£15k on a new bike… What you buying…?

[Nordboy]

I'd have a BMW 1250 RS (or the newer 1300 if you could find one in budget). Different to the adv style, pillion friendly, 200 mile range, can be fun in the twisties, more fun than you'd think tbh.

[mboy]

Is the s1000xr a possibility?

It would have been, except BMW have purposely designed it not to take sales off its own GS, and as such there is bugger all rider and pillion comfort or room! I have a couple of riding friends with them, very capable bike (tank range is only about 170-180 but I could probably cope with that) but that a bike like that has been designed, on purpose, not to be comfortable or provide any meaningful room for its rider or pillion, is a joke…

[mboy]

How about an NT1100, fits all the criteria you mentioned

Fits the criteria for the touring bit for certain... And the missus has sat on the back of one and commented how comfortable and "GS like" it felt from the pillion...

Sadly for me, they're as boring as fuck! Everyone I know who's spent any time on one couldn't wait to get rid, and said they'd rather watch paint dry... Even the boring old duffers who love their RT's and GS's I know all say the NT is too boring for them!

Agreed, but how about having a go on a CB1000GT when they arrive (June ish?)? It may not be the most exciting, but should be very capable, and it's well priced at £12K. ...
I'll probably try one, but I can't see it replacing my SDGT.

That’s the thing… It’ll be half decent I’m sure, but looks wholly uninspiring! Have heard complaints of the Hornet it’s based on feeling a bit cheap, half finished, bland and uninspiring too… Doesn’t bode well!

SDGT is a great bike… Loved mine. Only went for Adventure style instead for better touring comfort 2 up… And even then, now the GF has been on the back of a GS, nothing from KTM is roomy or comfortable enough (before we get to the woeful dealer network and all the other woes!)…

[mboy]

I'd have a BMW 1250 RS (or the newer 1300 if you could find one in budget). Different to the adv style, pillion friendly, 200 mile range, can be fun in the twisties, more fun than you'd think tbh.

Capable bike, dull dull dull though. Test rode one (a 1250 RS) years ago, boring as hell! Fixes the front suspension problem over a GS by ditching Telelever, but doesn’t ditch the Boxer engine (which is another integral problem) and its pillion seat really isn’t up to much for a “normal sized” pillion…

[Wossname]

My mate has a 1250RS, and we ride together a lot. He’s happy with his, but I think in appearance at least, it rivals the NT1100 in dullness. I couldn’t own a bike that made me yawn when I opened the garage door, no matter how capable it was on the road.

[Dodgy69]

I'd have a BMW 1250 RS (or the newer 1300 if you could find one in budget). Different to the adv style, pillion friendly, 200 mile range, can be fun in the twisties, more fun than you'd think tbh.

I get the appearance dullness but the pilot can make any bike good fun on the right road.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Fits the criteria for the touring bit for certain... And the missus has sat on the back of one and commented how comfortable and "GS like" it felt from the pillion...

Sadly for me, they're as boring as fuck! Everyone I know who's spent any time on one couldn't wait to get rid, and said they'd rather watch paint dry... Even the boring old duffers who love their RT's and GS's I know all say the NT is too boring for them!

Agreed, but how about having a go on a CB1000GT when they arrive (June ish?)? It may not be the most exciting, but should be very capable, and it's well priced at £12K. ...
I'll probably try one, but I can't see it replacing my SDGT.

That’s the thing… It’ll be half decent I’m sure, but looks wholly uninspiring! Have heard complaints of the Hornet it’s based on feeling a bit cheap, half finished, bland and uninspiring too… Doesn’t bode well!

SDGT is a great bike… Loved mine. Only went for Adventure style instead for better touring comfort 2 up… And even then, now the GF has been on the back of a GS, nothing from KTM is roomy or comfortable enough (before we get to the woeful dealer network and all the other woes!)…

The CB1000 Hornet is cheap and nasty, there's a white one at work that looks nice from a distance, but looks cheaper the closer you get to it, I know a couple of blokes with SPs, the finish is no better on them, I wouldn't want to ride one all year round. It's one of the reasons I won't be buying a CB1000F.

I don't know what I'd buy for £15k, or in fact for any budget, I might test ride a Z900RS when the weather gets better.

[Skub]

I don't know what I'd buy for £15k, or in fact for any budget, I might test ride a Z900RS when the weather gets better.

I betcha you'll appreciate your Honda even more after the RS test.

[mboy]

I get the appearance dullness but the pilot can make any bike good fun on the right road.

I fully understand that it can be made to shift... The NEED to ride the arse off it to make it even remotely fun, and then expose all the dynamic shortcomings of the bike along with risking your life/license all the time, is exactly why I like riding bikes that are fun and engaging at sane speeds these days! That and NOBODY could possibly make that Boxer Twin engine exciting...

[KungFooBob]

The lady doth protest too much, methinks.

[Count Steer]

The lady doth protest too much, methinks.

Well, I for one am loving the logic - if you have a rather pedestrian bike you have to RLAT in order to 'have fun' but, if you have a 'performance bike' you can have fun while riding like a granny.

Err...oooookay....

[mboy]

The lady doth protest too much, methinks.

Well, I for one am loving the logic - if you have a rather pedestrian bike you have to RLAT in order to 'have fun' but, if you have a 'performance bike' you can have fun while riding like a granny.

Err...oooookay....

You have completely missed the point…

Bikes should feel special at any speed, not bore the arse off you unless you’re caning it… A bike should engage, excite, provide a visceral thrill even at tame speeds, rather than only provide any kind of excitement purely because of the speed and danger involved…

I find often that the performance has very little to do with the character… They are not intrinsically linked in any way.

[Supermofo]

The issue is though that character is often linked to not working all the time

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

I don't know what I'd buy for £15k, or in fact for any budget, I might test ride a Z900RS when the weather gets better.

I betcha you'll appreciate your Honda even more after the RS test.

Are they not good?
TBH I'm not sure if I want to lose 30 bhp

[Bustaspoke]

I don't know what I'd buy for £15k, or in fact for any budget, I might test ride a Z900RS when the weather gets better.

I betcha you'll appreciate your Honda even more after the RS test.

Are they not good?
TBH I'm not sure if I want to lose 30 bhp

I've not ridden a Z900RS but last year I was offered the chance to ride my mates RS.I sat on it & thought the tank was to wide at the base,maybe it's because I'm usually riding narrow VTwins or a triple but the Z900RS felt really odd just siting on it,so I never took up the offer of going for a ride on it.He ended up chopping it in for a 800VStrom.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

I've sat on one and thought the same thing about the tank, my Honda is much narrower in the same place

[Skub]

Are they not good?
TBH I'm not sure if I want to lose 30 bhp

The RS is all about the looks,that Z1 vibe. It's a nice enough bike,but nowhere near the sporting ability of your Honda,if you want to get a hurry on. It's the main reason I went for my Z1000 at the time. I'm also hearing gripes about the finish from some folk.
Given what you've said about your bike in past posts,I'd reckon a lot of current bikes will disappoint you.

[Horse]

Bikes should feel special at any speed, not bore the arse off you unless you’re caning it… A bike should engage, excite, provide a visceral thrill even at tame speeds, rather than only provide any kind of excitement purely because of the speed and danger involved…

Tosh and nonsense.

'Should' ... ? Nah. Your ("one's") bike should be chosen according to budget, needs, circumstances, etc., and that might well mean not having a bike that feels particularly sporty. But that doesn't mean you can't wring its neck when you want to.

Speed? That's relative the road and the bike.

War story: probably my best-ever biking moment was flat-out, downhill, on a Honda CG125 (the bike training loaner, while my Beemer was at the menders) - overtaking a 911driven by a totally bored-looking bloke. I was laughing like a loon

[Yorick]

Bikes should feel special at any speed, not bore the arse off you unless you’re caning it… A bike should engage, excite, provide a visceral thrill even at tame speeds, rather than only provide any kind of excitement purely because of the speed and danger involved…

Tosh and nonsense.

Complete bollox. Since I was 16, bikes had to excite me

I've got a mad bastard GasGas EC300
55 BHP and 105 Kgs

200 BHP 200 Kgs GSXR1000

Every ride makes me giggle

If bikes become dull and boring, I'd just a Ford Focus.

Just because you're happy with dull, doesn't mean we are

[mboy]

Bikes should feel special at any speed, not bore the arse off you unless you’re caning it… A bike should engage, excite, provide a visceral thrill even at tame speeds, rather than only provide any kind of excitement purely because of the speed and danger involved…

Tosh and nonsense.

'Should' ... ? Nah. Your ("one's") bike should be chosen according to budget, needs, circumstances, etc., and that might well mean not having a bike that feels particularly sporty. But that doesn't mean you can't wring its neck when you want to.

Speed? That's relative the road and the bike.

War story: probably my best-ever biking moment was flat-out, downhill, on a Honda CG125 (the bike training loaner, while my Beemer was at the menders) - overtaking a 911driven by a totally bored-looking bloke. I was laughing like a loon

Your tagline "even bland can be a type of character" tells me all I need to know about you...

I agree 100% with @Yorick here... You are talking complete bollox!