# should i get a motorcycle?



## ir_fuel (Jan 10, 2003)

Ok I am already hiding for cover, but i am getting great doubts about whether or not to get a bike. And no i am not in my 40"s and bald 

I was thinking about a naked bike, more specifically a Ducati Monster 600 or 620 dark (620 if i can afford a new one).

What do you TT + bike owners here think? Is it worth the cash to fun ratio? I am really interested in a naked bike, not some ducati 999 or hayabusa machine which will kill me within 3 months of ownership 

moreover, do you lot know any bikes which have a look as cool as the ducati monster dark? All the jap naked bikes i saw so far are like "allmost there" but not quite yet. A bit like any jap sports car vs a TT ;D

any advice appreciated.

... or should i get my car chipped for that money ? 

Joris


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## r1 (Oct 31, 2002)

Moto Guzzi have a gorgeous new naked out at the moment but I'd imagine it's quite expensive...

Depends what you want to spend really - monsters are pretty cheap 2nd hand and there's better out there.

But to answer your question - Yes you should!!!


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## David_A (May 7, 2002)

Saw the title and was going to to say get a busa or a duke 996 but guess not. 

Be radical get a H-D V-Rod - mental bikes - quote from one of the guys at Harley - its like a harley, but its _not_ like a harley

http://www.harley-davidson.com/PR/MOT/2 ... amily=VRSC

Dave


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## TTotal (Aug 12, 2002)

Trouble is you wont use it, when its great weather my roof is down (actually just when its not raining so most days !) and when its crap weather roof up...No getting dressed up in leathers etc..My poor bike aint been out since the end of September :-(

The novelty will never ever ever wear off with the TT.......it did with the Bike.

Keep your money and spend on an upgrade - that way you'll save loads too !


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## gcp (Aug 8, 2002)

New Buell streetbike is pretty good by all accounts, goes well too. Possible not as reliable as a Ducati though Â 

I'd be without my TT before my bike(s).

TT is a good car to run around in and fun to modify, bikes are in your system or not (IMO of course)


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## ir_fuel (Jan 10, 2003)

well, to answer some questions

I cant put the roof down, i have a Coupe ;D

I dont like that harley  I really like the design of the Ducati Monster

The Moto Guzzi thing is way to powerful (1000 cc), i want something in the 600cc range, as this will be my first one. No plans on killing myself. Its like cars, when you start out in an Aston Martin, you will never really appreciate it, you need something "average" in terms of driving, then you know what is good and not 

Any other suggestions as to nice naked bikes with a bit of Duc. Monster styling and around 600cc? I dont want to have any windscreen at all, not even a small one, nekkid is nekkid 

Price i was thinking about 5000â‚¬ second-hand.

Also, any tips on what to look out for when going second hand? Dealer or private sale?

Joris


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## W7 PMC (May 6, 2002)

Get a hyperbike. You'll never regret it & the fun factor can't be beaten (well not by anything legal anyway)  ;D


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## r1 (Oct 31, 2002)

I've been thinking about this some more....if I was gonna get a naked I think I'd go for the triumph speed triple. Now thats got attitude. Don't worry too much about the power - you'd be shit bored on a Monster within a couple of months anyway!

Tips on buying second hand.....HPI check essential, ride the thing and check the gears suspension etc...other than that it's not too much different to buying a car. The bonus of a naked bike is that it's highly unlikely to have been on a track so there's no point looking for signs of racing.

PLease buy the Triumph.


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## M44RT L (May 6, 2002)

Interestin thread but, without appearing a complete idiot, please explain what is meant by the term 'naked bike'

ta :'(


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## ir_fuel (Jan 10, 2003)

actually it is an abbreviation for a bike which attracts naked women.


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

Friend of mine is selling a second-hand Monster Dark. T plate with only 1800 miles on from new. Â£3,000 and it's yours.

I'm on holiday for the next couple of weeks, but if you're interested in approaching him, then send an email to 
paul_harrison at 141international dot co dot uk

and mention that you got his name from Kell.


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

PS he's in SE London


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## ir_fuel (Jan 10, 2003)

super, and i live in south-central Gent, in Belgium,
so not much help there eh. 
But thanks for the tip anyway!

I should this under my avatar :/


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## W7 PMC (May 6, 2002)

IIRC, a "Naked Bike" is one that does not sport anything more than a headlamp housing/fairing, so the engine, gearbox etc. are exposed. Most of the muscle bikes could also fall under this category.

Sports bikes & most tourers have a full fairing.


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## r14n (Jan 10, 2003)

For full on fun on the cheap, go for a Super-moto.

( You will need to be long in the leg dept )

Fast, cheap and Fun, try and keep the Front Wheel Down. ;D

Have you ridden bikes before, above moped size ?

Most things 600 and above will kill a novice.

Just remember to buy a spare toothbrush to remove the flies from your teeth.


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## ag (Sep 12, 2002)

I agree with R1 that a Trumpet Speed Triple is the way forward. You could easily afford one of the older models for 5000Euros. Great presence on the road, you can do miles on the thing, comfy, reliable. I think I'll get get one myself.

The Monster 600 looks good, and around town is a blast. However if you go out of town it is the MCC Smart of the Motorcycle world. i.e. it will do it, but you'll soon give it up as a bad job, get bored of motorcycling and sell it!

Even an early Triumph Trident makes an excellent first big bike, especially with the two-tone tank.


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## ir_fuel (Jan 10, 2003)

what then makes the monster a bad choice for out-of-town driving compared to other bikes of the same hp/torque/weight? The driver position? Its performance? I know jack shit about bikes, i know what i like to see and what not, but thats as far as it goes, oh and also that i dont need a 900cc machine to start  And i dont have plans on using it for holidays or anything, i dont think naked bikes are the way to go for that anyway (highways + no windscreen = fatigue).

Gimme more info, or links to cool models for around 5000â‚¬!!

Also, what is a lot of km/miles for a second hand bike? For cars i have some references in my head (e.g. 20.000km isnt a lot for a car, 180.000 is ) but not for bikes.

Joris


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## ag (Sep 12, 2002)

The Monster 620 is a good bike, it makes about 60BHP and is fun to ride. However as soon as you are out of town the poor aerodynamics and 60BHP mean that above 60MPH it gathers speed. Motorcycles are supposed to accelerate.

This is why if you ask a bunch of motorcyclists what bike to buy, using their experience of having fallen into the trap of buying a "first big bike" only to resell it six months later because in reality it was about as much fun as a scooter, they will suggest something a little more powerful than you may have thought.

The Monster looks great, sounds great and is brilliant on little back roads. In the context of motorcycles in general it is similar to a Harley in that appeals to non-motorcyclists more than motorcyclists because it is at heart a fashion accessory.


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## ir_fuel (Jan 10, 2003)

> The Monster 620 is a good bike, it makes about 60BHP and is fun to ride. However as soon as you are out of town the poor aerodynamics and 60BHP mean that above 60MPH it gathers speed. Motorcycles are supposed to accelerate.
> 
> This is why if you ask a bunch of motorcyclists what bike to buy, using their experience of having fallen into the trap of buying a "first big bike" only to resell it six months later because in reality it was about as much fun as a scooter, they will suggest something a little more powerful than you may have thought.
> 
> The Monster looks great, sounds great and is brilliant on little back roads. In the context of motorcycles in general it is similar to a Harley in that appeals to non-motorcyclists more than motorcyclists because it is at heart a fashion accessory.


Ah you mean like a TT? 

But basically i think the hp will cut it for me, as this is my first bike, and i do not wanna get myself killed on a 900cc or stronger one  ( ducati 999 anyone?  ) so for me the hp is not an issue. About the lack of aerodynamics, isnt that the case for each naked bike outthere without a windscreen? I mean, how does it compare to a Yamaha xj600N or a suzuki bandit 600 (naked) ? I think your arguments go for those aswell?
(and i never owned a scooter either  )

The thing is it is about the only naked bike i saw which i really liked from a design point of view. So therefore if you have any others i missed, please gimme some type infos and so on  (i already saw the yama/suzu/kawa bikes, the buell and the Triumph).

And any tips about mileage for a bike? What is a lot? What isnt?


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## ag (Sep 12, 2002)

I'm a bit out of touch, but you could try a Cagiva Raptor, its got a bit more go than the Duke.

As regards the TT being a fashion accessory, yes absolutely, but it is also fairly quick and when I bought mine was the fastest car available for the money apart from a Scooby.

Mileage wise, for a naked bike there are two catagories. Commutor or Poser. The former may do 5 to 8 thousand per year. The latter, including a Duke, will have done around 3000 per annum. A Duke with 20000 miles is less likely to be reliable than a Honda. They unfortunately have a reputation for falling apart.

An XJ600N is similar in performance to the Duke, however the newer breed such as Honda Hornet 600 or Yamaha Fazer 600 are extremely good. They have lots more power, brakes and reliability. They don't look or sound as good however.

I ride, very occasionally, a Kawasaki Z650 from 1981. Its performance is very similar to a Duke 600. I never use it because it is so slow and uncomfortable. It is however mega-reliable even though it has done over 70000 miles and is completely original. Except for the frame, engine, forks, shocks, seat, tank fork yokes, exhaust, rear light assembly, brakes, tyres all bearings, battery and front mudguard. Well actually the clocks, wheels, side panels and electrics are original. I *ALWAYS* regretted not buying a Z1000.


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## ir_fuel (Jan 10, 2003)

hmm yeah
that raptor does look very nice, but i guess that is because it is a ducati design copy imho 
But i like it, and indeed it has more HP.

Just did a quick check and they are much more difficult to find second hand than the duc.

Ok, this gives me 2 bikes to look out for
-duc monster 600/620 (depends on the price  )
- cagiva raptor 650 (which should have my preference as it also looks nice, and has more power)

Any other suggestions?


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## gcp (Aug 8, 2002)

Other suggestions :-

Honda Hornet 600
Suzuki SV650
BMW R850

Honda Hornet has a detuned CBR600 engine.
Cagiva Raptor has the Suzuki SV engine and a very low seat.
BMW is a bit wacky to look at but good to ride.


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## r1 (Oct 31, 2002)

Right then you're obviously not going to listen to my advice about the Triumph!! But I will say again - don't go for the Ducati. And definately don't go for the Cagiva- I saw one over the weekend (brand new in a dealers) and it was f**king ugly and the build quality was shite.

The SV is a fantastic bike and well worth a test ride. It's another twin 600 so it won't scare you


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## ir_fuel (Jan 10, 2003)

Ok

I have checked some stuff out, and i came to the following "conclusions":

Honda Hornet 600 : not my style

Suzuki SV650 : not bad, have to keep it in mind, not the nicest i've seen dough

BMW R850 : i think it is plain ugly, but that's my taste, BMW do have good bikes from a tech point of view, but this is not my cup of tea

Ducati Monster: 600 has 51hp, 620 has 60 hp (but is model 2003 and will not be easy to find in 5000-6000 euro range just yet). Very beautiful bike imho but the 600 has a lack of hp, which would require going to the 900 which is much more expensive, or cashing out for the 620 which has got "just" enough hp, but will be too expensive

Trimph Speed Triple: Nice looking, but there is sth about it which i do not like, dont know exactly what it is, but from up-front it looks a bit weird, personal taste i guess, but it is a bike with a "personality" in the looks department.

Cagiva Raptor : Still think the best choice (am gonna read up on some more reviews). Cool design (ya either like it or not, like a TT  especially with the cover over the front light giving it a real aggresive look), has a Jap engine (good for durability i guess  ), same designer as the Monster ( it shows! ) and 70 hp for about the same price as the Monster. So atm still stuck on that one  Gonna do some check-ups on forums about this bike's durability and so on. They are also quite hard to find in second-hand (can find 10 monsters for each of these).

I guess i need an italian eh? 

Joris


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## gunner (May 18, 2002)

Ever thought about a Honda Transalp?

Not exactly a naked bike, but very good fun dual purpose. Excellent at commuting, touring and the occasional off road jaunt.

Had one years ago, very popular in Europe, Honda recently bought a new model out, I think the engine is now 650 from 600 cc.


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## ir_fuel (Jan 10, 2003)

> Ever thought about a Honda Transalp?
> 
> Not exactly a naked bike, but very good fun dual purpose. Excellent at commuting, touring and the occasional off road jaunt.
> 
> Had one years ago, very popular in Europe, Honda recently bought a new model out, I think the engine is now 650 from 600 cc.


nah i really want a naked bike (or should i say a hooligan bike coz i only fancy a certain look of them  ). I m not gonna use it for commuting, just for some fun when it isnt raining, nor am i gonna use it to go on holidays


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## ag (Sep 12, 2002)

I had a mate with a Duke Monster 600. His previous bike was a Gilera NordEst. Oh yes, that was one superb machine, easy to ride, looked the business. Supermoto stylee at its best, apart from perhaps a CCM.

Big singles have loads of presence on the road, but a five year old could ride them.

A naked Suzuki SV 650 would kill a 600 Monster, and start in the morning.


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## Justhe1 (Jul 2, 2002)

Should you get a bike - Definately - Way more Bang per Buck and out & out thrills than a TT.

Don't get me wrong, I love my TT but when the suns out the bike comes straight out - then again I'm a SuperSports kinda Guy.

If I had to choose a "naked" Bike for me it would def be the Triumph Speed Triple - They just have attitude and can be personalised to good effect...

Personally I cant wait to pick get my Aprillia RSV Mille R this summer ;D

Just my 2 p worth..


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## jam (May 8, 2002)

http://www.mvagusta.com/2003mvagusta/f4brutalestrada2.html

http://www.mvagusta.com/2003mvagusta/f4brutaleORO.html

they look pretty nice, especially the oro ;D

anyone know how much these retail at?

cheers

James


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## ir_fuel (Jan 10, 2003)

> http://www.mvagusta.com/2003mvagusta/f4brutalestrada2.html
> 
> http://www.mvagusta.com/2003mvagusta/f4brutaleORO.html
> 
> ...


now that IS a nice bike !!!


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## r1 (Oct 31, 2002)

NO!!! If you're going to like an MV it's the F4 Senna thats the nuts not the Brutale.


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