The most boring bike

[GrayWolf]

I haven't ridden an MT-01. kiwifruit got off my GSX1400 onto one and described it as 'wheezy'.

Personally I quite like the MT-01's looks but I suspect that the motor is still in cruiser tune and doesn't quite match them.

Edit: I would've test-ridden one last year before I got the Sporty, if Road & Sport hadn't had such an unpleasant approach. something .

Preaching to the choir, brother. Look at what I'm riding now, I'm hardly obsessed with horse powers.

As has been pointed out before, HD big block revs, XR1200 performance. And yes it is still very much a cruiser lump, in the same vein as the HD big blocks, the Evo's would have been described as 'wheezy' back in the 80-90's.. they just needed free flow pipes (not noise per se) and many either put on mikuni pumper carbs, or bored out the OEM carb's throat by 2mm. Didnt make them 'more powerful' but snappier on throttle response.. its (MT) a big air cooled lump that has had to be tuned to get through emission/noise restrictions.
It isnt a bike focused on top end power.. I just did a wee 'blat' this afternoon which is a frequent road for most locals... the Paekakariki hill/battle hill... then the Haywards hill..... paekak' quite steep, narrow and twisty (some very tight ones) Down the other side (battle hill) also very twisty but opens up about midway into more flowing bends.... basically 4th gear 70-110kph 90% of the way with little intervention of brakes, just use the torque and engine braking. You'll have a similar 'feel' with the XL1200 I'd imagine.

[GrayWolf]

Panther 500 single. It wouldn't have been boring if I could've actualy started it but couldn't depress the kick start even with decompression on, as I was a skinny teenager runt those days, God I feel old mentioning this

Hahhahaa bloody good job it wasnt the 650 then.. we had an old bastard in our local biker pub (UK) and we all (yours truly included) used to razz him up about riding a bloody old slow piece of crap..... (for those who dont know, it had a ridiculous stroke length and urban legend was it fires every other lamp post. 60mph flat out, solo, watsonian double adult sidecar loaded with wife kids n dog, pulling your house, climbing mount everest with said sidecar, 60mph) He got fed up and one of the lads was 'challenged (not me thankfully) to kick said Panther over... Old fucker left it in full advance and it send said snooty nosed teen over the bars.. I am sure he'll still be limping today.

[Ocean1]

do you mean a r1200 gs as opposed to the adventure???

Sorry, yes. Reckons the R1200 GS Adventure is about as good off-road as he is, so he'd be better off without the extra height, travel and tankage.

It's a damn fine touring waggon, but agree that he'd probably do as well with the lower, lighter beastie. His also has the spoked wheels and a lot of other OE fruit, he'd probably do well out of a trade.

[martybabe]

Panther 500 single. It wouldn't have been boring if I could've actualy started it but couldn't depress the kick start even with decompression on, as I was a skinny teenager runt those days, God I feel old mentioning this

Yay, I wasn't skinny or a runt but I couldn't walk properly for days after attempting to kick one of those 650s into life, ferkin things .

Most boring bike I ever rode: Yamaha bulldog, don't know if you had them here in NZ, kind of a forerunner to the MT I guess. 'twas all noise and nowt else.

Most exciting; a Yamaha RD250 two stroke, it was a long time ago now but I have fond memories of cracking open the throttle and nothing happened, nothing, nothing, nothing, then H O L Y S H I T E!! afterburners agogo. Narrow power band, 20 something horsepower but man it was my very own rocket on a stick.

[vifferman]

Interesting topic for a thread. The most boring bike I've ridden would have to have been a Honda 400 I test-rode as a replacement for the XBR500RS Mutant. I don't remember if it was the GB400 or whatever the v-twin model is, but I *do* remember pulling out to pass a car and failing miserably.

Strangely, another bike I found rather boring was a CBR1000. It was on a demo ride, so there was little opportunity to cane it. It was actually the smoothest, most pleasant bike I've ever ridden, and I couldn't help thinking it would have ended up being rather anodyne and characterless. I had a lightly customise VF500FF at the time, and a VFR750 after that, both of which had heaps of character and lots to like. A runner-up to the CBR would have been a GSX1200 - had a nice aftermarket muffler, but (very surprisingly) seemed SO buzzy and ho-hum.

[98tls]

Boring i can live with disappointing is something else so my vote goes for a 90 900SS,absolute utter fucking turd,wish i had kept it as at least these days i have a use for its intended purpose,an anchor.

[BMWST?]

Interseting topic for a thread. The most boring bike I've ridden would have to have been a Honda 400 I test-rode as a replacement for the XBR500RS Mutant. I don't remember if it was the GB400 or whatever the v-twin model is, but I *do* remember pulling out to pass a car and failing miserably.

Strangely, another bike I found rather boring was a CBR1000. It was on a demo ride, so there was little opportunity to cane it. It was actually the smoothest, most pleasant bike I've ever ridden, and I couldn't help thinking it would have ended up being rather anodyne and characterless. I had a lightly customise VF500FF at the time, and a VFR750 after that, both of which had heaps of character and lots to like. A runner-up to the CBR would have been a GSX1200 - had a nice aftermarket muffler, but (very surprisingly) seemed SO buzzy and ho-hum.

a flatmate had a vf 750 s(horrible) then got a vf750 r very very nice,although a wee bit too nice,then got a vf1000....the 750 was prolly a better bike in every way,but man that 1000 had the nicest engine,and a passable bike to go along with it

[98tls]

For boring i nominate another turd i had the misfortune to buy (fell into the name on the tank trap) an 89 750 Ducati,they had the nerve to call the thing a "Sport",complete with Hillman hunter carb...

[Jerry74]

Most boring bike I have ridden would be CBX250RS yuck .....

[Flip]

My Dad had a Panther solo. This pic was probably taken in early 50's.



My vote would be a CB100.

[98tls]

My Dad had a Panther solo. This pic was probably taken in early 50's.



My vote would be a CB100.

Dont be to hasty mate,would probably be more exciting than a 90 900SS.

[avgas]

Owned : Kawasaki K100. 98cc of fucked out 2-stroke badness. The exhaust leaked, had the compression of a Ethiopian doing CPR
Owned (2nd Place) : SRX4. Everything was wrong with this bike. Even the idle was set to a stupid 400 rpm. Owner was a harley owner and had not a clue how a OHV bike was suppose to run/ride. Took months to sort out.

Ridden : VFR400. Cabin Bread had more flavour and excitement. Powerband was a bit flat nothing (Probably a brown one). If I wanted smooth I would blend my peanut butter.
Ridden (2nd place) : FXR150. Not a bad bike, good speed. But felt like a giant Bernina.
Ridden (3rd place) : VW Trike. It was like all the bad parts of a bike, and all the bad parts of a car - combined. Driving a motorhome with no power steering is easier.

Surprise Eliminations : GN250, GN125, 883 Sporty, ZZR1100, XS850
All rode surprisingly well.

[AllanB]

Yeah, the Hornet 900 was my immediate thought.

Don't get me wrong I think they're brilliant bikes, but I just found riding them kinda dull. They do everything you'd put down on paper that you'd want a bike to do, but they just seem to lack a soul.

Nah -just need some money thrown at them - Yoshi pipes gave mine some personality and a engine kick at the right point. TR fixed the suspenders. Plus one of the reasons I purchased it was that it was a excellent blank canvas to fluff around with modifying to suit my taste/needs. The box of removed stock parts is growing. Got my eye on a carbon fibre front guard now ..... I don't 'need' it ....... Having said that I parked up next to a stock standard one the other day and it looked boring, bawahahaha.


Everything I've ever ridden has had some fun factor in it. Having said that I've test ridden plenty of really big ticket bikes and came away wondering why the fuck people pay that for them.

My next ride may possibly be one that in stock form is boring - a new Bonnie. But what a excellent starting point for a project.

[AllanB]

Boring i can live with disappointing is something else so my vote goes for a 90 900SS,absolute utter fucking turd,wish i had kept it as at least these days i have a use for its intended purpose,an anchor.

I remember a few years back doing a few decent test rides on a HD open day. I'd rocked up on my old 1983 750 twin Kawa I'd owned for 20 plus years (since sold) and jumped straight on one of the FXLCHDUD big blocks. It was twice the weight, had less power, worse brakes and cornered just as poorly as my old Kawasaki. What a friggen let down. A change to a Sporster improved things, but I never forget thinking $30k for this!


For the record there are HD's I do like.