Fazer 600? Bandit S600 Or Vfr800?

[lordturns]

Does anyone ride any of these bikes? I have heard lots of good things about all of the above - I don't really want an out and out sports bike, something comfy 'sit up and beg style' is more me (after all I do drive an LS400) with 'enough' power and forgiving handling, i.e.- easy to ride....any more suggestions?

[Fishboy]

600 or larger versions of the Fazer or Bandit?

I've owned both 600 and 1000 Fazers and had a 1250 Bandit never had a VFR but rode a friends, nice bike.

Bandit - best engine, so much torque and so smooth, finish a bit poor but that's Suzuki.

Fazer 600 95 bhp 1999 version, absolute hoot so easy to ride but budget suspension soons gets tired and engine finish not great

2003 Fazer 1000, revvy, smooth and bloody fast I wish I'd never sold it so that's where my money would go. Try FOCU website (it's not rude).

[Fishboy]

Sorry should have read the title properly, VFR pre VTec then.

[ManicMark]

Hi VfR 800 or a 600/900 hornet (to throw another one in the mix. You wont go wrong with a VFR800 though superb build quality silk smooth V4, they tour, scratch are comfy & reliable also good on the juice.

[lordturns]

Thanks for the replies - I'd be looking at the VFR from 2005 onwards, so I am assuming that is the VTEC version? and also Fazer from around the same date. A friend of mine owned a Fazer 600 and said it was a brilliant bike, although he ended up trashing it!

A friend of mine - his dad owns an old 'Thunderace' sports bike dating from around the mid-late nineties and he mentioned something about the 'Thundercat' being a decent buy if you can find a good one, although I imagine as these bikes are fairly old I'd most likely rule them out in terms of everyday reliability and the ease of buying parts etc. Plus as they are sports machines?, I'd more than likely rule them out.

What make is the Hornet Mark?

Cheers!

[ManicMark]

Thanks for the replies - I'd be looking at the VFR from 2005 onwards, so I am assuming that is the VTEC version? and also Fazer from around the same date. A friend of mine owned a Fazer 600 and said it was a brilliant bike, although he ended up trashing it!

A friend of mine - his dad owns an old 'Thunderace' sports bike dating from around the mid-late nineties and he mentioned something about the 'Thundercat' being a decent buy if you can find a good one, although I imagine as these bikes are fairly old I'd most likely rule them out in terms of everyday reliability and the ease of buying parts etc. Plus as they are sports machines?, I'd more than likely rule them out.

What make is the Hornet Mark?

Cheers!

Hi the Hornet is Honda.The vtec vfr 800 is very comfy easy to ride handles well & goes like stink if you wind it up. The thunderace was a good bike the R1 took over from it. If you are looking at bigger cc bikes a honda blackbird or a kawasaki ZZR 1200 (brutal fast mind) I sold my zzr1200 before I lost my licence on it & went for a old honda cbr 600 to replace it, Plenty fast enough for me & it just took me on a 2800 mile trip to Spain & south of France & back no problems.

[lordturns]

Mark - had a look at a few Hornets on fleabay, the later model years 2005 onwards and they do look comfy but many of them do not have much protection from the wind being quite 'naked'...definitely a bike for me to consider though despite this.

I would not go for an out and out sports bike as I am planning to do a trip across the continent with a friend of mine and so comfort is top of the list and I may even use the bike as a daily commuter apart from when the weather is nasty.

[Fishboy]

Just to add another potential to the mix have a look at the Triumph Sprints. The 955's are a real bargain, very capable bikes and the newer 1050 is a belter, I'd forgotten I had one of those as well.

[lordturns]

Just to add another potential to the mix have a look at the Triumph Sprints. The 955's are a real bargain, very capable bikes and the newer 1050 is a belter, I'd forgotten I had one of those as well.

Thanks for the suggestions - I have also discovered one more in the shape of the Suzuki SV650. I like Triumph bikes and they always get a really good review in the Telegraph motoring plus many are saying they are simply outselling the competition both Japanese and BMW.

I sat on a brand new scrambler a year ago - loved the retro style and I bet it makes a nice noise too.

[Fishboy]

Have you made a purchase yet ?

[lordturns]

Not yet - I sat on a Suzuki SV650, liked the bike although the riding position was not that comfortable, also Honda Hornet - liked the bike but no wind protection at all and lastly a Fazer which I liked the most in terms of comfort although it was a 1000! a little too much.

[nelmo]

If you like the SV650, have a look at a V-Strom 650. Same engine but half-fairing, more upright riding position and basically very comfortable and superb as a tourer.

I've got an old 2006 model (I've had it from new) with 94k miles on it (I commute 90 miles every day to work) - had no problems with it in that time, so reliability is excellent. An updated model came out in 2011 or so and is supposed to be even better.

Cheap to buy, insure and run, reasonable performance, 60mpg - highly recommended

If you want more performance, a 1000cc model is due out in February...

[lordturns]

Thanks for the suggestion Neil,

Quite like the look of the V Strom and a friend of mine has recently bought one - I will go and try it out for comfort....had a look on eBay and there are plenty around. Choices, choices....

[ManicMark]

Thanks for the suggestion Neil,

Quite like the look of the V Strom and a friend of mine has recently bought one - I will go and try it out for comfort....had a look on ebay and there are plenty around. Choices, choices....

I would urge you into trying a vfr800 vtec before you make your purchase, I think it would be the best bike for your requirements.

PS I used to be a motorcycle dealer when I lived in Germany so have ridden a very wide variety of bikes. If it was my money the vfr800 would be my choice a perfect all rounder, with a superb build quality & a lovely engine.

[lordturns]

Mark, I really like the VFR and agree that it should be a strong contender - not been able to sit on one yet....are you now a bike dealer over here by any chance?

[nelmo]

The VFR is a great bike by all accounts BUT:

1. You sound like you're new to bikes - a 150mph sports bike is probably not the best choice IMO. It's also more expensive to buy, insure and run than the other suggestions so far.

2. The VFR has some very hi-tech valves (that's what VTEC is about) which require a very expensive service (I've heard rumours of £500 for the valves alone at various service intervals? But only rumours - could be b*ll*x ).

3. My mate recently had to sell his BMW twin (similar to the V-Strom) and swapped to a 4-cylinder bike and he hates it. Problem with most 4-cylinder bikes is that they produce most of their power high up the rev band (>6k revs), so you have to rev hard to get the real power. The VFR, I'm told, is even worse because the VTEC system only kicks in at about 6k revs - before that, you're trundling along on half the number of valves. A twin generates peak power much lower down, which means a much more relaxing ride.

As always, a lot of it is money - if you can happily afford the costs of the VFR, it would be a great buy but the V-Strom will do 95% of what the VFR does for 50% of the cash.

...and, no, I'm not a Suzuki dealer

[lordturns]

Hi Neil,

thanks for the advice and yes I am fairly new to motorbiking....the key hook for me with a machine is that I have a cross Europe trip planned to see the Pyrenees and the Alps, so it has to be capable of doing this being comfortable and without any drama. Plus now and then I will use it on the odd commute when the weather is decent....weekend trips etc.

[ManicMark]

Mark, I really like the VFR and agree that it should be a strong contender - not been able to sit on one yet....are you now a bike dealer over here by any chance?

No I'm a truck driving instructor amongst other things.

I ride an old honda cbr600 myself now which I find comfy enough & fast enough. Done a 2 week 2800 mile trip on it this summer (Pyrenees & Alps) & it didn't miss a beat not bad for an £800 hack. Having been a motorcycle dealer I am a big honda fan as they are the most reliable in my opinion.

Neil is right about the vtec vfr 800 needing to be revd to make it fly, which makes it a really nice smooth docile ride before the vtec kicks in so makes it a really nice all round bike & easy to ride. I have owned personally about 120 bikes scince I was 16 & a Honda vfr750 was the one I owned the longest as It was just a joy to ride & own as it did everything well.

Your best bet is to try a few of the suggestions out & see what you get on with best.

[lordturns]

What do you guys think of the BMW F650 CS and GS? are these any good?

[nelmo]

I had a 650 GS in 2000 - a good bike. It's only a single cylinder which makes it sound a bit like a tractor but thats actually what attracted me to it. Comfortable and economical if not very exciting - I changed because I wanted a bit more oomph.

But a good choice for a newish biker.

[ManicMark]

My last but one bike was an BMW 1150 gs I loved the handling & the lord it riding position but the seat was the most uncomftable thing I have ever sat on 1 .5 hours & you want to get off also the finish & build quality was shocking. If you are thinking on them lines a Honda transalp may be a better alternative.

[snitcher]

glad to find users who are fond of motorbikes as well. :D