Returning to biking

[Rew]

Hi all I’m looking to return to biking after 20 years off a bike, I’m looking for recommendations for a comfortable bike I’m not a knee down kind of rider just a general ride out with wife on back but do like something with grunt in a straight line, I had a VFR 750 20 years ago I have looked at the blackbird only because I always wanted one but couldn’t afford one, your options would be appreciated, looking to spend about £4000.

[Bender]

Welcome, moved this to motorbike chat rather than forum advice, I cam see why you picked that. 

 

Vstrom 650  

[Ian Frog]

Hi and welcome.

I have a very nice Gen1 Hayabusa that will be coming up for sale in the near future.

Pics in gallery !

Cheers

Ian

[MikeHorton]

For around 4k for use with 2 up touring how about a versys 100, ST1300 or an fj1300? 

[Davidtav]

I can’t really comment on the bike. I don’t ever ride with a pillion. However I too returned to biking after a 20 year absence. And it has been a great thing. I thought I might like motorcycling occasionally in sunny weather. It is becoming my main transport. So much so that I’m thinking of getting rid of the car and going full motorbike

[V650]

I went back after 30 years 

On a Kawasaki  Versys 650

[iangaryprice]

I got back into biking 8 years ago. Bought a GSX600F done me well, comfortable, reliable, keep thinkingof trading it in for something else but never get around to it - partly because I just enjoy riding this one.

I have been tempted by a Yamaha Tracer though!

 

[S-Westerly]

Came back to riding after more than 30 years. Wife refuses to go pillion so no issues there and the bike I got was a Multistrada 950. Wish I'd done it years ago.

[JustC]

Currently sat musing a BMW F800R, returning to biking after a 20 year absence, full licence held since 17.

 

Doesn't seem to be many F800R's around though, couple on SBF, but put off by the horror stories online.

[manxie49]

23 hours ago, JustC said:

Currently sat musing a BMW F800R, returning to biking after a 20 year absence, full licence held since 17.

 

Doesn't seem to be many F800R's around though, couple on SBF, but put off by the horror stories online.

I wouldn't pay a great deal of attention to "online horror stories" regarding bikes.  You'll find those stories about all bikes.  Work on the basis that most people only tend to post the bad things, consider how many have been sold worldwide, so they can't all be bad?  If you like the bike then what I tend to do is talk to people who currently own them, get their opinions then do a bit of digging.  I read loads of horror stories about the S1000RR, but none of them have proven true, for me anyway, the bike hasn't missed a beat 

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

Might be the horror stories about SBF rather than the bike?

[manxie49]

3 hours ago, Mississippi Bullfrog said:

Might be the horror stories about SBF rather than the bike?

Good point

[Ivan]

Rew,

 

That's a really interesting question, not least because I personally believe that what amounts to being 'comfortable' has in the main radically changed over the years. Arguably partly inducing a big revival in the interest in both classic and vintage motorcycles as their designs were  more favourably disposed towards true comfort.   But of course that is not the only reason for such increased interest.  

 

For perspective I should point out that during very early mornings in the 1950s (when winter weather was immensely more severe) ,  six days a week, I heard my late father set off for work at the steelworks often in deep snow, howling winds or driving rain. Motorcycles and push bikes filled the early morning roads in those days being a working man's transport. Had he still been alive he would have replied to the effect that no motorcycle is 'comfortable,' if it doesn't have both comprehensive leg shields and full screen. He would have taken a comfortable seat for granted.  In those days only management owned a car!

 

For me 'comfort' also means that on any new bike I don't have to go to the trouble of having wheels and frame repainted, or additionally as I recently further undertook on a GTR1400, extending one or both so called 'mudguards' with cut down mudguard extensions from a bike thirty years older! 

 

Being into road biking for fifty five years naturally I've owned many bikes, including extreme sports bikes and plush tourers. Had I to name the most 'comfortable' of their number (but excluding extremely large tourers / cruisers) I would unhesitatingly vote the Kawasaki GTR1000 as winner. I was fortunate to own three over several years in the  80s, so impressed was I by that model. 

 

But Rew, if your biking will largely be limited to sunny days my extreme but practical views will not be quite so relevant.    Have fun searching!    

Edited July 4, 2022 by Ivan
poor grammar

[Ian Frog]

Hmm @Ivan I seem to remember an article in the late lamented UBG about someone who had several of those GTR`s I don`t suppose that was yourself?

Either way I concur it has always been held up as an example of comfort.

Cheers

Ian

[JustC]

On 01/07/2022 at 18:22, Mississippi Bullfrog said:

Might be the horror stories about SBF rather than the bike?

Yeah, the stories about SBF, not the F800R, taken the plunge and bought one elsewhere....

[Ivan]

Not me Ian. I was searching for one for over two years (now got a Valkyrie instead) but only rubbish was out there. Now I see that  a lovely looking one has been placed on eBay (nothing whatsoever to do with me) at £ 2,490.  Year 2007. I thought that they stopped manufacturing them much earlier.  (now sold) The ones shown in Google pics. state years '1986-1989' so I must have owned mine later than I thought.   The original ones had a maximum speed of between 133 and 140 m.p.h. (according to their speedos  when running ), but after several years of production Kawasaki reduced their potential to 118 m.p.h.  This may have been because, with luggage side boxes  in situ the bike began to develop a wind induced rear end flapping once one went beyond that speed. Nowadays I don't recommend that anyone disregard speed limits as much about  motoring / roads, and how they are policed, has radically changed!  

Edited July 4, 2022 by Ivan