Buyer's remorse - should I have bought a sports bike?

[GrayWolf]

Hi,

I should be happy with the V-strom however when I purchased this bike I only tested a couple of other bikes (a street triple and an explorer). I erred on the side of caution and chose the more conservative bike. I was relatively new to motorcycling (still am) and thought I didn't need all that power/torque.

Now I am left wandering did I buy the right bike? I bought the bike I was comfortable riding at the time of sale as opposed to a bike that perhaps would have been a steeper learning curve at first, but ultimately would have been a better longer term buy.

I really should have tested a greater number of bikes (and styles) before opting for my current ride. In particular I am left wondering should I have tested a sports bike? When I bought the V-Strom I told myself "I don't need a sports bike...too powerful...too sporty, etc."

So, is there a sports bike out there that's appropriate for me, or should I be looking more at a sports tourer given my height/weight?

I have sat on a GSX-R750 at my local dealer (TSS Red Baron) and I have to say the 'feel' of this type of bike slightly intimidates me. Maybe this will pass on the open road as experience what I am led to believe is a sublime ride.

Barts

Hi Bart,
it's been said, in the end only YOU can decide on your bike... what you do need to consider is that all bikes are a compromise The DL650 may be 'low power' by today's standards, but it is comfortable, long legged, competent on most road surfaces.
Sprot bikes are faster, corner 'quicker' and accelerate faster,,, generally NOT comfortable, NOT pillion friendly over any real distance, and I can say one of the most 'staunch guys I have seen' completed the Capital 100km ride a few years ago on a TL100S.
Naked bikes often are a 'retro' like the XJR1300, GS1400, CB1300 etc... but they have modern suspension and improvements that are far above the looks. generally they are more comfortable than a sprotty, and certainly for the pillion.
Sport tourers are a good compromise between performance and comfort, even the old ZZR1100 is still a lot of bike even by today's standards.
Generally sport oriented bikes produce massive power high up the rev range.. Example ZZR1100 power begins at 6k rpm equals 150kph in top. So you dont actually legally get to use the power effectively. Obviously some sport bikes will be even more 'severe' in where the real power is produced in the rev range... (the use of variable ignition and cam's will mitigate a lot of this if used on the bike you are looking at).
Naked and most sport tourers produce less max BHP, higher torque figures, and sport tourer's are designed to be a lot more flexible in the power delivery.

My own experience (full time rider of 38 yrs) has covered bikes that were the 'rocket' of their day, to V twin cruisers..... HI 500a, ZL1000 eliminator, FJ1200, ZZR1100 to Guzzi 1000 & 1100, BMW GS1000, Virago 1100, VN1500 and now the MT-01... to name some of the machinery I've owned. The MT has not even half the BHP of many modern sports bikes, but has huge torque figures..... it will 'scare the hell' out of many sprot bikes over roads like the 'taka's.... it's only on the 'open road' the huge power advantage in BHP becomes obvious..... it's 'best roll on performance area is around 90-150 kph which is really exactly where you NEED that roll on power.
You'll also find many sprotties are 'upset' easily by bad road surfaces, the naked's, sport tourers will soak up anomalies more readily... but at the 'expense'? of slower speeds and less 'flick-ability'........

[quickbuck]

Hi Barts,
Before going out and spending loads of dosh on another bike that you may only like for a few more weeks, I would suggest doing an advanced riding course to learn how to get the best out of your bike.

The 650 V-Strom is a great all round machine. There is no reason at all you can't do track days on it. Then you can take the back roads home, and ride through the worst "road works" and come out the other side smiling....

As has been aluded to, Sports Bikes are not the best things to live with all the time on NZ Roads.
Just like not every car on the road is a Sports Car when you look at it in the cold light of day.....

[Big Dave]

Me, I'd stick with the wee-strom.

It's one of the most suitable bikes there is for living in NZ.

Sportsbikes ain't.

[schrodingers cat]

OP. Yes.
Or wouldn't be asking.

Go out and find the bigest, coolest monster that gets your heart beating (age irrelevant). Just looking at it sitting outside work or in your garage should give you a chubby.
Ride it however you like.
Enjoy.
Repeat (often)

If you don't like it, chalk it up to experience.
If you drop it, don't complain
Likewise, if you license gets taken off you, suck it up.

In summary. Its your money and your life and you should use it in ways which make you smile.

Cheers

[onearmedbandit]

OP. Yes.
Or wouldn't be asking.

Go out and find the bigest, coolest monster that gets your heart beating (age irrelevant). Just looking at it sitting outside work or in your garage should give you a chubby.
Ride it however you like.
Enjoy.
Repeat (often)

If you don't like it, chalk it up to experience.
If you drop it, don't complain
Likewise, if you license gets taken off you, suck it up.

In summary. Its your money and your life and you should use it in ways which make you smile.

Cheers

^^^This^^^

[GrayWolf]

OP. Yes.
Or wouldn't be asking.

Go out and find the bigest, coolest monster that gets your heart beating (age irrelevant). Just looking at it sitting outside work or in your garage should give you a chubby.
Ride it however you like.
Enjoy.
Repeat (often)

If you don't like it, chalk it up to experience.
If you drop it, don't complain
Likewise, if you license gets taken off you, suck it up.

In summary. Its your money and your life and you should use it in ways which make you smile.

Cheers

Following that theory........ God help me, the ex used to watch the Kardashians Now to look at and take to bed? Maybe one of them would give you a chubby. You might even want one to 'ride' a few times....

But here's the QUESTION...... would you want to MARRY one?

Coz once you part with your hard earned spondooliks on a bike, ya 'married it'............ so to speak.

[Highlander]

... It goes around corners and exits them with more urge than a 14 year-old school boy with a Katy Perry picture in his grubby mitts. But, because it is "naked"...... Sorry, Katy Perry and naked in the same paragraph is a bit much, you are self-limited eventually, ...

In both cases limited by what you have in your hand and your ability to control its action.

Now I have a bit more experience (10,000 KM or so) I am thinking should I give a sports bike a go? I am 90KG and 6'3" so probably not best placed for these types of bikes however I'll never know without trying..

So, is there a sports bike out there that's appropriate for me, or should I be looking more at a sports tourer given my height/weight?

I have sat on a GSX-R750 at my local dealer (TSS Red Baron) and I have to say the 'feel' of this type of bike slightly intimidates me. Maybe this will pass on the open road as experience what I am led to believe is a sublime ride.

Your hieght / weight are not necesarily the defining factors, the feeling of intimidating riding position MAY pass after riding the bike for a while and getting comfortable. I would say have a sit on a variety of bikes and take it from there.

First off....what do you need from a bike? Also, what do you want from a bike?
Solve the first two things and from there it makes the whole process fairly straight forward.

Remember that just because something has 160+ hp, it doesn't mean that you have to use it. In fact in some cases having more power can make it easier to simply cruise along with less effort.

Recommend that you ask yourself why you want an actual 'sports bike'. Are you aware that there are naked bikes out there that go at least as well in the corners?

DMNTD speaks good sense (in this instance), defining what you want from a bike will naturally exclude some of the selection.
Having said that, my current ride is sooo not what I had in mind when I started looking, but it fit all the criteria I was looking for so I took it for a test "just to rule it out" bought it the week later, now with 3 years riding it, if I had to replace it i would probably go for much the same.

[DMNTD:Me]

DMNTD speaks good sense (in this instance), defining what you want from a bike will naturally exclude some of the selection...

Yeah sorry about that, shouldn't happen again though

[caspernz]

Meh, the whole "which bike next dilemma" can be solved using this method...

Get the bike your ego requires and your wallet can handle. Nothing else matters. Probably explains a few Milwaukee tractors

So if I want to get a Hayabusa and use it like a sports tourer and never go over 100 km/h...that's my choice. BUT, and it's a big but, I firmly believe that the temptation to pin the throttle to the stop will overcome most of us at some point and as long as that happens on a track day

Strangely enough I've been thru the whole spectrum and it's pretty much one step forward and two steps back on the decision making process, so maybe I shouldn't be commenting....

[\m/]

I really should have tested a greater number of bikes (and styles) before opting for my current ride. In particular I am left wondering should I have tested a sports bike? When I bought the V-Strom I told myself "I don't need a sports bike as these are too fast...too powerful...too sporty, I'll never go on a track day etc."

Just because a bike has a lot of power doesn't mean you have to use it all the time. But it is awesome for overtaking quickly.

Now I have a bit more experience (10,000 KM or so) I am thinking should I give a sports bike a go? I am 90KG and 6'3" so probably not best placed for these types of bikes however I'll never know without trying..

From what I've heard the GSX-R600/750 are the roomiest of the supersports, so they may be your best option in terms of comfort. Don't know about the 1000s though.

I have sat on a GSX-R750 at my local dealer (TSS Red Baron) and I have to say the 'feel' of this type of bike slightly intimidates me. Maybe this will pass on the open road as experience what I am led to believe is a sublime ride.

I'll admit I was a bit intimidated by my 750 when I first sat on it (previous bike was a 250 bandit), got used to it after a few kms on the test ride, then when I got back to the shop the first thing I said was "I'll take it".

[Banditbandit]

Having owned and ridden all styles of bikes over the years I can add that there is no single bike that does it all. The V-Strom is the most versatile bike I've ever owned, and although it doesn't have the same power as a pure sports bike, it does match the handling in most circumstances.

One memorable ride on my DL 1000 was from Haast back to Makarora in company with a group of three riders all on on CBR 600 RRs. We were part of a much larger group of around 40 bikes in all, but we four wanted a wee play through the best motorcycling road in New Zealand. I had my wife as pillion, but the three sports bikes were all solo. It was not a race, but the 3 of them had a private bet as to how long it would be before they dropped the Strom so far behind that it was out of sight. Well I stayed with them as far as the Gates as Haast before I got bored watching them struggle around the lovely bends, so I passed each of them in turn up the hill after the bridge, and my wife and I were already ordering coffee in Makarora when they arrived. So much for sports bikes outhandling a V-Strom.

I have many similar tales of the V-Strom impressing sports bike riders with its handling, but the real difference with the Strom is the variety of roads it can take. In my experience the V-Strom is the most versatile bike available in New Zealand. It isn't perfect at any aspect of riding, but it does some of everything.

Certainly try a pure sports bike, you'll love it. The feeling of sheer power and the quickness of turning in is invigorating. But whatever bike you decide to stick with will depend on what you want to use it for.

Yeah .. I watch a mate with a 1000 V-Strom do that occassionally ... I'm always amused at how sports bike riders think they are automatically faster than a tourer or adventure bike .. I've blown a few 600cc sports bike egos on my BMW Paris Dakar ... (the 1990 1,000 airhead version)

But I'm less impressed with the V-Strom 650s (never ridden one - just observations of them on the road)

Bart ... as some of us here will tell you - have a serious look as the Bandits. (or the GSX..F .. the TNAB) .. these are great all round bikes - great on our roads and very versitile ... I regularly ride long distance (8-9 hours at a time) and they are a comfortable cruise ... I've also seen 200 klicks on my 650 clock and on the 1250 I have no idea .. it was still accelerating when I got nervous and shut it down with something passed 240 on the clock ... (back country rural road - never know what is going to jump out of the shrubery ..)

They are quick enough to be fun when ridden hard, excellent long distance bikes, and easy round town ...

As someone once said "A Bandit is a bike that no-one wants until a mate gets one ..."

[Laava]

Having owned and ridden all styles of bikes over the years I can add that there is no single bike that does it all. The V-Strom is the most versatile bike I've ever owned, and although it doesn't have the same power as a pure sports bike, it does match the handling in most circumstances.

One memorable ride on my DL 1000 was from Haast back to Makarora in company with a group of three riders all on on CBR 600 RRs. We were part of a much larger group of around 40 bikes in all, but we four wanted a wee play through the best motorcycling road in New Zealand. I had my wife as pillion, but the three sports bikes were all solo. It was not a race, but the 3 of them had a private bet as to how long it would be before they dropped the Strom so far behind that it was out of sight. Well I stayed with them as far as the Gates as Haast before I got bored watching them struggle around the lovely bends, so I passed each of them in turn up the hill after the bridge, and my wife and I were already ordering coffee in Makarora when they arrived. So much for sports bikes outhandling a V-Strom.

I have many similar tales of the V-Strom impressing sports bike riders with its handling, but the real difference with the Strom is the variety of roads it can take. In my experience the V-Strom is the most versatile bike available in New Zealand. It isn't perfect at any aspect of riding, but it does some of everything.

Certainly try a pure sports bike, you'll love it. The feeling of sheer power and the quickness of turning in is invigorating. But whatever bike you decide to stick with will depend on what you want to use it for.

I agree with this but would also note that there is a BIG difference between the 650 and the thou. The thou has better handling out of the box due to the fork internals and obviously more power which is great in some situations. I did 5000kms on a 650 then hopped on my thou after and it was a very different machine in many ways. It is bigger and heavier as well tho. But I have surprised people by keeping up with them and also 2 up. It is an easy bike to ride fast I have found, not that I am much of a sporty rider. The best thing is it is not ever phased by bumps mid corner incl corrugated ruts. Just my opinion.
I have a Buell as well now and to be honest the strom is the bike I will be keeping long term.

[ital916]

After years of riding sports bikes, I bought a cruiser, thinking it would suit my daily drive better, big lots of luggage capacity etc. Two months later, I realised it wasn't right for me, having found it's limitations in the mildest of riding conditions, so have gone back to what I know, big sports bikes lol. Big is good, as we say in engineering, there is no replacement for displacement and ground clearence.

[DMNTD:Me]

After years of riding sports bikes, I bought a cruiser, thinking it would suit my daily drive better, big lots of luggage capacity etc. Two months later, I realised it wasn't right for me, having found it's limitations in the mildest of riding conditions, so have gone back to what I know, big sports bikes lol. Big is good, as we say in engineering, there is no replacement for displacement and ground clearence.

Recently bought my first cruiser. Absolutely love it but it isn't 'typical' so does the job just fine

[ital916]

Recently bought my first cruiser. Absolutely love it but it isn't 'typical' so does the job just fine

diavels don't count as cruisers :P, pics of it? I have yet to ride one.