What makes a good bike for London riding?

Nah, I’m the oldest member of LB!:stuck_out_tongue:

Wow look at the short arses in the front :wink: :stuck_out_tongue: :hehe: :w00t: :cool: :D:D:D:D:D

No you’re not Sneak, you’re such a wannabee :smiley:

I’m probably catching you up fast :wink: :smiley:

Getting back to the Hornet - check out what MCN and Performance bikes think:

The Honda Hornet has earned a massive following worldwide, mostly because it’s such a jack of all trades, used and loved by everyone from daily commuters to the instructors at Rapid Training.

The Honda Hornet is undoubtedly a cult bike and was even featured in MCN’s sister title ‘Performance Bikes’ magazine recently as one of the 100 bikes to ride before you die.

nuff said. :cool:

http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/Products/productsresults/Parts-accessories/2008/October/oct0908-top-tenhornet-parts/Honda/CB600F-HORNET/_/R-EPI-103441

http://londonbikers.com/forums/UserInfo229.aspx

:stuck_out_tongue:

SneakyMcC Nah, I’m the oldest member of LB!

That I doubt, despite your obviously massaged profile.

Back to the original question Answer= Anything with two wheels, a motor over 350cc, decent brakes, road legal and reliable.

After that, it’s just personal choice. Mine includes a comfy seat.

I will agree with the (stretching the truth) SneakyMcC that a good 'tard take some beating for the grin factor and bringing out the hooligan. I sure miss mine.

no comment! :cool:

Its true I tell ya!

In all seriousness, the nice thing about Tards around town, apart from them making you feel invincible and riding like a twott, is that they weight nowt and have grunt from tick-over. You’re sat upright, they’re narrow but the high bars do tend to be mirror height for other vehicles. My tard is obviously a sack of sh1t and 3 days is normally my lot for commuting on it before I reach for the train. I have ridden singles for many years in town though. But I’m sure any upright grunty bikes will be good at the commute, its the added value of SM’s. They’re cheap to buy too!:cool:

Its true I tell ya!

In all seriousness, the nice thing about Tards around town, apart from them making you feel invincible and riding like a twott, is that they weight nowt and have grunt from tick-over. You’re sat upright, they’re narrow but the high bars do tend to be mirror height for other vehicles. My tard is obviously a sack of sh1t and 3 days is normally my lot for commuting on it before I reach for the train. I have ridden singles for many years in town though. But I’m sure any upright grunty bikes will be good at the commute, its the added value of SM’s. They’re cheap to buy too!:cool:

I like my bike for commuting (GSR600)… Then again I would, wouldn’t I? :stuck_out_tongue:

I’d love to commute to work on a SM… Saw you a couple of weeks ago Sneaky close to Blackfriars on the Riot and you looked to be having fun manoeuvering in between cars. I waved but you were a bit too focused on the road (talk about unsafe driving - not looking for other fellow LBers in the opposite lane)…

Sorry Mista, I like to break my legs around there!:blush: Focussed on the road, that’ll be me, the absolute epitome of calm skilled negotiation of the traffic!

:smiley:

I know I realised and put my hand down immediately in order to avoid distracting you! :slight_smile:

Hornet is the perfect first bike. Below 7k revs it’s quite tame so no surprises riding round town. When you hit 7k revs it picks up nicely, hit 9k revs and you’ll be grinning from ear to ear.:smiley: It was my first ‘big’ bike and I kept it for 6 years and 70k miles. Since then I’ve had a Street Triple, GSX R750 and a CB1000R, but none of them can match the Hornet for fun. Why get a Diversion when you can get an old Hornet cheap, you’ll be bored with the Diversion within a year.

Where is the best place to look for second hand bikes?

Autotrader is really overpriced, MCN lesss so but never any 'bargain’s. Where should I be looking? Hornets seem to hold their value well.

Thanks

you can try ebay,piston heads or gumtree (at your own risk)

I have only ridden a Hornet once, it was out on twisty country lanes on a Sunday morning. Fab bike but that was stepping off my SM (or Ducati?) which, as I said early make what little grunt it has from tickover (where You…I want it around town), to avoid waiting for 9k rpm needed a real recalibration of the mind to ride around 2 gears lower in the twisty lanes. Around town that would be obviously be ridiculous, but I’m sure that the Hornets grunt at 9k would be overkill in that environment:D At what rpm do these bikes make instant squirt?

Risers fix that. Enjoy watching the revving sportsbike behind you attempt and fail to follow you through tiny gaps :smiley: 2" Pivoting Bar Risers for 7/8" Handlebar – Rox Speed FX

Fair point that it doesn’t have the instant squirt of the moto and you ain’t gonna be doing parcour over the street furniture like you could on a moto - but in town it still feels, turns and fits into gaps like a suzuki van van :smiley: - unlike a suzuki van van though when you leave the city and get on the mway/twisties you suddenly become aware that you are sitting on a 16 valve ex sportsbike 600cc multi with proper sportsbike size wheels and tyres - in terms of it’s spread of abilities/jack of all trades nothing can touch it (certainly not a moto! :w00t: ) - in my opinion a moto is brilliant if you have other types of bike to fall back on for motorway/distance work etc but I reckon the moto experience could get very tired very quickly if it’s your sole form of transport. :wink:

Although Hornets are brilliant fun the first ride on one isn’t in the same league of experiences as snorting pure colombian from a brazilian whores arse crack or strapping yourself onto a turbo busa - instead It’s only after spending a few thousand miles on a hornet doing all kinds of stuff that you realise what an amazing bike it is.

At the end of the day how many ‘first bikes’ have been described as a true cult bike by bike journalists and made it onto MCN list of 100 bikes to ride before you die? I mean seriously! :w00t:

It’s much more than a first bike in my opinion and will keep you entertained whatever your level. :slight_smile:

Two weeks to kill before heading back to Lagos…now you got me thinking :stuck_out_tongue: