Older sports bike for the older gentlemen?

[Bigjawa]

Job done, Just ignore the "tourer" part of its model.

Well, if we're going down the powerful but lardy route.....

[Noggin]

I was always told the Blackbird was the bike for 'older gentlemen'!! LOL

Remember a mate telling me he'd proper pissed off a big older biker in Wales one day cos he was sat outside a pub when a bike pulled up and he looked at it, then at the rider, back to the bike etc until the biker said "WTF are you looking at" - my mate (not a biker!) said "I'm just confused, why's a bloke like you riding a girl's bike??"

Apparently he was close to getting thumped when he explain that the 'barmaid at my local pub rides a red Blackbird like yours'!! LOL

[Bigjawa]

I was always told the Blackbird was the bike for 'older gentlemen'!! LOL

Remember a mate telling me he'd proper pissed off a big older biker in Wales one day cos he was sat outside a pub when a bike pulled up and he looked at it, then at the rider, back to the bike etc until the biker said "WTF are you looking at" - my mate (not a biker!) said "I'm just confused, why's a bloke like you riding a girl's bike??"

Apparently he was close to getting thumped when he explain that the 'barmaid at my local pub rides a red Blackbird like yours'!! LOL

I was told you bought a Blackbird once your CBR1000F reached 100k miles.

[Noggin]

I was always told the Blackbird was the bike for 'older gentlemen'!! LOL

Remember a mate telling me he'd proper pissed off a big older biker in Wales one day cos he was sat outside a pub when a bike pulled up and he looked at it, then at the rider, back to the bike etc until the biker said "WTF are you looking at" - my mate (not a biker!) said "I'm just confused, why's a bloke like you riding a girl's bike??"

Apparently he was close to getting thumped when he explain that the 'barmaid at my local pub rides a red Blackbird like yours'!! LOL

I was told you bought a Blackbird once your CBR1000F reached 100k miles.

Nowadays, since I'm too short to reach the bars with the spazzy arm, I'd chop in the BB for a CB1300

[rodbargee]

K 1300 s is a good call very sure footed very fast and deffo a bike of two halfs 1) steady and predictable£2) goes batshit crazy but really handles. NB the kwacker turns Quicker

[MingtheMerciless]

ZX9r E1’s make you want a wee after 20 mins due to a weird vibe from the engine (at least mine did).

[wull]

ZX9r E1’s make you want a wee after 20 mins due to a weird vibe from the engine (at least mine did).

Must admit I never noticed that from mine but might explain why the wife always wanted on it

[dern]

I definitely don’t want a starship like the bmw. I had a blackbird, very uncomfortable.

[Scootabout]

Sir requires a Guzzi V100 Mandello. (OK, it's not old, but it's a Guzzi, so even new is old, iyswim)

[KungFooBob]

Sir requires a Guzzi V100 Mandello. (OK, it's not old, but it's a Guzzi, so even new is old, iyswim)

Nah, he needs an older Guzzi, innit.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185616670521

I've never seen a road registered one before.

[Count Steer]

I definitely don’t want a starship like the bmw. I had a blackbird, very uncomfortable.

I know you said sports bike in the thread title, but, depending how old you're prepared to go I'll chuck in the BMW K12GT. Comfort Fairing Performance Four cylinders

It's not lightweight but the engine is a peach and the whole thing would have been spot on for your recent trip IMO (and it has a proper cruise control and luggage capacity ).

[Mr Moofo]

I definitely don’t want a starship like the bmw. I had a blackbird, very uncomfortable.

I know you said sports bike in the thread title, but, depending how old you're prepared to go I'll chuck in the BMW K12GT. Comfort Fairing Performance Four cylinders

It's not lightweight but the engine is a peach and the whole thing would have been spot on for your recent trip IMO (and it has a proper cruise control and luggage capacity ).

I find myself being attracted to those - shame they don't have. twin engine

[dern]

I definitely don’t want a starship like the bmw. I had a blackbird, very uncomfortable.

I know you said sports bike in the thread title, but, depending how old you're prepared to go I'll chuck in the BMW K12GT. Comfort Fairing Performance Four cylinders

It's not lightweight but the engine is a peach and the whole thing would have been spot on for your recent trip IMO (and it has a proper cruise control and luggage capacity ).

It may well be the case that I consider something like that to replace the 1190 rather than something I want as a sports bike.

[Count Steer]

I definitely don’t want a starship like the bmw. I had a blackbird, very uncomfortable.

I know you said sports bike in the thread title, but, depending how old you're prepared to go I'll chuck in the BMW K12GT. Comfort Fairing Performance Four cylinders

It's not lightweight but the engine is a peach and the whole thing would have been spot on for your recent trip IMO (and it has a proper cruise control and luggage capacity ).

I find myself being attracted to those - shame they don't have. twin engine

They stopped the K12 in 2008 and it became the K13 - never tried the 13 but I assume it was similar to the 12 in all respects only fasterer. The engine is marv (I had a twin cylinder bike as well ).

Oh, I forgot. Shaft drive ...and ESA

[Rockburner]

I know you said sports bike in the thread title, but, depending how old you're prepared to go I'll chuck in the BMW K12GT. Comfort Fairing Performance Four cylinders

It's not lightweight but the engine is a peach and the whole thing would have been spot on for your recent trip IMO (and it has a proper cruise control and luggage capacity ).

I find myself being attracted to those - shame they don't have. twin engine

They stopped the K12 in 2008 and it became the K13 - never tried the 13 but I assume it was similar to the 12 in all respects only fasterer. The engine is marv (I had a twin cylinder bike as well ).

Oh, I forgot. Shaft drive ...and ESA

Did they ever make a K13GT? I thought they only did the GT with the 1200 engine (because it sold like dog turds).

[Count Steer]

I find myself being attracted to those - shame they don't have. twin engine

They stopped the K12 in 2008 and it became the K13 - never tried the 13 but I assume it was similar to the 12 in all respects only fasterer. The engine is marv (I had a twin cylinder bike as well ).

Oh, I forgot. Shaft drive ...and ESA

Did they ever make a K13GT? I thought they only did the GT with the 1200 engine (because it sold like dog turds).

I thought so, but not sure how long for or which markets. According to Wikipedia:

In late 2008, the K1200GT was replaced by the K1300GT, which had a 1,360 cc (83 cu in) larger displacement engine producing 175 bhp (130 kW) and 103 lb⋅ft (140 N⋅m) of torque at the crankshaft.[4] Cycle World tested the K1300GT at 105.2 kW (141.1 hp) and 86.0 lb⋅ft (116.6 N⋅m) torque at the rear wheel.[5] The new bike also had improved optional ESA-II[clarification needed] electronic suspension adjustment, a conventional single indicator switch and concealed crash bars.

Took our K12 on a Flash tour, blasted about 2-up (didn't take the luggage off ) and it was funny, getting chased around by some chap on a R12GS so regularly gave it a few beans. (He eventually wrecked the final drive on his brand new bike and had to have it shipped home). They're not exactly nimble but a better rider than me could probably hustle them around quite well.

[Supermofo]

I find it interesting how many people say they hate IL4's. Watching a fair few reviews of the GSX-S1000 over the last couple of years I note how many reviewers say how great the engine is and how surprised they are to like it, a lot of them being twin owners. It's almost as if the default is it'll be shit and then they spend a fair portion of the video saying how much they actually like it.

Never really had an engine configuration I haven't liked as such. Not ridden a 6, but ridden most types.

[Count Steer]

I find it interesting how many people say they hate IL4's. Watching a fair few reviews of the GSX-S1000 over the last couple of years I note how many reviewers say how great the engine is and how surprised they are to like it, a lot of them being twin owners. It's almost as if the default is it'll be shit and then they spend a fair portion of the video saying how much they actually like it.

Never really had an engine configuration I haven't liked as such. Not ridden a 6, but ridden most types.

I don't understand it either. It's not that long since IL4 sports 600s were the must have for 1000s of riders...some of them must now be in the 'don't like IL4s' camp just by the statistics of it all. I suspect it's brand led. The makes everyone seems to want to own (which coincidentally are currently top banana in racing - win on Sunday, sell on Monday?) don't do IL4s, ergo they're rubbish.

Having said that, the most modern twin engine I've had was an F800 and I disliked it intensely. I liked the R1150 twin more than the R1200 though, even though the 12 is a 'better' engine. Perhaps I'm just odd.

I'd like to properly try a triple though. Never owned one and only briefly ridden one.

[weeksy]

I find it interesting how many people say they hate IL4's.

I've been one of these more than a few times as you know. However the other week riding the ZX6 highlighted to me that the engine is just 'easy'... There's no on-off, there's no dealy, no hunting, no lack of X or Y.... it just goes and stops. The engine in IL4s is really just an effortless thing to own and ride. I'd happily buy one again now.

Obviously i'm more likely to buy a pedal bike... but i'd happily buy an IL4 if i were going down the motorbike route.

[Skub]

I find it interesting how many people say they hate IL4's. Watching a fair few reviews of the GSX-S1000 over the last couple of years I note how many reviewers say how great the engine is and how surprised they are to like it, a lot of them being twin owners. It's almost as if the default is it'll be shit and then they spend a fair portion of the video saying how much they actually like it.

Never really had an engine configuration I haven't liked as such. Not ridden a 6, but ridden most types.

Some of it is perception. Buyers have been fed the line that twins have more torque/grunt than a 'peaky' in line four. Depending on which apples and oranges are being compared,this is quite often untrue,especially when you factor in things like gearing. I'm not even going to mention 'character'.

It really just depends on what you like to ride and what you like the sound of. It's good to have choice in all areas,not just outright performance.