Why is choosing yer next bike so bloody hard?

**Bytor** · 25th May 2006, 10:36

Jeez it's taking over my bloody life

Hours are spent on here, other websites and thumbing through the bike porn mags and I'm still none the wiser. A new day brings a new bike and I've researched eveything from a DR650 to Fireblades - feck, my desktop is like my 1 year old - constantly changing.

My ZX is near as damn perfect for me - fits me, not too light and enough power when wound up to mix it with the litre boys, doesn't cost a fortune to run either. However I have just been given the opportunity to upgrade once for the long term (ok, the missus said I could as long as I kept it for a few years

) before we buy a house. Hmmm women even when they try to be good to you they fuck you up!

Like most new buyers I don't know exactly what I want - can you tell! but I do have criteria like everyone else I suspect:
- it has to be new or newish
- must be well looked after with full service history if used
-must ablee to commute during the week and not get too far left behind by the Litre gixxers, R1's, Ducs and XJR's that I ride with at the weekends
- have low running costs, fuel, servicing and insurance
- able to handle my 6'1", 15 stone fat bastard frame without crippling me - no CBR600RR's then
- what's available in the market
- and it MUST give me the horn everytime I see it and ride it.

Not much to ask is it?

Oh yeah and cost between $10-12k - makes it even harder.

Sure there are several obvious candidates that tick some of the boxes - Hornet, ER6n, SV's but they lack the horn factor. Big Bandits look good value but are old looking, Triumphs are too expensive (like all the Europeans) apart from the Speed Four that I DO like. Yams XTX660 doesn't look comfortable enough for all day riding - doesn't leave much choice does it?

600 sports would be the preferred choice, but the newer ones are so small compared to mine, although that I believe that the Gixxers are slightly larger - Sarge?
Litre hypersports are a no go as I admit to not having the skills to ride them properly. Where have all the 750's gone?

Test riding will probably change everything but with the little ones and crap shop opening times at weekends I don't want to be seen as a timewasting tyre kicker. Those shops that I have had contact with have been brilliant esp Sarge at Colmans when I clearly lost all sense and enquired about the DR and the guys at Mt Eden, Holeshot and Botany Honda are very relaxed and informative.

So go on give me your suggestions even if it's just for today's desktop pic - this week I've looked at the Speed Four, a 954 Blade and a CB1300.

**skelstar** · 25th May 2006, 10:46

Mate. I feel your pain. I was looking at my 'first big bike' for ages before settling on the one I've got. Wallpapers, mags you name it. My mates got thoroughly sick of me talking about it.

Its fun though. Enjoy it while you can.

**Devil** · 25th May 2006, 10:47

There's a new Speed Four in Holeshot, you know you want it. They have a second hand one there that you can try. Talk to Carl.

Did 700km the other day on mine, gotta love having a proper seat!

Test riding really changes things though. I tried about 7 bikes when I was looking. It ruled some out completely!

**2much** · 25th May 2006, 10:51

You can pick up a K3 GSXR1000 for that price now days. You'll never get sick of it and it's like popping 5 tabs of Viagra every time you twist the throttle.

You don't improve your skills by sitting within your comfort zone, You need to get out there and push your limits to improve your riding. Give it time and be patient and your skills will improve.

**Bytor** · 25th May 2006, 10:51

Yeah spoke to Carl the other day reading the Speed Four. He promised me a test ride and seemed a decent bloke - shall wait for the weather to change though - don't want to test ride in this shite.

**Devil** · 25th May 2006, 10:53

Originally Posted by NZ-ZX

Yeah spoke to Carl the other day reading the Speed Four. He promised me a test ride and seemed a decent bloke - shall wait for the weather to change though - don't want to test ride in this shite.

Yep, he is a decent bloke. Sold me mine and was totally helpful and patient when I was test riding.
Definately find a dry day then get out on the riverhead/coatesville road up to Kaukap.

**Edbear** · 25th May 2006, 10:58

They're almost forgotten, now, but considered the last of the ZX9's? Awesome bike, bigger and more comfortable than the later hypersports but still really fast! Well suited to NZ roads, I hear.

**Insanity_rules** · 25th May 2006, 11:02

Get a blade! I want a blade so bad, ideally a repsol but will settle for a black one. My crew is also sick of hearing me prodding every kind of big boy ride for my special day (i.e upgrade, full licence day).

**Bytor** · 25th May 2006, 11:05

Yeah the ZX9 would be an obvious step up, but they're rare. Cyclespot have an 02 model but it's done 47k which is too much. I'm not totally ruling out the ltre bikes like the GSXR but I just think that they may be too focussed for me - will just have to try one

**Big Dave** · 25th May 2006, 11:06

New Honda CB900 is a great all round bike at a very reasonable spend.
A Triumph Sprint ST does everything well.
Daytona 675 is the pick of the current 600s for road use (have tested all of them except the Z) but it's still a racing crouch (like all of them) and that's just a pain in the city.
A H-D sportster is way cool if you have the $. So is a new Bonneville.

The dual sports are all taller bikes and make the most sense for NZ.

**kiwifruit** · 25th May 2006, 11:06

Originally Posted by 2much

You can pick up a K3 GSXR1000 for that price now days. You'll never get sick of it and it's like popping 5 tabs of Viagra every time you twist the throttle.

Amen
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**Colapop** · 25th May 2006, 11:08

I feel your pain only my missus "is not ready" for me to buy the bike I don't know which one I want.

You like the ZX so why not try ZX9, ZX10?

**The Stranger:Me** · 25th May 2006, 11:12

Quite easy really.
Ride several bikes.
Pick the first one that gives you a hard on.

**Blackbird** · 25th May 2006, 11:12

I think everyone goes through those agonies. The first thing I do is try and sort out true fitness for purpose (typically, is it going to need good passenger comfort or not - an important factor in the marriage stakes

, is it going to be for touring/long haul work or just pure blasting in the tight stuff and so on). This usually gives you a reasonable shortlist.

Then having tried to be objective and quantify everything, I let my heart do the talking, i.e. which bike "does it for me" just looking at it. I then take my heart's desire for a ride and see if it feels as good as it looks. To me, specs and fitness for purpose are only the primary sorting. The real driver is looks at a "gut level" if everything else sort of fills the bill. Helps no end in avoiding all that angst.

I bet most people do this, albeit subconsciously.

To some extent, every bike involves some sort of compromise unless you're lucky enough to have a garage full of them for every occasion! CaN summed it up nicely!