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[Dougald]

On my wifes first 125cc bike I took the front sprocket up a tooth to get it to actually hit 60mph

Great thank you for the feedback. The new Speed Triple is a damn nice bike and I have some dealers close by. Will have to check it out when bike hunting season starts. I did have a sit on the BMW RS and its too much of a stretch for me. I am sitting in traffic most of the time so its a no no. On the open road it would be great.

I had also a sit on a XR and man I can think if you like the GS riding style in a bike that can do track days and cover loads of miles and sounds like a racing bike... very nice

Bulldog in Winnersh down the road from me are good for servicing, though I can't speak for their sales. I can recommend Jack Lilley Ashford for sales. I didn't really like the sales guys at Hughenden M40 when I last went, though that was a good while back now.

God, I've been to most of the damn Triumph dealers in South East England at this point, haven't I

 

[JetBlackPanda]

I have never rode a bike in my life, but have always been infatuated. Damn the 2016 Triumph Street Twin is doing things to my nether regions.

 

[Fallout-NL]

The shape around the front of the seat and the tank is super nice - almost feels like you slot into the bike.

Yeah, the seat and seating position on the Speed are utter

 

[Dougald]

I have never rode a bike in my life, but have always been infatuated. Damn the 2016 Triumph Street Twin is doing things to my nether regions.

It looks like a pretty great beginner "big" bike. They look lovely in person, the model retains a lot of the premium feel of the high-end T120

 

[richardhawk]

Anyone in / around the LA / Orange County area should try to make this. Free In&out and a chance to win that bitchin' shovelhead for only 10 bucks. Last party they had only about 30-40 people went so the chance to win a bike is pretty damn high. Next weekend.

 

[blackprophesy]

I can recommend Jack Lilley Ashford for sales.

I saw the guys at Jack Lilley Romford and if Ashford are half as good I'd also recommend them. Super helpful and not pushy at all. On Thursday they booked me out for 2 hours on the bike and said if you want it longer it's no problem.

 

[Dougald]

I fixed my Street Triple!

But when testing the electronics I noted that the front brake switch is broken. FFS, Triumph

 

[maxheadwound]

I fixed my Street Triple!

But when testing the electronics I noted that the front brake switch is broken. FFS, Triumph

oh man the small faults just keep on coming. But at least when you have it all sorted out its good for another few years.

 

[Dougald]

oh man the small faults just keep on coming. But at least when you have it all sorted out its good for another few years.

Yeah, at least a front brake switch isn't too expensive, £8 on eBay. It's just one thing after another with the bike recently, 2 weeks it's been out of action now, hopefully I can get back on the road for easter

Scarily I'm not sure how long that's been on the fritz. It was only partially failed (the brake light would go on, then go out when you squeezed the lever hard). I normally check the lights before I head out, but could have easily missed that.

 

[Fallout-NL]

Yeah, at least a front brake switch isn't too expensive, £8 on eBay. It's just one thing after another with the bike recently, 2 weeks it's been out of action now, hopefully I can get back on the road for easter

Scarily I'm not sure how long that's been on the fritz. It was only partially failed (the brake light would go on, then go out when you squeezed the lever hard). I normally check the lights before I head out, but could have easily missed that.

Yeah, the brake light is not something you want crapping out.

 

[Dougald]

The temptation is high, GAF

 

[Watevaman]

Such a beautiful bike. If you have the means, do it!


But also, on the whole "adult" side of thing and since it's fresh on my memory, keep in mind it may be a more expensive bike to run overall. Don't you want you to not enjoy the bike as much because of stupid expensive Italian things breaking!

 

[Dougald]

Yeah, I don't think I'd want to rely on a sportclassic for my primary transport, and that sort of money would buy me a brand new MT-09

It's still gorgeous though

 

[Fallout-NL]

You really don't need to worry about that air cooled engine. Plenty reliable. Not that expensive to run either.

And come on, Doug, you know you wouldn't have half as much fun on that MT-09

 

[Dougald]

Yes, the "fun" factor is really what I've been missing with this bike. It's great on paper, but never really translated that much to the road for me. To be honest I'd have replaced it last year if I hadn't been getting a mortgage.

I think for 6-7 grand on a Ducati I'd probably be better off with a Monster 1100 though.

 

[Fallout-NL]

Yes, both the last gen 796s and 1100s have come down in price immensely (though their values will probably drop further than that Sport Classic's is likely to).

Just make sure (after buying that Monster) that you don't try a Buell until you're ready to sell the 1100 again.

 

[DrGonzo615]

Yes, the "fun" factor is really what I've been missing with this bike. It's great on paper, but never really translated that much to the road for me. To be honest I'd have replaced it last year if I hadn't been getting a mortgage.

I think for 6-7 grand on a Ducati I'd probably be better off with a Monster 1100 though.

The Monster 1100 is a really fun bike. I test drove one a few years ago, lots of torque, handles well and just easily put a big smile on my face.

The issue that could get annoying is the usable rev range is pretty small. The bike doesnt like to be under 4k RPMs but bounces off the limiter somewhere in the 8k range (cant remember where exactly). So even during my test ride I bounced off the limiter a few times.

 

[Fallout-NL]

The Monster 1100 is a really fun bike. I test drove one a few years ago, lots of torque, handles well and just easily put a big smile on my face.

The issue that could get annoying is the usable rev range is pretty small. The bike doesnt like to be under 4k RPMs but bounces off the limiter somewhere in the 8k range (cant remember where exactly). So even during my test ride I bounced off the limiter a few times.

You learn to solve that issue pretty quickly by just slamming through the gears

It's also what makes the bike fun though. Just 'braaaaaaaaaap' *click* 'braaaaaaaaaaap' *click* etc.

 

[Dougald]

The Street Triple is a bit different... just stick it in any gear and twist the throttle. You could get by perfectly well never leaving 2nd gear as long as you plan on sticking to the speed limit. If you can keep it over 3000rpm you are golden

You weren't kidding about the price on the 796. Around £5k for a decent example, that's pretty good.

 

[DrGonzo615]

The Street Triple is a bit different... just stick it in any gear and twist the throttle. You could get by perfectly well never leaving 2nd gear as long as you plan on sticking to the speed limit. If you can keep it over 3000rpm you are golden

You weren't kidding about the price on the 796. Around £5k for a decent example, that's pretty good.

The 1100 will pull from below 4k, it just doesnt like it. The bike shudders and doesnt smooth out until 4k.

 

[Fallout-NL]

The 1100 will pull from below 4k, it just doesnt like it. The bike shudders and doesnt smooth out until 4k.

You can improve that by a lot by using Termi's and a race ECU. World of difference.

The 796 is fine in stock form and doesn't need to have that done.

 

[Dougald]

I had a look at 1100 Monsters last night, very tempting.. I'll see where I am at in a few months. I do like the 796 a lot as well, but when you can get an 1100 for similar money...

Got my brake switch replaced earlier - the old one is working fine now, must be an intermittent fault, so lucky I caught it really. Hopefully that'll be it in terms of investment in the bike this year apart from MOT inspection - tyres and brakes are good, and everything that needs changing this year has been changed.

 

[Watevaman]

Been daydreaming about a TW200 now for a week. I've got the itch. Just like you Doug, I've got to wait a month or two to see how/if I can afford it. Luckily, I ran across some used ones that should be easy to get paid off really quick.

 

[Dougald]

That TW200 looks like so much fun.

Changing bikes is deceptive, it all seems affordable until you forget that you're going to have to change insurance, and if you're like me you like everything to be perfect, so you're going to have to fork out a few hundred quid just fixing what the previous owner didn't change (or spend extra to get a bike that's already perfect)

 

[Watevaman]

Luckily insurance should be butt cheap on a TW and all the parts are cheap as hell. Also, I could just buy a new model from a year or two back because the dealers still stock them. That way all I have to worry about is what I fuck up myself!

 

[Dougald]

Just the hassle of selling your current bike first then..

 

[Watevaman]

Oh no, the TW will be a supplement to the ZRX. I couldn't live with just the TW either, as its top speed is around 65mph and I have a good stretch of mountainous highway on the way to work that it would struggle on.

The TW would be for those days when I want a light, flick-able bike that I could ride to the trails and then on the trails. And it'd be for my girlfriend and others who want to learn how to ride but not to die while doing it (as would happen on the ZRX).

edit: And who knows, maybe owning two bikes means I could more easily put up with the ZRX and its antics. I'm sure if bikes had feelings, the ZRX would know it did something wrong every time I took the TW out instead of her.

 

[Dougald]

In that case, go forth and purchase young man

 

[BriareosGAF]

That sounds pretty much exactly like my rationale for adding a DRZ-400SM to supplement the SV650.

Had six inches of snow here yesterday out of the blue so a little more delay on proper every day riding season.

 

[Dougald]

SV650 Rally concept from Suzuki:

I do love the new standard SV650, it's just an honest to god basic motorcycle. I hope they do more with the platform.

 

[Watevaman]

Love everything about that except the basic block swingsrm. Doesn't fit the style.

 

[QualityPixel]

The TW 200 is a great bike at what it sets out to do, but being an experienced rider I think you'll start wishing you had got a 250 instead. A CRF250L or WR250R would probably suit you better in the long run. Both those are fuel injected and 6-speed transmissions.

 

[Fallout-NL]

I had a look at 1100 Monsters last night, very tempting.. I'll see where I am at in a few months. I do like the 796 a lot as well, but when you can get an 1100 for similar money...

Yeah, the increase in torque doesn't lie. It's pretty massive, though if you don't try the 1100 at all and just go for the 796 directly, you won't miss it. The handlebars on the 796 are also raised slightly and the seat is a little bit lower, which makes for a slightly more comfortable riding position. Though the 1100 is also fine in that regard. The Ohlins equipped 1100s is obviously a little more tightly wound, maybe a bit too much for road use actually, but nothing that a little tinkering with the suspension won't fix. Does make for a really planted bike in the corners. Though I never got it to the point where it gave me as much confidence as my X1 does. Could be a tire problem (the Duc had Pirellis vs Michelin on the X1), but maybe I never really got the suspension dialled in right. Long story short, the Ohlins might be overkill for the road, both the 796 and standard 1100 are great handling bikes, though the Marchesini rims on the 1100s (and the gold forks) look really good. Lastly, the stock pipes on the 796 sound better than the ones on the 1100. I didn't really start enjoying my 1100 until I got the Termi's, both in terms of sound and in how smooth the engine felt. If you're going for the 1100, I really recommend you look for one that is equipped with the official Ducati race ECU replacement, it is - a lot - better.

Bonus:

Best picture I took of it back when I still had it.

 

[Watevaman]

The TW 200 is a great bike at what it sets out to do, but being an experienced rider I think you'll start wishing you had got a 250 instead. A CRF250L or WR250R would probably suit you better in the long run. Both those are fuel injected and 6-speed transmissions.

My dirt experience is very limited and from what I have ridden I found I'm more of a low and slow kinda guy. I rode a TW in my MSF class and I know it doesn't have any grunt past say 50 or so, but the big tires and lower seat height make it more of what I'm looking for.

Maybe once I start going to dealers and getting a bit more serious, I'll have a seat on the WR and such to see how I like those, but I think the TW with it's whole "two wheeled quad" attitude as more of just a "trail" bike vs a motocross for the street will do me just fine.

Oh, and I just remembered the cost. The WR is more than $2k more MSRP at $6700, so I'd either have to go very old or probably not at all. If I can have a previous model year TW, I hope to be out the door in under $4k.

 

[Dougald]

<snip>

Thanks for all that! To be honest I am thinking more and more about selling the Street Triple now, and the monster is definitely on my radar. It's not even really because the stator failed. I've spoken before about not really gelling with the bike despite there being no logical reason to dislike it, and going out and dropping £300 and a couple days worth of my time to fix it up when I've only put 2500 miles on it in the last two years just made me realise that maybe it's time to find something that makes me want to go out and ride again

I think my budget would probably be £4000-6000, maybe a bit more if I can get a good amount for the Triumph. Doesn't have to be a Ducati though, I'm open to anything over 600cc with standard bars that would give me the impetus to get more saddle time this year.

 

[Watevaman]

Just buy it Doug, and I'll buy the TW and we can have new bikes together!


Apparently while I was sleeping last night, I was talking to my girlfriend about a tough trail I was riding on the TW that I had in my dream. I don't know if that's good or bad...

 

[OraleeWey]

I just got myself these side bags and this tail bag. They're a little but pricey but I sure hope that they will last me forever and ever! It sucks not having any storage to transport things. The hi-viz color will match with my jacket at least.

What do you guys use?

 

[Dougald]

I just put everything in my bag these days, honestly. I have a Givi top box from my commuting days, they look hideous but you can't them for practicality. You also can't beat Givi for quality (so nice choice on the soft luggage)

I also have a huge generic waterproof roll-bag that I can bungee to the pillion seat which will fit a tent and overnight bag. I've been meaning to buy a Kriega tailpack, but haven't the need for it these days.

Edit: a tank bag is always a good idea if you're doing a long trip too as you can fit a map, wallet for tolls, etc. Here's the last time I did a serious trip (4 years ago already)

 

[Dougald]

Looks like MV are edging towards bankruptcy

Shame, I like their bikes. Not that I can afford them..

 

[maxheadwound]

Looks like MV are edging towards bankruptcy

Shame, I like their bikes. Not that I can afford them..

that is not good. The brutal is super nice. But then again having 1 or 2 dealers with no bike to test ride and you can only ride one on special request it does make it difficult to put your money in a bike that cost a bit of money.

 

[Damaged]

Looks like MV are edging towards bankruptcy

Shame, I like their bikes. Not that I can afford them..

It's an italian bike builder, this is par for the course sadly. Happened with Ducati and Aprilia many times, though there is the occasional casualty like Cagiva

 

[Fallout-NL]

Thanks for all that! To be honest I am thinking more and more about selling the Street Triple now, and the monster is definitely on my radar. It's not even really because the stator failed. I've spoken before about not really gelling with the bike despite there being no logical reason to dislike it, and going out and dropping £300 and a couple days worth of my time to fix it up when I've only put 2500 miles on it in the last two years just made me realise that maybe it's time to find something that makes me want to go out and ride again.

I think my budget would probably be £4000-6000, maybe a bit more if I can get a good amount for the Triumph. Doesn't have to be a Ducati though, I'm open to anything over 600cc with standard bars that would give me the impetus to get more saddle time this year.

Have I got the bike for you

 

[Dougald]

Does it start with 'B' and end with 'uell'?

 

[Fallout-NL]

Haha, maybe?

All kidding aside, there's a reason why I'm so madly in love with them. If you're looking for something that'll rekindle the fire... it's possible they'll be able to inspire a similar passion in you.

-------------------------------

Speaking of Buells. We already started work on the Firebolt. Separated the frame from the engine and rear swingarm instead of just rotating the engine. Should be much easier to work on this way. We're tearing into the engine itself this Sunday probably.

 

[Dougald]

You don't hang about do you? Can't wait to see it finished.

Went up to London for an expensive sausage sandwich and a look at bikes. The season has definitely started.

 

[DivineRage002]

I'm about to putchase a new helmet for my sport bike, need recommendations on a good model quick!

 

[Makki]

RF1200 in pattern of your choice

 

[OraleeWey]

I just put everything in my bag these days, honestly. I have a Givi top box from my commuting days, they look hideous but you can't them for practicality. You also can't beat Givi for quality (so nice choice on the soft luggage)

I also have a huge generic waterproof roll-bag that I can bungee to the pillion seat which will fit a tent and overnight bag. I've been meaning to buy a Kriega tailpack, but haven't the need for it these days.

Edit: a tank bag is always a good idea if you're doing a long trip too as you can fit a map, wallet for tolls, etc. Here's the last time I did a serious trip (4 years ago already)

That's a cool setup you got there. I underestimated how big the side bags were. They're like almost a third as big as my bike. I may have to return them since I couldn't figure out of a way to install them. I installed the tail bag though.

 

[Dougald]

That's a cool setup you got there. I underestimated how big the side bags were. They're like almost a third as big as my bike. I may have to return them since I couldn't figure out of a way to install them. I installed the tail bag though.

Pannier rails / a pannier rack (same thing, different names) is what you need. A quick Google shows they are relatively inexpensive for the KLR. Then you can just tie the panniers to that, and it stops them interfering with your rear wheel

 

[maxheadwound]

Haha, maybe?

All kidding aside, there's a reason why I'm so madly in love with them. If you're looking for something that'll rekindle the fire... it's possible they'll be able to inspire a similar passion in you.

-------------------------------

Speaking of Buells. We already started work on the Firebolt. Separated the frame from the engine and rear swingarm instead of just rotating the engine. Should be much easier to work on this way. We're tearing into the engine itself this Sunday probably.

I would also kindle passion for rebuilding bikes if I had such a nice warm garage. lol