car is being sold off through a friend, my bike is still far from ready and i feel f-ing stupid on the 125 so thoughts are turning to adding a another ride to the stable
as much as i’d love a second serious tool that aint on the cards what with theft risk, money and the fact that i’d prob always ride the r1 unless the destination is ropey (or maybe the weather conditions are sufficiently ****e). just not sure what attracts attention other than the latest race reps
needs to be something that’s reliable, has a bit of poke so riding with a pillion aint a chore and ideally something that can be left on the street and actually stand a chance of being there when i get back.
Google for a picture, but i’m selling an RF400, 1994 in red, it’s pokey enough, big built (same frame, plastics etc as a 600cc RF) the bodywork is in pretty **** state, but it’s mechanically sound… but i’v eonly had it a month, and it’s time for a 600 now i know i like riding
If you’re interested, let me know, it’s basically the same bike as a 400 bandit…i’m in no rush to sell - i need to raise a couple of grand more to buy the CBR that’s got my enticed, but the bike is in a shop for a full service, new mirrors (cos the ones it has, are crap) and new chain/sprocklets - cos the previous owner was an idiot and rode without a lubed chain for about 6 months :o
I think anything shiny is going to get stolen, personally - I’d also look at the engine profile, as some people think that an inline4 vs. a v-twin is easier to nick, or that it depends on the starter or fuel injection vs. carb’ed – lots of stuff, the long and short of it, is it will get stolen, if someone fancies it…
I’d get a bike that’s not going to die over winter, something either naked and old, or sporty and new - less bits to rot or get scratched that way and spend a couple of hundred quid on an alarm and a decent chain… it’s about all you can do to stop it getting nicked
Another bit of advice would be not to get attached to it… i’ve falledn for my bike - i bought it just as my first one, to crash or drop, etc before i bought something that looked the part… and i already love her!
DRZ 400, will suit your height mate and is unbeatable around town with the high ride, great visibility, torquey engine, ability to ride over anything, and off-road capable.
Ben - Hornets/Bandits etc are gonna be less likely to get nicked when it’s mostly sports bikes being stolen to order. Plus there’s loads of them around so there’s more choice if they really wanted one. You’ll have far less hassle. You’d have more problems if you had a gilera tbh…as all the kids would wanna nick it.
If you wanna go 2-up take a look at the Fazers too…600 or 1000…also the Z750’s or Z1000’s make great fun bikes. DRZ’s are way cool - personally i want the new Aprilia supermoto for winter, but we’ll see what the bank manager says first.
You should have asked when i had the Hornet you were more than welcome to have a go (if only you could have caught me on that 748 that you had!)
Hahahaha… see you made a mackery of me when i was considering buying one!
Being a Honda the engines are bullet proof (supposedly)
Build quality is good.
Wind blast is crap and you will need a screen if taking it higher speeds.
You know what i was like when i had it mate, if the sensible side of me got its way then i would have got one, just the blade turned up for that kind of money and i had to have the blade!
If it was a full time bike then i’d say no as it can be a bit bland, but for a 2nd bike YES
If you want something that does what it says on the tin the the Hornet is the way forward, comfortable, easy to commute, high enough above the car roofs to see ahead…
haha, yeah exactly, i ripped it as i it would have bored you long term, which is the same conclusion you came to
they do seem to shift, even with your lardy ass at the controls
it is a bugger you dont have it now for a test run as it goes. didn’t think that the butt-monkeys at the yamaha suppliers would have been yanking the repairers chain for this long to get my bike back. this whole exercise in getting by in the meantime is making me more keen to have the backup
it gets stupid with the street parking - my father was in town a couple of months back and ended up having to take a ride to north london to work out if i could park it near/in view of the restaurant and would i need all the chains etc etc. didn’t mind so much at the time as was keen to do the miles but even so
defo interested in one. not too worried on the blast as the r1 will be the tool for any ‘spirited riding’. this one wont see outside the m25. need to look at the finances and run the insurance quotes etc…
that will do till the beast comes back
