Skinny bikes?

[jesska]

I'm over in hong kong - nipping to work and back on a volty! it's pretty cool for filtering thru the snarl ups! things that used to take me 20 mins in a cab are over in 5

but I'm lookign for something with a bit more uphill potential!

any ideas out there? not too heavy

cb400 are popular here - but are they too big and wide for inner city horrors?

[Spyke]

go with the dulpurpose root, dr650, or xt660x

[Zapf]

what are you doing in HK of all places? just wondering since I spend a few years there myself. How about a Yamaha XG250 Tricker. I have seen a few for sale on ibike.com.hk

[jesska]

over here by accident it seems - teaching english! but enjoying the energy and 6 million people plus squashed together at the traffic lights

i like the look of the dirt bikes - but my volty seems to have more power than the tricker?

I really love the volty for squeezing thru alsorts of gaps it traffic jams - you know 90 degree turns between cars stuck trying to change lanes - I suppose the tricker could just ride right over them?

- it's ok (ish) away from the lights but seems to lose it once you get to around 60 K's - maybe I just got to drop down a few more gears - I got it t 100K in 4th on the way home - but up hills - not enough pull - i dont want to drop below the speed limit!

I met a guy outside the bike shop today - he was on a vtr250 - he said I could have a go tomorrow ... actually maybe a hornet 250 - not 100% i like the look of it - sort of like one of those ducati?

[YellowDog]

Yes I would agree that a trials bike is the way to go.

Lots to choose from and lots of fun to be had deciding

[kave]

A Yamaha SZR660 would be ideal for what you want.

[MIXONE]

I too go with the trail bike type of choice.Sitting up high with good vision in all that traffic would be very beneficial.The XT660 would have heaps enough grunt for you as long as you don't suffer from duck's disease.
I bet Wellytown traffic will be a doddle when you get back.

[BMWST?]

dont think a trailiee is actually the best,handlebars very wide.any small road bike will be ok,handlebar/mirrors are wider than the engine.kawaski gpz 500 twin or suzuki gs 500?

[jesska]

well I just worked out a new trick today - someone had bashed my left mirror so it was loose - sort of droopy - I was in a really tight spot basically being gassed to death by a bus.. but because the mirror was easy to move I twisted it and it geve me the inch more space to squeeze thru - so wide handle bars arent great for what I want -

I wonder if my main unhappiness is that the bike needs a lot of love! the clutch is slipping - they said it would cost around HK$ 800 to fix ( thats like 120 Nz - not much really

also its leaking a bit of oil from that join above the spark plug...

and when it rains! it goes brrrrrrrrrrr - brrr and basically need to scream everywhere or it dies.. ( something getting wet? -

aside from that I love the volty! its so light ! is there anything I can do to make it a bit more powerful - i wished it was a 300 or something - is that possible?

thanks!

[Zapf]

well VTR250 is a bit more heavier and wider than the volty. I had one.

But yes it does have more grunt than the volty from memory. (got lend a volty when I took in my GSXR750 for a service) It was funny crusing Auckland city on the volty.

The Tricker is actually quite a small / narrow bike, and curbs and bumps it will just jump over.

You should look up what they do on Trickers on Youtube.


Dimensions:
Overall length:2010 mm (79.1 in)
Overall width:800 mm (31.5 in)
Overall height:1145 mm (45.1 in)
Seat height:790 mm (31.1 in)
Wheelbase:1330 mm (52.4 in)
Ground clearance:280 mm (11.02 in)
Minimum turning radius: 1900 mm (74.8 in)
Weight: With oil and fuel: 120.0 kg (265 lb)

Engine:
Engine type:Air cooled 4-stroke, SOHC
Cylinder arrangement:Forward-inclined single cylinder
Displacement:249.0 cm
Compression ratio: 9.50 :1

[jesska]

well I was looking for ever it seems - and not being allowed to test drive made it harder .. but then I saw a bike advertised privately and within my budget- rang the guy and he said he'd let me have a go..

I am now surprised to be ripping around on a 98 hornet 600!


I've only had it 2 days and already ran out of petrol once- ( i didnt know it was already in reserve

anyways it's awesome - and is actually ok going thru the jams - a bit harder to do the 90 degrees when the "middle lane" gets too narrow - but quite doable!

awesome going thru the country side- way more solid on straight lines and doesnt rattle like my volty - I'm not so keen on cornering yet - its ok on fast smooth corners - but turning right at the lights seems a bit wobbly? I think the front forks seal is leaking a bit... would that be it?


aside from that -yay! new bike!!!

[MIXONE]

Good choice IMO!

[1wheel riot]

the motards are good or a hyosong