What bike are you thinking of buying next ? What's the shortlist ?

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Unless you've got the upper body of Jean Claude Van Damme and the legs of Danny De Vito, you aren't going to get on with a GSXR1100, they're fantastic in a straight line, but really don't want to go round corners, they're are much better bikes out there, if you want a 30 year old big bike, buy an EXUP or a Fireblade, even a ZZR1100 is better than the GSXR, if you must have a GSXR1100 get the water cooled one, or with £6K you could buy a Bimota SB6, you might find a Harris or a Spondon for that money.

[KungFooBob]

Edit - in your position I'd get an MT01, a Diavel or the right Harley - but I don't think any of those are what you're after

I've been looking at Harleys today, think I'd prefer a Buell XB12 tho'

[KungFooBob]

Unless you've got the upper body of Jean Claude Van Damme and the legs of Danny De Vito, you aren't going to get on with a GSXR1100, they're fantastic in a straight line, but really don't want to go round corners, they're are much better bikes out there, if you want a 30 year old big bike, buy an EXUP or a Fireblade, even a ZZR1100 is better than the GSXR, if you must have a GSXR1100 get the water cooled one, or with £6K you could buy a Bimota SB6, you might find a Harris or a Spondon for that money.

I've a mate who has an 'L' 1100 he's had since it was new. He had to repaint it after the paint on the tank wore through from his knees trying to make it steer.

The handling on the 1100 doesn't worry me, more the ergos. I'm quite tall and the pegs look quite high, hence looking at all the other shit.

[Asian Boss]

I'm tempted to buy a fucked early GSXR750 and a Blandit 1200 motor.

Apparently if you put the 750 cams in the 1200 motor you get something ever more betterer than the 1100 lump and it bolts right up (once you drill the rear engine mounts out a bit).

Again just me, but I'd leave it standard, an early 90s GSXR 750 will be over 100bhp and in a 25-30 year old chassis that'd be enough. Plus leaving it standard is good for when it comes to sell it on (yes, I tell myself all my bikes are forever, but they never are).

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Any GSXR750 is loads better than any 1100, 7/11s never seem to quite work, in the other hand I know someone who built an 11/7 from a Slabby 1100 and a 750L engine he had going spare, and that worked really well, it was a lovely bike to ride, better than any of the cradle framed 750s or 1100s.

I quite fancy building a 7/6 using a 750 slabby with a 600 teapot engine.

[Asian Boss]

Unless you've got the upper body of Jean Claude Van Damme and the legs of Danny De Vito, you aren't going to get on with a GSXR1100, they're fantastic in a straight line, but really don't want to go round corners, they're are much better bikes out there, if you want a 30 year old big bike, buy an EXUP or a Fireblade, even a ZZR1100 is better than the GSXR, if you must have a GSXR1100 get the water cooled one, or with £6K you could buy a Bimota SB6, you might find a Harris or a Spondon for that money.

I've a mate who has an 'L' 1100 he's had since it was new. He had to repaint it after the paint on the tank wore through from his knees trying to make it steer.

The handling on the 1100 doesn't worry me, more the ergos. I'm quite tall and the pegs look quite high, hence looking at all the other shit.

The 1100L I had when I was about 20 was the only bike I've ever had to get off because I was finding it so uncomfortable. It was the bars more than the pegs from memory, but it hurt. I'm 6'2" and lanky.

Buell? Yes! It may go wrong but yes.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Unless you've got the upper body of Jean Claude Van Damme and the legs of Danny De Vito, you aren't going to get on with a GSXR1100, they're fantastic in a straight line, but really don't want to go round corners, they're are much better bikes out there, if you want a 30 year old big bike, buy an EXUP or a Fireblade, even a ZZR1100 is better than the GSXR, if you must have a GSXR1100 get the water cooled one, or with £6K you could buy a Bimota SB6, you might find a Harris or a Spondon for that money.

I've a mate who has an 'L' 1100 he's had since it was new. He had to repaint it after the paint on the tank wore through from his knees trying to make it steer.

The handling on the 1100 doesn't worry me, more the ergos. I'm quite tall and the pegs look quite high, hence looking at all the other shit.

The pegs are very high, I've got 29" inside leg and the legs are a bit high for me.

I do know someone selling an 89 EXUP with Astralites if you want a big old bike, he lives near Scarborough

[KungFooBob]

I quite like the late model CB1300's with the red frame, but I can't see any for sale at the moment and they really seem to hold their value... not as well as the ZRX's tho', man they're spendy for what they are.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

ZRXs are silly money, they're also bloody heavy.

[KungFooBob]

I've been told I know a bloke with an FZR1000 that wants rid, but I don't know which model.

The only one I like is the one styled like my old FZR400....

like this.



I don't like the earlier (or later) twin lamp ones.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

All shape EXUPs ride much the same because they're all basically the same bike, big, fast and not excessively uncomfortable.

Thunderace is a better bike if you can live with the looks, and they're not the silly money that YZF750s are.

But the obvious bike to get from the early 90s is the Fireblade, I've never ridden one so I don't know what they're like to ride, but at the time the people who had them loved them, I was a Yamaha fan boy, so I had a YZF.

[KungFooBob]

I had a 1998 Fireblade, with every conceivable go faster bolt on. Owned it for 20 years. I'd rather try something else.

[Asian Boss]

I quite like the late model CB1300's with the red frame, but I can't see any for sale at the moment and they really seem to hold their value... not as well as the ZRX's tho', man they're spendy for what they are.

I looked at ZRXs when I got the CB. My instinct was the Honda was the better bike, the only real disadvantage to it was the red line was very low. I suspect both are expensive for what they are but you probably wouldn't lose much if anything on either.

FWIW I think I was looking at the S rather than the R version of the ZRX and it was cheaper (and more functional, if less pretty).

[KungFooBob]

The ZRX 's' is cheaper for same years/miles than the 'r'.

you can convert an S to an R with a clock bracket, bikini fairing and a head lamp... but the S has different clocks to the R which is where the real expense is.

Can you tell I've researched this

[G.P]

Really dull, but I've got a Triumph Tiger that is all day comfy and a Ducati 1200 Monster which has a fantastic engine.
Logic says I should swap both for a Multistrada.
So think I might..

[Asian Boss]

The ZRX 's' is cheaper for same years/miles than the 'r'.

you can convert an S to an R with a clock bracket, bikini fairing and a head lamp... but the S has different clocks to the R which is where the real expense is.

Can you tell I've researched this

It's the new motorbike due diligence / fun!

I think if you get a ZRX it's considered wise to remove the small plastic diamond shaped insert from the centre of the radiator as they can cause more problems than they solve.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Really dull, but I've got a Triumph Tiger that is all day comfy and a Ducati 1200 Monster which has a fantastic engine.
Logic says I should swap both for a Multistrada.
So think I might..

That doesn't work, the number of bikes that you own can only increase.

[KungFooBob]

Really dull, but I've got a Triumph Tiger that is all day comfy and a Ducati 1200 Monster which has a fantastic engine.
Logic says I should swap both for a Multistrada.
So think I might..

I've done the sell two bikes to buy one which is better.

An NC700X and a 1000 Varadero... to buy a Tiger 800XC, which on paper was better than the sum of both, but in reality was a bit... boring.

Don't ask me how a Triumph was more boring than the combined boringness of two Hondas.

[G.P]

Good point and well made
A DT175 MX and K100 Flying brick "project" should balance the books.
Trouble is, looking at downsizing house but its difficult to find a smaller place with a triple garage!