Thinking of Fazer, Bandit, Hornet, Ducati monster, Thundercat, CBR …
Any experiences?
Had the use of an S4RS for a couple of weeks,great bike,handles superbly but i didnt like the engine much,couldnt roll the throttle on gently,seemed like it was all or nothing,altho apparantly a power commander would sort this,got fed up with having to feed the throttle on using the clutch in first and second gears
Ade
ive got a 98 fazer, and love it, bags of power, and good roll on in most gears. good if you wana be lazy with the gears, excellent round town, and dont do a bad job of keeping up with the crowd. The newer fazers engine needs to be revved more to get the best outa it. The thundercat has more or less the same engine as the mark one fazer, though i think its tuned for more top end. The hornet is a top bike too, crap fuel tank range though
depends if your going brand new, or how much u got to spend.
The thundercat is no longer available brand new (well not uk spec anyway)
if your talking bout a bike a few yrs old, id go for a 2003ish fazer (just before they changed it to the underseat exhaust version)
hope that helps
i like the yamaha fz1 unfaired good looking bike with an r1 lump in it
…My 2 Pence
No experiences riding the bikes but a Monsters what I would go for
I’ve got a Thundercat and I love it!
I’ve only been riding for a month so it’s my first bike and I use it for both commuting and pleasure. It’s fine in central London and for twisties and motorways. I’ve only taken her to 110mph so far but there’s a lot more power there (just working up to it gently, lol). I haven’t felt like it’s wanted to throw me off even when I have made the odd mistake 
Depends on that you’re currently riding.
I ride a Monster, but as everyone says it’s got all the V-twin characteristics which can be a little unnerving to start with. E.G. the engine braking in massive and you have to slip the clutch below 3k until you develop amazing throttle control.
As an ardent Ducatisti I’d recommend the S2R 1000
Type L-twin cylinder, 2 valves per cylinder Desmodromic; air cooled
Displacement 992 cc
Bore x Stroke 94 x 71.5 mm
Compression Ratio 10:1
Power* 70 kw - 95 hp @ 8000 rpm
Torque* 9.6 kgm (69.4 lb-ft) @ 6000 rpm
Fuel injection Marelli electronic fuel injection, 45 mm throttle body
Exhaust 2 aluminium mufflers
The new Monster S2R 1000 is a blend of sport and character: the power of the Dual Spark engine combines with the trellis frame to pack a punch into every corner. The S2R 1000 is the ideal choice for anyone who wants the “mean” look of the SR series with more power, and the beauty and simplicity advantages of an air-cooled engine.
The S2R has proven so popular that the new S2R 1000 DS is being launched for 2006 to replace the Monster 1000.Derived from the S2R 800cc, The 1000DS differs as follows…
It will be fitted the 992cc 2V Dual Spark air cooled motor
Twin 320 brake discs with the Bembo 4 pad superbike brakes
Brake and clutch master cylinders with remote reservoirs
New Exhaust manifolds with Euro 3 sensors
Carbon fibre side panelsColour options are Red/White , Black/White, NEW Gloss Silver with Black stripe, Black frame and wheels. Price is now confirmed at £6995.00 On the road.
get an SV 
if not just for that twin grumble! A ducati would be awesome - but in rainy anglais 
I did hear that their new models were meant to be more reliable and up to the english weather rain- but also cheaper to service 
Ive heard alot of problems regarding maintenance and reliability of the Ducati Monster. Any owners to comment?
Out the Bunch I have always liked the CBR or Thundercat but It will be a big move to me from a 125 so I do not want to be replacing expensive fairing because of stupid mistakes. The fazer and hornet seem to be my favourite so far but I really do like the growl of a V twin like the SV or Monster. I think ill have to try and balance things out for what I want, and take a test ride.
I will be commuting and going for weekend blasts so need something to be good on reliability and performance.
My Monster’s done 8k in everything from snow to virtual monsoons and never missed a beat. The only thing that has ever gone wrong is the third party heated grips.
The 620 has been discontinued (replaced by the 695) so you should be able to pick one up (probably pre-reg) for very little.
As with all entry level bikes you get what you pay for. i.e. built to a budget. So the build quality isn’t top, but you don’t expect that at the bottom of the range.
The S2R might be a bit much as a first big bike (unless you can get hold of the 800).
The only way to know what to get is to go all the dealerships with your new license and get test rides on everything.
Improvement on my speed on the cat, I’ve now done 130mph and there’s more in her!!
Were you racing to the jewellers? 
lol, no back from there before he had a chance to change his mind.
I had a Thundercat as a first big bike and it was awesome…brilliant brakes, the pull of the engine was good for a ‘sports tourer’, and I found it to be very forgiving. I’ve now got a naked SV650 which is also good fun, but you have to be more aware of what you are doing with the throttle as it can be a bit “on/off” lower down in the rev range…the SV is a very torquey bike as well so it gets you up to speed quickly, but if you want to go faster than 130mph then forget it.
Ive heard alot of problems regarding maintenance and reliability of the Ducati Monster. Any owners to comment?
Then buy a Triumph 675!!!
Ducati looks , class , exclusivity - but reliable - and a class beating sickle too!:
i am selling my V-max if you want some real grunt
Bit of a speacialist bike so understand it does not appeal to everyone but still get loads of looks and comments at the light
I have a dealer who will part exchange so if you fancy a bargain let me know
dont buy a 675 like the ducati they look good,but burn oil like a 2 stroke
I am thinking of touring in the future and want a bike which will keep me happy for a while. Howmuch effect does crash bungs have on faired bikes? The fazer I like, but id much rather buy a Thundercat or CBR for that price and try avoid stupid mistakes like dropping it. The Hornet is reasonably priced but the fact that there is no fairing will be a problem for when I want to tour. The duke is out the question just doesnt seem to be right for what I want out of it. The Daytona is not the sort of bike which I need at the moment, bit too overpriced and theres alot of others which id prefer for the same sort of money.
Looks like Ill have to make a descision between a Thundercat or CBR600F
Both seem reliable and able to handle allround riding. Will have to get me a test ride.
we have 3 cbr600 in or shop differant models and a triumph daytona 600 in yellow really nice bike,some rf900 and vfr’s so come and have a look in rex judds in west end lane,west hampstead,nw6,im in sat,sun,mon,wed and thursday.
phone the shop and come for a test ride
The Daytona is not the sort of bike which I need at the moment, bit too overpriced and theres alot of others which id prefer for the same sort of money.
That’s ansewered my real question - what’s stopping you buying one???
- Fair enough!