LAMS bikes, for petrol heads

[breakaway]

I test rode an RC390 the other day. Why anyone would spend $10,000 on that is beyond me. Vibrates like hell, has shit brakes and wasn't exactly confidence inspiring in high speed corners. An excellent town commuter but you can get an excellent town commuter for $8000 less....

Same reason people pay top dollar for their RVFs etc. It floats their boat.

[BlackSheepLogic]

It is heavy (I may have tested the frame sliders while moving it around my garage and getting caught out)
but when riding in weather, the weight is a plus, not getting pushed around as much in winds is awesome

Yep, in a sports touring role it would probably be my top choice in the segment & price.

[gjm]

Yoshi pipe so it wouldn't comply.

What mods are allowed on a LAMS bike? Anything which improves the power-to-weight ratio is out (I think) but could you take a LAMS-approved big single and turn it into a cafe racer, assuming no performance mods?

[mossy1200]

What mods are allowed on a LAMS bike? Anything which improves the power-to-weight ratio is out (I think) but could you take a LAMS-approved big single and turn it into a cafe racer, assuming no performance mods?

I would say if you lower the weight by an amount that the popo would see as an attempt to improve power to weight percentage you would need get it certified to prove it was within the limits and recorded as being ok. I could be wrong though it could be a flat no its no longer Lams approved and cant be considered as such even if checked.
Lets face it if you take a bike and remove enough bits to be a good café racer its unlikely many bikes will remain LAMS legal.
Although mine isn't under 650 or on the list it shows its not hard to shed weight. Mines lost 72kg so far. Most of the old air cooled and oil coiled 500+ bikes that would suit café racer conversion will drop 40kg very easily. If they were already a light bike then they wouldn't have been on that list in the first place.

[Imagineering]

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/List...x?id=829559754


600SS, 750SS & 1000DS Motors will all fit if one is so inclined.

[Akzle]

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/List...x?id=829559754


600SS, 750SS & 1000DS Motors will all fit if one is so inclined.

but what kind of masochistic moron (MM (tm)) would buy a duke??

[EJK]

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/List...x?id=829559754

He said he wanted a bike for a petrol head, not for a mechanic or an electrician!

[Rhys]

[QUOTE=Akzle;1130819126]but what kind of masochistic moron (MM (tm)) would buy a duke??[/QUOTE
The same one that would buy a BMW

[pritch]

but what kind of masochistic moron (MM (tm)) would buy a duke??

Ummmm guilty yer honour.

[bingslayer]

GSX650FU

With a simple snip it becomes a full power 650...

Not that I would know....

Yes definately a good choice....however the U models are nowhere near the 5k mark

Early Cbr250... 18k redline :-D

The lil 4cyl 90s 250 sports bikes are definately still a relevant choice. I flicked my zxr250 off quickly thinking that they would become worthless when the LAMS kicked in but here I am considering one again. There isnt actually much competion if you are looking for a full on sports lams bike. The only thing is that they are so crap off the lights and if you commute a lot (filtering etc) then this can get a bit frustrating.

Can anyone compare the now legal 400s to the 250s in terms of moving off the line in a hurry? Im seriously considering a bandit 400 or maybe even zxr,fzr,gsxr but only if it is worth it as they are much more scarce than the 250s

I test rode an RC390 the other day. Why anyone would spend $10,000 on that is beyond me. Vibrates like hell, has shit brakes and wasn't exactly confidence inspiring in high speed corners. An excellent town commuter but you can get an excellent town commuter for $8000 less....

I agree, I was really excited when I heard that ktm was going to play the lams game. However the price has even made the bike not as attractive as when I first saw one. Maybe when they are older and cheaper they will be a great option....but not with that price tag.

Any other suggestions? Ive recently seen a Honda bros 650 , which would be great if you liked the look of them, unfortunately I couldnt live with it. Its got a single sided swingarm and a nice low swept exhaust but it just doesnt look right. Honda should have just made a naked NC30 with raised bars and less agressive peg position...now that would have been cool

[nzspokes]

This would be a mint bike. Perfect learner bike with good power.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/moto...-835202814.htm

[GrayWolf]

Ahh but that's not for the likes of thee or me, it's a teenager's wet dream. Of course back when I was a teenager all bikes vibrated, had shit brakes and weren't exactly confidence inspiring. And then there was the question of reliability - and the electrics produced by Joseph Lucas the prince of darkness.

I'm in envy of the bikes the kids have available today. I doubt that I'd have survived if they were available way back when...

not sure about that, the Starfire 250's, tiger cub sports, ariel arrow etc, were never as quick as the japper 250's, but man, the handling?? One day I was riding my S1 (kwaka 250 triple, for the unknowing).. blue haze of smoke, went past a nice looking 'brit' cafe racer single L plater (250), came to the twisty bits on the country lanes, and braaaaaaaaaaaaaaaap, he came past me like crazy....... Caught up with him at box hill (bikers meeting place) ooops the yellow and black should have 'warned me'.. bloody Ducati 250 desmo.......

Try re-riding one of 'our' 250's... the handling quickly comes back to remind you of the period... if we survived them? /i'd guess we'd have survived a modern one, back then.

[bingslayer]

This would be a mint bike. Perfect learner bike with good power.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/moto...-835202814.htm

Those are actually pretty dam cool with their full sized wheels and flowing lines. Plus it looks like I could take a nap on that seat! Im still a bit hesitant on the 4cyl 250s though with their lack of pulling power off the lights.I wonder if the hornet is geared a bit lower than the cbr , considering its more aimed at touring/commuting? A few times I got caught out in the wrong gear on my old zxr, that just doesnt happen on the Vtwin hyobag gt250 im currently riding, its annoyingly easy to ride. The howl of the lil 4cyls just cant be beat though!

Has anyone tried to gear down their 250s to be a bit more grunty off the bottom?

[nzspokes]

Those are actually pretty dam cool with their full sized wheels and flowing lines. Plus it looks like I could take a nap on that seat! Im still a bit hesitant on the 4cyl 250s though with their lack of pulling power off the lights.I wonder if the hornet is geared a bit lower than the cbr , considering its more aimed at touring/commuting? A few times I got caught out in the wrong gear on my old zxr, that just doesnt happen on the Vtwin hyobag gt250 im currently riding, its annoyingly easy to ride. The howl of the lil 4cyls just cant be beat though!

Has anyone tried to gear down their 250s to be a bit more grunty off the bottom?

A hornet 250 will eat a Hyo off the line. Its got almost double the HP.

Being in the right gear is just part of riding a motorcycle. My litre V twin wont pull away in the wrong gear so why would a 250?

[TheDemonLord]

I would say if you lower the weight by an amount that the popo would see as an attempt to improve power to weight percentage you would need get it certified to prove it was within the limits and recorded as being ok. I could be wrong though it could be a flat no its no longer Lams approved and cant be considered as such even if checked.
Lets face it if you take a bike and remove enough bits to be a good café racer its unlikely many bikes will remain LAMS legal.
Although mine isn't under 650 or on the list it shows its not hard to shed weight. Mines lost 72kg so far. Most of the old air cooled and oil coiled 500+ bikes that would suit café racer conversion will drop 40kg very easily. If they were already a light bike then they wouldn't have been on that list in the first place.

^^^ This I believe - I think they will turn a blind eye to small things (like racing levers, crash knobs, pack racks etc.) but the general rule is that anything that touches the engine/exhaust system and any significant changes to weight will make it not LAMS approved.

From what I read, the LAMS list isn't subject to certification either - basically a bike in its stock form is LAMS approved from the manufacturers specs, any changes to that and its automatically not LAMS approved

Yep, in a sports touring role it would probably be my top choice in the segment & price.

Yeah, I test rode a couple of the big LAMS approved sport tourers - the GSX was by far my fav (comfier seat to accomodate my fat ass, ECU limit instead of throttle stop, Gear and Fuel gauges)

Yes definately a good choice....however the U models are nowhere near the 5k mark

Ah.

didn't realise you had a price range (must of misread something), they are a bit pricey, I incurred the wrath of she-who-must-be-kept-happy when I got mine, but that is all sorted now, I have pretty much doubled the KMs on it since I got it, and it just purrs along.

Will be interesting to see how its held its value when I come to sell it and gets myself a thou+ bike, despite the KMs I still think it will be worth a good 8-9k