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You should try an R80GS if you can bring yourself to pay the hipster tax. I've had an R80/7 for 11 years, kind of settled into it as I'd stopped bombing round London and suburbs on bikes. Used it purely for work, running between building sites carrying tools and materials. Then I picked up an R1150rs for silly money and loved riding a modern bike, after a few months I took the 2 bikes out on the same ride back to back and discovered the R80 put a smile on my face but the 1150 was just a handful at low revs, really abrupt power delivery/braking and left me feeling aggressive.
Modern BMW's have a lot going for them but as you say the myth that surrounds brands is a powerful force. The recent cock up with the suspension recall on the R1200rt is a significant blow to a lot of BMW owners confidence. I think the drive failures on the 1150 series got blown up a bit, especially when you look at the mileage some of these bikes were achieving with little or no maintenance before it happened. The F650 was part of the effort to move away from boxer twins which the BMW owners rallied against, they are great bikes but too small for the wallets of the middle aged biking community. BMW were 'forced' to carry on making the twins with shaft drive even though their engineers were over it as a design, then they make the R1150GS and they sell like hot cakes. In fairness 650/800 is a great engine size unless you want to eat a lot of miles.
Ducati have struggled to shake off the "don't ride it in the rain" reputation which dated from a period when they literally couldn't source a waterproof switch. I've no evidence against Honda's claims of reliability though, like I mentioned before I've had a Honda twin drop a valve and still limp home, the engineering can be complex to work on though.
I love all bikes though, never been one bad enough for me not to be interested in riding.
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I had an r100rt and an r100rs, the remains of the rs are still kept by my mum as a reminder why bikes are bad, even borrowed a friends r80gs for a bit and it was a great bike. All both bikes had was 4k oil changes and occassional valve checks. I learnt how to get the bing carb cables right and they were great. The modern BMW trades on the old airhead standards of build.
I own (inherited) a 50's ducati and aprillia that both spent 4 decades in a garage till they dragged out resurrected minimally to get running again. The electrics are fine. But then again I like the old MZ for the ability to keep going forever with minimal maintenance.
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Slight pangs of wanting a Ducati again. I came so close 18 years ago. Sat on a 888 SP5 in the showroom of Frontiers on Wimbledon Chase, first (serious) paycheck burning a pocket shaped hole. Miserable cnuts wouldn't give me a test ride so I walked. Admittedly, I would've bollixed it eventually but still...ahh...
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massive balls
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Spotted this tasty early GS in Berlin recently (ignore Mrs IP in the background looking pissed off)
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Been on and off toying with the idea of getting a bike for the last few years... Perpetual brokenness is the main stumbling block. Someone convince me it's worth it!
Would obviously be starting on a 125. Was looking at super motos for a long time, mainly yamaha dtr and wr, but recently been looking at husqvarnas, sm and similar.
Any advice? What not to go for etc?
cheers
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Anyone had any experience of early 90s kawasaki ktr650/ yamaha xt 600/650 /suzuki Dr type big singles in an enduro form?
Looking to build a budget "adventure tourer", as in less than 1k for bike, rebuild, insurance and luggage.
Fan of singles and the simpler twins for their low down torque and cheap to work on / pure simplicity, weight, though none of them are really that good on fuel and pretty tragic on open roads / motorways.
Any pointers? Or other models to look at? -
What triumph is this? Looks nice..
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Anyone interested in a Honda NC700s?
Now on eBay: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/261989627022?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1586.l2649
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Mrs Sparky was a bridesmaid at a wedding near Brighton and had taken the car down a couple of days ago. I did the run on the Vespa in my suit yesterday morning for the ceremony, channeling some Quadrophenia. Came back this afternoon. It's the first time I've ridden anywhere out of London, or any real distance. I took the Strava quiet route and popped the Garmin on the headset as a satnav. Big grin all weekend.
https://instagram.com/p/51kFeyDVHZ
https://instagram.com/p/53FGlbjVLh -
Pay day so new gloves, waterproofs, disc lock and heavy duty chain, my first scooter cost less than that lot!
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Boo. Weekend after? Maybe that @inchpincher would be interested too?
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Weekend after works too. Still hoping for Friday but it's a 20% chance at best.
Brighton or similar sounds like fun.
Re: @inchpincher the more the merrier!
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Yeah possibly lads, could do the Sat 15th but would need to be back to town by 6pm for work.
Airhead
lynx
Jung
EB
Soul
inchpincher
casaBLANKA
BrickMan
cornelius_blackfoot
Sparky
TvH-
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Motorcycle and Scooter appreciation
Posted by
@coppiThat
Part of me quite fancies a r80gs, but the modern gs don't seem to be that reliable and their owners seem to feel afraid to say anything against the grain of their bikes are poor. It is like the myth of Honda reliability, suzuki's being rusty and Ducati's unreliable. The point in question is the old bmw f650 that was built by aprillia from the same parts and production line as the pegasso yet the BMW had better reputation, even tho the bikes had the same issues.