Weird Glee review in MCN

[Abercol]

Ahh, but the Touring lets you remove the screen without tools and the narrower rear tyre aids in turn in....yup, been reading various reviews.....Still got 108hp & 150ft lbs torque - twice the torque of the Vee.

I'd only use it to transport the missus about at a sedateish pace, hence the look at semi-cruisers.

Tried the wife pillion on the back of the Vee and my short legs don't work - the bike went from no problem for me on my own, to too top heavy, nearly dropped it doing a U turn!

[Firestorm]

1250 Bandit GT

[Juvecu]

loggamatt, I don't think Gassoon meant that you shouldn't be talking about other bikes, just that you do and that this tell him you're looking at others frequently. Almost anything goes in the Blue Oyster Bar, discussions about other bikes are definitely welcome.

[loggamatt]

OK, good good... starting to think maybe this thread should be moved to the bar? I swear it was about V-Stroms when I started it though!!!!

I'll talk about other bikes a bit more then... Abercol, I know you're a big chap like myself, so is the attraction of the Rocket the carrying capacity? Back in the day when I was dating my ex, I did a bit of research into what bikes would be good for us as I'm quite a big bloke and she was a larger lady as well. I discovered that actually the Victory Cross bikes (Cross Country, Cross Roads etc.) seem to have the highest GVWR. Much more so than the Rocket which actually has a surprisingly low GVWR. Also, though you're probably thinking "Victory? Seriously? You mean the Harley rip-offs?" by all accounts they're actually pretty nice bikes and far more modern mechanically than Harleys. Just letting you know that it might be worth looking at the Victory bikes if carrying capacity is an important factor.

[Jacko]

1250 Bandit GT

GSX1250F  

[Redsoul]

As you seem to want to test ride bigger more powerfully bikes why don't you try the Yamaha super tenere.A devious friend of mine who happens to be a salesman at Blades in Swindon chucked me the keys to one last year and have to say its an incredible bit of kit that rides nice and has been well proven to be very reliable.
I myself wasn't saying Matt that you should stick with the glee forever...just maybe buy something Japanese and not German.

[loggamatt]

I'd consider a Tenere... wouldn't surprise me if they update it by the time I start seriously looking (like I say, 1 to 2 years in the future) anyway. What puts me off it at the moment is that it doesn't have cruise control (I suspect this would be a nice feature to have if you do lots of motorway miles like I do) and every review I've read says that it feels a bit boring to ride compared to the competition.

But as you say... Japanese, so reliable!

It'll be on the list to test before I do actually take the plunge and buy something. Also the new Aprilia Caponord, though I would prefer shaft drive ideally.

[Gassoon]

loggamatt, I don't think Gassoon meant that you shouldn't be talking about other bikes, just that you do and that this tell him you're looking at others frequently.

  Spot on! And I enjoy matts [s:1rzux48p]ramblings[/s:1rzux48p] er, considered opinions on these matters, to boot...

[loggamatt]

Ramblings? How dare you sir! Now, did I ever tell you about the time I thought about getting a cruiser as a savings account? I thought maybe a Harley, but then I quite liked the Triumph... then I thought I'd go Japanese... but the saddlebags didn't have enough tassels on them and......... etc.  

[Andy M]

My advice would be to keep any bike you buy at least two years. **** like Urals actually stop breaking down once you've re-built the POS and you then know so much about a bike that's worth so little you might as well just keep it. BMW's work the other way round, free real coffee at the dealers and the ability to break every speed limit like you've owned the bike for years on the test ride is great. When the bike is due a big service you'll realise that the coffee is just added onto the bill, the salesmen think you are a dirty scumbag on an a knackered old bike who won't trade up, the three thumb indicators are still annoying and it is actually more hassle having something that loves Autobahns but can't do anything else that riding where you like a bike that took some time to learn.

I've been riding for 20 years and had at least 13 different types. I still have the urge to buy something Italian, try a C90 and make a Harley usable. There are BMW's I like the look of (won't have CAN, so no R1200GS's) but I won't be buying their "lifestyle" again. (Triumph have switched to the same game BTW).

What you will regret is if you let the marketing people dictate the ride. I loved the Bonneville on sand, I survived 800 mile days on an XT600E, motorway all day. I missed out on a trip to Iceland because I thought I needed a trail bike. I wasted thousands the likes of the R1100R that did nothing that different to an F650 except use more petrol. Buy petrol first and use what's left for bikes.

Andy

[loggamatt]

Buy petrol first and use what's left for bikes.

I really like that... words to live by there! Yes, I am mindful of the fact that any money I spend on bike purchasing is money I'm not spending on going on bike trips. That will be a tough call if in a year's time I either have money to buy a new bike or go on another big Euro trip. But yes, will remember that quote!

[Gassoon]

andym wrote

**** like Urals actually stop breaking down once you've re-built the POS and you then know so much about a bike that's worth so little you might as well just keep it. BMW's work the other way round, free real coffee at the dealers and the ability to break every speed limit like you've owned the bike for years on the test ride is great. When the bike is due a big service you'll realise that the coffee is just added onto the bill, the salesmen think you are a dirty scumbag on an a knackered old bike who won't trade up,

    Listen to Andym - he's well more cycnical than even I am! I must re-open the old museum, eh?!

[Abercol]

Yup,  cynics all of Your!  

But in AndyM's rants lie pearls of wisdom...and a penchant for sidecars, so he can't really be normal...

To answer Matt's question of why not a Victory....why not indeed...had a quick look at a Vision Tour or a Kingpin, they handle better than a Harley, have more power and hydraulic tappets so dead easy to maintain, just change oil, check bearings etc, job done....same as older GL1500 Goldwings (Keith Cross is the expert on here for them though). Its me short legs that drive me to it....

Yep, GVWR does present a bit of an issue, the Mrs isn't a huge lass, but she's not that light and I tend to make up for any shortfall in her weight with my lardy bulk....combined with gear & a bit of luggage we'd be pushing 230-odd kgs so pretty close to the Victory's GVWR and well over the Stroms...

Mind you, I'd keep some sort of hooligan tool for the solo rides.

[Juvecu]

I'd buy a Victory long before I'd consider a Harley. I like the Vegas 8 Ball myself

[loggamatt]

Vegas 8 Ball's are brilliant 2nd hand value too! Don't have ABS though, which bothers me because I'm chicken