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Swapping my F700GS for something lighter?


Arwen
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So, I went and sat on many bikes today. I am in negative equity with the f700, so know there will be a cost evolved in swapping bikes, but I'd rather a bike I am comfortable using than one that is a trial for me and putting me off riding. To get around the negative equity without me paying a lump sum, a year or two older bike seems to keep my monthly payments the same, or lower. So that's what I am now looking at.


So: Honda rebel 500 - completely different kind of bike, I can totally flat foot it - it feels weird. Feel I need to take it for a test ride cause it is the only bike I can "properly" fit on. Hopefully taking one out on Wednesday morning to a test.

Also from honda, the NC750sa - It is awesome red and black. Felt nice, better to manually move around however still a little tall and cumbersome. I've also heard the engine is rather boring? May test ride it if I've time on Wednesday after the rebel.


Kawasaki ER-6N - felt nice, although heavy with a full tank of fuel. Also on the tall side.


Benelli Leoncino and "trial version" - rather nice looking bike. Felt well balance and reasonably easy to move around. Plus with this I could get a brand new one... however as far as I have read it is a brand new engine style for them.



We then went to my local BMW motorrad dealer, who used to dismiss up completely. Since I've complained, and more now I have a BMW. They chat and do anything for me. So big improvement in customer service from them.

While they were working out the maths with my finance, I sat and moved around many bikes. To my amusement/horror the R1200r with a low seat (standard suspension) fits me perfectly... It genuinely was the most comfortable bike, both sitting on it and manually moving it around. I am still rather stunned about it. The RnineT pure also fits well, but is slightly taller.

Both however were brand new bikes, so I'd need to put down a substantial deposit to cancel out my negative equity and to get my monthly payments down to where they currently are. Also, I am really not sure about getting a 1200 right now. Both from the torque/power and from an insurance point of view!


They did however have a very nice F800r sport in. Pre-owned however would come with a 2 year warranty. Is not even a year older than my F700 and has all the same toys as it (belly pan, centre stand, full computer, led lights, luggage rack). Most of all, it fits, and I can move it around with ease due to it's bars being lower than the f700's. Got them to do the maths on this for me, comes out at £1 more expensive on the same pcp plan I am currently on with no need for a lump sum. So, this is probably going to be my new bike. Arranging to take it out on Wednesday afternoon...

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Speedo would need attention.

....why would you even consider riding in a pair of budgie smugglers?


Personally, I blame JRH's post for lowering the tone of this thread.... :D

 

OI. Mine was a sensible suggestion. Well sensible as far as TMBF posts go. :roll:

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....why would you even consider riding in a pair of budgie smugglers?


Personally, I blame JRH's post for lowering the tone of this thread.... :D

 

I now have icky images in my head :shock: :shock:

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They did however have a very nice F800r sport in. Pre-owned however would come with a 2 year warranty. Is not even a year older than my F700 and has all the same toys as it (belly pan, centre stand, full computer, led lights, luggage rack). Most of all, it fits, and I can move it around with ease due to it's bars being lower than the f700's. Got them to do the maths on this for me, comes out at £1 more expensive on the same pcp plan I am currently on with no need for a lump sum. So, this is probably going to be my new bike. Arranging to take it out on Wednesday afternoon...

 

Put an AC Schnitzer exhaust on it and i will have to add you to my (pretend) hate list. A couple of years ago one turned up at a fuel stop and it sounded absolutely fantastic. nothing whatsoever like any normal parallel twin.. or an 800... or even a BMW. wildly exciting. My mate Rob M was slobbering at the sound it made. really stupendous. This Brexit nonsense has pushed the price up by almost 20% but even so.. at under £600 its a steal. And would absolutely be top of my list... for as and when i could prioritise it. My only complaint.. and its very minor. is that BMW didn't offer the bike with a belt drive as an option. but for the sound it can make.. and the way it goes.. which i can compare with the F800S that I had... no belt definitely isn't a deal breaker. I would just add a scotoiler. ride it and giggle.. just like the 800 used to make me do.

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I'm not sure what the newer ones are like but the MOT man had a 2003 Bonneville parked up outside, I couldn't believe how physically small it was and very low. Just to throw a different style of bike into the mix.. CB1100s look fairly low too, and the flat seats make them easy to swing a leg over. Same for Kawasaki's W650/800 if you would consider something older. I suppose there are even Royal Enfields but it seems you still buy one at your own peril!

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KTM... I really like them. The biggest put off for me is the local dealer is... questionable at the best of times. Not making an allegation here, but lets just say a number of nice KTM's seem to go missing after they have been in for work there.


I'm actually rather interesting in the Honda Neo Sport range. I may take the little 300 out for a spin and see what I think. I don't really need a powerful bike, I never ride two up and rarely carry more than a rucksack worth of stuff.


however, back to my current bike. I've been reading up on suspension settings... would making the rear suspension very soft make much of a difference to the handling?

 

to answer your suspension question.

yes it will affect the handling ...

you will wallow about in bends on power

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Put an AC Schnitzer exhaust on it and i will have to add you to my (pretend) hate list...

 

Funny you should say that. The exhaust is something I dislike about the F700 (it's pretty much the eh same on the f800.

A new one is definitely high/top of the list for add-ons. :mrgreen:


[mention]Snod Blatter[/mention] I do like the Bonnie's. Although I've not sat on on older one. The newer ones although reasonably low, have pretty wide seats. So I'd need to shave the sides for them to be really comfortable with. Definitely a style I like though :thumb:

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So today was a day of much bike sitting and moving... We went to Edinburgh, with the intention of me taking a few out for a test ride. I brought most of my kit, but stupidly forgot my boots :shock:

But in fact, it was a bit of a blessing in disguise. I ended up sitting on many more bikes than I would have, and some were ones that I had previously discounted as being too big!

 

pixlr_20180908182051924.thumb.jpg.68fc6080d6699b091fc1f4c08f4b2411.jpgpixlr_20180908181956134.thumb.jpg.98798d972e575d1bd5c9f54c640b4566.jpg

 

The two 1200's feel ace... No hiding that. Biggest turn off is the price. - both initial cost and upkeep/potential problems.


The husky 401 is too tall without the blocks of 2x4 :crybaby: However you can get a lowering kit for it... Going to investigate.


The mt03 (600cc version) is awesome looking, fits well, but the airbox digs in to my leg when I put a foot down.

The new mt03 (300cc version) fits very well, but is very creeky... Which does not inspire confidence in the bike in my mind.


The Honda cb300r, Harley and Mt 03 are on my test drive list.


The most surprising bike of today? The triumph Street triple.

I fit on a standard height bike and don't feel like it's too heavy!!!

So it is now on my test ride list too. Once I've read up on it :D


I didn't manage to test ride any bikes during the week... Work was too busy

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  • 1 year later...

Thought I'd update this. I still have the F700, as I've bascially not been able to ride any bike other than my MSX for about 8 months due to muscle damage. :crybaby:


However yesterday felt I was up to it, so took the baby BMW out for a spin. The G310r was on my origonal list of bikes to buy, but the frst wave of them was plague with issues.

I enjoyed the test ride, however I'm not clammoring to buy one.


Moody pitures on a drizzely/foggy day.

IMG_20190925_172331.thumb.jpg.2e9eeb29b24eb26d6d3b7f0a36bfa3df.jpgIMG_20190925_172216.thumb.jpg.58c4c090ed8a6c707eb97f9ce2041504.jpg

IMG_20190925_172353.thumb.jpg.a14576edaa3c5a65b95237e3229b8683.jpg

 


Pro's:

It's a nippy little thing. Certainly feels like a more powerful MSX. Nimble around the city and quick to pull away from a stop/rolling start.

Feels suprisinly planted at 70MPH, and is reasonably quick to get there.

Engine braking is not too anchor like, which would be great for riders like me who do not like the diving forward that some bikes do under engine braking.

The dash is lovely and bright, well layed out and modern looking.

It is very light feeling when manually moving it around.

The seat is rather comfortable. You feel like you are sitting in the bike rather than on it.


"Issues":

Lots of vibrations through the tank during most of the rev range. This isn't a problem when there is no wind. However if it's windy an you hold onto the tank with your knees, the vibrations course through you...

Mid 70ies mpg according to the dash, I would have excepted more from a modern 300cc engine. My F700 gets around 65mpg.

Possibly due to this bike only have 50 miles on the clock, but it kept jumping out of 1st and into neutral. I ended up having to put pressure on the gear leaver at a stop so it would stay in gear for me puling away.


Small persons problems:

Seat height with the standard seat is still on the verge of too tall for me. On a lot of oddly cambered junctions I ended up having to do the motocross rider standing at a stop pose with one leg over the seat but my foot no where near the pegs/leavers.

No adjsutable leavers as standard. This suprised me as I thogouht all BMW's had them. I have child sized hands so the span was quite a stretch for me.



I'm going to visit Harley Davidson, Ducati and Triumph through in Glasgow next week. Looking at the Ducati Scrambler (again), Triumph Street triple (again) and the Harley Street Rod.

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I'm not sure what the newer ones are like but the MOT man had a 2003 Bonneville parked up outside, I couldn't believe how physically small it was and very low. Just to throw a different style of bike into the mix.. CB1100s look fairly low too, and the flat seats make them easy to swing a leg over. Same for Kawasaki's W650/800 if you would consider something older. I suppose there are even Royal Enfields but it seems you still buy one at your own peril!

 

I found a W800 and love the look of it! Unfortuatly it was to wide/high. It is higher than my F700, and felt just as heavy :crybaby:

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Shaft drive too! :lol:


I do have a Moto Guzzi dealer relativly near by. Maygo for a look and ssee what thye have next week too. Not sure how easy they are to lower/shave the seats.

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I visited HD, Triumph and Ducati in glasgow this week, and yet again was completely ignored! Two of us sitting on all the bikes, moving them around and stuff. No service. :roll:

Anyways, the HD's all felt wide and heavy. Plus they are expensive... The Triumph Street twin was nice, felt lighter than my BMW but was still on the cusp of tall for me.

Ducati only had one scambler that I could sit on, and it was the very tall version.

The gorgouse MV agusta they had was also way too tall for me :lol:


However, I finally managed to take this little one out for a test ride yesterday!

 

IMG_20191003_165017.thumb.jpg.8b6a806b682ec00e0e8a2a02fe4f4705.jpg

IMG_20191003_165034.thumb.jpg.fd83df501196886499707e85c932b02f.jpg

 

I was pleasently suprised with it. It feels comepltely different due to such a differente riding position, but it was comfortable. The rear tyre felt stupidly fat compared to the MSX/BMW and I did have to help it into corners a bit.

Feels compeltely soild, like I could ride it through a brick wall and it would be fine on the other side.

But most off all, I learned just how much easierriding is when you can get your feet comofrtably on the ground! This has prety much sold it to me. So I'm going to talk figures with the dealer tomorrow. Exciting!

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Go to the gym and take steroids.

 

After this current course of anti inflammatories are finished I'm going to start weight training. I've been on between 120-240mg of codeine most days since January simply to be able to breathe without being in pain. Not being able to ride has really gotten to me, so changing to a bike I can easier ride for now should make me feel a lot better.

Hopefully the weight training pays off and I stop damaging muscles so much. Then I may get a bigger bike in a few years, if I feel the need to change again :lol:

 

It would definitely be worth trying the Low Ride Height Street Triple R (it's a factory option). It's really very light at about 168kg wet (from memory) and the seat height comes in at 780mm.

 

I did like the triple. However I felt the riding position was uncomfortable for me.

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Update: Deed is done. I'll have a rebel in my garage in a couple of weeks time! :lol: Already got a shopping list of parts for it on the go.

 

No longer a Rebel without a cause then :lol:


okay i'll get me coat :thumb:

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Update: Deed is done. I'll have a rebel in my garage in a couple of weeks time! :lol: Already got a shopping list of parts for it on the go.

 

No longer a Rebel without a cause then :lol:


okay i'll get me coat :thumb:

 



...

image.jpeg.9fa7cb0638eb85d4cda1a31b4598dba0.jpeg

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Update: Deed is done. I'll have a rebel in my garage in a couple of weeks time! :lol: Already got a shopping list of parts for it on the go.

 


Welcome to the new bike buzz :thumb:

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