What's the score with the humble ST2. Worth a punt or a load of crap. Other than cambelts, any other issues need considering? Looking for a suitable candidate to replace the Sprint RS. -- Dan L Too much time to think, too little to do. http://thebikeshed.spaces.live.com/ 2002 Triumph Sprint RS 955i (It's big, and it's black) 1996 Kawasaki ZR1100 Zephyr (Gone, but not forgotten) BOTAFOT #140 (KotL 2005/6/7/8) X-FOT#000 DIAABTCOD #26 BOMB#18 (slow) OMF#11
ST2 is essentially a 900SS aircooled lump with water jacket. Frame is similar, too, but with more 'touring' riding position. Not hugely powerful, you may find it seriously lacking in comparison with your Sprint - but more comfortable. Depending on what you want to spend, you may be better looking at an ST3 - more power and comes with the facelift body and electrics. Cambelts are, ISTR, every 12k miles or 2 years. Not expensive to do, but a good bargaining point. My local-ish specialist checks the valve clearances with a compression gauge and his hearing - reckons he doesn't often have to do them. Once you've had a Ducati, you'll find it hard to go back to something more mainstream....
Well, I can't comment on later stuff, having never ridden any of the 916 developments. However, what I like about mine: Induction and exhaust noise. Like nothing else. Hard to explain what it sounds like, but I've never heard anything like it before or since. Styling. Something is so 'right' about the Supersport and 851 / 888s. Fit / finish and attention to detail is pretty damned good. Even after owning a Honda. Mine's 14 years old but still has that really deep, glossy paint finish. The rest hasn't really suffered, either. Riding position. It's kind of cafe-racer. But with a fairing. It's like riding something from a completely different era - which, of course, it is in many ways. But I do like the agricultural simplicity of it, all be it combined with some fairly modern stuff - like USD forks and desmo valves. Never ridden one, but I suspect I'd love them. Kind of a blend of Ducati and airhead BMW.
ST4S. ST4s are a tad temperamental. On the other hand, maintenance costs on an ST4S are significantly higher than those of the ST2 and ST3.
That sounds a lot the way I imagine gays would feel after their first homosexual act[1][2]. Good thing I'm not desmophobic. [1] Homosexual sex act? Homo-sexual^2 act? You get the point I suppose. [2] The obvious difference being that gays don't feel compelled to let the entire world know what they've just done. Geo
Yeah, I was torn between 'high tech' and 'modern' - going for 'modern', as you can't really call USD forks 'high tech'. Not sure if desmo valves are, either, to be honest. But they sound special, anyway. The other thing I forgot is the brakes. Very, very good whilst being completely conventional. It's all quality components - can't remember who does the suspension, but it's 'branded' and the brakes are all Brembo.
Marzocchi forks and Showa rear shock. I think it's a 'keeper' for me, anyway. And it's all TOG's fault for letting me HAGM on his in France several years ago. Rode it to a meeting just for the hell of it the other day - not done that on a bike for a long time. My colleagues loved it. Might take the BMW tomorrow.
I just haven't really bonded with the Sprint. It's okay, but a bit boring. It doesn't grab me like the old Zephyr did, it's just not really me, IYSWIM. -- Dan L Too much time to think, too little to do. http://thebikeshed.spaces.live.com/ 2002 Triumph Sprint RS 955i (It's big, and it's black) 1996 Kawasaki ZR1100 Zephyr (Gone, but not forgotten) BOTAFOT #140 (KotL 2005/6/7/8) X-FOT#000 DIAABTCOD #26 BOMB#18 (slow) OMF#11
They never mentioned that, the bastards. The other italian twin that's currently on my radar is a V11 Guzzi, I really need to HAGM on one. -- Dan L Too much time to think, too little to do. http://thebikeshed.spaces.live.com/ 2002 Triumph Sprint RS 955i (It's big, and it's black) 1996 Kawasaki ZR1100 Zephyr (Gone, but not forgotten) BOTAFOT #140 (KotL 2005/6/7/8) X-FOT#000 DIAABTCOD #26 BOMB#18 (slow) OMF#11
Aren't Showa the major supplier of suspension for both Honda cars and bikes? - ISTR something like 3/4 of their prodution goes to Honda.
Not everyone, & Honda do use Showa. Well the current best superbike (according to the Masterbike test) has Marzocchi forks, as does a certain 750 superbike that got within 0.4 seconds of a factory R7 around Brands - with the R7 on slicks. Marzocchi are capable of making trick forks just as well as the next man. That doesn't mean the ones on the Duke are all that, of course. Again, the best superbike & the R7 beater both have a Sachs shock, & the off-the-shelf Ohlins stuff isn't as special as people make out (hence the reason it's several orders of magnitude cheaper than the factory kit, which is a whole different story). -- Krusty '03 Tiger 955i '02 MV Senna (for sale) '96 Tiger (for sale) '79 Fantic Hiro 250 (for sale) '81 Corvette (for sale)
I know not, but I wouldn't be at all surprised, given how many years they've spent working very closely together on the the 2-wheel drive front ends. -- Krusty '03 Tiger 955i '02 MV Senna (for sale) '96 Tiger (for sale) '79 Fantic Hiro 250 (for sale) '81 Corvette (for sale)
Hmmm, a quick google says that Yamaha were the majority shareholder - hence it being fitted as OEM to almost every Yamaha in the last 20 years (this is the bit I remembered) - but I didn't realise that Ohlins had bought back most of their share of the company a couple of years ago.
I liked the look of the Breva when it first came out, but it doesn't ring my bell these days. The Griso does, but it's a bit over what I want to pay -- Dan L Too much time to think, too little to do. http://thebikeshed.spaces.live.com/ 2002 Triumph Sprint RS 955i (It's big, and it's black) 1996 Kawasaki ZR1100 Zephyr (Gone, but not forgotten) BOTAFOT #140 (KotL 2005/6/7/8) X-FOT#000 DIAABTCOD #26 BOMB#18 (slow) OMF#11
I agree. It's nearer 1700 isn't it (ICBA to check). Either way, had it really grabbed me the mileage would have been a lot more. -- Dan L Too much time to think, too little to do. http://thebikeshed.spaces.live.com/ 2002 Triumph Sprint RS 955i (It's big, and it's black) 1996 Kawasaki ZR1100 Zephyr (Gone, but not forgotten) BOTAFOT #140 (KotL 2005/6/7/8) X-FOT#000 DIAABTCOD #26 BOMB#18 (slow) OMF#11
