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Re: Undesirable but reasonable motorcycles
Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2020 12:28 pm
by Whysub
MZ Baghira. I did 13000 miles on this in about 8 months commuting. Cheap as chips to run but never deemed to be a "Proper" Supermoto. It never blew up though.
Honda XR650R. Again, not deemed to be a proper Supermoto, even though it needed an oil change every 500 miles (which was a little under once a week when commuting on it). Perfectly able to hold 90mph plus all day.
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Re: Undesirable but reasonable motorcycles
Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2020 12:30 pm
by Mr. Dazzle
Julian_Boolean wrote: Wed Nov 11, 2020 10:09 am
I had a 98 R1 - kicked the ZX9's and Fireblade's arses everywhere (apart from comfort - the seat was agony after 500 miles)
I was 14 in 1998, I had a Fireblade poster on my wall and have never desired a ZX9R.
Re: Undesirable but reasonable motorcycles
Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2020 12:31 pm
by DEADPOOL
I would lean towards a Honda CB125. It is completely unpretentious, just a utility machine that in the right hands will run forever. Cheap to buy, cheap to run. Not a great motorcycle but then the VW Beetle isn't a great car, they are simple machines that just do exactly what it says on the tin.
Re: Undesirable but reasonable motorcycles
Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2020 12:43 pm
by Yorick
Whysub wrote: Wed Nov 11, 2020 12:28 pm
Honda XR650R. Again, not deemed to be a proper Supermoto, even though it needed an oil change every 500 miles (which was a little under once a week when commuting on it). Perfectly able to hold 90mph plus all day.
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One of the enduro lads rides a WR450 normally. But he also runs an Enduro tour company. When he does the tours, he rides his XR650 and lets the customers use his WR450.
I often go along, just for the ride. He tailors rides to suit their abilities. When the rider is good, he can really make the XR do some proper stuff
Comical to see what he makes it do and I've to try hard to keep up.
I'd pit him on the XR against me on the Husky
Re: Undesirable but reasonable motorcycles
Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2020 12:52 pm
by Supermofo
Whysub wrote: Wed Nov 11, 2020 12:28 pm
MZ Baghira. I did 13000 miles on this in about 8 months commuting. Cheap as chips to run but never deemed to be a "Proper" Supermoto. It never blew up though.
Someone on a Baggy came on a few of the old VD SM rides in Essex. Didn't seem to have any trouble keeping up.
Re: Undesirable but reasonable motorcycles
Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2020 12:56 pm
by Skub
Supermofo wrote: Wed Nov 11, 2020 12:52 pm
Whysub wrote: Wed Nov 11, 2020 12:28 pm
MZ Baghira. I did 13000 miles on this in about 8 months commuting. Cheap as chips to run but never deemed to be a "Proper" Supermoto. It never blew up though.
Someone on a Baggy came on a few of the old VD SM rides in Essex. Didn't seem to have any trouble keeping up.
I've a friend who was a pretty handy club racer 20 years ago and I've watched him surprise many a sportsbike rider with perhaps a little less ability. He loved that old MZ.
Re: Undesirable but reasonable motorcycles
Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2020 1:40 pm
by Le_Fromage_Grande
Mr. Dazzle wrote: Wed Nov 11, 2020 12:30 pm
I was 14 in 1998, I had a Fireblade poster on my wall and have never desired a ZX9R.
I was 31, I didn't buy the R1 until 2000, when I was 32 (as it was February when I bought it), the previous owner was a one armed lunatic.
Re: Undesirable but reasonable motorcycles
Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2020 2:09 pm
by Skub
Julian_Boolean wrote: Wed Nov 11, 2020 1:40 pm
I was 31, I didn't buy the R1 until 2000, when I was 32 (as it was February when I bought it), the previous owner was a one armed lunatic.
Didn't MCN do a feature on that fella a while back?
Re: Undesirable but reasonable motorcycles
Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2020 2:14 pm
by Horse
DEADPOOL wrote: Wed Nov 11, 2020 12:31 pm
I would lean towards a Honda CB125. It is completely unpretentious, just a utility machine that in the right hands will run forever. Cheap to buy, cheap to run. Not a great motorcycle
CG125 has my 'best ever biking moment ' award. Flat out, downhill, overtaking a 911 drven by a bloke who looked bored schitless. I was laughing like a loon
Re: Undesirable but reasonable motorcycles
Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2020 2:28 pm
by Dodgy69
Re: Undesirable but reasonable motorcycles
Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2020 2:42 pm
by Le_Fromage_Grande
Skub wrote: Wed Nov 11, 2020 2:09 pm
Julian_Boolean wrote: Wed Nov 11, 2020 1:40 pm
I was 31, I didn't buy the R1 until 2000, when I was 32 (as it was February when I bought it), the previous owner was a one armed lunatic.
Didn't MCN do a feature on that fella a while back?
Possibly, if it was about someone who lived in South Norfolk and used to work at the Yamaha dealers in Bury St Edmunds
Re: Undesirable but reasonable motorcycles
Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2020 2:51 pm
by Rockburner
Supermofo wrote: Wed Nov 11, 2020 12:52 pm
Whysub wrote: Wed Nov 11, 2020 12:28 pm
MZ Baghira. I did 13000 miles on this in about 8 months commuting. Cheap as chips to run but never deemed to be a "Proper" Supermoto. It never blew up though.
Someone on a Baggy came on a few of the old VD SM rides in Essex. Didn't seem to have any trouble keeping up.
Herriewullie? God? They both had one (possibly even the same one), HairyBen I think had one too briefly, and maybe someone else as well.
Re: Undesirable but reasonable motorcycles
Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2020 2:55 pm
by Le_Fromage_Grande
Rockburner wrote: Wed Nov 11, 2020 2:51 pm
Supermofo wrote: Wed Nov 11, 2020 12:52 pm
Whysub wrote: Wed Nov 11, 2020 12:28 pm
MZ Baghira. I did 13000 miles on this in about 8 months commuting. Cheap as chips to run but never deemed to be a "Proper" Supermoto. It never blew up though.
Someone on a Baggy came on a few of the old VD SM rides in Essex. Didn't seem to have any trouble keeping up.
Herriewullie? God? They both had one (possibly even the same one), HairyBen I think had one too briefly, and maybe someone else as well.
Nik Samson had one as well, having owned a Husky 610, it doesn't take much to be quicker than most sportsbike riders on the road on a supermoto, they're piss easy to ride fast on poorly surfaced tarmac, on the track I don't think I'd stand a chance, as the sportsbike can use it's power and speed.
Re: Undesirable but reasonable motorcycles
Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2020 3:03 pm
by Whysub
I used to go to the Supermoto ride outs that met at Epping tea hut amd also the White Hart at Puckeridge on the XR and later on the Baggi. Also did both the VD trips to Corsica, the Ardech trip and also the NMRO including using Rowrah on the Baggi. That completely tore the front and rear tyres up (I can't find the photos of them at the moment).
Couchie had a Baggi too (which he seemed to wheelie with not much effort), Nik Samsom had the Mastiff, same motor and just differently styled.
Just remembered what great fun Supermotos (and Supermoto styled) bikes were when riding in a big group.
Re: Undesirable but reasonable motorcycles
Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2020 3:07 pm
by weeksy
Whysub wrote: Wed Nov 11, 2020 3:03 pm
I used to go to the Supermoto ride outs that met at Epping tea hut amd also the White Hart at Puckeridge on the XR and later on the Baggi. Also did both the VD trips to Corsica, the Ardech trip and also the NMRO including using Rowrah on the Baggi. That completely tore the front and rear tyres up (I can't find the photos of them at the moment).
Couchie had a Baggi too (which he seemed to wheelie with not much effort), Nik Samsom had the Mastiff, same motor and just differently styled.
Just remembered what great fun Supermotos (and Supermoto styled) bikes were when riding in a big group.
They still could be if you lot stopped buying fast bikes
Re: Undesirable but reasonable motorcycles
Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2020 3:11 pm
by Whysub
Rockburner wrote: Wed Nov 11, 2020 2:51 pm
Supermofo wrote: Wed Nov 11, 2020 12:52 pm
Herriewullie? God? They both had one (possibly even the same one), HairyBen I think had one too briefly, and maybe someone else as well.
Hairyben had a Skorpian. I had a couple of Skorpions too, great bikes, very easy and relatively cheap to tune the Yamaha XTZ 660 motor reliably (mine was tuned by Steve Ruth).
I helped out a mate racing in the Supermono class, although his XTZ motor was housed in a ex GP Honda 250 frame and was full of Over tuning parts
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Re: Undesirable but reasonable motorcycles
Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2020 3:14 pm
by Whysub
weeksy wrote: Wed Nov 11, 2020 3:07 pm
They still could be if you lot stopped buying fast bikes
I've an Enfield Himalayan now. Would piss all over the RC8R I had on the gravel roads I use the Himalayan on...
Re: Undesirable but reasonable motorcycles
Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2020 4:52 pm
by derek badger
Honda Revere?
I quite enjoyed mine, commuted Guidford to Portsmouth for a year in all weathers.
Re: Undesirable but reasonable motorcycles
Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2020 4:54 pm
by KungFooBob
Top pic is an NTV650.
The Revere was the NTV600.
My old man bought an NTV650 brand new from Carnells.. on a M plate I think. It was turquoise.
Re: Undesirable but reasonable motorcycles
Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2020 5:01 pm
by derek badger
KungFooBob wrote: Wed Nov 11, 2020 4:54 pmMy old man bought an NTV650 brand new from Carnells.. on a M plate I think. It was turquoise.
Mine was fucking pink...
