Bikes you didn't like nearly as much as you thought you would. - Page 19

jimmex · 12-02-2012, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rad

What a fun thread. I don’t think I have posted on ADV in years…So, why not.

In a number of decades of riding and owning about 20 bikes, only two were sold because I did not like them. The others were sold because I get bored with any bike after 4 or 5 years.

The R1150GS. Is was a wonderful bike in so many ways, it took me all over the country and on some nasty off road adventures with the 21” front wheel I put on it but I could never cure the buffeting, and yes I tried everything short of running a barn door size windscreen.

The other was a R1150RT. I finally thought I had found my perfect bike, but after a 2,000 mile run I stepped off in my driveway and realized I felt like I just climbed out of a minivan….I need a bit more of a visceral riding experience. I purchased my second R1100S. Mucho better.

Last comment, if I was still an admin and mod on this silly site I would give the guy who said he hated the sound of the 94’ VFR gear driven cams a lifetime ban. There never has been a sweeter sound than those cams as the RPM’s go up!

+1 I had a '95 VFR just like the one shown here and I've never experienced more lustful connection to a bike. Those gear-driven cams would just make me want to ride all day.

dmac57 · 12-02-2012, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rider33

A good many people who talk themselves into a GS don't really need a GS, there is also the what-am-I-going-to-do-now-that-the-warranty-is-about-to-expire issue

Are you trolling, or what? BMW doesn't care if the buyer doesn't need one. If the purchase of a GS was uniformly a mistake, the "fad" would have long since faded, along with sales of the model. The sales haven't faded, this is the fifth generation of the GS, and the ship sails on.

Cakeeater · 12-02-2012, 10:23 PM

This may be heresy to post but....

When I was in high school I had a crush on the most perfect and beautiful girl in town. We were friends. Never dated.

At the same time the Honda CB750F, second generation came out. I thought it was so beautiful. I wanted one, but couldn't afford one. I watched a mostly stock CB900F destroy 'faster' bikes at a race at Brainerd International Raceway. Oh, how I wanted one of those bikes. At the time I rode a KZ650, which I'd rebuilt from a wrecked bank repo. It wasn't the prettiest bike, but I did all of the handling upgrades that I could afford, and it was (for it's time) a nice nasty bike. But it was no Honda.

Ten years later I had a chance to buy a very clean and low mile cb750f. I jumped at the chance. And it was.....not that great. It was nice, no doubt, but it was missing the edge of my old Kawaski...and the power of a Sabre I rode after the Kawa.

I kept that bike for about a year and then sold it. I don't remember any of the details now who bought it. There was no love anymore. All the longing I felt in high school were...gone.

And about the same time I went back to my home town and saw that beautiful girl. She was bagging groceries. She was still cute, yes, but I noticed she was not very bright, and actually, not that beautiful.

Cakeeater

vacantstare · 12-02-2012, 10:35 PM

the GB500

I rode one briefly some 20 years ago...it belonged to a friend. I stopped riding shortly after that (accident) and when I started again 17 years later, the only bike I wanted was a gb500. I couldn't find one locally, so I had one shipped to me from Kansas while I renewed my motorcycle endorsement. It arrived, I fired it up, and took it around the neighborhood. What a let-down. It had its charms, but it was uncomfortable, underpowered for highway use, and kind of a dead end from an upgrades standpoint. Sold it and bought a new triumph, which turned out to be equally disappointing for different reasons.

Scrivens · 12-03-2012, 04:39 AM

I've owned a few that were severe disappointments. Of the recent ones, the Bandit 1250S was a surprise. The previous 1200 Bandit fitted me like a glove, but the 1250S was incredibly uncomfortable. They are very similar setups, and I have no idea why they feel so different. I tried lowered pegs, bar risers, different bars, screens and seats but couldn't get it sorted, so after 17,000km in 5 months I sold it. Absolutely lovely engine and so on, but very cramped for me (thin and 5'11") and my pillions hated it.

rider33 · 12-03-2012, 05:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmac57

Are you trolling, or what? BMW doesn't care if the buyer doesn't need one. If the purchase of a GS was uniformly a mistake, the "fad" would have long since faded, along with sales of the model. The sales haven't faded, this is the fifth generation of the GS, and the ship sails on.

I don't believe I said it was "uniformly a mistake" nor "a fad" tho many are not put to the use for which they are intended. The suggestion tho was that there are a lot of used GS's due to it being their largest selling model. While I think that may well be part of it, from the number of very clean used one's I've seen, there's more at play than that.

Mr. Canoehead · 12-03-2012, 07:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rider33

While I think that may well be part of it, from the number of very clean used one's I've seen, there's more at play than that.

Maybe this?

Toto · 12-03-2012, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Canoehead

Maybe this?

An oldy but a goody!

dmac57 · 12-03-2012, 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rider33

I don't believe I said it was "uniformly a mistake" nor "a fad" tho many are not put to the use for which they are intended. The suggestion tho was that there are a lot of used GS's due to it being their largest selling model. While I think that may well be part of it, from the number of very clean used one's I've seen, there's more at play than that.

I understood what you meant. And perhaps not gently, I was suggesting that you are incorrect as to why there are a lot of them for sale. If the bikes were dogs, the majority of the ones for sale would be either low miles or low dollars or both. They are not. 1150s still command remarkably good money used, and you can still sell an 1100GS.

motomuppet · 12-03-2012, 10:47 PM

I am a total moto slut...I have loved all the bikes I have owned and ridden with just a few exceptions:

2010 Triumph Tiger 1050, had shit fueling, and worse rear shock. Engine felt like it should have been as much fun as a Speed Triple, but never lived up to it. Bars made my hands numb in 15mins of riding. Riding it was.... boring.

My 2007 Aprilia Tuono was very nearly my favorite bike ever, but it hardly ever ran. Instrument consol flooded every time it rained and shorted the bike out, battery died if not ridden every two days...list went on and on, so eventually gave it back to the dealer. When it worked though it was awesome, and I could have spent a bit of money on it and sorted the electrics, the ridiculously tall gearing etc but I got the shits with it letting me down all the time.

Gren · 12-04-2012, 07:12 AM

For me it has to be my 03 Aprilia Tuono 1000 thought I'd try a twin after yrs on IL4's only to find out after 2000mls it wasn't for me, it was a stunning bike with low mileage as well but I just couldn't gel with it and was slower on it than my other bikes on my favorite roads......

so I sold it on and repalced it with my present bike Triumph speed triple 1050 one word awesome.....

gring0loc0 · 12-04-2012, 10:56 AM

Although I've never ridden a bike that didn't put a smile on my face, I must say...

BMW F650GS 2 cyl version. An f800 motor, but tuned down. Why would anyone want something like this? I took it on the test ride, accelerated to red line a few times and

Lee Dodge · 12-04-2012, 12:30 PM

Yamaha WR250X. I read the big thread about what a wonderful bike it was and the amazing motor. I wound up hating the motor. It had no torque. You had to wring its neck all the time to make any forward progress. Low speed fueling was very jerky. The thing that finally made me sell it though was the sound. For some reason I just could not stand the sound of it.

expatbrit · 12-04-2012, 01:04 PM

KTM 950 SM.

Not the bike's fault, per-se. When it was running, it was fabulous.

It was just incontinent. If it had a fluid, it drooled, sprayed, or squirted it at some point. I had gas tank leaks (3 tanks!), gas tank fountains, oil leaks, coolant leaks. It only drooled from the clutch master slave.

Add to that the local KTM dealer, and the fact that the last time I rode it -- to look at trading it in, and FROM said dealer after the 3rd new tank -- it dumped petrol all down the sides of the rear cylinder and stopped firing that (FUNNY). It was going to leave me stranded, or just catch fire with me on it at some point.

No False Enthusiasm · 12-04-2012, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally quoted by Lee Dodge:

Yamaha WR250X.

Just when I'm looking at a couple of these posted in Flea Market...

NFE

12-02-2012, 10:23 PM	#273
Cakeeater Studly Adventurer Joined: Jan 2011 Location: Where it snows a lot Oddometer: 526	Cb750f This may be heresy to post but.... When I was in high school I had a crush on the most perfect and beautiful girl in town. We were friends. Never dated. At the same time the Honda CB750F, second generation came out. I thought it was so beautiful. I wanted one, but couldn't afford one. I watched a mostly stock CB900F destroy 'faster' bikes at a race at Brainerd International Raceway. Oh, how I wanted one of those bikes. At the time I rode a KZ650, which I'd rebuilt from a wrecked bank repo. It wasn't the prettiest bike, but I did all of the handling upgrades that I could afford, and it was (for it's time) a nice nasty bike. But it was no Honda. Ten years later I had a chance to buy a very clean and low mile cb750f. I jumped at the chance. And it was.....not that great. It was nice, no doubt, but it was missing the edge of my old Kawaski...and the power of a Sabre I rode after the Kawa. I kept that bike for about a year and then sold it. I don't remember any of the details now who bought it. There was no love anymore. All the longing I felt in high school were...gone. And about the same time I went back to my home town and saw that beautiful girl. She was bagging groceries. She was still cute, yes, but I noticed she was not very bright, and actually, not that beautiful. Cakeeater

12-02-2012, 10:35 PM	#274
vacantstare Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Dec 2009 Location: Around the Sound Oddometer: 284	the GB500 I rode one briefly some 20 years ago...it belonged to a friend. I stopped riding shortly after that (accident) and when I started again 17 years later, the only bike I wanted was a gb500. I couldn't find one locally, so I had one shipped to me from Kansas while I renewed my motorcycle endorsement. It arrived, I fired it up, and took it around the neighborhood. What a let-down. It had its charms, but it was uncomfortable, underpowered for highway use, and kind of a dead end from an upgrades standpoint. Sold it and bought a new triumph, which turned out to be equally disappointing for different reasons. __________________ 1971ish 'AmbassaRado' (a work in progress) 2008 Moto Guzzi Norge

12-04-2012, 07:12 AM	#281
Gren Adventurer Joined: Sep 2011 Location: Scotland Oddometer: 33	For me it has to be my 03 Aprilia Tuono 1000 thought I'd try a twin after yrs on IL4's only to find out after 2000mls it wasn't for me, it was a stunning bike with low mileage as well but I just couldn't gel with it and was slower on it than my other bikes on my favorite roads...... so I sold it on and repalced it with my present bike Triumph speed triple 1050 one word awesome..... __________________ Gren. Keep it simple.......stupid..!! Gren screwed with this post 01-21-2013 at 07:16 AM

12-04-2012, 12:30 PM	#283
Lee Dodge Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Aug 2002 Location: Horicon, WI. By da marsh. Oddometer: 226	Yamaha WR250X. I read the big thread about what a wonderful bike it was and the amazing motor. I wound up hating the motor. It had no torque. You had to wring its neck all the time to make any forward progress. Low speed fueling was very jerky. The thing that finally made me sell it though was the sound. For some reason I just could not stand the sound of it. __________________ 05 DL650

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12-03-2012, 04:39 AM	#275
Scrivens Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Jun 2011 Location: South Australia Oddometer: 308	I've owned a few that were severe disappointments. Of the recent ones, the Bandit 1250S was a surprise. The previous 1200 Bandit fitted me like a glove, but the 1250S was incredibly uncomfortable. They are very similar setups, and I have no idea why they feel so different. I tried lowered pegs, bar risers, different bars, screens and seats but couldn't get it sorted, so after 17,000km in 5 months I sold it. Absolutely lovely engine and so on, but very cramped for me (thin and 5'11") and my pillions hated it.

12-03-2012, 10:47 PM	#280
motomuppet Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Jan 2010 Location: Singapore Oddometer: 158	I am a total moto slut...I have loved all the bikes I have owned and ridden with just a few exceptions: 2010 Triumph Tiger 1050, had shit fueling, and worse rear shock. Engine felt like it should have been as much fun as a Speed Triple, but never lived up to it. Bars made my hands numb in 15mins of riding. Riding it was.... boring. My 2007 Aprilia Tuono was very nearly my favorite bike ever, but it hardly ever ran. Instrument consol flooded every time it rained and shorted the bike out, battery died if not ridden every two days...list went on and on, so eventually gave it back to the dealer. When it worked though it was awesome, and I could have spent a bit of money on it and sorted the electrics, the ridiculously tall gearing etc but I got the shits with it letting me down all the time.

12-04-2012, 10:56 AM	#282
gring0loc0 lane splitter Joined: Oct 2012 Location: Mexico City Oddometer: 28	Although I've never ridden a bike that didn't put a smile on my face, I must say... BMW F650GS 2 cyl version. An f800 motor, but tuned down. Why would anyone want something like this? I took it on the test ride, accelerated to red line a few times and

12-04-2012, 01:04 PM	#284
expatbrit Still pretty much a n00b. Joined: Dec 2009 Location: Duke City, NM Oddometer: 138	KTM 950 SM. Not the bike's fault, per-se. When it was running, it was fabulous. It was just incontinent. If it had a fluid, it drooled, sprayed, or squirted it at some point. I had gas tank leaks (3 tanks!), gas tank fountains, oil leaks, coolant leaks. It only drooled from the clutch master slave. Add to that the local KTM dealer, and the fact that the last time I rode it -- to look at trading it in, and FROM said dealer after the 3rd new tank -- it dumped petrol all down the sides of the rear cylinder and stopped firing that (FUNNY). It was going to leave me stranded, or just catch fire with me on it at some point.