Thinking about The Grand Challenge, what bike?

**nzspokes** · 24th November 2011, 07:01

Im thinking about the grand challange next year. Currently im on my Ls but shoult be on 6F by April.

So with a very small budget of 2 to maybe 3k, what bike should I look for? Have seen some nice Yam XJ600s on TM but not saved the money yet.

**Blackbird** · 24th November 2011, 09:19

Anything that's comfortable. I've done it on a BMW K100 RS (twice), a Honda Blackbird (twice) and a Street Triple (once). The Street Triple was the most comfortable of the lot and caused no physical probs whatsoever. Speed really isn't a consideration provided you can maintain speeds around the legal limit as you have to average 67 km/hr. You don't have to be too precious about what bike, just set it up to be comfortable. Mind you, people have done it on everything from a Suzuki RG 50 up, so depends on how hard you want to make it for yourself!

I still hanker doing it on a Honda C90 cub!

**nzspokes** · 24th November 2011, 10:37

Well I did 1K over the weekend with an average of 72kph on the road. But that was over 3 days. Only pain I had was in my right hand, thinking about on of those criuse control things so I can rest it. We also had a lot of breaks.

But doing it on my 250 would drive me nuts.....

**Gremlin** · 24th November 2011, 11:30

As Blackbird touched upon, the GC has been done on a massive variety of bikes, and really, almost anything could be used. Last year a guy finished on a GN250, and I think the previous year, the same guy had to go home for a short while, when his electrics failed and rode the rest of the night holding a torch.

One key thing would be comfortable. As you mention with wrists, you'd want something that puts you in a comfortable position on the bike, because you're going to be there a while. Little strain on wrists, you'll see a few using a sheepskin cover which is an easy mod. Protection from wind is optional but handy, as it doubles as protection from rain and cold as well. Even found it's useful in fog, as it isn't your visor getting hit with fog. Unexpected but handy.

Tank range, it's really best to be able to do 200-250km or more. Obviously, more is useful, but if your body needs a stop every 200-250km, then having a 350km range, which you can't double as such, won't be that useful. Fuel during the night sometimes requires a bit of planning, and the less you have to detour for gas or avoid stopping every 150km, the better.

The rest is really the rider. Ride at a consistent pace, avoid frequent long stops and look after yourself, eating and drinking at each stop (plus a toilet break), to stay in good condition.

**nzspokes** · 24th November 2011, 11:58

Im pretty up with looking after myself, I used to be a long distance cyclist(not that you could tell now). Thinking of running a camel Back bladder in a tank bag. The wrist thing will probably change with a multi cylinder bike, the single vibrates all over the place.

I like the look of this, http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/List...x?id=426291130

**nzspokes** · 24th November 2011, 20:17

So tonight when I popped over to see Alec at SME motorcycles to get a carb jet for my trail bike he had just finished working on a 80s GSX750E. I begged a sit on it. Perfect fit. Asked him about them and he rates em and can get parts easy. Ive had my eye on this bike, http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/List...x?id=372528953

. Only problem the finance I got offerd to by a bike turns out to be dodgy and huge intrest rate. Bugger.

But I think one of the GSX750s would work well.

**Taz** · 24th November 2011, 20:21

They're a nice bike.

**DrunkenMistake** · 24th November 2011, 20:25

Originally Posted by nzspokes

Im thinking about the grand challange next year. Currently im on my Ls but shoult be on 6F by April.

So with a very small budget of 2 to maybe 3k, what bike should I look for? Have seen some nice Yam XJ600s on TM but not saved the money yet.

Originally Posted by nzspokes

May be looking at a couple of MC19s. Apart from the normal mechanical stuff are there any specific things to look at on one?

Originally Posted by nzspokes

Just a random thought when rolling along the motorway to Bombay tonight. Do I really need a bigger cc bike? My little CBX250 goes along fine. 100 to 120 without to much worry. How much more power do I need?

I do need to change of the CBX mainly due to its physical size. Im sure it was designed around a 5 foot person. So would a bigger 250 keep me happy for years to come? Maybe a VTR250 or the Hyosung 250 version(Comet?). Im 5'8" and 100kg. Yes I know. Less pies needed.

Want to just blast around on it and do trips away like the upcoming Northland ride.

Originally Posted by nzspokes

Im busy dreaming about my big boy bike once my licence is done. So ive seen a CB1300 and looked at a XJR1300 today. Seem to be very similar bikes. Im leaning towards the XJR but not sure. What are peoples thoughts?

Can we just have a thread merge? or a sub topic 'broken record'

**Hitcher** · 24th November 2011, 20:28

Originally Posted by DrunkenMistake

Can we just have a thread merge? or a sub topic 'broken record'

It's OK to dream about life after a restricted license. Stale old bikers who've forgotten what it was like to get excited about motorcycling are probably the ones who need their own forum.

**nzspokes** · 24th November 2011, 20:41

Originally Posted by Hitcher

It's OK to dream about life after a restricted license. Stale old bikers who've forgotten what it was like to get excited about motorcycling are probably the ones who need their own forum.

Well its taken me some time to decide what Ive wanted from a bike. Ive always liked the idea of touring. So a bike that suits that seems the way to go. I had thought about a sports bike untill I sat on one. The bike style I would love is something like a CB1300 or GSX1400 but cannot afford one our have the experence to ride one.

**Hitcher** · 24th November 2011, 20:53

Originally Posted by nzspokes

The bike style I would love is something like a CB1300 or GSX1400 but cannot afford one our have the experence to ride one.

My first post-250 bike was a ZRX1200R. "Experience" is an interesting concept. Remember that you ride the bike, not the other way around.

**nzspokes** · 24th November 2011, 20:56

Originally Posted by Hitcher

My first post-250 bike was a ZRX1200R. "Experience" is an interesting concept. Remember that you ride the bike, not the other way around.

Thats a fair call. Bike will only go as fast as the throttle is twisted.

But in saying that I couldnt afford one anyway. But the GSX750 seems a nice option.

**FJRider** · 24th November 2011, 20:59

Originally Posted by Gremlin

... The rest is really the rider. Ride at a consistent pace, avoid frequent long stops and look after yourself, eating and drinking at each stop (plus a toilet break), to stay in good condition.

The key to the long distance rides IS the rider ...

Passing well lit pubs, where everybody is enjoying themselves ... in the rain ... is hard.
Being in the back of "the back of beyond" at two in the morning ...is hard.
After eight hours riding ... not even halfway ... is hard The first time.
Arriving at a gas station (card pump) and the machine wont accept your card ... is hard.
At four in the morning ... 100 km's from the next town ... is that a miss I hear ... is hard.
Fueling up ... then straight back on the bike ... for the third time ... is hard.

If you dont know if you can do it ... It's hard to even start for fear of looking like an idiot if you give up ...

The actual bike being used to do it ... matters little, if you are USED to riding it. Trying to dip the lights and switching them OFF instead is scarey ... (trust me on that)

**DrunkenMistake** · 24th November 2011, 21:06

Originally Posted by FJRider

The actual bike being used to do it ... matters little, if you are USED to riding it. Trying to dip the lights and switching them OFF instead is scarey ... (trust me on that)

Dunno if you have been down the Portobello road in Dunedin, but if you have you will understand a bit better, basicly its a nice twisty road with water one side, and cliff on the other, and not a single street light,

I have blown a headlight bulb which wasnt so pretty when it come to laundry day

**nzspokes** · 24th November 2011, 21:11

Originally Posted by FJRider

The key to the long distance rides IS the rider ...

Passing well lit pubs, where everybody is enjoying themselves ... in the rain ... is hard.
Being in the back of "the back of beyond" at two in the morning ...is hard.
After eight hours riding ... not even halfway ... is hard The first time.
Arriving at a gas station (card pump) and the machine wont accept your card ... is hard.
At four in the morning ... 100 km's from the next town ... is that a miss I hear ... is hard.
Fueling up ... then straight back on the bike ... for the third time ... is hard.

If you dont know if you can do it ... It's hard to even start for fear of looking like an idiot if you give up ...

The actual bike being used to do it ... matters little, if you are USED to riding it. Trying to dip the lights and switching them OFF instead is scarey ... (trust me on that)

All real good points. I back myself to do it.

Turning the lights off would be a fear of mine, kinda thing I would do.