urbanaw
Part of things
Posts: 249
Club RR Member Number: 17
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Retro Bike Goodnessurbanaw
@urbanaw
Club Retro Rides Member 17
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Aug 29, 2019 14:02:09 GMT
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I have swapped my VTR1000 for one of these back during uni days. Unfortunately I needed something more frugal as a daily at the time and had to sell it. It was a great machine and it looked exactly like the one you have here (minus the front end). EFE minus all the ugliness. Such cool bikes.
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Frankenhealey
Club Retro Rides Member
And I looked, and behold, a pale horse! And its rider's name was Death
Posts: 3,875
Club RR Member Number: 15
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Retro Bike GoodnessFrankenhealey
@frankenhealey
Club Retro Rides Member 15
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Aug 29, 2019 16:21:02 GMT
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When I saw the title I was thinking of something a little more like this
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Tales of the Volcano Lair hereFrankenBug - Vulcan Power hereThe Frankenhealey here
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adam73bgt
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 4,862
Club RR Member Number: 58
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Retro Bike Goodnessadam73bgt
@adam73bgt
Club Retro Rides Member 58
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Aug 29, 2019 16:40:06 GMT
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Not the most retro and not the prettiest but this is what I've been riding since I passed my test in January A 2002 Suzuki GSX600F, while it may not be the most desirable, for a new rider I've found it pretty enjoyable still and fairly comfortable although it does get a little tiring if doing a long motorway slog. Also because they're not the most desirable machines, the insurance was a lot more reasonable than other stuff I was looking at
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Aug 29, 2019 16:49:11 GMT
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When I saw the title I was thinking of something a little more like this Ahh, the wonderful velocette! Ive been actively hunting a velo for 2 years now. A 40s 350cc? Yours?
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Last Edit: Aug 29, 2019 16:49:48 GMT by VW
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Frankenhealey
Club Retro Rides Member
And I looked, and behold, a pale horse! And its rider's name was Death
Posts: 3,875
Club RR Member Number: 15
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Retro Bike GoodnessFrankenhealey
@frankenhealey
Club Retro Rides Member 15
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Aug 29, 2019 16:56:23 GMT
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When I saw the title I was thinking of something a little more like this Ahh, the wonderful velocette! Ive been actively hunting a velo for 2 years now. A 40s 350cc? Yours? 1939 MAC 350. It may be up for sale but I get first dibs. Check for updates on my Volcano Lair thread in case I forget.
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Tales of the Volcano Lair hereFrankenBug - Vulcan Power hereThe Frankenhealey here
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Aug 29, 2019 16:59:53 GMT
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Ahh, the wonderful velocette! Ive been actively hunting a velo for 2 years now. A 40s 350cc? Yours? 1939 MAC 350. It may be up for sale but I get first dibs. Check for updates on my Volcano Lair thread in case I forget. I'm holding out for a 60s venom, but not having much luck! Like all old bikes prices are going up and the only ones that are coming up for sale are from dealers fishing for sky high prices. Keep meaning to join the club and try that route.
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Aug 29, 2019 17:29:21 GMT
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Aug 29, 2019 17:34:00 GMT
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This is what i already have...
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ClemRusty
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 165
Club RR Member Number: 50
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Retro Bike GoodnessClemRusty
@127yeti
Club Retro Rides Member 50
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Sept 6, 2019 15:23:45 GMT
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Seems that most new riders go for a 600 or smaller, i'd like something bigger like a ZX9R? obviosuly id treat it with the up most respect!
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luckyseven
Posted a lot
Owning sneering dismissive pedantry since 1970
Posts: 3,839
Club RR Member Number: 45
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Retro Bike Goodnessluckyseven
@luckyseven
Club Retro Rides Member 45
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Sept 6, 2019 15:48:52 GMT
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Lots to like in this thread. Some stuff not to like too much Apologies to adam73bgt but I never could see any point in the "teapot". In almost every regard either a proper GSXR or an equivalent capacity Bandit would be a much better option, even a faired one if you must. GSXFs were so horribly compromised and soooooo cheap that even when new components would fail, fork chrome peel off, paint fail and flake, etc. Sadly they come from a period when cheap bikes were really cheaply made, before even a chepo one had decent finish and build quality. You must have got a really good one there dude Even as recently as (IMHO) the turn of the millennium budget bikes came with such poor finish and quality (especially Japanese ones) that it was a false economy. Plus the corners cut of suspension, brakes etc made it a much poorer riding experience. You were better off (and safer) buying a proper top-of the range, even if it was a sportsbike with a crippling riding position simply because very component was top-hole and all you had to worry about was it rotting. With that said, things like SRADs were launched with a lot of triumphant noises fro Suzuki about how the geometry was almost identical to Kevin Schwantz's title-winning RGV500 from the previous years' Grand Prix series (predecessor to MotoGP). Short version... you'll almost certainly never make one comfortable! Also, give consideration to how mush user-friendliness you want out of the bike. Carbs were around on bikes a lot longer than cars because they struggled to make fuel injection smooth and not jerky lightswitch power delivery. Early FI bikes from the late 90s are night and day different in usability compared to post-millennium ones. Carbed bikes in the mid/late 90s had by then had a 100 years' development and ran smooth as butter and were usually very predictable, plus tricks like Yamaha's EXUP valve to smooth out the power curve. either before or after this point in time is great, but buy an early FI GSXR or R1 and learn the art of millimetre perfect throttle control fast or you'll be wearing it like a hat! That's a lot of words, I don't want to blether on too much... though I can if you like. I don't have a bike currently, but I only had two-wheeled transport for ten years before getting back into cars so I learned quite a bit. Not sayin' I'm right, but I've been around a bit, like. Two years as a courier covering about 70 000 miles taught quite a bit, too. Nice to see my own personal favourite bike of all time in here. If you can find a YZF750 as clean as in the promo pic on the first page, buy it, no matter what the cost. Especially if it's an SP. Best carburetted sportskbike ever, run like silk, handle like it's undropable. This one was mine and getting rid of it is one of the few regrets I have in life yzf-w-pfms by Nick Liassides, on Flickr I traded it against a '96 FireBlade which is one of the biggest mistakes I ever made (and not just becos Hahhhhnda ). The most over-hyped, miss-represented vehicle for almost an entire decade, hated it. fireblade4 by Nick Liassides, on Flickr I mean, it looked OK but compared to the Yamaha it was baggy, vague, badly carburetted, annoyingly hard to work on... handled appallingly... arghhh. Getting myself angry just thinking about it Strangely enough, I'd suggest that a bigger capacity is a better option for a new rider. Once you get past a certain age of bike (like post permiter-frame GSXR era) weight wasn't much different ... in fact, manufacturers put all their R&D into their flagship big bikes so they often weighed less than the equivalent 600... but the power is much more forgiving and easier to use, rather than a revvy 600 when you lose the powerband, you lose way badly and it can be discouraging to get the hang of. IMHO again. Or failing that, a twin like a SZ, oddball TDM, TRX that hasn't rotted away (rare indeed) or even dual-sports like Africa Twins or such. They also have a much more forgiving nature than a revvy four that's been developed to set new lap records. What works on the track is often horrid and/or frustrating on the road, and I'd chose a bike that works well at 70mph at 2/3rds of its potential than one that wants to go everywhere at 140mph and unless you never leave third gear you might as well stay at home
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Last Edit: Sept 6, 2019 15:49:17 GMT by luckyseven
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luckyseven
Posted a lot
Owning sneering dismissive pedantry since 1970
Posts: 3,839
Club RR Member Number: 45
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Retro Bike Goodnessluckyseven
@luckyseven
Club Retro Rides Member 45
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Sept 6, 2019 15:55:09 GMT
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Moar....
My brother has had two RF900s and they're really good bikes, even in their day hugely underrated and cheap for what you got (which was a hell of a lot of performance, especially in the 900 as opposed to 600). My only concerns now would be the usual Suzuki build quality which even ten years ago meant they were looking ratty unless really looked after, and the availability of spares, particularly the unique fairing panels and such which were easily damaged in even a sidestand topple. But find a good one and they're absolutely astonishing performance for the money. And look great too (though that's subjective I suppose). I always loved the Starship Enterprise rear lights....
Early ZX9Rs were the fastest thing you could buy at one time, and much more of a sportstourer than their look and rep would suggest. They're big, comfy and heavy (for a sportsbike) all of which can be an advantage in the real world. Genuine continent-crossing ability without arriving soaked, crippled, cramped and miserable. Again, Kawasaki build quality ain't ever been the best so inspect carefully for furry alloy, peeling paint, cracked fairing mounts, etc
Don't be afraid of big capacity for it's own sake. After all, you only have to open the throttle as far as you want....
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Sept 6, 2019 23:11:08 GMT
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At 174cm I could hardly be considered a tall rider. But I found a mate's Triumph Sprint 955 too tall for me, whereas another mate's GSXR1000 was comfortable, if a little heavy. Also sat on a co-workers BMW F850 adventure and found it too tall.
So what I'm trying to say is try everything. Simply because a bike has a bigger capacity doesn't mean it's more suitable. Ride what you find comfortable and you'll enjoy whatever it is.
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Sept 9, 2019 13:24:52 GMT
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I'm following this thread with interest as i cannot make up my mind what bike to get next year after (if) i pass my DAS. This is giving me plenty of ideas, but for now i'll make do with this, please keep posting up ideas.
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Sept 11, 2019 23:08:11 GMT
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Definitely have to love a motorcycle:) take your time and test put as many bikes as you can before buying is my only advice. my cb500 is am excellent bike, and arguably the best in it's class I would say, but I'm not bonding with it 100% due to lower back pain. That and I suppose at 1994 she is a bit new! Enjoy the choosing, especially if your other half is like mine she won't lightly let you choose again (bikes I mean!) :-D Safe riding, keep it shiney side up
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Last Edit: Sept 11, 2019 23:09:15 GMT by s1105117
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