Bikes with flaws you hate

southwade · 01-17-2012, 12:51 PM

a.k.a... bikes you like but would change this or that, etc...

i.e.

The previous Versys headlight

The tank ridge on the Ninja 250r, I can't get my knee under it.

southwade · 01-17-2012, 12:56 PM

Basically, share your insights, niggles, or pet peeves you have about various bikes. This is a "glass-half-empty" kind of thread

klaviator · 01-17-2012, 12:58 PM

I had a 83 Yamaha Venture. It was a great bike. A full dress touring bikes that I could stay with most of my friends on their sport bikes. It also had linked brakes. They sucked. I will never buy another bike with linked brakes.

pjm204 · 01-17-2012, 01:02 PM

The stock seat on the Kawasaki Z750S that slides you into the tank all day.

Yossarian™ · 01-17-2012, 01:17 PM

The stock seat on a Husqvarna TE610 that is little better than a shaped 2x4.

southwade · 01-17-2012, 01:26 PM

The fake carbs on the Bonneville. They look nice... but fake is fake.

lemieuxmc · 01-17-2012, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by southwade

The fake carbs on the Bonneville. They look nice... but fake is fake.

Yeah... if you are going to the trouble of making fake carbs, at least you could make them fake Amal concentrics or flat slide Keihins!

Complexity (often due to Govt regs) and price make most new motos unattractive to me (plus the fact that lots of them really are butt-ugly).

eightangrybears · 01-17-2012, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by southwade

The fake carbs on the Bonneville. They look nice... but fake is fake.

I'm not sure what you mean...is this just the newer Bonnevilles? I have a 77 750 Tiger (same as a Bonnie) and its carb is real. I'm guessing when they changed to fuel injection they just kept "fake carbs" in the spots of the the old real ones? If that's the case, then I definitely disapprove...

LittleRedToyota · 01-17-2012, 03:00 PM

lack of a 6th gear on the DRZ.

southwade · 01-17-2012, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eightangrybears

I'm not sure what you mean...is this just the newer Bonnevilles? I have a 77 750 Tiger (same as a Bonnie) and its carb is real. I'm guessing when they changed to fuel injection they just kept "fake carbs" in the spots of the the old real ones? If that's the case, then I definitely disapprove...

Read the part about "Carb Foolery"
http://www.motorcycle.com/manufactur...iew-88138.html

Quote:

Originally Posted by LittleRedToyota

lack of a 6th gear on the DRZ.

ditto

slartidbartfast · 01-19-2012, 11:33 AM

It might be just me, but the factory handlebar position on both my R1100GS and GTS1000 leave something to be desired - Too low and too far away in both cases - also at the wrong angle for my wrists in the case of the GS. The demand for adapters to raise the bars on both models seems to bear out my complaint, however. I am just over 6' tall and of normal proportions so it's doubly frustrating that both bikes have their footpegs slightly too high, although that is a compromise with ground clearance and seat height that I at least understand.

The GTS is a lovely and unique bike. It's comfortable, smooth, and great to ride but it was built with a number of other flaws, including mirrors that mostly show your elbows and a misguided 100HP restriction, strangling the magnificent FZ1000 engine to meet supposed European limitations that never came to pass.

I also don't get why Yamaha went away from having a functional self-cancelling turn signal system in the 70's and 80's.

My DR350 had a crap seat for any prolonged (over 45 min) ride but it might be argued that is not what it was intended for.

FloorPoor · 01-17-2012, 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LittleRedToyota

lack of a 6th gear on the DRZ.

And the KLR too. I also wish they came with suspension. The 08+ KLRs at least have brakes, but to get brakes, they had to 50lbs of useless crap. Maybe in 20 more years they will get suspension and EFI, but they will probably have to ad another 100lbs for that stuff.

The one thing I HATE about my first gen KLR (besides no suspension or brakes) is the totally shitty chain adjuster. You have to line up the marks to align the wheel, but the marks don't match. If you line up the marks, the wheel is slightly crooked, which makes deep gravel LOTS of fun.

blackx70 · 01-22-2012, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FloorPoor

And the KLR too. I also wish they came with suspension. The 08+ KLRs at least have brakes, but to get brakes, they had to 50lbs of useless crap. Maybe in 20 more years they will get suspension and EFI, but they will probably have to ad another 100lbs for that stuff.

The one thing I HATE about my first gen KLR (besides no suspension or brakes) is the totally shitty chain adjuster. You have to line up the marks to align the wheel, but the marks don't match. If you line up the marks, the wheel is slightly crooked, which makes deep gravel LOTS of fun.

My ex250 marks are the same. They do not match. I have to eyeball it when I adjust the chain. It has worked for the 37,000 miles that I have owned her.

CHECK_OIL · 01-24-2012, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by littleredtoyota

lack of a 6th gear on the drz.

+1

OBX-RIDER · 04-08-2012, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LittleRedToyota

lack of a 6th gear on the DRZ.

I'll third this.... The DRZ comes sooo close to being an everyman's inexpensive easily maintained dirt worthy adventure tourer....except any sprocket mix compromises the bike..

.

Seats and even suspensions are easy fixes....but an overdrive sixth gear? Geez Suzuki my wife's little Super Sherpa has 6 gears ... why not the Driz...?

01-17-2012, 12:51 PM	#1
southwade ^OP ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ Joined: Oct 2011 Location: NOVA/DC Oddometer: 1,210	Bikes with flaws you hate a.k.a... bikes you like but would change this or that, etc... i.e. The previous Versys headlight The tank ridge on the Ninja 250r, I can't get my knee under it. __________________ flickr / tumblr

01-17-2012, 12:56 PM	#2
southwade ^OP ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ Joined: Oct 2011 Location: NOVA/DC Oddometer: 1,210	Basically, share your insights, niggles, or pet peeves you have about various bikes. This is a "glass-half-empty" kind of thread __________________ flickr / tumblr

01-17-2012, 12:58 PM	#3
klaviator Beastly Adventurer Joined: May 2008 Location: Huntsville, AL Oddometer: 4,102	I had a 83 Yamaha Venture. It was a great bike. A full dress touring bikes that I could stay with most of my friends on their sport bikes. It also had linked brakes. They sucked. I will never buy another bike with linked brakes. __________________ Still trying to figure out what I wanna be when I grow up! If I ever grow up!

01-17-2012, 01:02 PM	#4
pjm204 Beastly Adventurer Joined: Jan 2010 Location: Philadelphia, PA Oddometer: 1,242	The stock seat on the Kawasaki Z750S that slides you into the tank all day. __________________ Current bikes:2006 DL650, 2006 Ural Past bikes: XT225, TTR125, CRF50 1974 DT125,1970 TS250,1985 v45, 1989 zx600c, 1978 GS400x, 1999 GS500E, 2001 GS500E 2005 Z750s, 1977 GS400e, 1982 GS1100ez, 1997 GSX600, 2007 VFR800, 2003 KLR650, 2003 FJR1300, 2006 DL1000, 2000 KLR650, 1999 WR360, 2008 DL650, 2005 DR650,2008 EX650r, 1996 CR500, 1982 GS450T

01-17-2012, 01:17 PM	#5
Yossarian™ Deputy Cultural Attaché Joined: Jul 2007 Location: the 'Ha Oddometer: 8,137	The stock seat on a Husqvarna TE610 that is little better than a shaped 2x4. __________________ Successfully surviving motorcycling since 1976.

01-17-2012, 01:26 PM	#6
southwade ^OP ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ Joined: Oct 2011 Location: NOVA/DC Oddometer: 1,210	The fake carbs on the Bonneville. They look nice... but fake is fake. __________________ flickr / tumblr

01-17-2012, 03:00 PM	#9
LittleRedToyota Yinzer Joined: Apr 2011 Location: Pittsburgh Oddometer: 1,209	lack of a 6th gear on the DRZ.

01-19-2012, 11:33 AM	#11
slartidbartfast Love those blue pipes Joined: Dec 2003 Location: Southern Louisiana or Southern England or ... Oddometer: 4,095	It might be just me, but the factory handlebar position on both my R1100GS and GTS1000 leave something to be desired - Too low and too far away in both cases - also at the wrong angle for my wrists in the case of the GS. The demand for adapters to raise the bars on both models seems to bear out my complaint, however. I am just over 6' tall and of normal proportions so it's doubly frustrating that both bikes have their footpegs slightly too high, although that is a compromise with ground clearance and seat height that I at least understand. The GTS is a lovely and unique bike. It's comfortable, smooth, and great to ride but it was built with a number of other flaws, including mirrors that mostly show your elbows and a misguided 100HP restriction, strangling the magnificent FZ1000 engine to meet supposed European limitations that never came to pass. I also don't get why Yamaha went away from having a functional self-cancelling turn signal system in the 70's and 80's. My DR350 had a crap seat for any prolonged (over 45 min) ride but it might be argued that is not what it was intended for. __________________ MSF Ridercoach IBA: 35353 95 R1100GSA, 93 GTS1000, 85 R80RT, 93 DR350/435, 99 RX125, 78 DT100 January 2010 New Zealand South Island ride Summer 2009 UK to Alps ride Summer 2008 UK End-to-End ride

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