FWO?

I think he's saying he filters like a poof and wants a water cooled bike
with a fan so his bike doesn't overheat whilst sitting in traffic with
cars.

 

No I didn't say clutch wear was bad, 50K with no clutch change seems to put
the lie to that. As to what it was designed to do I really don't know
although I suspect stop start commuting wasn't it.

I'll grant you that, although it was the most comfortable bike I've owned
(out of a fairly small sample I'll grant)

Reputation innit.

--
Malc

Rusted and ropy.
Dog-eared old copy.
Vintage and classic,
or just plain Jurassic:
all words to describe me.

 

So why not ride a bike which was designed as a commuter.
A grand should buy you a low mileage GS500 in almost mint condition but
the faired GS500F may be a tad more expensive.
Other good commuter bikes are available.

 

Cheap because no-one likes them, for obvious reasons

Post corrected, no need to thank me.

 

one of those heaps of shit would be horrible, especially on the 30 mile
stretch along the M5

 

Why ?.
They are capable of cruising well in excess of the NSL and handle nicely.
For a 40 mile daily commute good fuel economy and reliability trumps
sporty every time. Keep the shiney superbike in the garage for weekend
fun.

 

I had a new one, showing just 1200 miles, as a loan bike from a dealer. I
rode it from Newport to Ross on Wye & back. 60 miles of dual carriageway
and 10 miles of A road. It was horrible. Uncomfortable, noisy, gutless. I
can't see they get any better with age. As Lozzo says, in the same category
there are better bikes. Even Kawasaki's horrid ER5 is a better bike. The
Honda CB500 is in a different league and an SV650 is a wet dream in
comparison.

 

@auvache.force9.co.uk:

I've always thought Lozzo doth protest too much.

 

They look tatty but seem to carry on regardless. BGN tried several times to
destroy his but it was resurrected by dealers or a subsequent owner with
more TLC.

I'm guessing, but I suspect a lot of the used ones on the market down your
way are ex-courier or riding school bikes.

 

According to a satnav in the tankbag mine pulls well up to about 100
then takes around a mile to creep up to 115. The secret is to use
5th gear for speed, 6th is an economy overdrive for bimbling between
50 and 100 with a lack of acceleration.
In reality anything over about 85 puts a strain on my neck muscles
so I seldom go above this for long.
In my experience commuting the M5 from Clevedon to Taunton it was
more than adequate to the task and certainly not noisy or
uncomfortable.

Most of the bad stories come from the large number of restricted
ones on the market, if buying take it for a test ride and open
it up in 5th. If it runs out of puff at around 95 it is restricted.
The "official" restriction kit from around 2000 onwards uses
modified carb slides which are expensive to replace. There is
no easy way of telling if you have the carb slides until you remove
the carbs and find that there are no aftermarket washers.

 

It's a lot easier to just avoid the gutless, underbraked, outdated and
heavy pieces of shite in the first place and buy something else...
anything else in fact.

 

I did Thornbury-Gloucester for 5 years on a Kawasaki Drifter.

 

Less than that.

 

Heh! Even I can keep the BMW moving in traffic.

--
Malc

Rusted and ropy.
Dog-eared old copy.
Vintage and classic,
or just plain Jurassic:
all words to describe me.

 

Yes but even I have standards.

--
Malc

Rusted and ropy.
Dog-eared old copy.
Vintage and classic,
or just plain Jurassic:
all words to describe me.

 

I bought an immaculate one last year for £600. Might have been £700. 11k
miles and as clean as.

 

Yebbut that was a lucky bargain.
When I went to buy some chainlube in december the dealer spotted mine
outside the shop and offered to wheel it into the showroom, put 1000
cash in my hand and give me a lift home. Nice blue ones with only 4k miles
are a bit scarce and I suspect that he had a buyer lined up.

Maybe I should have said yes but where would I find another bike as
as good for that money.

 

@text.news.virginmedia.com:

your specialness is well documented

 

a Hongdou dealer

 

are you interested in a Yam FZR600?

There is one on UKGSer in Nottingham, £850, 55k, 5 months MOT, 1992
http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2208165#post2208165
(although you may not be able to see it, can't remember whether you have to
be a subscriber to *view* for sale threads)