I don't know if this is just a phase but i have been thinking about making the switch to motorcycles when i get back to Aus.
I have to renew my license anyway when i get back so thought i would apply for a learner bike license, Q ride, etc..
I have done a bit of research and understand owning a bike is not going to be cheaper than a car. It will though be alot cheaper than my last car (nissan sil80) which seemed to suck alot of cash from me.
Wearing the full protective gear is one of the drawbacks for me, i can imagine it being a pain in the ass.. but absolutely neccessary.
Not fussed about lack of space for carrying stuff, or being unable to drive other people around /lonewolf.
Kawasaki Ninja 250R
So has anyone done Q ride? Any insights into owning a motorcycle? Share your motorcyle experiences etc.
Any arguments that it is far more dangerous than a car fall on deaf ears for me. I'm currently living on Samui and everyone drives no helmet no protective gear no rules.
Expecting some to come in and say "nice knowing you" or "temporary australian eh? LOL" Disregard these people for they are pussies who only drink lattes and cuddle up with mum at night to keep safe.
Anyway onto my experiences.
Started riding in 2004 on a ZZR250, been riding to work every day since then and havent had one collision with a car.
Currently riding a 2008 SV650N with ABS. Commuting on this thing is so easy.
Ridden in Vietnam and know what you're talking about with Thai traffic. Gotta love it, and makes this country seem like the nanny state of the world with all its rules & regulations... and now with the R18+ thing too. *sigh*
The only way to save money motorcycling is to get a second hand scooter and sell your car. Personally i do it for fun & to save time getting to work.
In my car it takes 50 minutes in peak, on the bike, 30 minutes.
Pretty big difference there.
As fuel prices rise it's only going to make more sense to ride. Looking forward to a cheap electric motorcycle and save the ICE bike for long trips.
I have been thinking alot about getting a bike again so much so I spend a ton of time each day going through video's and other information about them. Personally I would like to aim myself squarely at a Ducati 796 Hypermotard. I absolutely adore this style of bike and not just the Ducati.
If it wasn't to be a supermoto I'd aim for a ducati monster. start this vid at the 30 second mark.
I do however have a small problem ...... my missus is dead against me getting back on a bike :( so I'll have to see how things pan out.
(edit) One thing that switched me back on to Bikes now I am in the US was the price. The 2011 Ducati 796 Hypermotard here in the USA sells brand new for $9995 in Australia the exact same bike sells for $16990. That price difference it nothing short of disgusting.
I had a thread not too long ago about 50cc scooters in bris. Everyone went nuts saying you are going to die etc. TBH they aren’t too bad. I put some lighter rollers in mine and can sit on 65 easy.
However they handle like shit because of the small wheels.
People yelled and screamed to do Q-ride first. Have to agree because I already done some stupid things on my scooter. At first I thought not to bother because I rode a scooter in Thailand for like a month on holidays. (god that was fun) But yeah, aussies don’t have the same respect for motorcyclist as they do over there.
As for a bike, I would recommend this beast.
Suzuki gladius
Similar style as a Ducati monster but cheaper and Learners approved.
I couldn't believe the price of a brand new 2011 Ninja250r (around $6800).
What is cutting traffic like in aus on a bike? I've seen people do it on the highway but do you get heckled / people making life hard for you? What if you pass a cop?
What's parking like? I seem to remember motorbike carparks are pretty close to entrances? I assume secure parking in the city is cheaper?
Do you guys fully kit up with protective gear before you go to work?
I don't know much about Q Ride but i think once you do it they actually give you your license after a couple of days? I've done a few advanced driving courses for the car and they are definitely worth doing.
So has anyone done Q ride? Any insights into owning a motorcycle? Share your motorcyle experiences etc.
I was scared to death of motorbikes but on a whim I went and did Q-ride and passed first go with virtually no experience beforehand. Did it through ridesmart for $400 or so, highly recommend them! Rode a friend's crappy ZZR250 for three months, it kept breaking down and stalling. Bought a GPX250 of my own for $3K on-road, insurance is $290 through NRMA - fully comprehensive! (RACQ won't touch the bike, Suncorp want $600+).
Both bikes are pretty much the older version of the ninja 250 - I really wouldn't recommend a new bike to begin with, you're guaranteed to drop your bike and you'll be crying.
Wearing the full protective gear is one of the drawbacks for me, i can imagine it being a pain in the ass.. but absolutely neccessary.
I see a lot of people riding with no gloves, a t-shirt, thongs, shorts and I wince at the damage they'd do to themselves if they fell off. I wear a leather jacket, gloves, kevlar pants every time .. but yes it gets bloody warm in summer.
What's parking like? I seem to remember motorbike carparks are pretty close to entrances? I assume secure parking in the city is cheaper?
I have no idea about the city. I know in most places they are close to the entrance and fairly cheap. At my uni it's ~$110 for full-year parking, compared to $900 or so if you have a car.
Anyway, my advice is to get an old crappy bike (the EX-250 range which the ZZR, GPX and ninja250 are based on is a good start), learn how they handle, how the electronics and the mechanical bits work and how to service it yourself. Then get your full license after a year and buy a proper bike!
If you have to have your RE class licence for a year, don't buy a brand new 250cc, buy used, keep it for the period of your licence and then upgrade once you get your R's, you do not want to be on a 250cc forever in Australia, Thailand yes, but not here.
ive had 2 mates that have been in accidents. a guy pulled out of his driveway without lookin onday and cleaned up one of them, broken leg etc. The other one went into the back of a car after the car changed lanes on highway without looking, broken leg/arm and plates inside his legs and arm.
90% of bike accidents are from cars, the other 10 is driving it like an idiot.
Funniest thing ive seen lately, guy on a scooter tried to overtake me while i was driving around a corner. i was going 60 and his scooter was pinging, he gets infront of me and goes to turn the corner but is going to fast and clips the floor part were u put ur feet and crashes straight into the gutter.
couldnt stop laughing, was so funny. he got up and wasnt hurt but looked like the biggest douche
If you have to have your RE class licence for a year, don't buy a brand new 250cc, buy used, keep it for the period of your licence and then upgrade once you get your R's, you do not want to be on a 250cc forever in Australia, Thailand yes, but not here.
So 250cc isn't quick enough? From some videos i've watched it seems quick enough for highways and getting out of situations etc.
I was thinking i'd be well happy with 250cc for ages and not really feel the need to upgrade. High RPM is fun :(
High-enough top-speed for most purposes, yes. Responsive enough, no.
Sitting at a high RPM most of the time so that I have enough instantaneous power to get out of a sudden emergency while my bike is rattling gets a bit annoying after a while :)
So 250cc isn't quick enough? From some videos i've watched it seems quick enough for highways and getting out of situations etc.
I rode a 2006 built GPX-250 recently, and whilst it was fast enough for highway merging and getting around the city, I didn't feel safe as being on a lager bike. I've yet to try the more recent Kawasaki Ninja and it might be suficcient being fuel injected with more modern engine tech, but when you're next to a huge truck on the higway, you feel mighty small.
I had a Hyosung GT250R for a while and it felt like a good bike to ride, I'm fairly tall and they're very comfortable. Earlier ones were a bit dicey in build quality. Decent amount of torque being V Twin.
Unless your commute is small and you only use it for going to work, a bigger bike will see you getting more use out of it.
Edit: for the record I've been riding a 1200cc Triumph Daytona after having 250cc's for many years, which is pretty much the extreme opposite of what you're wanting :)
probably a stupid question but you have to provide your own bike to participate in q-ride yes?
No. They have 250 and 600cc motorcycles there that they would prefer you use, as they know the service regime.
Going for my opens next month at Pro-Honda Rocklea (Q-Ride). I used them for my leaners too, one day course, $300. Once you get your learners, you need to waiti 12 months then go for your opens. I ride a SV650S at the moment which isn't LAMS approved but luckily I haven't been pulled over on it for them to find out. I always wear a helmet and armourplated jacket, but just jeans, sneakers and no gloves.
Powerful bikes are overrated really.. gets you into more shit than its worth. Biggest one i've had is a liter v-twin, was mostly torque though and wasnt too fast. Rode a 600cc supersport and found them a bitch to ride on the street. Totally not practical, no power downlow and it just comes on and hits you hard.
Best daily bike i've had so far is the SV650N. Comfortable position over the S model and bloody reliable. Motor is a gem with torque from idle all the way to redline unlike those inline four shitters.
Other choices are dualsports if you're looking into doing some touring, like the DR650. Had one of those for 2 years and loved it.
The Daytona I've been riding is probably going to be sold when I return to Australia and buy something around the 600cc range for commuting. Too much of a retarded bike at times, and one heavy motherfucker :)
<3 my 05 CBR600RR. Piece of piss to ride on the street. Harden up!
Seriously, why are you guys recommending 250's when there are LAMS bikes now? Something like a GS500 is awesome to learn on and is an excellent everyday bike. They may not look pretty (but they are not ugly), but they have good low down torque (parallel twin), cruise on the highway easily and will hold their value when you sell it when you upgrade your license.
Haha i know a guy who rides a cbr600rr to work everyday and he looks so damn awkward, tries to get his back straight and puts all the weight on the wrists, must be heaps uncomfortable.
They are trackbikes, thats for sure. simply no reason to have one if you're only riding it on the street.
Mostly to look cool IMO.
i know a guy who rides a cbr600rr to work everyday and he looks so damn awkward, tries to get his back straight and puts all the weight on the wrists, must be heaps uncomfortable.
I used to have an 89 GSXR 750 when I was 19 and my forearms and wrists used to take a horrible beating on any decent length ride not to mention my lower back aswell. Thats one of the reasons I stopped looking at standard road bikes and prefer bikes like the supermotos because the seating position is infinitely better.
Obtained my R's through Q-Ride back in 2005 so I could have jumped on anything I wanted.
I started riding on a Kawasaki ZXR250 which was a piece of shit and a very bad choice in hindsight. Now I ride a Buell XB9S as my daily and have a Husaberg FS650e as my toy. I don't own any cars.
Only had 1 major acco very early on in my riding history... Too hot for a corner, panicked, target fixation and went off an embankment and very well could have died... was very very lucky to only have broken my collar bone. Never had any tangles with cars but you have a lot of ignorance on a daily basis... Asshats merging ontop of you, cutting you off etc, something you just get used to.
I have 2 bikes now and used to ride to work in the CBD and back Mon-Fri for a year and a half until I became a snowboarding instructor and moved to Vancouver for the winter.
Why? Because I fucking loathe public transport in Brisbane and driving a car into work is slow as fuck and super expensive. My daily commute in took about 15 mins and cost $3.50 to park from 8-4:30. A car... probably an hour and $30 a day.
I love riding too so it's not just a mode of transport to me. I find it's a lot more engaging than driving a car and I spose the risk factor appeals to my addrenaline junkie side.
Personally I won't ride without a minimum of mesh armoured jacket (need this for Brisbane summer), gloves, helmet and at least jeans. If I am going for a "spirited" ride I have armoured pants and proper riding boots I add into the mix.
It sounds like you've put the effort in to research it and already understand the risks. Go for the Q-Ride and see if you really like it as riding isn't for everyone. Then if you do - don't look back!!
I haven't ridden in nearly 6 months now and I do miss it!
Can't wait to go for a blat when I get back in May for my between winters break :)
I ride an 09 R1 to work everyday around about a 70km round trip and it is as comfy as anything else i have ridden. It is all up to what you like i think, i would go the motard if i had to start again with LAMS as they are easy to ride and if you do throw it on the ground it wont do any major damage.
Thats one of the reasons I stopped looking at standard road bikes and prefer bikes like the supermotos because the seating position is infinitely better.
I got to ride my housemates R6 while he was on a walking holiday (due to the R6 :P) and I tell you even with the racer position the R6 beats the shit out of any motard on the freeway at 110+ for an hour.
The Berg feels like it's about to achieve flight at 150+ :)
Speed really isn't the be all end all from me these days but I take your point. Sittings upright at those speeds can be a bitch but for me the overall confort of that position is preferable. Btw I got over speeding when traveling at 260kmph started to look like a stupid thing to do. I hate to say it but back then there was a time it actually didn't look as stupid as it actually was.
What you said before about cars is pretty much 90% of the issue with bikes. My first vehicle was a bike so right from the start I was aware of how important it is to look for them. When I did my drivers course in the Army I had it constantly hammered into me about looking for bikes before anything else. The attitude at the time was if you can spot a bike you'll see everything else no problem. It's something thats stayed with me ever since and I always give bikes as much room as possible plus I always take particular care to make my intentions clear when there is a bike nearby. Usually bikes will not stick around so I just let them do their thing and a few second later they are gone.
It's always struck me as a little odd that the whole look out for bikes thing hasn't been pushed harder with young drivers. There is also a part of me that wishes everyone had to ride a bike prior to being able to drive a car. Sadly though for all the good it'd do I can imagine the carnage which is unfortunate.
Yup I agree with your seating position views, for everyday commuting a more upright position is waaaaaaay more comfy hence why my bikes are both upright with mx bars.
I personally hate the seating position of supersports, sure they are ideal if you're ripping around a track but for commuting they suck ass.
i have ridden motorcycles for 31years. it's an experience that should not be missed but i realise that it's not for everyone. i've had my bad times... broken bones, losing some bark, hospital time, fixing smashed up bikes etc... but those times are far far outweighed by the awesome times! like so many things in this crazy life.. the things that seem monumentally difficult or dangerous while you are doing them form the best, most treasured memories. stuff like riding my 86 vfr750 to bathurst for the easter races (3 times), riding from brisbane to phillip island for the gp with all my biker mates, etc... fkn good times.
as for gear... like many seemingly cumbersome things you gotta get a system that works for you. i usually just wear jeans for leg protection & as a result have sometimes lost some bark... but i consider it an acceptable risk. i wear either a leather jacket (winter) or mesh with foam armour jacket (summer) all the time. if i am going on a ride that won't involve much walking around i wear full boots... other wise i wear sneakers. gloves are a must at all times. when i was younger & cained more i used to wear one piece leathers, armadillo back protector, neck protector, full boots & gloves. these days i am more lax in my gear because i consider the severity of a potential crash to be less.
i currently ride a '06 suzuki sv1000 n am pretty happy with it. my first big twin n it has awesome power delivery. previously i was always more into fully faired sports bikes but i now prefer naked bikes. fairings are mostly for looks & do stuff all to aerodynamics... though well designed fairings can keep the rain off in certain situations. also plastic fairings & their decals are ludicrously expensive. i think i might get a honda cb1000r next :)
there will always be nay-sayers when it comes to motorcycling. some people are genuinely worried about your safety... others are spouting their fearful dogma from ignorance.. but it's up to you to plot your own risks in life. happy biking dude :)
<3 my 05 CBR600RR. Piece of piss to ride on the street. Harden up!
These things ride like they are on rails, but two downsides. One, its so easy to speed on it, its insane. Two, they are not a commuting bike and if you ride with your preload high your tail sits higher and makes it uncomfy for longer rides. thats why I sold mine.
Yeah hard'n up...
I ride an 09 R1 to work everyday around about a 70km round trip and it is as comfy as anything else i have ridden
Have ridden these as well and you have not ridden anything else that isnt a sportie if that is your thinking, the R1 is also not a commuter, fucking sweet fun on a track however.
also plastic fairings & their decals are ludicrously expensive.
Yeah I found this out the hard way when I laid my bike down going through some S's after being cut off by an on coming car on my side of the road. That was back in 91 or late 90 and to replace the plastic on the right side cost me just over 1k. Sad when you consider how much that was 20 years ago.
I ride a 2007 Kawasaki GPX 250, I use it to commute to work every day. I get about 400km's out of a tank costing about $20 to fill. Part Highway travel, part city/suburban. It is excellent for doing what I want it to do.
It also saves me about $800 a year in parking (or more).
I dropped my bloody bike on my dads driveway in the wet. It falling on it's side was $4000....insane
holy crap eds... that sucks. :( i shudder to think how much the plastics of something like a hyabusa would cost :/
i kinda learnt my lesson with my 86 vfr750 with regard to fairings & my next bike, a 92 cbr600rr, i put aftermarket fibreglass racing fairings on it as soon as i bought it. the fibreglass withstood 2 minor crashes & some arse knocking it over in a carpark with minor damage & when i was ready to sell the bike i re-installed all the original plastics in perfect condition. these days we have oggy knobs for low speed damage control but i have heard they can bend frames in high speed offs.
i went through on the old system which was two lots of riding tests, however i was off bike for awhile, took Q-ride to get back in a groove before hitting the roads on a honda shadow 750, now i'm off bikes, and have to wait till my girl wants to go back
she did a Qride course, i paid for the honda one near the airport, she called in tears after day one, (she asked about the brake and how to use it before she'd even started the bike, was told that came later) and day two involved me having to go down there, and have a word to the training (who had years on bikes......as a postie) and after being told i didn't know how to ride so i should shut up resulted in a rather angry phone call to some mates high up in honda, and a full refund, but not before a mono on the front wheel (you know just for the sake of bike control)
it wasn't that the training or trainers are bad, but they have gotten a little to flick the box, and when someone who hasn't being on a bike, near a bike, or had much of anything to do with them, they kinda have lost that touch of teaching,
a 250 is great, but the CB400 (honda) is a lams approved unit, and is a great bit of kit, great to learn on, and powerful enough that by the time you would be sick of the 250 and yearning for a bigger bike, you'll be at the stage of loving the 400's chuckablity and should be more than enough to mean a daily commute isn't stop start gear changing hell
(my pick once i'm allowed a bike again is the trumpy bonnieville, nice mix of retro, sport, commute, and cool)
*edit, also if your over the weight of 11/10ths of fuck all (or 60kgs) the a 250 can be a little shitty in traffic, or on hill, or when you need to be a little bit further forward because some numb nuts is merging and can't see you (and putting your fist through their window results is stern words from Mr plod) and over 6foot, forget about a little engined sport bike, they are made for jockeys who do yoga three times a day, and if you don't like the idea of sitting on your heals for over an hours, best to steer clear, QLD main roads might still have the list of lams approved bikes tho
Personally, if I were to ever get another motorbike I'd be riding on a big supermoto single cylinder thumper again but only as a sunday or ride with mates rider.
You get some interesting things that will occur on the roads due to the insanity of other road users, just be careful and stay safe :)
I miss my GPX250R so much in Sydney - but I figure I'd die a lot quicker down here than I would have in Brisbane.
Excellent bike (for me anyway) but I'm looking forward to getting something with a bit more power - on the highway it would rev at 8000rpm at 110km/h and you felt like you were riding a whipper snipper after a while.
Had a 98 ZX6R and now have a 04 ZX6R. Both were/are great. Makes the trip into Brisbane for work/uni petty much 30mins no matter what the traffic is like which has been a huge time saver given all the bus tunnel work going on northside (i think thats what its for).
I miss my GPX250R so much in Sydney - but I figure I'd die a lot quicker down here than I would have in Brisbane.
Excellent bike (for me anyway) but I'm looking forward to getting something with a bit more power - on the highway it would rev at 8000rpm at 110km/h and you felt like you were riding a whipper snipper after a while.
Silly space ninja! :D
The gpx250's are meant to sit at high revs, 6000-7000rpm is around the least you want it on, the power kicks in around that. My bike loves sitting at 10,000 rpm it is so responsive and everything just hums along. It is a pile of sluggish bog under 6000 rpm hehee
Great that theres alot of supermoto love around now. They were a rarity when i was riding one around
Heres my DRZ i bought brand new, had the whole setup for it to switch between depending on what ride i was going on.
28L tank for touring, supermoto wheels for hanging with the sportbikes, dirt wheels to head into this sorta stuff:
only bitch was switching the gearing all the time. If the DRZ had a wide ratio 6 speed i'd still have it.
Great that theres alot of supermoto love around now
I know what you mean but it's kind of funny when you think about because it's so easy to like. My first thoughts when I first saw the bikes was that they look a little odd, but I soon forgot about that when I saw what they were doing with them. Of course it only took me a few glances to really start to like the look of the bikes. :)
I'm even dubious of KTM. My trusty 08 WR had to tow out a near new EXC yesterday... it refused to start after going through a puddle, errr swamp.
Thats more a design flaw of the breather lines of the keihin flatslide carburettors which are shared among all the enduros, even the WR has one.
The breathers must be run lower on the bike, when these get blocked they make the bike run rough until they clear out again, or even cause it to stall when all lines are blocked.
Thats more a design flaw of the breather lines of the keihin flatslide carburettors which are shared among all the enduros, even the WR has one.
All I know is that mine works :)
That's a great last photo! Looks like Beerburrum. I half flipped the WR up a snotty hill yesterday, a guy we were riding with got a photo which I'll post up when he emails it to me... I haven't seen it yet but it sure to be lols.
i did my qride at prohonda rocklea and owned a vtr250 for a year or so then sold it. it was a lot of fun and great for commuting into the city, but ultimately i just didn't feel safe riding on brisbane roads - there are just too many terrible and inattentive drivers out there
at some point in the future i want to buy a postie or dirt bike and do some offroading
Slinky the bike looks nice, just curious but any idea how much it weighs?
Vash those are some good pic's looks like a heap of fun I'd love to get into a bit of that myself. Like the look of the suzzie up the top there what is it exactly? It's pretty much along the lines of what I would like if I was to start looking at something other than the Ducati.
Used to be a rough looking dirt bike but i turned it into a nicer looking supermoto.
Just needed all black plastics,tank, headlight, supermoto wheels, black LED tail light & blinkers..
The forks were off a motocroxx bike to get that sweet USD look.
On the cheap you could pickup a used 2000 DRZ for about $2500, then all the supermoto bits for another $2k or so.
I ment to ask you in my last post but forgot. I saw the bike had NSW plates on it. I remember back 20 years ago my GSX used to cost me bang on $500 for rego a year which was way way way more than QLD back then. Whats it set you back these days for a 400?
Slinky the bike looks nice, just curious but any idea how much it weighs?
106kgs (dry)
I'm only a little fella so the bike is perfect from me. My previous bike was a yz250f but due to my size it was just a pain in the arse to kick over.
Decided to get rid of it for something with a electric start, newer,6 speed. Should be getting it real soon. They are running the 2010 models out and throwing in quite a few extra's.
Any ride I've been on and there has been someone with a Husky, it's broken down, or had some sort of trouble. Proceed with caution. I'm even dubious of KTM. My trusty 08 WR had to tow out a near new EXC yesterday... it refused to start after going through a puddle, errr swamp.
That's one of the reasons why I got rid of my yz. Put it down in a creek crossing up at beerburrum way and due to the stupid breather hose sucked in a lot of water. Did two oil changes on it, new oil filter ect and got rid of it.
I havn't really heard that though about them breaking down, I believe it all comes down to how you look, how you ride it etc.
The other option I was going to go down was a WR250r. But something keeps bringing me back to the husky
The Husky's look good but, as I said, from my last 6 months of trail riding.. I wouldn't buy one.
But that's just me.
They are a good price though $8,750 ride away... no wonder you're tempted.
The WR250R's aren't bad, especially if you're going to do some road km's. But if it's soley for trail riding, look elsewhere imo, they are a compromise for both on and off road.. plus they are heavy (steel tank etc).
Yes you could set one up for dirt only but then you might as well buy the F model...
I owned a wr250r as well, smoothest dirt bike ive ever ridden. Abit gutless but its not something you buy for explosive power, its more an exploration type bike and commute to work, a daily workhorse.
Feels absolutely planted & fun in the tight single track though, just not the type to pop wheelies and do wheel slides everywhere
i been riding for 23 years.. but yeah thanks.. they wont swap over my aussie license.. i have to sit the theory test, a parking lot practical, and a road practical..and to top it off its all in Dutch, they wont do it in english.. its a fuckin hassle so i havnt bothered yet.. i did get a car license so i have a 50cc scooter that i ride 2 hours a day.. but its getting boring so i might just take the leap and get the stupid license
The WR250R's aren't bad, especially if you're going to do some road km's. But if it's soley for trail riding, look elsewhere imo, they are a compromise for both on and off road.. plus they are heavy (steel tank etc). Yes you could set one up for dirt only but then you might as well buy the F model...
Not really going to be doing too many road km's on it. If I was to it would be 18kms return trip to and from work.
Big bonus on the 250r is that I read and been told that the valves only need checking every 10kms apposed to every 1000. Not sure to believe this though
The husky also comes with $1,500 worth of promo gear (tent, stand etc) so going to make a decision soon.
Not many husky dealers about, make sure theres one close to you. The WR250R's long service intervals are only for road use, if used entirely offroad i would do it in half that interval.
I had a husky te610 before and got rid of it because the cam chains wear out too fast.
How fast is fast? I realise parts for the husky's are slightly more expensive than ktm/yamaha etc but when I took one for a test ride it just felt really comfy, power was nice as apposed to the yamaha which I couldn't sit as comfortably on.
You'll find maintenance on the husky *much* more intense than the yamaha.
They aren't user friendly to work on, but still much easier than your average fairing road bike.
The parts are more expensive, they wear out fast. the tolerances are much tighter to get that extra performance.
The frame & steering angle gives it a knife's edge feeling, meaning it will turn fast & tight at low speed but feel wiggly and unstable at high speeds.
Basically, you have to change the oil every few rides if riding offroad on the husky, a filter & valve check every 5 rides. The top end needs to be rebuild every 8,000-10,000km of off-road kilometers.
The yamaha by comparison wouldn't need a rebuild until at least 60,000km
My WR-F has done nearly 2,000km and the valves are fine. WR-F's can do 1000's of k's with no valve movement... this can't be said for other 4T enduro bikes.
You really can't go past the WR-F's for reliability, they are proven in this area... provided you change oil, filters and clean air filter regularly. Gas Gas now use the WR250F motor in their new 250F enduro bike... so that says something (I think).
But you shouldn't use WR-F's on the road at all, this goes for most, if not all, enduro bikes. So if you are going to do tarmac, the WRR or DRZ's might be the better option.
It's hard to look past the Husky at that price though and if it feels the most comfortable.........
When you get a bike hit me up if you're keen for a ride.
Edit: I assume Vash is referring to the 'WR-R' model in hs ablve post.
Just curious if anyone has had any experience with Aprilia? I have been checking out the Aprilia DORSODURO 750 and it look quite nice, a lot like the Ducati. It's priced at $10k here in the US.
you wouldn't be able to ride an off-road tourer with no left nut... or maybe you could but it'd probably be quite painful.
taipan : i love everything about the aprilia rsv4... except the price tag ;p the dorsodura & the shiver (more roady version of the dorsodura) are cool... but also expensive compared to japanese equivalents. there is also a dorsodura 1200... but it's like 212kgs! too heavy for a motard style bike imo.
sounds nice tho! :D
Yeah demon I bumped into a few videos and what not of the RSV4 and it's a pretty badass looking bike that has a really nice note to it. I just can't stop looking at bikes atm with the prices over here in the USA being what they are so many of them are actually in a bracket I would consider reasonable. It's such a shame Australia doesn't get these prices then again the average yank doesn't earn shit compared to the average aussie.
COuldn't help it had to post a couple more vids
I put this next video up because Kevin Schwantz is a legend :)
What's your secret? Or is it just the fact that yours is a newer model and possibly has a larger tank? What revs do you sit on at say 60km/h?
the 2007 gpx250 has an 18.2l tank (or so google tells me)... but even still that's a fairly difference. the 94 model is 13 years older though... that might make up the ~75klm difference. my sv1000 only gets about 220klms from about 16litres (17litre full capacity).. so it's worse.. as ya'd expect really.
I got another 400km's out of it, filling her up tomorrow. That is without reserve tank. Could probably nudge another 30km's or so out of it I'm not keen to try though, although I have opened it up to run the fuel though.
Have you had the valves checked and all that?
60km/h I'm usually on 2nd/3rd gear sitting at roughly 7000 RPM. About 10 out of every 30 km's is on the highway at 110kph at about 8000 to 10 000 RPM, depending on how hot the bike is running. It seems to love 10 000 rpm when it is about 1/4 the way up on its heat range, when it is on the higher end it prefers to be around 8000 rpm.
I've also adjusted my idle to sit at about 1300 rpm, so it only just putters happily at idle, it was about 2000 idle when I got it :/
It is due for its 12000 km service in about 15 days woo. Bought it for a tad under $4K with only 4000 km's on it. O yerrr.
i got myself booked in for sunday morning rides on the 2011 kawasaki zx-10r (200hp yo!) & the 2011 yamaha r1... orrjeh :D
they are offering ~25minute test rides on a HEAP of bikes... but each rider can only choose 2 models to test ride. free lunch on the day too... (i guess this means you'll have to listen to team moto sales spiels to 'earn' your free lunch ;p)
it beats the usual 5minute ride around the block you normally get from bike shops :D
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