A question for the motorcyclists....

[TeamGrizzly]

My beast of choice is a 2007 Suzuki V-Strom 650. It is a bit of a pig and definitely needs some good armour but it does handle backroads quite well. It can be a touch top heavy and the front end dives under braking. Also the ABS is sensitive as well. A gentle touch is needed to avoid skipping on loose gravel roads. It's also nice to thrash out on the pavement as well. Though being a v-twin it runs out of steam at the top end. I've ridden mine up to Alaska (the bugs), down to Mexico (the heat) and across Canada (the distance). And all over BC's backroads as well.
My other toy is a 2013 Ural GearUp 750. Some parts of that bike were state of the art in 1938 when it was built by the Germans. It's a pig of a different sort, but a hoot to ride. (Once you get a hang of driving a sidecar rig. read: full on bloody mental.) Not for speed or the mechanically adverse.

I'm with you on lamenting the loss of the middleweight off-road motorcycles. I think the issue is keeping up with emissions regulations and trying to update older motor designs. There is also the undue influence of those two actors that rode around on those overpriced and overweight German water buffalos. Though looking at some other the smaller displacement bikes coming up, it looks like the manufacturers are trying to fill that niche with smaller more efficient bikes. (Kawasaki UK has a KLX-450, and Suzuki UK has the V-Strom 250.) Of course you can run with what you have, take a look at Sjaak Lucassen, around the world on a Yamaha R1.

Mike

 

[swyn]

I like the RE Himalayan. For messin' I think it is a really good bike AND it's popular, cheap to run with lots of upgrades and parts available. For serious long-distance M-way journeys it may be a little tiring but if you are going to 'off-road' with a big grin then IMO look no further.
I visited a large bike show-room recently and was dismayed at the sheer size of the 'off-road' 1000cc+++ bikes on display. No way would I want to let one of these monsters fall on their side, I'd never, in a month of Sundays pick it up!
S

 

[Laurence Milton]

I went down my my local motorbike shop today to be me a new 500cc trail bike, something along the lines of an XT500 or DRZ400. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that such bikes are no longer available, the only things the salesman could offer were overweight 1000cc "adventure bikes" or 250cc kiddie bikes! Whatever happened to the mid sized thumpers that were once so popular?

Fantic Caballero?
(Old thread I know.........but............)

 

[saxonaxe]

My main preferred form of transport since I passed my bike test in 1964 has been a motorcycle. I've always owned a motorcycle of some description. Everything from my test bike, a C 15 250 BSA single, through an early MZ 250 painted brown with Woolworths House Hold paint which was all I could afford then. Quite a few bikes, but always a bike of some description. They were much easier to store than a car when I was away at sea, and I was never keen on 4 wheels anyway.

In 2019 I traded my Guzzi Californian in for a lighter bike. I had owned the Guzzi for 17 years, lovely bike but at 75 years I was finding it heavy to push/ manoeuvre in confined spaces. I had made many camping trips on the Guzzi over the years.



My current bike is a Royal Enfield Himalayan. Living where I do, with no Motorway within nearly 50 miles and the vast majority of roads that I use like this...The Himalayan is easy to self service, cheap to run and has so far proved bullet proof...used properly.



I'm not claiming to be an expert with regard to motorcycles but in the Himalayan I think I've found the ideal bike...for me in my circumstances.

Used within it's capabilities I find it to be a brilliant bike, even after the Guzzi. You wouldn't take a £60 tent into the Cairngorms in Winter I hope, so I wonder why people take a loaded Himalayan onto Motorways and report they are disappointed with it's performance. Lack of biking experience I presume..

A few camping trips between lock downs so far, but rules permitting, many more to come this summer.
...

 

[swyn]

Fantic Caballero?
(Old thread I know.........but............)

I remember the 70’s version of Fantic’s Caballero. Was a good looker then and they have certainly produced another easy on the eye machine in its latest incarnation.

For Sunday summer jaunts or club runs I’d be very tempted. In company if the electrics play up at least you’d have plenty of advice on hand rather like an old Brit bike!
For adventures my Q about the Fantic would be in reliability and in consequence spares back up. You never know they may be super reliable

£5.5 Caballero
£3.5 Enfield.

Both 2019 machines so run in and all teething done and dusted.

Buy one of each????
S

 

[billycoen]

I'm not claiming to be an expert with regard to motorcycles but in the Himalayan I think I've found the ideal bike...for me in my circumstances.

I watch a fella on youtube called Wiltshire Man,he has the same bike,very interesting viewing.

 

[swyn]

My main preferred form of transport since I passed my bike test in 1964 has been a motorcycle. I've always owned a motorcycle of some description. Everything from my test bike, a C 15 250 BSA single, through an early MZ 250 painted brown with Woolworths House Hold paint which was all I could afford then. Quite a few bikes, but always a bike of some description. They were much easier to store than a car when I was away at sea, and I was never keen on 4 wheels anyway.

In 2019 I traded my Guzzi Californian in for a lighter bike. I had owned the Guzzi for 17 years, lovely bike but at 75 years I was finding it heavy to push/ manoeuvre in confined spaces. I had made many camping trips on the Guzzi over the years.



My current bike is a Royal Enfield Himalayan. Living where I do, with no Motorway within nearly 50 miles and the vast majority of roads that I use like this...The Himalayan is easy to self service, cheap to run and has so far proved bullet proof...used properly.



I'm not claiming to be an expert with regard to motorcycles but in the Himalayan I think I've found the ideal bike...for me in my circumstances.

Used within it's capabilities I find it to be a brilliant bike, even after the Guzzi. You wouldn't take a £60 tent into the Cairngorms in Winter I hope, so I wonder why people take a loaded Himalayan onto Motorways and report they are disappointed with it's performance. Lack of biking experience I presume..

A few camping trips between lock downs so far, but rules permitting, many more to come this summer.
...

Loved my V50 Guzzi mk2 for the six years I owned it. ‘83 to 89.
Light, shaft driven, linked brakes which were great in traffic plus being small fitted under cars wing mirrors when
negotiating lanes of slow moving or stationary traffic, and mostly Fiat 127 electrical bits so one didn’t pay extortionate prices. And double the selling market as female riders could ride them easily too
I swapped it for £’s and a hand made pair of leather trousers. The money is long gone like the bike but I still wear the trousers. Made by the new lady owner all that time ago.

I’d hazzard the Enfield is another one easily ridden by lady bikers. There is a low seat option I believe.

I think @saxonaxe has swung the pendulum in the best direction!
S

 

[bobnewboy]

My current bike is a KTM950 Supermoto. I bought it new in 2007, the only vehicle I’ve ever had with zero miles on it . It’s still running strong, and once I’d got over the OEM weak points (fuel pump, water pump shaft, wheel bearings), and fixed them all, it’s been great. It always was great handling with a very flexible (carbs!) engine, and the upright riding position is a particular bonus now we live in the south west - it spends most of its life on lanes or those relatively wide 4-digit B roads…..

Here’s a picture of it a couple of summers ago:

https://flic.kr/p/2iUYbeu

 

[Robbi]

My main preferred form of transport since I passed my bike test in 1964 has been a motorcycle. I've always owned a motorcycle of some description. Everything from my test bike, a C 15 250 BSA single, through an early MZ 250 painted brown with Woolworths House Hold paint which was all I could afford then. Quite a few bikes, but always a bike of some description. They were much easier to store than a car when I was away at sea, and I was never keen on 4 wheels anyway.

In 2019 I traded my Guzzi Californian in for a lighter bike. I had owned the Guzzi for 17 years, lovely bike but at 75 years I was finding it heavy to push/ manoeuvre in confined spaces. I had made many camping trips on the Guzzi over the years.



My current bike is a Royal Enfield Himalayan. Living where I do, with no Motorway within nearly 50 miles and the vast majority of roads that I use like this...The Himalayan is easy to self service, cheap to run and has so far proved bullet proof...used properly.



I'm not claiming to be an expert with regard to motorcycles but in the Himalayan I think I've found the ideal bike...for me in my circumstances.

Used within it's capabilities I find it to be a brilliant bike, even after the Guzzi. You wouldn't take a £60 tent into the Cairngorms in Winter I hope, so I wonder why people take a loaded Himalayan onto Motorways and report they are disappointed with it's performance. Lack of biking experience I presume..

A few camping trips between lock downs so far, but rules permitting, many more to come this summer.
...

At 75.! Hats off to you sir.

At 61 I've down sized from a BMW 1150 GSA that was huge and very heavy that I kept falling off in the garage to a BMW R1200GS that is much lighter and with a lowered seat

Health to enjoy.

 

[swyn]

My current bike is a KTM950 Supermoto. I bought it new in 2007, the only vehicle I’ve ever had with zero miles on it . It’s still running strong, and once I’d got over the OEM weak points (fuel pump, water pump shaft, wheel bearings), and fixed them all, it’s been great. It always was great handling with a very flexible (carbs!) engine, and the upright riding position is a particular bonus now we live in the south west - it spends most of its life on lanes or those relatively wide 4-digit B roads…..

Here’s a picture of it a couple of summers ago:

https://flic.kr/p/2iUYbeu

B 6160 out of Skipton to Leyburn is fun!
S

 

[bobnewboy]

B 6160 out of Skipton to Leyburn is fun!
S

(Checks apple maps…) oh yes, that looks fun. We have the “North Devon TT”, aka the A396 from Dunster to Bampton

 

[ANDYLASER]

Fantic Caballero?
(Old thread I know.........but............)

I was just about to suggest this. Great looking bike.

 

[Laurence Milton]

As suggested earlier!!, Lol!! Good choice...........

 

[Ray Smears]

I have two Honda CX 500 Eurosport’s.
One is a 1982 which I have cafe’d, The other is a 1984,which I have left standard,and is around. 90% finished.
I also have a bog standard 1986 BMW K75C which is great for camping/ touring with a full pannier/top box and tank bag set up.
Regards
Ray

 

[Robbi]

 

[Robbi]

 

[mikehill]

I have a 2004 XT225 which is nice and light. If I was to buy new now it’d be a KTM300 for sure

 

[Woody girl]

Just sold my susuki intruder 800. It was a looker! All black and chrome. (Think Harley heritage superglide,) but I was finding it a bit of a beastie on the moorland roads round here, so now I'm doing up a 750 yamaha virago usa import. Still has the cruiser feel, but much smaller and lighter for me with lower torque so I'm not riding the North Devon TT at 25- 30 mph, in 2nd and third gear ,and I can now get a nice lick on where it allows.
It was brilliant on straight or nice sweeping roads, but terrible on the tiny lanes.! Which is where I do most of my riding.
Incidently, most of that road is in Somerset, and only gets over the border into Devon a couple of miles past Dulverton, and about 6 miles before Bampton! So it should be the north Somerset TT!
It was untill recently my weekly summer ride to minehead sea front on a Sunday.
I'm thinking of getting another bike to replace the monster susuki cruiser, but flummoxed as to what at the moment.
I was so in love with the susuki that gave me 11 years of faultless riding without a single breakdown. How spoilt is that!
Will anything ever match that?
(65 yrs old lady rider since 1974 and still going!)
I'm looking for a mid range bike myself, to replace the intruder.
Itchy boots on YT realy rates the new pre production himalayan, presently she is riding it round the himalayan roads in India. Seems like a good adventure bike. Might take a look at it when it's in proper production.