The right bike

[Mickyley]

Hi I ride a vulcan 900 classic for pleasure and just bought a 600 bandit to improve general riding ability including filtering, to ride through winter.

I picked it because the riding position is upright and similar to the bike I trained on.

But cant see me getting used to how revvy it is.

When I went to a local bike dealer I was laughed out the door because I didn't want to spend a lot on a 2nd bike.

So knowing all this can anyone suggest a bike more suitable ?

[Mickly]

Maybe a Suzuki SV650 - it’s a v-twin so similar to your Vulcan.

Not as revvy as a bandit and a cracking bike.

[Mickyley]

Thanks. Are these similar to the gladius ?

[JustaTwist]

Hi mickyley, I’ve just sent you a pm.

I currently ride a V-Strom 650 which Is more upright than the bandit and I assume will rev similar to your Vulcan as it’s a vtwin. I don’t know what your budget is but you can pick an older one up for not much money.

[fastbob]

Why is being " Revvy " a bad thing ? It's a four cylinder engine with 16 valves and light weight internals . A softly tuned derivative of the revolutionary GSXR engine . What were you expecting it to be like ? If I can go from a GSXR 1100 to a Harley then I'm sure you will soon get the hang of it .

[Guest]

Another mention for the 650 Strom!

[Mickyley]

Fastbob, I'm not sure what I expected since I'm not as educated as yourself to know.

I did try to find out what I wanted in a 2nd bike and got little help before choosing the bandit. A decision made mainly on riding position, low mileage, condition and thinking I'd get used to it. I've also been advised to consider a fazer, but think that may be similar to the bandit.

A local dealer I found to be condescending and unhelpful given how much I was prepared to spend. So I took pot luck and found I dont particularly like riding the bandit. So now I'm looking for suggestions to change.

[Snod Blatter]

Have you considered disconnecting the tacho? Or putting stickers on it showing lower numbers?

[fastbob]

Have you considered disconnecting the tacho? Or putting stickers on it showing lower numbers?

 

Or just glue a circle of cardboard from a Cornflakes packet on it . You could draw a smiley face on it to cheer yourself up when you're going along .

[fastbob]

Fastbob, I'm not sure what I expected since I'm not as educated as yourself to know.

I did try to find out what I wanted in a 2nd bike and got little help before choosing the bandit. A decision made mainly on riding position, low mileage, condition and thinking I'd get used to it. I've also been advised to consider a fazer, but think that may be similar to the bandit.

A local dealer I found to be condescending and unhelpful given how much I was prepared to spend. So I took pot luck and found I dont particularly like riding the bandit. So now I'm looking for suggestions to change.

 

You could have watched loads of YouTube vids of Bandits and any other bikes before making an informed choice . There are around 7,500 GSF 600's on the road in the UK alone and it's one of the best selling bikes of all time so somebody must like them . Megadethdan really likes them !

[Bender]

There is no right bike.just the one you have before the next bike.

Get what you want, don't like it! get another, repeat till your, bored, skint, dead.

Hopefully in that order.

[fastbob]

There is no right bike.just the one you have before the next bike.

Get what you want, don't like it! get another, repeat till your, bored, skint, dead.

Hopefully in that order.

 

I agree . I've never never paid much heed to common sense or practical considerations in the past when buying bikes . My choices have been a compromise between what I could afford ( which has never been much ) and whatever took my fancy . Sometimes you just have to close your eyes and jump in and f**k the consequences . You also have to allow time for a bike to grow on you . For the first couple of days of riding the Harley I kept asking myself "What have you done ? " but now my only regret is that I didn't get one twenty years ago ! I haven't yearned for summer to come so desperately for many years .

[Mattt]

honda CB500x has a lot of happy riders / reviews

Light ,nippy ,good for touring/ commuter ,good mpg

Not so boring power delivery ,pretty good finish and cheap compared to some bigger bikes