Given these choices of next bike, what would you choose?

[pave_spectre]

And... I'm pretty sure we all like the ZRX1200, right?

Well... what if it had a Busa inner?

I present....

The KAWABUSA - a ZRX look powered by Busa stuff inside...



Michael

Somewhat Drool worthy

[tt_four]

And... I'm pretty sure we all like the ZRX1200, right?

That's another one of the bikes that I love, but is just too much bike for someone my size. I'd love one in a 750-900cc size, assuming the actual bike is smaller and not just a sleeved down version of the big bike.

[madjak30]

... I'm pretty sure we all like the ZRX1200, right?

Actually, all I see when I look at that bike is an old bike...just not my cup of tea...I do like the naked bikes and the newer transformer looking bikes (Z1000, B-King, etc)...the ZRX just doesn't do it for me...I think it is the square headlight...??

Later.

[raivis]

m90 bc i love the look

[tt_four]

Didn't the zrx come with a round headlight too? There's a few pictures on google with a round light, but it's too hard to tell if it ever came like that or if they're just headlight swaps...



For some reason I can't stop looking at these lately. I know I talk about not wanting a liter bike because I think they would be too fast to even enjoy 95% of the time, but this thing being over the top ridiculously stupid fast kinda makes me want to get over that, haha. I really want to know what it's like to ride a bike that goes 115mph in 1st gear and wheelie off nothing more than full throttle up to 145mph. I know there are faster bikes now, but this bike was still before all of the ABS, traction control, and different fuel map/HP settings came out, so it seems a bit more raw. Kawasaki actually started making their bikes slower after this because too many people were killing themselves haha.

[pave_spectre]

Didn't the zrx come with a round headlight too? There's a few pictures on google with a round light, but it's too hard to tell if it ever came like that or if they're just headlight swaps...

that reminds me of this

[mister]

Ok. Today's test ride was of a Green Street Triple (675cc - Striple) and a Black Speed Triple (1055cc - S3) as pictured...



I started on the Striple, rode a route lap, stopped, then got on the S3. And here's my Impressions...

Street Triple (675cc)
Acceleration is sweet and there is plenty on tap. Twist the throttle, enjoy the three cylinder sound and hang on. This baby can go. Not as flickable as the GS - of course, I am used to the GS. The throttle had a dead spot - come off the throttle all together, then come on slow and there is nothing, nothing, nothing and then Bam a small surge. This is NOT good IMO. Imagine this leaned over mid turn.

The other noticeable thing was the heat coming up through the seat from the exhaust. I had only heard about this as a passing comment on another board the night before the ride and had forgotten about it. Forgotten until my butt started getting warm. Not something you'd enjoy in summer commuting in traffic. Not something I imagined would be enjoyable on a 60 - 90 minute ride somewhere.

Comfort wise I prefer the GS. The Striple was alright. But so are a lot of other bikes.

Speed Triple (1055cc)
This has after-market exhausts on it and two sets of oggy knobs which my knees where hitting. The cans sounded fine, throaty. The main thing I noticed on this was the seating angle. My feet were somewhat beneath me as you might expect from a supersport, for example, but the riding position is more upright - hard to explain. The result is, you either relax and your weight goes on the handlebars - or - you hold yourself up which makes it uncomfortable for the boys and strains your hip flexors (a stress position). After 15 minutes this was really starting to be annoying - the salesman said "you'll get used to it" (humph, anything to make a sale).  Oh, yeah, it could also take off with a throttle twist. No Heat issues though.

Of the two I preferred the Striple. But the price? Screw that!

The S3 was an 06 asking $10,800 - I can buy a Brand New Bandit 1250 for less ($10,490). The Striple was a demo model 09 and asking $12,400. Phhhttt to that price too. (These are Australian Dollar Prices)

They were ok to ride, don't get me wrong. But in all honesty, I would rather ride a Kawasaki  Z750 or Honda CB900 (919), get nearly the same throttle response, have no deadspot or hot butt issues, and only cost almost half as much moolah. Which = Better Value, IMO. Frankly, I don't know what all the fuss is about these triples. But am glad I had the opportunity to ride them, to satisfy the curiosity.

As an aside (madjak30), stopped by a Yammy dealer and sat on an MT01. Conclusion.... no thanks.

Michael

[tt_four]

Not sure about the difference in US/AUS pricing, but when I picked up my Triumph speed four it was only $6500, not even $1000 more than a new sv650(naked) which was $5700 at that point. It was a great deal since it was the only serious naked bike in 2003. Made good power and had a fully adjustable suspension. It was definitely as close as you could get to a 600cc supersport without the plastic on it and cost much less. The price has definitely gone up, but so have the components. There are more options now, but japanese naked bikes are still stuck in that slow/budget/commuter mold and the street striple is still just a serious naked bike so it's pretty much in it's own little class so the price is hard to compare. The Z750 is definitely a fun looking bike, but there's going to be a good increase in weight. I'm too lazy to look up the numbers now, but the 750 weights more than the z1000, and that's not a light bike to start with. Not to mention all the parts on the 750 are cheaper than the 1000, so I'm not sure how they all compare to the parts on the 675.

Great write-up though. I'd probably be crazy about the 675 if I hadn't already owned the speed four. I always thought my bike should've come with upright handlebars and a 3 cylinder motor, was never sure why it didn't. I loved USD forks but they were still pretty new on 600s at that point so I didn't really think too much of it.

[mister]

Difference between US/Au pricing... okay... the Au dollar is worth $1.01US.

Brand new GS500 in Aust is $7500 (rounding). How much is a brand new GS500 in the US? $4,000? Would you even look if it was priced at that or, using Currency Exchange the equal of $7,631.96US. I hardly think so.

Using the Street Buyers Guide at http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/1/2010/Buyers-Guide-Group/2010-Street-Bike-Buyers-Guide.aspx I see a New, 2010 model Striple is $8,899US. That same bike in Aust is, at a bargain on special price of, $13,490 (normally more like $14,500). Same bike. Comes from the same factory. Australian's are paying more for bikes for no reason - it's like DVDs, we are in Zone 4 so Players are designed for the zone so won't play a Zone 1 DVD unless you can deactivate the zoning on it. And this is done so people in Zone 4 cannot buy the cheaper Zone 1 products.

As for the weight issue. I think it's a non starter unless you're racing on the track. Using bikez.com and kawasaki.com.au I get the following weights...

GS500: 199.0 kg (438.7 pounds) - wet
Striple: 189.0 kg (416.7 pounds) - wet
Z750: 226.0 kg (497.2 pounds) - wet (has almost one gallon larger tank)
Z1000: 221.0kg (486.2 pounds) - wet

Now, the GS is Heavier than the triumph but *I* found the GS more flickable. Which simply means, the weight's positioned in the bike at a point that suits Me.

The Z750 is only a tad heavier than the thou, but also has a larger gas tank. But what about performance? Power? Street use?

The 750 has 78kw (104.5hp) vs the 1000 93kw (124.6hp). But in the quarter mile the thou only beats the 750 by 0.1 of a second, while the 750 beats the thou in the roll on, apparently. So the 5kg (10 pound) difference is inconsequential Where It Matters to the Average User. Sure you might Think, but I'm getting a less powerful bike, in which case, go buy the thou and drop a few more bucks doing so. Cause in Aust the price of a New Z750 is $11,000 - $11,500 and a New Z1000 is $14,800 - $15,000 (almost $4,000 more). Remember, our dollars are virtually dollar for dollar.

I know the Z750 is heavier, when compared to, lighter bikes. But it is also lighter when compared to heavier bikes. Horses for courses. And I gotta say, when you ride it you don't ride thinking, "wow, I can feel the extra 10 pounds" or whatever. You don't notice the weight one iota. You don't think, "Hmmm.... my GS is 40 pounds lighter". Once going, the weight difference vanishes. and all you notice is how smooth it is.

Don't get too caught up in the weight, is what I'm getting at. The few pounds difference on these bikes doesn't matter for the overwhelming vast majority of the use you'll put it to. It'll matter on the track, but if you're doing track you ain't racing a stock bike either, right? So the weight issue is really a non starter.

Of the bikes I've reviewed in this thread... I prefer the Bandit 1250 over the S3 (liter class). And prefer the Z750 in the midrange class. The CB900 (919) is kinda in a class of its own - not being a liter and larger than mid range. And I'd prefer it over the S3 as well and over the Bandit for handling and comfort. Dropping the 919 into the mid class I'd say it is Close to the Z750. Maybe better handling and more comfortable - I'll be riding both again to pay closer attention to those aspects as power wise they're pretty close to the point of not mattering as both will get the job done.

[Edit: all my views on comfort/handling are based on My boimechanics, My body ergonomics on the bike, My bodily dimensions - height, weight, leg length, body length, arm length, etc. Your results may vary.]

Michael

[tt_four]

The only reason I get hung up on weight is because I'm only 5'8 and 145lbs. 50lbs would have more affect on my ability to throw a bike around than someone who's closer to 200lbs. It's unfortunate because there's a lot of heavier bikes I've had love affairs with, the zx7r, z1000, TLS/R, plus a few more, but the smaller bikes just fit me better. I spend all of my free time trying to convince madjack to buy that 500+lb mt01, even though I'd clearly never feel comfortable on one.

I'm still actually debating trying to find a TLS later next year. My of my all time favorite bikes is the 91-95 gsxr750, and I am more than willing to put of with the weight for how much I love the bike, but I figure if I can like that bike, why can't I just pick up something else that weighs the same if not less that I've always considered to be too big like the TL. Even a cbr900rr I've always thought looked a little too bulky for me, but that bike is around 390-395 dry, so it's way less than the gsxr or TL. I think I am just spoiling myself with the size of the XB. It's ridiculously tiny, even at 1000ccs it's physically smaller than most 600s. Before I got that bike I was also leaning super heavily towards one of the earlier z1000s.

I agree though, the weight isn't as big of a deal as I tend to make it. As long as you try something out before you buy it, and thing it feels good, then go for it.

[pave_spectre]

The other noticeable thing was the heat coming up through the seat from the exhaust.

How was it comfort wise apart from the that?
\Aftermarket can like:


Should deal with the heat issue, and  suspect a power commander would help with the throttle response though that should have been a non issue to begin with IMO.

That's a fair chunk of change though to be dropping on basically a naked Daytona.

[mister]

I work with a guy who has bought one of the New Triumph Thunderbirds. He's forever trying to get other people to jump into the crab bucket with him. He reckons it's the most comfortable bike he has ever owned or ridden. And it may well be, but after he completely replaced the front forks, re did the handlebars so the position is different and put in a completely new seat, you'd think so. But at that point it also stopped being the bike he bought.

Sure, you Could put an aftermarket can to remove the Heat issue on the Striple. But why? Why spend another grand making the bike more rider-friendly when for half the bike's asking price you can have as nearly-as-good bike like the Z750 (I say nearly as good cause it is and really only lacks in certain areas Most riders will not ride in.)

Did a ride today. One of the guys had a 2004 Z750 and Offered for me to ride it for half an hour through a good set of twisties and the like. At the end I had a sore butt, not stinging, but noticeable, though not numb. I have no issues on the GS's seat. But oddly, he said his butt was sore after being on the GS. He also felt like he was Stretching for the handlebars. I felt I had to slightly bend the top half of my torso so I could grab the bars with more comfort - a shorter bodied person would have no such issues.

While it handled the twisties nicely, the firmness of the ride was really offputting. It was as if there we no suspension at all and every small bump was transfered right in to the rider. Apart from that, this six year old bike was smooth to ride. Smooth throttle, smooth gear changes. Just a nice bike.

Pave, apart from the heat issue, the Striple was comfy enough. Not lounge chair comfy, not as comfy as I feel when on the GS, but certainly fair enough. But like you said, the price of these Naked Daytona's is too high IMO. (The riding position is more upright than on the Daytonas, though.)

My mechanic was on today's ride. He asked me what I thought of the Zeddy and if I'd ridden a S3 or Striple and what I thought of them. I told him I wasn't impressed and he said he was surprised. But when I told him I am like a bear on a toy bike on them and showed him a photo of my 6"2 frame on the S3, he burst out laughing and Then understood my difficulty in finding a bike that Fits me. I Need a bike that is Physically larger - Honda 919, Bandit 1200 or 1250, XJR 1300, etc.

The Striple is a good bike. I just don't think it's as good as the price asked of it, is all.

TT: One of the women on todays outing rides a B-King. She's a puny weak woman but handles the bike fine. Another I ride with has to tippytoe her CB1000F. But if you think you fit the Xb, I think you'd also fit the Striple well. Maybe, even, heaven forbid, a Gladius ?  

Michael

[tt_four]

At the end I had a sore butt, not stinging, but noticeable, though not numb. I have no issues on the GS's seat. But oddly, he said his butt was sore after being on the GS. He also felt like he was Stretching for the handlebars.

The first thing I noticed on the GS after riding my xb for a while was how far away the bars were. I feel like I'm reaching 3 feet away. At the same time the first time I sat on the XB and tried to grab the handlebars, I overshot them by about a foot, haha. Even though some seats will always be more comfortable than others, your butt will definitely adjust a bit. I've ridden enough of a variety of bicycle seats to know you may be sore the first day, but you get used to it pretty quick after the change.

I know I could physically handle a pretty big bike, but I think I get the most fun out of smaller bikes. I live in the city and commute by bicycle since my office is only 15 blocks away and there's no parking lot. I'm used to throwing it around through traffic and over curbs and everything else, plus I grew up on bmx bikes. I think I just naturally associate fun with the lightest bike I can get. I'm eventually planning on picking up a supermoto, and even though it'll be tall and have pretty tall/wide bars making it feel big, it'll be light enough for me to just throw it around. I've sat on a speed triple and it definitely felt surprisingly smaller than I thought it would.

[madjak30]

@ Mister:  I think you are forgetting something about bike buying...it is mostly an emotional purchase...kinda like wanting to date the SuperModel, you are attracted to her no matter what her faults...you will put up with the mood swings, the hot temper, the demanding bitchyness just so you can see what it is like...just like saying "aftermarket exhaust will cure the hot seat issue..." I sometimes wonder if your "Super Model" is a GS500...you're 3" taller than I am, and yet you find the GS quite comfortable...and I can only ride for 60-90mins before my knees want a break (unless I ride with my heels hooked on the pegs...less control and not as secure feeling in the saddle)

For me, I think it is the MT-01...small fuel tank (I don't ride that far anyway... )...no center stand for chain maintenance (can get one through SW-Motec...or something like that)...but I like the standard riding position and the sound and feel of the bike (plus being a little rare is a bit of a plus)...will I keep it forever?? who knows...if I was being reasonable I would buy a V-Strom 650 and ride it into the dirt, but it doesn't move me...for me it's more about the sound and comfort of the bike...all other things would be nice to have, but not deal breakers...

I think the Triumph is a sexy looking bike...I would love to take one for a rip, but no dealership nearbye...too compact for my liking...the hotseat thing would turn me off as well...but some will put up with those things for their "Super Model"...

Keep the reviews coming...you do them very well, and us in the frozen north can't ride...so we're riding through your reviews (and magazines...etc...)...YouTube also helps...

Later.

[mister]

Buying a bike Might be an emotional thing justified with logic - afterall, we don't really need a bike in the first place, right? But that doesn't mean you can't look at things logically.

My test ride reviews I try to be objective - mention the good and bad as I experienced it. Bike Website Reviews and Magazine Reviews tend to never mention the negative or do so but not with any kind of personal opinion added to it.

For instance, today I took an 08 Z750 for a spin - that's three now... a 2010, 2004 and now a 2008. Unfortunately the 08 had been down but it didn't appear to be a highspeed drop.

This Z750 - the 2008 - had the same acceleration performance as the other 2, the same smooth throttle response, the same hard seat. But where the 04's suspension was set for "feel every bump" mode, this was set up for more comfort and the ride was how you'd expect. BUT, the gear changing was clunky going from 3rd into 2nd and generally not as smooth as it could have been - which is either a mechanical thing or poor oil choice.

So three different Z750's and three different rides, with the same engine performance and same hard seat. And while *I* think the seat is hard, others I've spoken to have not found it hard.

I've ridden three different Honda 919s - one with less than 300 clicks on it, one with 5k and one with 11k. The one with 11k was the smoothest and had the nicest ride and the one with hardly any mileage rode like a dog.

I'm not sure if I mentioned my XVS650 Classic ride... so here goes...



I know a couple of people that ride this and they raved about it. Easy to ride, pleasure, blah blah blah. So when I had the chance I took one for a spin. My verdict...

Vibrated in every gear. Foot boards, handlebars, everywhere. As you accelerated it got worse until you changed and it got a little better but again worsened as the speed increased.

After a few minutes I found myself trying to push Back against the seat. I felt too far forward and thus cramped. And my lower back started aching after maybe 10 minutes.

Roll on power was pathetic. Even dropping down a gear and trying to go from 62mph (100kph) to 75mph (120kph) was a long gutless slog. There ain't no way you'd be overtaking anything without plenty of vision of the road ahead and a good wind up.

When doing a Tight turn, like a u-turn, the handlebar ends were hitting my knees WTF!

On the plus side, it cornered well. Easy and natural to lean.

So, it's not good for my 6"2 body, but fine for people who are 5"5. The vibration thing Could have been a badly tuned bike.

I've Always advocated Comfort over anything else. If you ain't comfortable, no matter how pretty you think the bike is, you won't want to ride it. Yes, I understand some people like to Feel a bike when they Ride it as opposed to have a bike be auto-everything. But even then the bike has to have a level of comfort as They see it.

I sat on an MT01 the other day. I found the leg position for Me to be how I feel sitting on a Bonneville. But with the MT01 I was sitting higher above the ground. For Me it wasn't quite right. But something interesting at this Yamaha/Kawasaki dealer... the MT01 was getting looks and sit ons while other bikes were only given cursory glances. But, the dealer had every kind of each bike available bar one... Z750 - the two 2nd hand ones they had were sold, the two new in showroom ones were sold as was their demo.

So the Z750 makes the sales quietly while the MT01 gets all the attention. But I think its biggest problem is that it doesn't really have a position in the market. It might be comfy to ride - sitting on it was fine - but it isn't a cruiser nor a sport bike. It inhabits that in between world, to its viable-product downfall.

To me, if I have to spend an extra grand or so to make a bike Comfy, then there is something intrinsically wrong in its design. Others don't mind, which is fine. To each their own. I simply express my thoughts on the bikes as asked and as reviewed. Hopefully I can take an XJR 1300 for a spin soon. I do like them, even if they are all retro and old technology 

Seems I need to get another video up soon too, eh? I'll see what I can do over the next day or so.

BTW - for something interesting to add to the overall discussion... a fellow I rode with yesterday has a Gixxer 750. When asked why he doesn't upgrade to the liter bike he said, "Why, it won't go any faster than the bike I ride" and he left it at that. And I got to say, man he flies on that thing.

Michael

[tt_four]

...will I keep it forever?? who knows...if I was being reasonable I would buy a V-Strom 650 and ride it into the dirt, but it doesn't move me...

When I was looking for an XB, and when I first got mine, I swore I was gonna own this thing for 20 years. It's definitely the kind of bike that I'm still gonna think is a cool bike 20 years after it was made, unlike japanese bikes that are updated every 2 years. I look at just about any sportbike from before 1995 and I just see something that looks old and outdated, and even 1995-2000 bikes look a bit outdated, although I know I'd still get just as much joy out of riding one. When you get that emotional attachment to a bike, and don't just pick it for being the lightest/fastest(because you know that's not gonna last long at all), it turns into a bike you can really appreciate for the long run. Even if you're not concerned about what other people think, your bike is still gonna feel old when everyone has a newer version of your bike, and eventually your 360lb 130hp bike is going to be the 'slow' bike in the group. My XB is already 7 years old, and I know I could take it out 10 years from now and still have people come up to me to talk to me about it, which again even if you're not concerned about what other people think, owning a motorcycle is a pretty social thing and you'll still feel better about a bike if people are constantly wanting to talk to you about it. How often do you think someone on an old zx6 has strangers come up to them just to ask them about their bike? aside from the random high school kid that might wanna ask "hey man this thing do some pop-a-wheelies??" I don't assume often.

Regardless, 6 months after buying the bike, which I still love, I know that I might consider trading it in eventually. The downside to having a different bike, and not the same gsxr/zx as everyone else(previously mentioned logical choice), is that it feels like a little bit more of a mental burden. The bike runs perfectly, requires barely any maintenance whatsoever other than a yearly oil change(not even a chain to oil and the valves are self adjusting!), but I still find myself being gentle to the bike at times. If it was 'just another' japanese sportbike I'd probably beat the hell out of it, and have a lot of fun in the process. I'd have no problem running the miles up to 50k and I'd just ride it until it died. I ride the bike like it was meant to be when I hit a twisty back road, but I do find myself heading home earlier if it looks like it's going to rain, and avoiding places you can really only get to on the highway because I hate to waste even a few hundred miles on riding in a straight line and being bored. Knowing that the bike is going to be something special in 10 years, makes me want to keep the bike in good shape for the next 10 years. If I know my bike was just going to turn into an outdated japanese sportbike, I'd run it for everything it was worth until it got there. If I had already owned a gsxr or something like that, and then I got the Buell 2nd, I probably wouldn't consider getting rid of it any time soon. So yes, a bike is a seriously emotional purchase if that's the kind of person you are, but I think you've still gotta take into account the other factors. It will eventually take 2 bikes to replace what my XB can do, but I'm willing to make that sacrifice 

[madjak30]

@tt_four: ride that thing man...engines can be rebuilt, so can all the other parts...don't keep it in good shape for someone else...you bought that bike because you are passionate about the attributes that it has and you are saving it for what?

I agree you should have some degree of sensibility when buying a bike, but when it comes down to it...the bike has to "speak to you" in some way, or you are just buying an appliance...if you are buying something that is a tool, then that makes sense...but for me the bike is a toy, so it is completely an emotional buy...I bought the GS500 against most friends advice because I just liked the way it looked and it felt comfortable to me (I had also been visiting the Best Beginner Motorcycle site where it is highly recommended)...everyone else told me that I needed to get atleast a 750cc bike to move me, and would probably want a liter bike...I still get a smile on my face when I go in the garage, it still "speaks to me"...(I also talk to my bike... )...he's my little buddy, and I have learned a lot on him...but it is time for him to teach someone else the basics of riding...possibly a great bike for someone that is more "right sized" for the bike...the only sporty bike that "speaks to me" is the Katana 750 '98-'06...not sure what it is, maybe just the physical size, but I do like that bike...but my "yeah baby, that's the one" is the MT-01, I actually chuckle when I hear it's engine idling...I've been a muscle car guy since I was about 8yrs old, and the MT-01 is a muscle bike to me...like Mister said, it's an in between bike...not a sport bike, not a cruiser...and that's what I want, not like anything else (okay...like a Buell, but bigger...wanted an XB9S, but felt like a bear on a bike on that thing...cool looking though)  I found a used '07 MT-01, black on black 8000kms that a guy from the MT-01 owners forum PM'd me about...just waiting to find out how much he wants for it...the '07 has the upgraded 6 pot calipers compared to the 4 pots on the '06 and a few other tweaks...not that it would be a deal breaker, as everything else is the same...but lower kms and the better brakes will sway me if the price is similar...and he only lives about two hours away...and I regularily drive past his place when I am heading out on a road trip for work...he says that he keeps the bike in a heated shop, and I can come by anytime and have a look  at the bike...he is sending me some pics...

As you can tell, I have pretty much decided on my bike...not completely (money isn't spent yet, but...)

Later.

[mister]

TT:  I think you summed it up nicely. "When you get that emotional attachment to a bike, and don't just pick it for being the lightest/fastest(because you know that's not gonna last long at all), it turns into a bike you can really appreciate for the long run. Even if you're not concerned about what other people think, your bike is still gonna feel old when everyone has a newer version of your bike, and eventually your 360lb 130hp bike is going to be the 'slow' bike in the group... even if you're not concerned about what other people think, owning a motorcycle is a pretty social thing and you'll still feel better about a bike if people are constantly wanting to talk to you about it."

When I was at the dealers yesterday, they had an XB12 there and I sat on it. I have to say, just sitting on it, it felt comfy for the butt. And I agree with the "talk about it" thing. We've had people talk to us about our retro GSs while an older ZX10 stood near by. One bloke I ride with bought an old shaft driven 30 year old CX500 and has taken that on some rides and yeah he gets asked a Lot about it - picked it up for $500, spent $700 getting it up to scratch and now he's the owner of a Classic that runs.

I see the modern crop of sports bikes and cannot tell them apart. I need to get up close and personal to find the decal on it that says what it is. R1, CBR, etc. They all look the same to me. But when a bike is retro, it is retro. A new naked GS looks the same as a 10 year old GS as a 20 year old GS. Bonnies the same. The Curvy SV650s has a more appealing (to me) retro look than the more modern Pointy version. A Ducati monster from the 90s looks the same To Me as a newer Monster - and I marvel how they get such a large cc engine into such a small space - the bike remains small in dimensions while the engine size is up there (an old 900 monster engines looks smaller than the GS500's engine, for instance). For me, a retro-esq look is what draws the looks.

I prefer the look of the MT01 over the Vmax. And to echo Madjack, it could be said that more than a bike Speaking to you, it actually picks you not - as is believed - you picking the bike. In which case, riding something other than the bike which has chosen you is Not with the intention of buying the other but rather to Cement in your mind the Chosen.

You mentioned the hotbutt on the Striple I wrote about. From a Vulcan Logic / Appliance point of view, that is a deal breaker. But only if you're looking for reasons Not to get the bike, right? Cause if that has spoken to you, chosen you, then it's an easily overcome thing. Nothing more than a carbon fiber shroud or move it all lower down. From a Vulcan Logic / Appliance point of view, the price of a few years old Striple or S3 vs Brand New Bandit makes the Triumph a deal breaker. But, only if you're looking for reasons Not to get it. Cause if the bike has chosen you, even if the new Bandit was two grand cheaper you'd still buy the Triumph cause That's What You Want.

So when talking about, reading reviews of, or test riding other bikes, you really aren't trying to find ways the others are better than the bike which has chosen you - but rather - ways your chosen is better, while ignoring the worse aspects.

Sure a VStrom has longer range than the MT01, but you're looking for ways the MT01 is better than the VStrom. Sure the Bandit might have better power and smoother ride, but you're looking for ways the MT01 is better than the Bandit - while ignoring the longer range of the VStrom and Bandit's power delivery. Sure Bike X might have more bippy dippies in the instrument cluster, but you're not looking for reasons Not to buy, but ways your chosen is better than Bike X. Which makes for an interesting and fun buying process, doesn't it?

It's like women. You can see two gorgeous women. You look at one and your heart skips a beat, while the other, possibly better looking, does absolutely nothing for you and you wonder what everyone sees in her.

This is a little of tangent ok, but let me waffle as I release my thoughts this way...

There is a concept known as Erotic Crystallization Inertia. The idea is, that at some point in your pubescent youth, some moment happened, some single moment, that you found more Arousing than any other moment even if those other moments were arousing. That moment then Cemented (crystallized) into your brain. And thus an arousal preference is formed.

For instance. You're maybe 15 or 16. You've been aroused by the Victoria Secret Catalog, or glimpses of bra linings at reception counters. But one day you're at a party and a girl happens to fall down, or bend over or whatever. And for the briefest of moments you see her white panties and the way they curve around her. This cements in your head and is the Original Source of your slight fetish for white panties.

This moment doesn't have to be that. It could have been seeing a pantie line in tight jeans, a certain leg/highheel combination, a certain hair color in a certain style, whatever. Think back and I think you'll find some moment, the earliest, where this is the case. And you can no sooner suddenly stop finding green eyes or long nails or girls in glasses to be attractive things to you than stop being a person, cause these things are cemented into your core being without conscious decision.

Now. What if there is such a moment with all kinds of things - housing style, flooring style, cars and motorcycles?

My preference is for round headlight retro sport bikes. Is it because that's what my father rode when I was young, or my uncle and I grew up around that? Is it cause that's the type of bike he took me to school on and the "wow, look, Michael comes to school on a motorcycle, how cool" from the other kids cemented that style of bike into my head? May be. But for whatever reason, it is there. And no matter how well designed a faired bike is, they do nothing for me. I cannot suddenly like faired bikes cause it would mean somehow changing something deep in my core that was cemented in me without conscious decision.

So Madjak, there is something about the MT01 that appeals on a core level. You cannot change this something cause you didn't consciously put it there. Fighting it is futile. You can have fun riding other bikes. But, as you said, the decision really is made. In fact, I'd say it really was made the moment you laid eyes on the bike, wasn't it?

So take other bikes for a ride. Not with the intention of buying them cause we already know it will be the MT01 (though don't tell the salesmen), but simply for the experience of riding another bike. Broadening your riding experience knowledge. And then, write about your test ride here.

Michael

[Twisted]

I am going to try to right a little review in similar vein to Mister's recent adventures.

Well I went with Mister to one of his test rides yesterday while he tested out a 900 hornet and the Z750. Not wanting to sit around the shop waiting I thought I would take a Ducati 900 Monster for a test run with him. Now I have always had a soft spot for them and secretly admired these bikes. Who here doesn't swing their head around when they here one coming down the street.

This was a 93 model so it would have been one of the first produced but it was imported into Australia via Japan and still had low k's on it. (Import bikes always have their shady side with speedos being swapped but in Japan it is known to have lots of early model bikes with low klms due to registering issues over there) The bike was completely stock, a little weathered but in good condition in Ducati red.

I had to follow Mister and the salesman on the test ride and first thing I noticed was how tall the gearing was. I did not get out of 2nd gear in the city where the limit was 60kms/h (35mph) and I had to take corners in 1st as the bike began to want go around the corner faster than you wanted in 2nd. This model only had a 5 speed gear box so I was not sure if I was just used to the GS's 6 speed or what. I know it didn't like to follow the other bikes. It wanted to be leader of the pack and just wanted to go!

It had beautiful smooth acceleration when you eased the throttle on and when you gave it a punch it responded like lightning and the sound of the V twin sounded like a small block v8. At one point entering the the highway from an on ramp a quick fistful of throttle and I was doing 150kms/h in an instant with a big stupid grin on my face.  

Riding position was very upright and the seat was comfy. I found my legs hugged the tank nicely although Mister sat on the bike and found his legs rested on the slight fold in the tank even though we are the same height.

It cornered and handle like it was on rails but not as nimble as the GS. I also did find it liked to follow the ruts in the road which got a little annoying at times. It only really started doing this on the road back to the dealer so it must have just been that road.

Other annoying things I found other than the tall gearing of the bike was the clutch and the gear box. I have heard this is a common bug with Ducatis though which is it finds a false neutral if you don't knock the gears up or down hard enough. When you let the clutch out from take off it slipped a little if you didn't give it enough revs and the clutch did not like to be ridden. I do not know if this was due to the fact Ducatis have dry clutches or if was the age of the bike. Also there was vibration at high revs. Not bad vibes but they were there.  But I should not really pick on that due to it being a twin. I could not see myself ever commuting on one of these as it is a bit of a pig in traffic but on the open road it comes into it's own.

I have heard people say that these bikes are under powered and over rated. Maybe so if you ride super sports but the torque, sound and the look makes this bike what it is. My summary of the bike is a positive one and I can easily see why riders fall head over heels in love with these. I think I may have  

(This is the actual bike I rode) -

[mister]

Good write up, Twisted.

I'd say my legs might fit if I drop ten or so kilos 



GS, Honda 919, Ducati Monster. Hoped it would have turned out better than this. Oh well.

I gotta say... after spending some time around the Monster and a bit of time at Ducati in Brissy and hearing/seeing some of the owners coming/going with their bikes, the overall sound - engine and dry clutch - has kinda grown on me. Maybe sitting on a new Monster helped 

GS and Honda 919 (CB900 Hornet) for Comparison...



I've been offered a spin on an SV1000. Might be a while before I can take up this offer as I don't see the rider on rides too often. But it's on the table so...

Michael