with one I don't think it'd be enough to sway me, but I'd have to be in love with it to buy it and go into the bike prepared to deal with the lack of dealer support.
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Apr 22, 2013 21:58
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1-4 weeks for parts? That's about what I wait for even basic poo poo on my Bandit. 
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Apr 22, 2013 22:14
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High Protein posted:A Blast, should fit your criteria of low maintenance (no chain, no valve adjustments) and cheap to run, both in parts and fuel. Only 35HP but it should be able to get out of its way just fine, better than low-cc cruisers. The question is, since Buell went out of business in '09 how hard are any replacement parts I need gonna be to find you think? I mean it's a Sportster engine (or half of one) so I'd think there'd be a fair bit of interchangeability and there are always aftermarket parts but I wouldn't think HD dealerships would be sitting on a bunch of Buell parts.
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Apr 22, 2013 22:15
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Anything you can cross-reference from a Sporty, you can usually get at a H-D dealer same-day and it will be made in China. Anything Buell-specific you either wait for or you order from American Sport Bike and it will be made in USA. It's almost hilarious.
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Apr 22, 2013 22:19
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ArbitraryTA posted:The question is, since Buell went out of business in '09 how hard are any replacement parts I need gonna be to find you think? I mean it's a Sportster engine (or half of one) so I'd think there'd be a fair bit of interchangeability and there are always aftermarket parts but I wouldn't think HD dealerships would be sitting on a bunch of Buell parts. Yeah you can get tons of stuff from American Sportike. Twin Motorcycles over here is much more expensive, but saves me shipping and they make some stuff that's out of production otherwise. There's some other sites as well and then Erik Buell Racing still offers some XB parts. Engine parts interchange is hit and miss though, even though it's the same basic engine as the Sporty. Tube frame Buell engines are more like standard Sportster engines with hot rod parts bolted on. For the XB engines, Sportsters got the same heads and such but many other parts are different (rocker covers, cams slightly different). The EFI systems also took a parallel development path to the Sportster. The Blast uses different cylinders and heads than Sportsters but it shares the heads with some other Buells I think. Edit: Also, they made a relative fuckton of Blasts (more than 22,000 according to my sweet poster with all Buell models, I hope you've seen it around Clutchpuck), so there should be plenty of spares. It's easily the most common Buell. High Protein fucked around with this message at 22:44 on Apr 22, 2013 |
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Apr 22, 2013 22:40
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Man_of_Teflon posted:I have a lot of buffeting problems due to being 6'5" with the Wee
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Apr 22, 2013 22:49
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Man_of_Teflon posted:I have a DL650 right now as my one do-everything bike. I love it but I'm thinking that now that I have a little more money, I want to split this into two bikes that can do everything a little better Multistrada? If I were to buy a GS it would have to be an 800 GS.
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Apr 23, 2013 01:01
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We have any duck riders that can tell me about the difference between the Monster 696 and 796? Obviously one has more displacement and power but character wise, riding experience how do they compare? Basically I'm not looking for balls-to-the-wall sport bike fast, just something interesting and .. spirited. Spirited is probably the word.
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Apr 23, 2013 01:08
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Either would do the job. I'd go larger displacement if you plan on doing a bunch of freeway, smaller displacement for more city.
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Apr 23, 2013 01:20
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Z3n posted:Either would do the job. I'd go larger displacement if you plan on doing a bunch of freeway, smaller displacement for more city. So this isn't one of those cases where one is a vastly superior option where people later say things like " Oh you bought the X, oh man if you had gotten the Y there's so much poo poo you can do?!" Cool.
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Apr 23, 2013 01:23
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PadreScout posted:So this isn't one of those cases where one is a vastly superior option where people later say things like " Oh you bought the X, oh man if you had gotten the Y there's so much poo poo you can do?!" Cool. Nope. I'd go for whatever you can get cheaper. The 7 has the single sided swingarm, bigger tires, and a bit more HP. The 6 will probably be cheaper. Both will handle just fine as is.
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Apr 23, 2013 01:24
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Z3n posted:Nope. I'd go for whatever you can get cheaper. The 7 has the single sided swingarm, bigger tires, and a bit more HP. The 6 will probably be cheaper. Both will handle just fine as is. Hahaha, oh ducks and their single sided swingarms, how did I forget about that? In that case I'll have to get the 796 so it can park next to my 86 BMW with the single sided swingarm. They can be friends! In all seriousness, apparently the 696 weighs about the same as the 796 so might as well grab 7 free horse power and call it a day. Thanks for the advice!
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Apr 23, 2013 01:33
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Free horsepower? Around here there's about a 2k difference between the two.
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Apr 23, 2013 01:49
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Dzus posted:Free horsepower? Around here there's about a 2k difference between the two. About 1,000 at the dealership here, and you know what they say, "in a penny in a pound."
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Apr 23, 2013 01:52
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Going to look at this tomorrow, weather (and thread advice) pending: http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/mcy/3722987220.html (1982 Suzuki GS 650) First bike, looking for something for about town, eventual freeway, with minimal maintenance. Little-to-no off-road. This seem good? Any issues jump out for more experienced eyes? I know a 650 is the top of the newbie-friendly list, but I'm also looking for something I won't outgrow for a while.
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Apr 23, 2013 03:50
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TheNothingNew posted:minimal maintenance A beat up bike from 82 is unlikely to be low maintenance, unless it's a honda or something. The owner says the tank has "a little bit of rust" on it when you can see the entire top is rusted and it's clearly been kept out in the elements for god knows how long (cosmetically glorious  car shampoo won't get rid of rust). Also, they ignored a non-working odometer for two years. Neither you nor they know exactly how many miles are on it, which is probably going to be a clusterfuck of paperwork at the dmv. I mean it might work alright, but someone that glosses over those things might be lying about others, like regular service. If there IS something wrong with it, you need time, tools, space, money, and know-how to fix it before even riding. It's not the last bike on earth, skip it.*Also, read this guide, it'll come in handy. *I am also a newbie so I'm probably wrong. When I was looking for my first I got a lot of advice like the above. M42 fucked around with this message at 07:25 on Apr 23, 2013 |
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Apr 23, 2013 07:22
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http://honolulu.craigslist.org/oah/mcy/3757839496.html What you guys think? Might throw an offer of 5000 and see if he'll bite. I have the sportster bug after riding the 48 and want one bad. Kaliber fucked around with this message at 09:52 on Apr 23, 2013 |
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Apr 23, 2013 09:46
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Kaliber posted:http://honolulu.craigslist.org/oah/mcy/3757839496.html This is pretty cool I reckon, as far as harleys go. Honest-to-god serious question: why is the rear rotor so much bigger than the front? Is it just a style thing?
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Apr 23, 2013 10:58
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I think they're the same size, actually. But it's not like you'll be using the front brake anyway, right?
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Apr 23, 2013 13:23
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M42 posted:A beat up bike from 82 is unlikely to be low maintenance,
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Apr 23, 2013 13:28
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Kaliber posted:http://honolulu.craigslist.org/oah/mcy/3757839496.html If it's possible within your price range (no idea what Sportster prices are like) try and get a 2004 or later model, they've got rubber mounted engines. There was a model with dual front discs (Roadster) for a while, I'd say that's the most desirable one if you're not going for a specific look.
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Apr 23, 2013 16:55
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Slavvy posted:Honest-to-god serious question: why is the rear rotor so much bigger than the front? Is it just a style thing? tooooooooo easy!
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Apr 23, 2013 17:22
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Slavvy posted:Honest-to-god serious question: why is the rear rotor so much bigger than the front? Is it just a style thing? It's not, they're the same size. Based on my experience riding cruisers (even an 883C), the bike will keep weight on the rear wheel even under really hard braking. You cannot stoppie a stock Sportster Custom. Same-size brakes don't seem like a super-weird thing, considering that. clutchpuck fucked around with this message at 17:59 on Apr 23, 2013 |
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Apr 23, 2013 17:56
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M42 posted:It's not the last bike on earth, skip it. Forgot to bookmark this last time, then couldn't find it. Thanks. I think I was looking for an excuse not to buy that bike. Pretty sure "this thing will not die" was the tip-off: makes me wonder just what he's done to try and kill it. Rev. Dr. Moses P. Lester posted:This. Any bike that old is not going to be minimal maintenance. Get something 90s or newer. Those old Japanese fours are fairly heavy too, it might not be a lot of fun around town unless you're tall. gently caress. I thought '80s or newer would cover that. Weight was worrying me a bit, as I'm average height and most of what I was looking at are pushing 500 pounds. Here's my deal, though: I want a quiet low-maintenance standard, 650cc or less, 65 hp or less, for cheap. Not spending a lot on my first bike. So shaft drive = low maintenance, right? But for the 1990s onward, shaft drives are only for BMWs or literbike tourers. Standards seem not to exist, everything is a cruiser (hell no) or a sportbike (meh). Oh, and around that time everyone apparently went from 125cc dirtbikes straight to GIXXAHS with no in-between. Sorry, venting a little. Here's the "gently caress it, it's a bike, I guess I can live with it" list. If I'm missing anything, or if any of these are inappropriate for some reason, I'd appreciate the input. I should point out that all of these are out of my $2k price range, according to what I'm seeing on Craigslist: * Kawasaki Ninja 250 * Kawasaki Ninja 500 * Suzuki GS 500 * Suzuki SV 650 What I was looking at, for comparison: * Honda Nighthawk 650 (1983-85, shaft drive, dual disk brakes up front, bizarro 80s styling; crappy tiny tank though) * Suzuki GS 650 (1981-83, shaft drive, dual disk front/single disk back, better look, tank holds almost a gallon more) See why I'm a little miffed? The newer bikes seem like a step backward; for more money I get less bike, shittier brakes, a style I don't care for, and a chain that needs constant checking-adjusting-lubricating. Bigger tanks, though.
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Apr 23, 2013 19:02
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It's your first bike, not your last. Edit: You got sound advice in Nov 2012 Halo_4am posted:As a rule of thumb anything with 5+ gears on it and more than 30hp will keep you setup as long as you want to be. You'll trade up eventually same as anybody, but you won't ever be bored or noticing obvious limitations with what you have in the meanwhile. Save more money, I know you have the motorcycle bug, but starting out on a $1000 budget is asking for pain. Have you budgeted for gear? Even if you just wore a $100 helmet, $20 gloves, and $80 boots, your up another $200. Add insurance, inspection, and the inevitable maintenance, and your up to $2000 in your first couple months easy. Save up $2500 for a bike, and budget atleast another $500 and you're in a much better position to start out. Whoops edit #2: Your budget is $2000 now, advice still stands. Pokey Araya fucked around with this message at 19:25 on Apr 23, 2013 |
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Apr 23, 2013 19:05
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Modern chain maintenance is really not a big deal. The guys that gripe about it are regurgitating stuff they half-learned 40 years ago, are doing 20,000+ miles of superslab a year, or are just being posers. In 9 years and 15000 or so miles (I know, I should ride more) of bike ownership I've never had to do more with my chains than sporadic cleaning and spritzes of lube.
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Apr 23, 2013 19:11
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Modern chain maintenance is more about making sure your chain isn't overtight or overloose than anything else.
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Apr 23, 2013 19:18
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You can't find a ninja 250 for less than 2k in milwaukee? I got mine for 1800 in the bay area after a couple months of searching (and being too slow on the draw for like 5 separate cheap bikes). How long have you spent looking? Also, chains don't really need much maintenance. Maybe once every five rides, spray it with chain wax and wipe it off 5 minutes later. That's if you want the chain to last as long as the engine itself, most people do it like once a season. I don't have any idea what you're talking about on the brakes thing. Old bikes have drum brakes most of the time, which are poo poo. I also have no idea what you mean by "less bike". Relax a little, you seem really wound up about it. Like pokey said, it's not the last bike you'll ever have. Spend 6 months learning the ropes on a ninja 250, then sell it for the same price you bought it and get what you really want.
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Apr 23, 2013 19:24
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TheNothingNew posted:gently caress. I thought '80s or newer would cover that. Weight was worrying me a bit, as I'm average height and most of what I was looking at are pushing 500 pounds. Hello future 80's bike lover with a now $2k budget. Chitown's a bit of a drive from Milwaukee but I still have this bike for sale: http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3119867&userid=0&perpage=40&pagenumber=34#post407378172 Seems pretty well in your wheelhouse spec-wise, and is in fine running shape. It's technically a cruiser but as just about every 80's cruiser was, it is much more akin to a standard position bike. Some lower and pulled back bars and it's identical to a standard position bike. $2k price on it is less firm seeing as how it's Spring and still not sold. Guess I was dreaming
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Apr 23, 2013 19:28
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