Bike comfort....

[Cynic]

Long story short, bad work injury at 17 ripped the big deltoid muscle in my back, yes ouch. Sorry, fing ouch. So neck movement is limited as far as up and down is concerned.

Secondly i maybe could have been a little kinder to myself as a kid and as a result my knees dont like being cramped up. You can see where this is going can't you. I bought the suzuki cos my neck could never handle a super sports and i dont like naked muscle bike stuff. Trouble is last year i put more miles on the DT than the suzuki as i would sooner take that cos its easier and more fun!!!

Well as a result of that ive been looking for something to replace the suzuki with cos my neck is being more troublesome and my knees hurt after 30 or 40odd miles, used to do the liverpool ferry for the IOM just stopping for fuel couldnt now.

I've been to the Honda and Suzuki dealers near me and neither could be arsed when i said that i wanted something with plenty of leg room/good riding position. The Honda man looked straight at a Duvall or whatever it is ( oh no) and the suzuki man just mumbled that you wont get better than the gsx and fucked of somewhere else, for a coffee i suppose.

I was thinking transalp or maybe a tdm, or even a classic, RD400 maybe. Something that can handle two up cos me and the missus aint exactly bloaters but its a stretch to put us on the dt.......I just wonderd if anybody else out there has been down this road i can't comment on much cos the only proper bike i've had is the suzuki,(that useless 350 don't count).

[Madison Motorsport]

There's lots to choose from, depending on exactly what you want.

If you like naked, there's the BT1100 Bulldog - a very under-rated bike IMO.

Cruiser style, there's the Dragstar.

Tourer, you have the FJR1300.

All three are excellent distance bikes. All extremely comfortable and all superb two-up.

Having said that, Honda offer the VFR and Kawasaki the ZZR. both are again extremely good bikes for what you are asking.

[wild foamy]

just been to George Whites in Swindon with a mate and tried out a few bikes, have you considered something like the Suzuki DR400?, alternatively maybe a Bandit or something with a more upright riding position (trials bikes?)

or perhaps an Intruder?, plenty of legroom of some of those larger ones and they look pretty beasty

[Cynic]

just been to George Whites in Swindon with a mate and tried out a few bikes, have you considered something like the Suzuki DR400?, alternatively maybe a Bandit or something with a more upright riding position (trials bikes?)

or perhaps an Intruder?, plenty of legroom of some of those larger ones and they look pretty beasty

I can see where you are coming from but like i said the bandit thing doesent apeal and the naked bike means big stress on the old neck. So ireally need something thats a bit between the 2. The DR is just a quicker DT. Its a real catch 22 thats really pissing me off, thats why i'm rebuilding the dt cos at this rate it will end up the main bike and i'll just flog the suzuki.

[wild foamy]

Hmm, whats wrong with riding the DT?

they cheap to run and pretty reliable

i should know, mine has taken me all through winter and Xmas without too much trouble...

[Airhead]

what about the V strom 650 or 1000, lots of accessories to be had for those things by way of screens etc. Dont think yamaha have a version of it but Honda do, 'Gas up lets go' has had the Honda and will give you a no bull account of those.

[Cynic]

what about the V strom 650 or 1000, lots of accessories to be had for those things by way of screens etc. Dont think yamaha have a version of it but Honda do, 'Gas up lets go' has had the Honda and will give you a no bull account of those.

Would you believe OG that the Vstrom has LESS legroom, (when i say legroom i'm meaning the boot to backside ratio) than my gsx!! I sat on one in the suzuki dealer. Granted im 6ft+ and all arms and legs, but i was surprised.

[Airhead]

Would you believe OG that the Vstrom has LESS legroom, (when i say legroom i'm meaning the boot to backside ratio) than my gsx!! I sat on one in the suzuki dealer. Granted im 6ft+ and all arms and legs, but i was surprised.

Yes I too find that surprising, still the Honda Varadero to check out though.

[JUST ME!]

Long story short, bad work injury at 17 ripped the big deltoid muscle in my back, yes ouch. Sorry, fing ouch. So neck movement is limited as far as up and down is concerned.

Secondly i maybe could have been a little kinder to myself as a kid and as a result my knees dont like being cramped up. You can see where this is going can't you. I bought the suzuki cos my neck could never handle a super sports and i dont like naked muscle bike stuff. Trouble is last year i put more miles on the DT than the suzuki as i would sooner take that cos its easier and more fun!!!

Well as a result of that ive been looking for something to replace the suzuki with cos my neck is being more troublesome and my knees hurt after 30 or 40odd miles, used to do the liverpool ferry for the IOM just stopping for fuel couldnt now.

I've been to the Honda and Suzuki dealers near me and neither could be arsed when i said that i wanted something with plenty of leg room/good riding position. The Honda man looked straight at a Duvall or whatever it is ( oh no) and the suzuki man just mumbled that you wont get better than the gsx and fucked of somewhere else, for a coffee i suppose.

I was thinking transalp or maybe a tdm, or even a classic, RD400 maybe. Something that can handle two up cos me and the missus aint exactly bloaters but its a stretch to put us on the dt.......I just wonderd if anybody else out there has been down this road i can't comment on much cos the only proper bike i've had is the suzuki,(that useless 350 don't count).

Geday mate, In my opinion a DL 650 or DL 1000 would be quite practical for your situation. A mob of thirty odd recently did a trip around Oz and all the blokes were on big sports tourers whilst the wives were on SV 650s and DL 650s. Upon their return the blokes were that impressed with the overall practicality of the better halves machines that they too purchased the same machines. They covered 17 500 kms in 31 days on sealed and gravel roads. Taking into account your ailments the DL would be the better choice because of the plush suspension and more upright riding position.If you are Yammy proud I guess a TDM would be similar.Paul.

[Gas up - Let's Go!]

Well as a result of that ive been looking for something to replace the suzuki with cos my neck is being more troublesome and my knees hurt after 30 or 40odd miles, used to do the liverpool ferry for the IOM just stopping for fuel couldnt now.

what about the V strom 650 or 1000, lots of accessories to be had for those things by way of screens etc. Dont think yamaha have a version of it but Honda do, 'Gas up lets go' has had the Honda and will give you a no bull account of those.

Yep, the Varadero is a hard bike to beat for comfort, two up ability, agility and a good all rounder. At 6' you will have no worries with the Vara, it's a tall bike and well worth a look. The 1000 V-Twin out of the Firestorm gives you loads of power and a huge wad of bottom end torque that will pull you, your pillion, two panniers and a top box full of crap away from the lights as quick as any sportsbike (stick some Akrapovics and a power commander on and all but the brave will fall behind).

OK, so why did I get rid ? I wanted something a little more Adventure, than Tourer (so now I have a Tenere - a whole different ball game as far as fun goes), whereas the Vara is more Tourer than Adventure (it will behave OK on tight gravel, but stay well clear of any mud!).

Some riders suffer from buffeting around the head, and this may give you a problem. I'm 5'10" and never had any problem with this. The standard screen is adjustable and suprisingly I found it more comfortable on the lower setting - that said at 50-70mph you could light and smoke a fag (if you smoked), although as a non-smoker I've never tried. Fuel economy isn't great, expect around 200 miles from a tank of 20+ litres

I feel a bit of a fraud, here on a Yamah site, giving the Honda a glowing review - but to be honest Yamaha don't have anything to compete in this market, the FJR is more Pan and the Fazers are more VFR. Rumour has it that there is a large capacity Tenere on the drawing board, this will be a tall bike also, but I suspect they will sell out very well (if the rumours are even true!) and is more aimed at the KTM/BMUU market. The Varadero (XL1000) is only really up against the V-Strom, and I thought they had stopped producing them.

Dunno where you are, but Lloyds Honda in Carlisle are top blokes (speak to Steve or Anthony) and they do deliver nationally. I've had lots of bikes from them. If you want to find out more about these bikes try the UK Varadero Forum : http://www.honda-varadero-uk.org/forum/index.php

Or, the Tenere ? getting difficult to get hold of again (I know where there is a spanking new red one - looks great in the flesh), tall bike, great weather protection (did well over 8000 miles in 19 days on mine last year) and as comfy as an armchair. They can also take you anywhere you want to go, road, trail, sand, snow, rock - you name it! simple 660 motor that goes 6000 miles between servicing, so in 12,000 miles about £300 cheaper than any Honda on servicing alone. Loads of luggage options around so you can pick and choose. You can find out from the owners the pro's and con's of these bikes here : http://www.xt660.com/index.php come over, say hello!

I guess it's all down to your budget, but for the same price as a Transalp, you could have a Tenere. There are deals out there for 08 bikes at £4500 on the road.....

[Cynic]

Yep, the Varadero is a hard bike to beat for comfort, two up ability, agility and a good all rounder. At 6' you will have no worries with the Vara, it's a tall bike and well worth a look. The 1000 V-Twin out of the Firestorm gives you loads of power and a huge wad of bottom end torque that will pull you, your pillion, two panniers and a top box full of crap away from the lights as quick as any sportsbike (stick some Akrapovics and a power commander on and all but the brave will fall behind).

OK, so why did I get rid ? I wanted something a little more Adventure, than Tourer (so now I have a Tenere - a whole different ball game as far as fun goes), whereas the Vara is more Tourer than Adventure (it will behave OK on tight gravel, but stay well clear of any mud!).

Some riders suffer from buffeting around the head, and this may give you a problem. I'm 5'10" and never had any problem with this. The standard screen is adjustable and suprisingly I found it more comfortable on the lower setting - that said at 50-70mph you could light and smoke a fag (if you smoked), although as a non-smoker I've never tried. Fuel economy isn't great, expect around 200 miles from a tank of 20+ litres

I feel a bit of a fraud, here on a Yamah site, giving the Honda a glowing review - but to be honest Yamaha don't have anything to compete in this market, the FJR is more Pan and the Fazers are more VFR. Rumour has it that there is a large capacity Tenere on the drawing board, this will be a tall bike also, but I suspect they will sell out very well (if the rumours are even true!) and is more aimed at the KTM/BMUU market. The Varadero (XL1000) is only really up against the V-Strom, and I thought they had stopped producing them.

Dunno where you are, but Lloyds Honda in Carlisle are top blokes (speak to Steve or Anthony) and they do deliver nationally. I've had lots of bikes from them. If you want to find out more about these bikes try the UK Varadero Forum : http://www.honda-varadero-uk.org/forum/index.php

Or, the Tenere ? getting difficult to get hold of again (I know where there is a spanking new red one - looks great in the flesh), tall bike, great weather protection (did well over 8000 miles in 19 days on mine last year) and as comfy as an armchair. They can also take you anywhere you want to go, road, trail, sand, snow, rock - you name it! simple 660 motor that goes 6000 miles between servicing, so in 12,000 miles about £300 cheaper than any Honda on servicing alone. Loads of luggage options around so you can pick and choose. You can find out from the owners the pro's and con's of these bikes here : http://www.xt660.com/index.php come over, say hello!

I guess it's all down to your budget, but for the same price as a Transalp, you could have a Tenere. There are deals out there for 08 bikes at £4500 on the road.....

Cheers for the heads up on that one, didnt know if the XT would be too hardcore trailee, but it sounds like i should give one a try.mmm

Oh they have dropped the 1000 from the suzuki range couldnt get through the emisions, any new ones will have had to be registred as 08 bikes or pay an extra 600quid.

[Gas up - Let's Go!]

Cheers for the heads up on that one, didnt know if the XT would be too hardcore trailee, but it sounds like i should give one a try.mmm

Certainly should - even if you just discount it. There are alot of people moving over to these bikes. Not huge top end speed, but it's a different style of riding, a bit more of 'lifes a journey not a race' sort of thing. It's a capable trail bike certainly, and will go around the world if you want it to - but you need to make a few mods, such as tyres and suspension adjustments, if you want to ride the road you can firm up the suspension, stick with the stock tyres and away you go - straight out of the dealer.

I think Yamaha are still doing the 'adventure pack' for around £600 - Panniers, Top Box, Centre Stand and Handguards, but it might have come to an end now, don't know. Other options are Touratech, MetalMule, Give, SW-Motech, kit for all budgets and applications....

Here's a few picts to get you thinking:

[Ttaskmaster]

Definitely give the ol Cruisers a go.

Loads of leg room, upright position (or slightly laid back if you want), custom seating and all the biz.

Once you get going on these things, they're very easy on the rider.

If wind buffetting is an issue, you can always whack a screen on.

Various sizes available to suit.

Yamaha do the Dragstar in 125, 250, 400 (import), 650 and 1100. There's also a 1300, 1400, 1600 and 1900 versions. Possibly a couple in between as well.

The Virago is also worth a look in.

Suzuki do the Intruder and Marauder in various sizes, both retro and modern-styled versions.

Kwak have the Eliminator, an older Drifter model and a couple others that I can't recall.

For Honda bullet-proofness, check out the Shadow range.

Then there's always the Harley and Victory stuff.

[barkwindjammer]

Well thats the bike choices sorted out-challenge here is finding a bike shop thats staffed with ppl that can be arsed lol

Quote -''I've been to the Honda and Suzuki dealers near me and neither could be arsed when i said that i wanted something with plenty of leg room/good riding position. The Honda man looked straight at a Duvall or whatever it is ( oh no) and the suzuki man just mumbled that you wont get better than the gsx and fucked of somewhere else, for a coffee i suppose.''

[Cynic]

Well thats the bike choices sorted out-challenge here is finding a bike shop thats staffed with ppl that can be arsed lol

Quote -''I've been to the Honda and Suzuki dealers near me and neither could be arsed when i said that i wanted something with plenty of leg room/good riding position. The Honda man looked straight at a Duvall or whatever it is ( oh no) and the suzuki man just mumbled that you wont get better than the gsx and fucked of somewhere else, for a coffee i suppose.''

Well the Yam dealer at Brackley is closed on Mondays, so i nipped into Towcester to the Hardly worth it dealer to have a sneaky peek at the Buell ulysees, think thats how you spell it. Seems a capable bit of kit if a bit quirky but the bloke doing the selling was great. We had a decent natter, he laid out the options etc just as different to the H and S dealers. So there are decent salesmen out there who will have a chat to someone who from the ouset tells them they are looking at all the options and may never come back.

[The Beard]

Felt compelled to speak up for the Yamaha FJR1300,,,,, been riding one for the past two years and have done plenty longish trips. with the adjustable screen you should have no worries finding a position with the screen that give you no neck problems. I suffer from chronic back problem and can do three hundred miles on mine and get off at the other end and feel as if I have just popped up to the shop and back. Can also bring the screen down, panniers off and chase the boys on R6's.

[robanglim]

u see thats y i love this forum ,evryone is so willing to help damn i have never had that on any site ive been on and they are not just praising yamahas either ,well cynic u have some really goog choices my mate to choose from ,must admit the fjr1300 is good my mates dad has one and he has no probs keeping with us and his back is knackered after a mishap with a bus and he swears by it buddy