Motorcycle Riders

stazza · 17-01-2021, 12:34 PM

I'm looking to buy a bike for the work commute and just general riding around having some fun. I used to ride Motocross and even had a road registered KTM Enduro a few years back, so I AM partial to a motard-style bike however I have a few questions for the more experienced road riders on here, and a few points I will highlight:

- I am not a fan at all of typical road bikes aka ZX, CBR, YZF-R. I don't like the looks, or the ergonomics.
- I'm not looking for something with a ton of power or speed, I just want to take it easy on the road.
- I mentioned I had a KTM Enduro road registered. Great bike offroad, however the seat was literally a pain in the ****

and the vibration from the tyres on bitumen killed my hands. Plus the service intervals and maintenance was too much.

- I have been looking at the WR450F, what are these like for say... a 35km commute? What's the seat like for a ~30min to an hour long ride? Are these comfortable enough on the road with motard wheels?
- I've also been looking at the Adventure bikes online, like the KTM 390 Adventure and the Honda CB500X, anyone here had any experience with these?

I have been at work flat out and unable to get to any bike shops, hence me looking only online and asking on here thus far. I just want to narrow things down a little.

Any advice is welcome.

Thanks

lra · 17-01-2021, 01:34 PM

By no means am I a bike experience guru, but I have ridden quite a few. I was into trail bikes a long time ago, and thought they were good compromise, being light, enough power to get you pinged for excessive speed, and the go anywhere ability.

As for a Harley style bike, how much do you love your spine and backside. How these can be tolerated is beyond me …… maybe I am not MAN enough. Uncomfortable is not descriptive.

I found an Adventure type bike comfortable, but a bit top heavy for slow speed traffic commuting.

As for road bikes, I thought they were cramped and uncomfortable, just by looking at them, but a ride on a Triumph Sprint quickly changed that. Light, fast (too fast) and a really great seating position (for me)
Got all excited about getting back onto a bike, until common-sense and age realisation kicked in, but that style would be my pick (if I was still young and unbreakable).

ozpacman · 17-01-2021, 02:37 PM

Hi Stanza,

I guess it really depends on how broad a role you want the bike to fulfil, i.e, do you want it to commute during the week and then do some serious off-roading on the weekends. The WR is pretty narrow focused and whilst it'd definitely be at home in the dirt, I think you'd quickly tire of it on the commute.

I'm thinking something more dual purpose such as a KLR650 or DR650 might be a better compromise. Both are good bikes on the tar and will still tackle some fire trail style riding with ease.

Your call though and there's plenty of great bikes out there.

Quote:

Originally Posted by lra

As for a Harley style bike, how much do you love your spine and backside. How these can be tolerated is beyond me …… maybe I am not MAN enough. Uncomfortable is not descriptive.

Absolute rubbish Ira. Have you ever actually ridden a Harley? Didn't think so, or maybe if you did it was a spin around the block on your mate's fully sic rigid open pipes and 20" apehangers.

I own two HD's. A 2000 Road King I've owned for 18 years and an '05 Lowrider that's a much more recent purchase. Have completed numerous 1000km plus days on the Road King and it's now covered 175,000 kms. I've never found it to be uncomfortable.

Did a 400km run on the Lowrider yesterday with no adverse effects. I turned 60 last year so am not talking with youthful exuberance here.

Cheers, Russ.

lra · 17-01-2021, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ozpacman

Hi Stanza,

Absolute rubbish Ira. Have you ever actually ridden a Harley? Didn't think so, or maybe if you did it was a spin around the block on your mate's fully sic rigid open pipes and 20" apehangers.
Cheers, Russ.

Hmmm, seems that you know a lot about me, what I have done and ridden.
Can't remember you beside me when I rode my son's POS Harley.
I don't know what it was, model, etc, can't even remember the capacity of the engine, all I remember was that after about 50kms I was glad to get off.
Perhaps I should stick to girly bikes like Suzuki 90s and Honda Step-thrus. As as I wrote I may not be MAN enough (beard and gut) for a Harley. .
If you are happy with your Harley, I am happy for you.
Just offering my opinion, but you know what they say about opinions.

.:4:. · 17-01-2021, 01:54 PM

I dont ride, my brother does. And he much prefers his current upright to previous sports bikes he has had for comfortablility for commuting. He has a z1000, so thats probably not what you're after, but maybe investigate uprights. My brother has compressed disks in his spine, so if he reckons an upright is a more comfortble bike to commute on, they cannot be that bad.

290GTP · 17-01-2021, 02:13 PM

Don't buy a WR450 if you want a comfy seat, its an enduro bike afterall. Mine was a fair commuter with a heap of grunt, but there's probably better choices out there.

A mate of mine had a DR 400 motard which was fun to ride and comfortable. Might be worth a look.

**buggerlugs** · 17-01-2021, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 290GTP

Don't buy a WR450 if you want a comfy seat, its an enduro bike afterall. Mine was a fair commuter with a heap of grunt, but there's probably better choices out there.

A mate of mine had a DR 400 motard which was fun to ride and comfortable. Might be worth a look.

+ 1 on the DR400, great all rounder............

csi20 · 17-01-2021, 03:54 PM

Ira. Look at the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650. $9990 ride away.

lra · 17-01-2021, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by csi20

Ira. Look at the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650. $9990 ride away.

Had an online look, looks classic. Reminiscent of a mates BSA from the 1960's.
Is current Indian quality better than old English quality ?

But I am not in the market for a bike.

While on opinions, two blokes I worked with (10+years ago ) had Hyosungs. One thought his was the duck's guts, the other regretted the day he bought it, with bits breaking and replacement parts not being readily available.

csi20 · 17-01-2021, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lra

Had an online look, looks classic. Reminiscent of a mates BSA from the 1960's.
Is current Indian quality better than old English quality ?

But I am not in the market for a bike.

While on opinions, two blokes I worked with (10+years ago ) had Hyosungs. One thought his was the duck's guts, the other regretted the day he bought it, with bits breaking and replacement parts not being readily available.

My mistake message was for Stazza. Royal Enfield quality has improved remarkably in the last few years.

**Ratmick** · 17-01-2021, 04:38 PM

I have a Yamaha MT-07, 700cc naked parallel twin that has a firing sequence like a v-twin.

Mine is the 'normal' global model (called the MT-07HO here), not the LAMS-approved one.

I have driven it into work in Melbourne from here (85km one-way) and find it pretty comfortable in stock form plus I get about 4litres/100km.

It's powerful enough to stay in front of traffic and isn't going to rip your arms off if you give it a wrist-full.

Mine now has a topbox purchased at the beginning of COVID in case I had to forgo public transport (my missus is immunosuppressed) but I ended up working from home since March.

If it is any help the seating position is upright, no weight on the wrists and you're not craning your neck to look forward.

I'm 56yo and pretty short at 5'5"...

Pis-ton broke · 17-01-2021, 04:41 PM

i have a 2013 kawasaki klr 650 for sale right now, its only got 4098k,s on it.
klr,s are a road trail bike, they have quiet a following. what area are you from? check out at.
https://www.bikesales.com.au/bikes/d...-7001061/?Cr=5

if interested, let me know.
mick

383hq · 17-01-2021, 05:16 PM

Depends on your budget, DRZ-400 is a good choice if you don't care for power and only have a few $K to spend. I had one, but sold it pretty quickly - soft in the suspension and power delivery compared to the harder edged bikes

I'd go for rubber footpeg / balancer donk like a KTM 690 or the new husky 701 (or 701 LR) depending on your budget. Don't see many of the older 690s for sale, like my berg 570, people that own them hang onto them.
The new KTM 790/800 is dynamite (I'm told, haven't ridden it yet)

I've ridden a KTM 525exc from Brisbane to Cape York, so you can make a normal enduro work if thats your thing. I wanted to do the Cape, so I made it work.

Some use airhawk , some use sheepskin, some add an extra inch of foam and some just pony up. i was more concerned with a rear cush drive then an uncomfortable saddle, but I was younger then....

nstg8a · 17-01-2021, 05:44 PM

I have a Yamaha xt660x that I use for the commute occasionally, it’s a hoot to ride but on a long trip the vibes sure get to you.
Lams legal but still enough power to stay well in front of the cages at the lights.
Being super motard it’s very versatile too, easy enough to bounce over anything you need to but still a blast in the twisties.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

UTXR8 · 17-01-2021, 06:10 PM

I have a can am spyder rss se5....great comfy bike....and sporty...has reverse gear, brembo brakes, power steering, stability control, cruise control, storage trunk, mobile phone/satnav holder with USB... semi auto 5 speed....maybe one of these may suit you?...

DougM · 17-01-2021, 08:40 PM

Bike Mechanic here...... Enduro bikes are MX bikes with lights.... That means higher maintenance than road bikes..... MT07 or XSR700 are great value and loads of fun.... Light and manoeuvrable for commutes and great for open road and spirited riding...

simon varley · 17-01-2021, 08:54 PM

DL650 VStrom. Just about the best all rounder you can get.

.:4:. · 17-01-2021, 10:26 PM

As i said previously, i dont ride, and thats because my left arm doesnt work. But i really like the tight tollerances and engineering for bikes. My brother has a few. I mean has not had. So there's the rd250lc, its a 1980 model. So twin front rotor conversion, its a 2 stroke, but was bored out to 368cc. Made 63hp on the dyno at wayne smith performance. So, nothing astounding, but it was better then what it was. Then theres the vt500e. Its an 84. I reckon its an e because it doesnt have fairings, my brother reckons its a vt500f because its supposed to have fairings, but doesnt. Then theres the dirt squirter, the suzuki rm250. Then the suzuki across, the learner burner. The zx7r. The vtr 1000. And the z1000.
And these are the ones he has. He reckons the vtr is probaly the best, but it did a timing chain, which in turn did a number on the motor. Im no mechanic, and i dont like meetings, but i dont think I'd like to sit on a meeting where the valves punch on with the pistons. But, for a bike, 90 odd thousand kays is a few.

MrEL · 17-01-2021, 10:49 PM

My best mate has a KLR 650. Bought it when on his Ls 6-7 years ago. Loves it and finds no need to get something else.
Another mate has a 650 Vstrom. Loves it too. Nice bike to ride with a lot of gear on it.
Myself I have a Ninja 650L. Nice bike , lots of fun but probably wouldn't recommend it for a regular commute.

Franco Cozzo · 17-01-2021, 10:55 PM

What about something like Husqvarna Svartpilen 401? It shares components with KTM Duke 390 and has had a massive price drop from $11K to $7K

https://www.mcnews.com.au/husqvarna-...ne-from-husky/

nstg8a · 18-01-2021, 12:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

What about something like Husqvarna Svartpilen 401? It shares components with KTM Duke 390 and has had a massive price drop from $11K to $7K

https://www.mcnews.com.au/husqvarna-...ne-from-husky/

That’s a huge price drop.

Fortnine (YouTube) did a great review on them. I’d own one.

nstg8a · 18-01-2021, 12:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nstg8a

That’s a huge price drop.

Fortnine (YouTube) did a great review on them. I’d own one.

Sorry, it was the vitpilen 701 they tested... would still own haha.

CFOUR · 18-01-2021, 01:05 AM

test ride a mt07 and a ktm 690. I really liked the new indian ftr 1200 when i tested it but much more expensive.

Big_Daz · 18-01-2021, 11:06 AM

My best mate has a Kawasaki Ninja 1000 as his daily rider. Its his only transport (his wife uses the car) and he loves it. His commute is approx. 30km each way and we take it on big runs (me in my SSV him on the bike) through the mountains.

He came off another Kawasaki (ZX-6) which was quick but super unfomfortable for his daily commute, the Ninja 1000 is a MUCH better daily/longer distance ride whilst still having decent speed, etc. He paid about $12k for his on the road.

Stubbie · 19-01-2021, 11:59 AM

A lot probably depends on how much you want to pay and what you want to do with it outside of your commute. The CBX500 would be ideal for the commute but for a 400km ride on the weekend you'd be wishing you'd bought something else real fast. I haven't ridden many trail bikes on bitumen but they all felt uncomfortable to me. Maybe ok with road tyre's instead of knobby's. The Husky's look good but I see the seat height is 835mm. That seems pretty tall for a bike. If your only short you will be standing on tip toes. I think I'd be tempted to stick with one of the Japanese bikes, reliable, comfortable and you can get them for a reasonable price.

happy1 · 19-01-2021, 12:37 PM

Hi, my daily commute around town is a Rocket3. It certainly has enough power to be the first out at the lights. Very low maintenance, since it is a shaft drive. Oil change interval is at 15K, so for me that's about every 4th year. Mine haven't got ABS, but I would recommend that. They have depreciated with age, so a lot of bike for the $$. Cheers

AU3XSR · 19-01-2021, 05:34 PM

My daily is a derestricted Ninja 650. I do an 80km round trip to/from work, and it's very comfy with a low seat height and rubber mounted bars/pegs to cut vibration. Being a 600 it's got plenty of grunt for motorway use without struggling. It's not too bad on fuel (about 4L/100km) and is easy to work on/maintain.

Much like the MT07 it's a parallel twin. They're a sports touring bike like the Ninja 1000. Has the fairings and look of a sports bike, but a more upright riding position. This is my second Kwaka (my first one also being a Ninja 650). Coming from a supersport Daytona 675, the Ninja has a more upright position (and no under seat exhaust to cook my backside

) which is a godsend for longer commuting.