Testdriving other models...

I would like to hear from you, what are your experiences on ridding other bikes, but mainly, how do you relate that experience and compare with ridding our utterly amazing CB5!

I like to go to testdrives.
Having new experiences (unlike cars, bikes are really different from model to model), new sensations, to better guide myself on finding (or living with) the best bike for my liking.
Ideally, every one of us would have more than one motorcycle.
But thats not always possible.

Today, sun was shinning, so i went to Yamaha dealer to try out the new Mt09 Tracer.

I wanted to give this one a go, because this model should have, theoreticaly speaking, erased all the "problems" of the regular Mt09.
Better riding position and better air protection.

I had just entered the highway and 200 kph were already being shown on the speedo.
Bike is really powerful, amazingly economical for it´s power and real life performance, ultra comfortable, but funny enough, i though it would be way better ridding it at speed that it eventually was.
Even tunning the front screen height wasnt enough to give me a better feel when comparing with my CB.

Long story short.

Great bike, but when i returned home in my bike....felt way better than the testdrive!

What are your experiences?

In 2001 I took test rides on a VMX1200 Vmax and FJR1300, on the same day. I expected the Vmax to be a handful, but it wasn't as scary as the hyperbole would suggest. The FJR was lovely, but not as lovely after I'd dropped it! My foot slipped whilst I dismounted the bike back at the dealer - his face was a picture as the fairing splintered into the tarmac......

I lost my £100 deposit, but I'd never ruined a new bike before.

have you been back to the shop since for a test ride

A mate let me ride his Ninja 600 once. It was sweet, but I was terrified of wheeleing it. He said it did this easily with too much throttle. Embarrased myself when I went to fill up with petrol: it has to be in neutral and have the clutch pulled in to let the ignition go. Wierd. Anyway, verdict? Position is bizzarre, there's no reach, but handlebars are very low and pegs far back. And there's no sense of speed, ever. I kept accidentally getting over the 20 limit round where I work. When riding back, feeling I'd got the feel of it, I decided to give it a squeeze, just to find out. Accidentally did a t*n up a narrow lane. And it felt like 40. CB500 at 40 on the same single track lane feels like a ton. The digital speedo is damned annoying too, because you get hung up on being dead on the right speed.

Apart from that, my chums have CG125's. They're great fun, although they struggle to go over 55. I'd really enjoy riding small bikes like that if they weren't so cramped (I am a lanky bastard of course). Compared to the CB500, well they feel a bit gutless on long DC journeys, it's a nuisance not being able to overtake bin lorries without the benefit of a descent. But terrific fun throwing them around in the lanes, and I'm always impressed at how my mates keep up on the little roads we terrorise around the Peaks.

I learned to ride on an XJ6. Didn't really know much about bikes at the time, but I remember the CB500 feeling like a stallion tugging at the reins when I picked it up in Skeggie. Says it all really...

skyrider wrote:have you been back to the shop since for a test ride

I haven't been in contact with TK Cope Yamaha since. I doubt they've lost any sleep.

Suzukis also need the clutch pulled in, at least all the modern Suzukis I've ridden do. Boils your piss when you've got hands full of gloves and lid.

I ride several different bike most weeks  sometime several a day
They belong to customers :-))

badseeds wrote:Suzukis also need the clutch pulled in, at least all the modern Suzukis I've ridden do. Boils your piss when you've got hands full of gloves and lid.

that's modern stuff for you with older bikes you don't have to put up with that gimmickery

My '04 vanvan's a bit weird like that to start. Has to be in neutral *and* have the clutch pulled in before the starter button will work, iirc.

Hey guys...
Today i went to test 2 different motorcycles, both from BMW.
As teenager, i thought of BMW as a car manufacturer that built some lame ass motorcycles.
Little did i know about the brand history, but for the fact, in the 80s and 90s, BMW was far from being a top brand in Portugal, in the area of motorcycling.

But lately, due to its clever branding, good engineering and simplicity design (and Ewan Mcgregor off corse), it´s like there´s a BMW everywhere.

So today, i went to ride the 1200GS, and the new S1000XR.

The GS is quite a good dam bike. Tall but ok for me. Very good suspension, brakes, and quite confortable. Wind protection is the best i ever felt. Easy to roll at 150/160 km/h without any kind of disconfort. That´s why it´s such a huge success.
By  far one of the best bikes i have ever ridden. Fuelling is marvellous, and the noise it makes....so good! With stock exhaust.....

The S1000XR.....has 160 bhp!!!!
Damm that thing goes. Splendid engine. Great suspension, but it´s all for me.
Knees are a little bit strangely apart, vibration on the steering left my hands numb in 5 min, and wind protection is great on the body, but the blast in the helmet is horrible.
Just like the Yamaha Tracer.

And when back on the CB5, it felt cramped, old, "heavy".
5 mins later and with all back in place, i say again.
We are blessed in having such great motorcycle.

Bmw have reinvented themselves in last 10 yrs, but from people i know that have had bmws there troublesome parts are expensive , i was going buy 650 funduro single, before i bought cb , glad bought cb, as for s1000r amazing engine but there somthing wrong when u need electronics to keep u safe, i only have too look at my old fireblade, only thing to keep u safe is your common sense( no traction control, launch control, abs , engine maps to control power)and fact that over 120hp on road is liability now with penalty points and fast approaching road furniture if things go wrong. Just my opinion:)

I test rode BMW's S1000R and was blown away, i couldn't believe how good it was - took a while to get used to the quickshifter but was completely sold once I got the hang of it. I only gave the BM a go after I test rode the Superduke 1290 the week before. Both bikes, with all the bells and whistles, are incredible. But both are over 10k - the KTM is a whopping 12k..

Too much for bikes that are great, no doubt about it, but far from versatile.. and I'd not want to leave either all day on a London street.