MotorToad
Well-known member
FZ-1, Tuono, and my choice would be the Street Triple R.
Yes! Tupperware is expensive. Also, larger displacement bikes are usually higher cost to insure. You should check with your agent with different models so gauge for yourself.Are fully faired bikes more expensive to insure? State farm was on the fence with the FJR being a sportbike or a touring bike.
The local dealer that is so great with the Triumphs also sells Ducati and KTM. But not the KTM sportbikes. I could buy a Duc and get great service. I have to go read the new full test in Sport Rider of the Motard!Yes! Tupperware is expensive. Also, larger displacement bikes are usually higher cost to insure. You should check with your agent with different models so gauge for yourself.Are fully faired bikes more expensive to insure? State farm was on the fence with the FJR being a sportbike or a touring bike.
WeeStrom or SV650 can each be easily modified. The engines are practically bullet proof and each model has a huge following so there are many websites and plenty of aftermarket pieces available, new and used.
The same idea would apply to the FZ's. Your insurance agent would be able to compare the different sizes vs. the same year to give you a baseline quote.
Another consideration is maintenance. Though the hyper-motard or monster might be tons of fun, how much maintenance can you do on your own and what kind of dealer network is near you for parts, pieces and any support you'd need. That is the issue for Triumph , Ducati and KTM.
You said your local Triumph dealer is awesome so that's a huge plus for that motorcycle. How about if you're 500-700 miles away? Though I don't remember reading any dire warnings about sudden-terminal-self-destruction of Triumphs.
2 weekends ago I met a friend for lunch. He was riding their dealership's KTM 990 SuperDuke, piped, chipped, etc., etc. Can you spell T-R-O-U-B-L-E (it's in the dictionary under: Hooligan)?
Looks like I'll be able to give a ride report on the 650R. Cosigned for a young friend of mine... who lost his job and couldn't make payments, so it's in my garage at the house in Ohio. I'll be getting it registered next time I'm back in Cleveland. Not exactly what I would have chosen (SV 650S, FZ6 or FZ1 were on the radar) but it will have to do <_<Check out the Kawasaki 650R. It has a similar riding position to the FJR so is comfortable to ride a bit longer than the average sport bike. At low RPM it's a sweet little pussy-cat but add some throttle and it bares its teeth. I loved mine and was sorry to part with it but the dirt roads were calling. Also recommend the BMWG650GS, which I have now. It makes a great street bike but will happily go off road too.
Right now I would say the best stablemate is a second FJR and a FZ1. I bought a new one three months ago and can't bring myself to part with the old one!The talk of insurance reminded me of another gem. The '00-'02 ZX6R came back again in '05 IIRC badged as a ZZR600. It's one of the best middleweights ever, comfortable, light, but fro the era before the 600s got excessively track-prepped. Also, the ZZR is a "touring" 600 so it's cheap to insure. Before that they had the ZX-6E that was a ZZR outside America and I think was a ZZR here for a year or two before it went away. It was a mid-'90s 600 supersport but in comparison to modern 600s it's a luxury liner; a seat you can sit on and bars you can reach? Who'da thunk it! The downside is that it also handled like a luxury liner compared to new 600s... but probably a bit more nimble than the FJR.
You should have kept the Nighthawk!![]()
If you miss it that much, I am selling my '85 (blue and black). You can have it for a lot less than 5K!I bought my FJR as a replacement for a 1984 Honda Nighthawk S. I love my FJR, but it is just so much worse through the turns than the nighthawk was. I don't know if it's just plain weight, suspension, wheel size, whatever, but that little 450 pounder was a BLAST, I should not have sold it.
From this list and your budget, I would say the SV650, which as has been pointed out, there is a big following and you could probably find one that already has some good mods on it.
- SV650 - Lots of people have them, but they are pretty low on HP
- Speed Triple - Lots of HP, plus my Dad owns a Triumph and out local dealer is AWESOME
- Monster - Wife is in love with the trellis frame, easy sell for her
- Hypermotard - The hooligan in me kind of wants to ride one these, with a throaty pipe
- Other comfortable sporty bikes?
Oh yeah, something around 5k, gonna just pay cash. And I can't justify anything more on a second motorcycle.
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