Weapons of Traffic Destruction!

[NordieBoy]

1993 Gilera Nordwest.

1) How Comfortable? - 4.
2) How Economic? - 4 - 18-20km/L.
3) How good does it stop? - 5 - Boat anchor stuff - Twin 4 pot front calipers and light bike.
4) How good does it go? - 4 - After a session on the dyno it would probably be a 5 - ~50hp 140kg.
5) How good does it let you avoid others? - 5 - Very agile.
6) How does it look/sound? - 5 - 558cc single - Supertrapp with race core - Big and meaty but not obnoxious.
7) How expensive is it to insure? - 5 - ~$350.
8) How much would you rather use something else to commute on? - 5 - For anything less than 2 hours, twisty and less than 150kph then it can't be beaten and that's the commuting I do so that's why the 5.

[Storm]

1990 Suzuki Across

1) 4
2) approx 16-17kpl 4
3) 3.5
4) 5 -Can be smooth or a screamer
5) 3.5
6) 3
7) 5 $30 a month
8) 5

31/40

[DEATH_INC.]

99 gixx 750
00ZX12r
1)how comfortable; gsxr 5 real good,not too laid over for a sportbike
zx12 4 good seat,but a long reach to the bars
2)how economic; gsxr 5 not too bad if you're no going hard
zx12 1 sucks gas like a hoover on steroids at any speed
3)how does it stop; gsxr 5 like an anchor
zx12 5 ditto,harder to stop at excessive speeds though
4)how does it go; gsxr 4 great power to weight
zx12 5 the words missile and bullet come to mind
5)how does it let you avoid others;gsxr 5 very light and quick handling
zx12 3 very tall and clumsy at slow speeds,ok once up and running.
6)how does it look/sound; gsxr 4 looks good for an older bike,sounds great with the kerker
zx12 5 good looking beast,very big and imposing,sounds awesome with a kerker and filters,makes the ground shake and small children run for cover...
7)how expensive to insure; gsxr ???
zx12
8)would you rather use anythig else; gsxr 4 not really,maybe a motard...
zx12 1yep,prolly anything else would be better to fight the traffic on,sweet if you've got some room though....

[badlieutenant]

[QUOTE=NordieBoy]1993 Gilera Nordwest.

1) How Comfortable? - 4.
2) How Economic? - 4 - 18-20km/L.
3) How good does it stop? - 5 - Boat anchor stuff - Twin 4 pot front calipers and light bike.
4) How good does it go? - 4 - After a session on the dyno it would probably be a 5 - ~50hp 140kg.
5) How good does it let you avoid others? - 5 - Very agile.
6) How does it look/sound? - 5 - 558cc single - Supertrapp with race core - Big and meaty but not obnoxious.
7) How expensive is it to insure? - 5 - ~$350.
8) How much would you rather use something else to commute on? - 5 - For anything less than 2 hours, twisty and less than 150kph then it can't be beaten and that's the commuting I do so that's why the 5.[/QUOTE
thats a sweet ride there NordieBoy. Can I ask how much you paid for it ? Im thinking my next bike should be one something along those lines, less chance of upsetting policemen and more likely to embarrass people on flash bikes on the twisty stuff Plus I think there ideal for NZ's B roads and unmarked cowshit

[rodgerd]

Granted, I have a pretty limited basis for comparison, and my commute is bugger all compared to an Aucklander.

GSF250V Bandit

1/ 4.5 - Dead comfortable. Like sitting on a bar stool; the bike could be made for me.

2/ 4 - about 16 km/l in town, about 20 on mostly open road, about 18 with a mix.

3/ 3 - Stops better than a car, but you can only achieve so much with a single disc up front.

4/ 2 - 3. Torque's a bit lacking at the lights, but goes like a cut cat if you ask it to and give it some revs. Even from the lights it'll eat most cages with less than a six or turbo four tucked away (and some sixes, too). The VVT setup means it's got "dawdle" and "hustle" personalities.

Couldn't keep up with any bike actually designed for performance, though.

5/ 4. Chuck it around like a dirt bike. It's light, it's agile. It doesn't have the "you look there, it goes there like a train" handling of a sportsbike, but you can muscle it around tight Wellington streets, get a foot down in best supermoto fashion if you're an agricultral rider like me, correct in corners without upsetting it, and it copes with being ridden over wet road markings and cat's eyes without missing a beat. Loses point(s) for suspension, which leaves it tracking poorly on rough roads.

6/ 3.5. Has nice baby streetfighter looks. Gets admired by people who normally hate Japanese bikes. Has even once attracted small crowds of other riders.

7/ 4. About $600/yr.

8/ 3. I'd consider an SV650, an SV400, an RF400 (with the VVT engine), or a Bandit 400, mostly for the extra grunt, especially when I'm running two up. Sports bikes don't appeal at all as commuters; the RF would be as close as I'd want.

24.5 - 25.5.

[marty]

1) How Comfortable? Do you need to stretch or stay active otherways to avoid backpain?
2) How Economic? Do you get 10k/litre (give it a 1) or 20+k per litre? (give it a 5)
3) How good does it stop? Is it like throwing an anchor out or would waving a holed umbrella work better?
4) How good does it go? Plenty of grunt and torque or would it struggle with a rice pudding?
5) How good does it let you avoid others? Is it agile or a barge in disguise?
6) How does it look/sound? Do you get eyed up in town at the lights or is it a dirty dog?
7) How expensive is it to insure? Less than $400/yr (give it a 5) or more than $1400 (that'd be a 1)
8) How much would you rather use something else to commute on? Wouldn't trade it for any bike of any age (5), could think of a few bikes I'd rather use (3), Can't wait to upgrade to almost anything else (1)

1 = 4
2 = 3
3 = 3
4 = 5
5 = 4
6 = 5
7 = 2.5
8 = 4 . . . . . wouldn't mind a VOR 650 motard, or a duke monsta, but the TL really is the bomb, as it can carry big pack racks without complaint, with a spare helmet for picking the kids up from school, which they think is GREAT!

TL total = 30.5

[Lou Girardin]

Bandit: Grunty, manouverable, good vis, good brakes, loud.
RF900: Less grunty needs revs, poor vis typical semi-racer crouch, good brakes, loud.
Insurance for both = less than $600
Eyed up? Shit, get a Harley.

[stunz]

1) How Comfortable? 3 (num-bum if I take the long way...)
2) How Economic? 4 (180-200ks / full tank / $12, not counting reserve)
3) How good does it stop? 4 (but apparently not recently...?)
4) How good does it go? 3 (avg for a 15yr old bike, certainly don't pull wheelies!)
5) How good does it let you avoid others? 4 (real light, and real easy to change direction...)
6) look/sound? 4 (stickers plastered all over the fairing make it look better, sounds awful, like an asthmatic dog...)
7) How expensive is it to insure? 3
8) How much would you rather use something else to commute on? 3 (I reckon Motu has a valid point about road/trail being a good commuter)

Overview=Not being a terribly wide bike, commuting at rush hour in the finest city in NZ is a breeze (pardon the pun, but it is windy here...) and lane splitting on the fizzer is as easy as pie cos theres always some car somewhere thats rear-ended a van or something and stopped the traffic.

But all the same, I reckon its time to trade up...

[manuboy]

SV1000

1) How Comfortable? 2.5
For long time riders with cast iron assses and all, it's probably okay. For me, after 25 mins of putt, putt, putt, its time for bed, and panadol.

2) How Economic? 2.5
FI helps i guess... haven't ever worked it out really but about 13-14km/l ish. Might be (totally) wrong tho...

3) How good does it stop? 3
Pads are barely scrubbed in, but it stops awright. Not like throwing out an anchor, more like a gigantic block of cheese, a nice blue of some sort. Might improve with time and me stomping on them...

4) How good does it go? 4.5
Ahhh. there's plenty of guysngals here with faster machines, but i dunno WTF for! Even in it's tight running form it scares 200% of the bejeesus outta me. Way too much round town at any revs.

5) How good does it let you avoid others? 3
It's okay. It's not a 2-fiddy or a dirtbike, but it ain't a busa either.

6) How does it look/sound? 4
Many people say it's an ugly mo-fo (some on this forum)... i reckon it doesn't get any better short of an expensive red thing. It turns my partner on, which is one better than me.... and the yoshi pipes are the clincher. Oh yeah!

7) How expensive is it to insure? 3
$800

8) How much would you rather use something else to commute on? 5
Nup... its ma baby. Fits me like a glove (well.. a glove that'd strangle my own hand if i wore it rond town for too long, but still a glove)

Total 28.5/40

[bgd]

1) How Comfortable? 5
2) How Economic? 3 (I suppose, never really thought about it - significantly cheaper than the car or train)
3) How good does it stop? 5 (Servo assisted with ABS)
4) How good does it go? 5 (Does everything well)
5) How good does it let you avoid others? 4 (think big traillie. Fairly wide but bars are higher than car mirrors and it will go through all but silly gaps)
6) look/sound? 4 (I like it but probably an aquired taste)
7) How expensive is it to insure? 4 (Beemers over here are relatively low on the insurance scale)
8) How much would you rather use something else to commute on? 5 (just as well as this has to last me a while)

35/40

Commute (Kent to London) is 35 miles with country, motorway, fast A roads and at least 5 miles of filtering (on a good day!)

[White trash]

1) How Comfortable? Do you need to stretch or stay active otherways to avoid backpain?
2) How Economic? Do you get 10k/litre (give it a 1) or 20+k per litre? (give it a 5)
3) How good does it stop? Is it like throwing an anchor out or would waving a holed umbrella work better?
4) How good does it go? Plenty of grunt and torque or would it struggle with a rice pudding?
5) How good does it let you avoid others? Is it agile or a barge in disguise?
6) How does it look/sound? Do you get eyed up in town at the lights or is it a dirty dog?
7) How expensive is it to insure? Less than $400/yr (give it a 5) or more than $1400 (that'd be a 1)
8) How much would you rather use something else to commute on? Wouldn't trade it for any bike of any age (5), could think of a few bikes I'd rather use (3), Can't wait to upgrade to almost anything else (1)

1986 CG125

1 Comfort 4
2 Ekunemical? Should be a 7!
3 Braking? Fuck no! 0! It's absolute pants.
4 She'll wheelie off the clutch in 2nd, and it smashes mountain bikers on the cycle tracks I use to get to work on over Mt Vic 1
5 Very agile at avoiding tree roots. 5
6 Looks like shit. Is shit. 1
7 What's insurance? 5
8 KTM 660 Supercomp Motard.4

27. Almost as good as Cajuns Gixxer

[Cajun]

1986 CG125

1 Comfort 4
2 Ekunemical? Should be a 7!
3 Braking? Fuck no! 0! It's absolute pants.
4 She'll wheelie off the clutch in 2nd, and it smashes mountain bikers on the cycle tracks I use to get to work on over Mt Vic 1
5 Very agile at avoiding tree roots. 5
6 Looks like shit. Is shit. 1
7 What's insurance? 5
8 KTM 660 Supercomp Motard.4

27. Almost as good as Cajuns Gixxer

NOthing beats the banana gixxer BOY!!!

[Posh Tourer :P]

1) How Comfortable? Do you need to stretch or stay active otherways to avoid backpain?

5. Beyoodiful. Could do with a better fairing at higher speeds though.

2) How Economic? Do you get 10k/litre (give it a 1) or 20+k per litre? (give it a 5)

3. I've come off a CB125, so nothing really compares...

3) How good does it stop? Is it like throwing an anchor out or would waving a holed umbrella work better?

2. Twin non-drilled discs and one pot calipers with soft rubber lines trying to stop 200kg of meat. Still stops well enough for me, but compared to a sprots (sic) bike, not even close.

4) How good does it go? Plenty of grunt and torque or would it struggle with a rice pudding?

2. 1983's 650cc trying to haul above. Still, great for commuting, as there is no end of torque, and it'll pull that rice pudding from as low as 1500rpm.

5) How good does it let you avoid others? Is it agile or a barge in disguise?

4. Pretty damn good, apart from a lack of clearance on the left. Wider bars than sprot bikes make it easier to point where you want it.

6) How does it look/sound? Do you get eyed up in town at the lights or is it a dirty dog?

2. I reckon it looks/sounds pretty good, but nobody else appreciates it.

7) How expensive is it to insure? Less than $400/yr (give it a 5) or more than $1400 (that'd be a 1)

3. I think my quote was $600 or so with AMI, so not too bad, but they have no idea what they are on about, and it should be lower.

8) How much would you rather use something else to commute on? Wouldn't trade it for any bike of any age (5), could think of a few bikes I'd rather use (3), Can't wait to upgrade to almost anything else (1)

4. I like. Lotsa torque, and easy to scoot around. Would prefer something a little smaller without the bags hanging out the sides and the wide bars, to help with splitting, but thats ok. The CB125 was great except for its lack of power...


Overall 25/40

Thats a pass mark. Still like it though

[Pwalo]

Geez, something that the GS can rate well in.

1) Comfort - 5 really comfortable, easy reach to the bars, relaxed ergos for most people to about 5'10'' or so.

2) 5 - Very economical - 65/60 mpg commuting - I think that's about 23 k/litre

3) 4 - No prblems with braking once you've upgraded the front suspension, otherwise it's stoppie territory.

4) 5 - Perfect for commuting. The GS isn't hugely powerful but the power available is pretty linear from about 3k revs on, in any gear. (This was after I had the pilots replaced - US model with jetting to meet Californian regs)

5) 5 - Surprisingly good. GS only weighs 190kg gassed, and has a 1405mm wheelbase (close to an older CBR600), so it's a breeze to chuck around. Deceptively quick in the corners, and very narrow for carving up the traffic (if the bars fit through the gap so will you).

6) 3 - I haven't had any negative comments, but it's probably a bit quiet for most tastes. I prefer it that way as it doesn't attract any attention. Looks wise I've been surprised by how many people reckon the GS looks ok (even a few other bikers!).

7) 5 - Even full cover is pretty minimal - but then again GS' aren't exactly expensive bikes, and don't appear on any lists as being higher risk. No plastics etc. Still more than my car, house, contents etc.

8) 5 - I'd love to have a sports bike (I really like those Alstare reps) but the truth is that I would keep the GS for commuting. It's just so easy, cheap, and reliable - besides it's got the GS part of GSXR.

The GS is the commuter par excellence. Reasonably sporty, quicker and more manouvearble than the cages, comfy, and more FUN than anything on four wheels.

Paul S

[Posh Tourer :P]

1) How Comfortable? Do you need to stretch or stay active otherways to avoid backpain?

5. A bit too small really. Still very comfy to ride though.

2) How Economic? Do you get 10k/litre (give it a 1) or 20+k per litre? (give it a 5)

5. Its a 125....

3) How good does it stop? Is it like throwing an anchor out or would waving a holed umbrella work better?

2. Single pot floating (one fixed pad) cable operated single disc brake. Only stopping 130kg of bike though....

4) How good does it go? Plenty of grunt and torque or would it struggle with a rice pudding?

2. enough grunt higher up until you get into third (70kmh). So yes, ok for commuting if you wring its neck, but anywhere else, no.

5) How good does it let you avoid others? Is it agile or a barge in disguise?

5. Its tiny!! I could pick it up and hoist it through a tight gap if I needed to... Definitely agile!

6) How does it look/sound? Do you get eyed up in town at the lights or is it a dirty dog?

2. Looks nice except for that MASSIVE taillight. Too small to get eyed up though.

7) How expensive is it to insure? Less than $400/yr (give it a 5) or more than $1400 (that'd be a 1)

5. $350, and thats for a 19yr old (when I got the quote) with no history, with AMI.

8) How much would you rather use something else to commute on? Wouldn't trade it for any bike of any age (5), could think of a few bikes I'd rather use (3), Can't wait to upgrade to almost anything else (1)

4. More torque would be good, but for anything else, great


Overall 30/40

Would use it if I had the money for two or three bikes, but for now I need to compromise.