Which sports/tourer? Japanese/European motorcycles

[Pete 75C]

A recently upoaded photo of a forum member's (now classic) Jap sportsbike got me thinking...

Pete75C is rapidly approaching 50 and has been battling a debilitating illness for quite some time. I'm not sure of the correct medical term, but colloquially I believe it's known as "Mid life crisis". The sufferer wakes during the night reliving all the mistakes he's made and wondering what would have happened if his life had taken a slightly different path...

My daughter suggests a cure could be to get a piercing, but I'm not keen on account of being a wimp. Another tattoo crossed my mind, but my wife says she'd divorce me. Despite the obvious upsides to that, I'd really rather not lose the house and live in a box.

And then, BINGO! Pete needs to get himself back on two wheels, if only for the occasional summer weekend ride-out.

I passed my test back in 1993 and then went straight from a Yamaha RD125LC to the (then) new watercooled Suzuki GSXR750WN. A long love affair with all things "Suzuki" then blossomed. The gearchange in particular was a delight. "Hot knife through soft butter" doesn't even come close.

Having put about 100,000 biking miles under my belt, the last machine was a Suzuki TL1000R. Leathers etc then went into a cupboard never to be seen again.

Now, I know that a "chin down, @rse up" riding position would not be a sensible idea due to my advanced age, so that rules out anything modern and sporty. That, and the fact that I don't like the looks of anything modern and sporty. No disrespect to those that like Harleys/cruisers, but I just never have liked them, so that's a "no" too. Narrowing down my choices brings me back to Jap sportsbikes from an earlier era, and top of my list is Kawasaki's ground-breaking GPZ900R "Ninja" from 1984. I was 17 then, and remember wanting one so badly, it hurt.

Money's not an issue here, I could stretch to a fully restored 1984 A1 model in showroom condition. What is an issue is the worry that I may have overlooked other bikes from a similar era.

I know a lot of you have experience of Jap bikes from the 80s and 90s, so any recommendations for bikes I may not have thought of are more than welcome. Any tips from GPZ owners welcome too.

 

To those that aren't familiar with the GPZ, here's one I drooled over earlier...

 

 

Edited June 29, 2017 by Pete 75C

[Enterprisingwestern]

Good god man, get a grip.

That's good train set money going down the tubes.

Cyclists, scooterists and bikers are all in the mobile organ donor group, in the last month we've lost quite a few, mostly on the N332, which is the main through guess where?

 

Mike.

[Guest]

Good god man, get a grip.

 

"Getting a grip" is not the obvious solution to a mid life crisis, Mike. If I don't do this, it will have to be paragliding, swimming with sharks or fire-eating... Running a DCC consist of several 2EPBs whilst blindfolded and eating a donut doesn't really have the "edge" that I'm looking for.

Edited June 22, 2017 by Pete 75C

[Horsetan]

See if you can find a Suzuki RE-5....

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

"Getting a grip" is not the obvious solution to a mid life crisis, Mike. If I don't do this, it will have to be paragliding, swimming with sharks or fire-eating... Running a DCC consist of several 2EPBs whilst blindfolded and eating a donut doesn't really have the "edge" that I'm looking for.

 By strange coincidence I spent all day yesterday in an ambulance, and the crew were very informative in this matter.

 

The problem with the mid-lifer's motorcycle is that the thrillseeker's activity typically ends up also impacting the life of others, which is rather selfish. Chainsaws have all the edge you could possibly want, and do the job both more cheaply and with no one else involved.

[chriswright03]

From a much older (63) point of view and from one who rides fairly regularly the last ride 200 miles last week to the North Norfolk Railway I would say as much as anything it depends on what you want to do with the bike.  Ride it, look at it, use as an investment or what?

 

Anything of that age done properly will be expensive but then you say money isn't an issue so leaving that aside for the moment.  Having ridden bikes from the 70's and 80's I can say whilst fun at the time and no doubt they were they would not be as much fun to ride as a modern bike.  Handling, comfort and reliability 'should' be far better now than it was then.  Note the use of the word should!

 

Some time ago I bought a Triumph Tiger Explorer whihc replaced a Triumph Sprint and Honda VFR800 before that.  I find at my age the riding position (sit up and beg) suits my bones far better and quite long rides can be enjoyed without too much discomfort.  I doubt very much that would be the same on my old Honda CB750 or Suzuki GS850 of old even if they were lovingly restored.

 

If you are only going to be riding short distances occasionally then none of that will matter very much but who knows once you reignite the two wheel bug you may well find yourself wanting to ride further and more frequently.  That being the case it may be an idea to test ride some modern stuff to see how that fits in with your plans.

 

A number of the riders I know have second bikes (some more than that) and last year I decided I should as well.  So I bought a very nice Triumph Daytona of 2006 vintage and whilst it was a very accomplished machine and great to look at (apart from a bazooka as an exhaust) it just wasn't me and it soon had to go.  I just found myself riding it and thinking why haven't I brought the Tiger out.

 

As much as I am a fan of the bike I ride I am not a fan of all of the modern bikes and find them fairly bland.  So I understand the desire for something from years gone by and will offer my  choices.

 

Honda CB900 of whichever version you want

Honda CBX1000 monster of a thing and very collectable these days but that engine!

If you want to go a little more up to date then Honda Blackbird or if you like your Kawasaki then try the original ZX10 both massive Sports tourers and very capable in their day and still up there today if mile crunching is your thing.

 

Might have know Ivan would pick something rotary.

 

Other thing to consider is refurbished by who and to what standard?

 

Hope you find something and let us know if you do.  Motorcycling is no more dangerous done properly than anything else.  Like most other things done improperly is a different matter.  There are no dangerous motorbikes or dangerous roads.

[Guest]

Pete, it's not a dilemma, it's a done deal.

 

You're right, the bike is a "done deal". The dilemma is "which one?"...

[Guest]

The problem with the mid-lifer's motorcycle is that the thrillseeker's activity typically ends up also impacting the life of others, which is rather selfish. Chainsaws have all the edge you could possibly want, and do the job both more cheaply and with no one else involved.

 

I shall take the unselfish option of slicing myself into pieces with a chainsaw under advisement, I think...

[Guest]

See if you can find a Suzuki RE-5....

 

I'm not in the mood for a Wankel. If I was after a rotary, it'd have to be a Norton F1, sporty but home-grown and rather prone to not working properly.

[Zomboid]

Never meet your heroes. It might have been cutting edge in 1984, but that was 33 years ago... Even a restored one now will only be a good choice if you want to spend longer fixing it than riding it (and nothing wrong with that if you do). If you just want to ride then something modern would probably be the better idea.

 

I'm no biker, but I like the Ducatti scrambler.

[BlackRat]

Go for it........an amazing array of bikes to chose from to.

 

My R1200RT is phenomenal.....superb handling, will cruise 2 up all day at 110 and 135mph plus isn't an issue.

 

Superb handling, rock steady, comfortable and great styling.

 

And it used to be thought R's were for old men.........lol

 

Mind you he heated seat and grips held us old fogeys........

 

Interesting comment from the medics.......never heard such tosh in my professional experience to be honest.

 

But then I only did 20 years Roads Policing and 5 years as a Collision Investigator so I'm not that experienced and bow to their greater knowledge.

 

I also have a chainsaw and a penchant to try juggling with it.

Edited June 22, 2017 by BlackRat

[chris p bacon]

Get an old Yamaha DT 500 and put a 100+T rear sprocket on it,  It's not fast, but boy think about how you get there.

 

 

I did think much the same way a few years ago, I passed my test at 17 and did 150,000+ miles over many years using an assortment of bikes to commute to work as well as weekend fun. I looked at getting something for the joy of riding but found that other motorists attitude to 2 wheels put me off. 

[alfsboy]

Only a Harley can answer a mid life crisis.All you need is ten grand ,a huge gut ,balding lank grey hair and and  a leather jacket with outlaw emblazoned on the back .

[chriswright03]

I agree with everything my Brother Blackrat has to say EXCEPT the bit about a BMW!

 

BMW are not for me but then I didn't ride them in the Police they gave me the ZX10!

 

Still if you did get a BMW even a modern RT you have a bit of both worlds one part from the current day and an engine from the 1930's.

[Enterprisingwestern]

 other motorists attitude to 2 wheels put me off. 

 

That is the problem in Spain, hence the attrition rate.

 

Mike.

[Joseph_Pestell]

I don't know much about bikes. But a neighbour's son, now in his late 40s, has just bought a beautiful looking Triumph. Retro but in a very modern way. Apparently quite comfortable for the 150 miles from Hertfordshire to here.

[The Blue Streak]

As the person partly responsible for this dilemma (by posting said picture) I feel it is my duty to throw my 5 cents in.

 

The big Kwaka would have pro's and con's.

Pro's - still looks good now

         - Big long wheel base, so nicely planted and not as twitchy as some.

         - Plenty of nice Linear Grunt without being Peaky or intimidating.

         - Bullet proof bottom end

        

Cons - Liquid cooled so age might mean corrosion unless it has had proper coolant in all it's life.

         - gearbox that's not quite "knife through butter" but more "wooden spoon in a bucket of gravel" although also immensely strong.

 

As for the arguments regarding it being a dangerous pastime, I think age and experience will be your friend and at least give you a fighting chance.

 

Also I must say that my Brother rode for decades. But gave bikes away it his mid 40's when his kid's were born, only to die in his sleep of an aneurysm less than a year later.

Since then my motto is if you want to do it, just go for it.

 

If I am completely honest, I must say that digging that picture up and posting it has got me thinking about another old Kwaka as well, as much as I like my Yamaha Twin.

 

Finally if a 900 Kwaka was good enough for Maverick. Then that's a good an endorsement as one would need surely 

Edited June 22, 2017 by The Blue Streak

[Guest]

BlackRat's mention of BMWs jogged my memory. I hired a K75S years ago for a weekend away to Donington when I was inbetween bikes. Fast, smooth, comfortable, just perhaps a bit soul-less. A contender, maybe, although certainly not the Jap bike I had in mind.

[The Blue Streak]

Just running through the list of other Jap bikes from the 80's.

 

GS and GSX 750 and 1000 (If you like them naked)

Katana (mortgage the house for a good one)

FJ 750 / 900 (ugly but great if you hate servicing chains)

CB900 Bol d'or (Yum)

VF750 (surely they've all had new cams by now !)

 

The choice is obvious and not just in black and red -

 

 

 

[chriswright03]

Yeah but a K isn't a Boxer engine!   Having had to ride the very small very thrashed by every Police rider and his dog R45 on my standard Police course I hate them with a vengeance. Having said that the K100 was far better when I used it for a day.  The Norton Rotary I had another day was dire!

 

I hope the thread continues along the lines of what bike would be best suited for you rather than a hackneyed discussion about the dangers of motorcycling.

[BlackRat]

One thing to remember.......if you go old (er) you can tinker and fix.

 

Anything new (ish) well........there's not a lot you can do without the diagnostic magic trickery machinery.

 

BUT...........like last night, you can't beat going into the garage and smelling that beautiful bike smell that you just don't get with a car.

 

Hearing the noises of the bike gently cooling down, going over and running a hand over the saddle and fairing and being at one with it.....

 

I think I've finally lost the plot.

 

Now, where's me chainsaw......

[BlackRat]

I had 3 CB900f2 Bol D'Ors and actively looking for another just because I can.

 

Fantastic machines.

 

The modern R's may be based on an old design, but you can't really improve on perfection.

 

Up to date fuel injection and engine management make it smooth, torquey and powerful, a world apart from MY K1100 tractor!

 

Chris.......nice to hear from you bud! Retirement is soooooooooo good!!!!!

[Guest]

BUT...........like last night, you can't beat going into the garage and smelling that beautiful bike smell that you just don't get with a car.

 

Hearing the noises of the bike gently cooling down, going over and running a hand over the saddle and fairing and being at one with it.....

 

Briefly, in my late 20s, I moved back in with my parents and was commuting 60-odd miles a day on a Suzuki GSXR750. My mum could never understand why, when I got home from work, I would stay in the garage for about 15 minutes. "It's so I can sit by the bike and listen to the ticking noises the engine makes as it cools down". She shook her head and never really understood...

Glad it's not just me.

 

 

I hope the thread continues along the lines of what bike would be best suited for you rather than a hackneyed discussion about the dangers of motorcycling.

 

Amen to that.

[duncan]

looks sooo uncomfortable

[The Blue Streak]

Briefly, in my late 20s, I moved back in with my parents and was commuting 60-odd miles a day on a Suzuki GSXR750.

 

Was that one of the early slabsided ones ?

I was about 18 when the first Gixers came out. They were an absolute game changer at the time.in '85, I think those earliest ones were still among the lightest of the breed, that seem to have got fatter and heavier over the following years.

I had a mate who bought one in '86 and it was like in a different league.

 

I'm not sure my back would cope with one nowadays