The General Motorbikers Discussion Thread

[Blind_Io]

I love the Magna for what it is, a comfortable cruiser with better-than-average power and handling. If I didn't love it I would not be riding my 3rd Magna! I do want to mix it up a bit and that's the whole point of getting out there and test riding bikes when the chance presents itself. I figure I need about $10,000 to get the next bike, whatever it may be. Unfortunately, I don't have that kind of money. I may be able to get a used bike like a VFR for less, and that would be fantastic.

[KaJuN]

This is why I'd like to have two or three bikes if money and storage allowed me to. I'd have one bike to use mainly as a city cruiser, one for the twistys, and a comfortable one just for eating up the miles on quiet roads. *sigh* Maybe someday.

As far as the unreliability of some bikes, I think you could compare that to Top Gear's love of Alfa Romeos. At least that's how it is with my bike. Some days I want to beat it with a hammer and run it over with my Disco. But when everything is working right I couldn't be happier doing anything other than riding that bike. To me motorcycling is meant to be an experience and working out the occasional problem is part of that experience. Having to fiddle around with the machine makes me feel like I'm more in tune with it. If your bike doesn't have little quirks it seems like it would just get boring after a while. If that's the case then why not just hop in a car for the same trip?

[Spectre]

Originally Posted by KaJuN

If your bike doesn't have little quirks it seems like it would just get boring after a while. If that's the case then why not just hop in a car for the same trip?

Riding in moderate to heavy city traffic is *never* boring. You need a bike with as few quirks as possible, then.


You know what's really interesting? They Harley guys haven't weighed in at all on this thread.

[BlaRo]

Originally Posted by Spectre

You know what's really interesting? They Harley guys haven't weighed in at all on this thread.

There are Harley guys in this forum? There's Zuhaib, and...I can't think of anybody else. All the Mopar Mans left already.

On a completely unrelated note, I was Googling the Honda X4, the Red Wing's answer to the amazing V-Max, and I came across quite possibly one of the most unintentionally hilarious and bad chick-with-bike pictures ever:





Cool bike though.

And, from the same site, if anybody's interested in seeing a chick in leather shorts struggle with changing the oil filter on a Honda Pan-European, then here's your moment of zen. Who says motorcyclists aren't classy?

[Karoug]

Originally Posted by KaJuN

As far as the unreliability of some bikes, I think you could compare that to Top Gear's love of Alfa Romeos. At least that's how it is with my bike.

I think the Japanese has showed us that you can make brilliant bikes with very little problems to them.. I mean there are ppl going around the world on Suzuki GSXR1000's.

[Blind_Io]

For reliability, go with Honda. Even the guys with Yamahas, Suzukis, Ducatis, Harleys, and what-have-you agree. The only ones who don't are the BMW riders, but that's to be expected.

[Karoug]

I feel that Honda has been dropping the ball on that department lately.. Some of their new models just feels cheap... They still might be reliable though, but they don't have a quality feel to them..

[Spectre]

Yup. Though Ottobon doesn't want to hear that.

Also select Honda if you prefer your motorcycles to have no "why the hell didn't you catch that in testing" dangerous/fatal flaws.

Honda screwup: "Well, we didn't quite get enough oil to the top end of the V4, so your cams will wear down a lot faster than they should. Your bike will develop progressively less power but you'll have it seen to long before it becomes a safety problem."

Suzuki screwup: "We didn't think the TL1000S *really* needed that expensive steering stabilizer, so we deleted it. Sorry that without it the bike will spontaneously do tank-slappers and eject you, possibly causing you to be killed."

Yamaha screwup: "Yeah, um, we set the head milling spec all wrong for our R1s and when the engine gets hot, the pistons run into the valves and the engine stops. Sorry if you died because the rear wheel stopped on you."

Kawasaki screwup: "We're sorry about our crappy engineering of the ZX-14's rear suspension which caused it to collapse randomly at speed. Too bad you died."


You get the idea.

[Karoug]

^Don't forget that "mishap" that Kawasaki had with their brakes and rims last year... It was on the ZX-10R

[Blind_Io]

Which model V4 has the cams wear down? I've never heard of that happening on my Magna. There is some cam noise that is characteristic of these bikes, but everyone seems to agree that it's not a problem. There is a way to fix it, apparently, if you want to tear your bike apart just to eliminate a harmless noise.

[Spectre]

The first generation big Magnas, Sabres, and Interceptors had a top-end oiling system issue. They'd eat cams, the fix is to install an oiling kit. It was *not* just a noise issue on those bikes.

[Peter3hg]

Originally Posted by Blind_Io

When it comes to bikes I hate being so damn tall. I don't fit on most sportbikes and I would love to test ride the Ducati Monster.

You should test the Yamaha Fazer (FZ6 or even FZ1). From memory I'm similar size and weight to you (6'4" and 20st) and I fit on comfortably. The riding position is a lot more upright than all out sports bikes. The Honda CBF600 would probably fit the bill as well but I don't know if you get them over there.

[Spectre]

That's the Honda Hornet 600, right? We get (or got) that as the Honda 599 here. We also get the Hornet 900 as the Honda 919.

[Peter3hg]

Originally Posted by Spectre

That's the Honda Hornet 600, right? We get (or got) that as the Honda 599 here. We also get the Hornet 900 as the Honda 919.

The Hornet is actually a CB600F, what a silly mistake to make
The Hornet is a bit more powerful, bit more sporty and has a thimble for a fuel tank.

CBF600



CB600F (Hornet/599)



Another good bike for Blind could be a CBF1000 (if you get them over there).

[Spectre]

We don't get either of the CBF models here. We also don't/didn't get the Transalp or the Africa Twin.

[KaJuN]

Originally Posted by Spectre

Yup. Though Ottobon doesn't want to hear that.

Also select Honda if you prefer your motorcycles to have no "why the hell didn't you catch that in testing" dangerous/fatal flaws.

Honda screwup: "Well, we didn't quite get enough oil to the top end of the V4, so your cams will wear down a lot faster than they should. Your bike will develop progressively less power but you'll have it seen to long before it becomes a safety problem."

Suzuki screwup: "We didn't think the TL1000S *really* needed that expensive steering stabilizer, so we deleted it. Sorry that without it the bike will spontaneously do tank-slappers and eject you, possibly causing you to be killed."

Yamaha screwup: "Yeah, um, we set the head milling spec all wrong for our R1s and when the engine gets hot, the pistons run into the valves and the engine stops. Sorry if you died because the rear wheel stopped on you."

Kawasaki screwup: "We're sorry about our crappy engineering of the ZX-14's rear suspension which caused it to collapse randomly at speed. Too bad you died."


You get the idea.

That sounds oddly familiar to something shown on a televised track day!

[Ottobon]

Originally Posted by Spectre

Yup. Though Ottobon doesn't want to hear that.

Also select Honda if you prefer your motorcycles to have no "why the hell didn't you catch that in testing" dangerous/fatal flaws.

Honda screwup: "Well, we didn't quite get enough oil to the top end of the V4, so your cams will wear down a lot faster than they should. Your bike will develop progressively less power but you'll have it seen to long before it becomes a safety problem."

Suzuki screwup: "We didn't think the TL1000S *really* needed that expensive steering stabilizer, so we deleted it. Sorry that without it the bike will spontaneously do tank-slappers and eject you, possibly causing you to be killed."

Yamaha screwup: "Yeah, um, we set the head milling spec all wrong for our R1s and when the engine gets hot, the pistons run into the valves and the engine stops. Sorry if you died because the rear wheel stopped on you."

Kawasaki screwup: "We're sorry about our crappy engineering of the ZX-14's rear suspension which caused it to collapse randomly at speed. Too bad you died."


You get the idea.

Not wanting to die is a reasonable reason to buy a Honda, i still find them too Japanese though. I might change my mind later, but till then i still find them too unexciting.

[Spectre]

Originally Posted by Ottobon

Not wanting to die is a reasonable reason to buy a Honda, i still find them too Japanese though. I might change my mind later, but till then i still find them too unexciting.

Being from Japan, one would expect it to be Japanese. What did you expect? That they'd be German, Italian, or British?

Also, I don't think you are qualified to say that Hondas are "unexciting" since you've already said you're not a rider.

[Ottobon]

Originally Posted by Spectre

Being from Japan, one would expect it to be Japanese. What did you expect? That they'd be German, Italian, or British?

Also, I don't think you are qualified to say that Hondas are "unexciting" since you've already said you're not a rider.

Okay so i know nothing about the way they ride, and knowing their cars the road-holding and comfort are both probably fantastic, as well as the driver/rider interface (just guessing here from automotive experience.) The thing that worries me is that whenever i hear a Honda i already know how it will sound, its not a bad sound, just not something that keeps me interested. Its like the Subaru STI, alot of people love the way those sound but if i listen to clips of them all day i get really really put off, even though i like the rest of the car. The initial impression is fine, its just that something is wrong, personally i suspect their a bit lazy on the way they port their engines, not in such a way to inhibit performance, but in a way which causes little abnormalities (particularly where the ports change direction) that act as mini resonators and make it sound even with a fully open exhaust like it is muffled, even though its really very load (if that makes sense.) Its like the difference between a electric piano and a real one, the electric one may never go out of tune, but with the real one you can play the same note over and over and hear little discrepancies everytime. It just sounds more alive.

Keep in mind that when my sister needed a new car the only thing i would accept for her was a Honda Fit, and guess what shes driving now

[Spectre]

Honda bikes, with few exceptions, are nothing like their automotive cousins. Far more interesting, fun to operate, and, where not choked by local market noise restrictions, sound *fantastic*. Well, except for the V4s, which are all stuck with that flat drone of an exhaust note.

The story is that the only reason Honda builds cars, lawnmowers and watercraft is to fund their motorcycle and racing divisions.