SV650, XJ6, or Street Triple (good deal) - first bike

[torqueofthedevil]

I’m currently in the process of getting my licence and have been eying up Bandits, SV650’s and recently XJ6’s.

Chatting to a bloke at work, he is trading in his 16 or 66 plate Street triple with only a couple of thousand miles on, only ever riden in the dry. Wants 5k but possibly a bit less.

I wasn’t planning on spending so much on first bike but seems too good an opportunity to miss when I’ve looked at prices of similar specs online?! Should be as suitable as a first bike as any of the others??

[bgunn]

Better by all accounts. It's by far the most modern, well specced and the best bike to 'grow into'.

If you can afford to insure it, get it.

[crofty1984]

Street triple without question.

[Chicken Chaser]

torqueofthedevil said:

I’m currently in the process of getting my licence and have been eying up Bandits, SV650’s and recently XJ6’s.

Chatting to a bloke at work, he is trading in his 16 or 66 plate Street triple with only a couple of thousand miles on, only ever riden in the dry. Wants 5k but possibly a bit less.

I wasn’t planning on spending so much on first bike but seems too good an opportunity to miss when I’ve looked at prices of similar specs online?! Should be as suitable as a first bike as any of the others??

If you don't want it, I may be interested

[Jazoli]

crofty1984 said:

Street triple without question.

+1 they are great bikes and worlds away from SV650's or Diversions.

[675 Gaz]

Street triple is my 1st bike, I was also looking at bandits etc.

Glad I spent a bit more and got a bike I want to keep rather than just swap soon as got some no claims, my insurance also worked out cheaper on the street than bandit, er6, sv650 etc somehow too

[RizzoTheRat]

I'd say it's the better bike, but it depends if you want to spend that much.
Don't forget to budget enough for decent riding kit as well, especially if you're planning on riding much at this time of year on an un-fared bike

[Pravus1]

Easily the triple. If you test one and hear the airbox noise you'll buy it

The sv650 is probably the most fun out of the rest of the bunch.

[wilbo83]

If you can afford the street triple, including insurance, then get that without hesitation. That's coming from an XJ6N owner too, they were slightly out of my budget at the time but if I was buying my first bike again, it's what I would be looking at.

[Birky_41]

Jazoli said:

crofty1984 said:

Street triple without question.

+1 they are great bikes and worlds away from SV650's or Diversions.

This

My first bike was an SV650s - great at 17 but even I was bored in 6 months. Couldnt own one now although a great bike you mentioned the Trumpy and thats just in another league

The Divi is just boring. I had one as a winter project last year to clean up and sell. I rode it and just thought 'sod that'

[Pravus1]

The XJ6 is the only bike I have actively disliked. The engine is dull, the gearbox hateful and the quality pretty shoddy.

Just don't get that. A hornet is much more comparable to the triple in a cheaper way

[Harji]

Why not a Kawasaki ER6F/ Ninja 650? I have the ER6F, i's my first bike and really easy to ride and has a bit of oomph and good low down torque.

[Gavia]

Would anybody post a “Which car?” thread where the three cars were a Focus 1.6LX, a Fiesta 1.2L or a Golf R?

That’s about the comparison here with the three bikes selected. Just because the bikes share a similar engine size doesn’t mean they’re natural competitors. The bikes are all designed with different purposes and riders in mind.

[Jazoli]

Gavia said:

Would anybody post a “Which car?” thread where the three cars were a Focus 1.6LX, a Fiesta 1.2L or a Golf R?

That’s about the comparison here with the three bikes selected. Just because the bikes share a similar engine size doesn’t mean they’re natural competitors. The bikes are all designed with different purposes and riders in mind.

Because for most people who may not have years of experience they are broadly comparable bikes, similar price, similar capacity and all touted as great for new bikers, it's just the 675 Triumph is so far ahead of all the others.

[tjlazer]

Buy the street triple, it’s such a good bike. My first ‘big bike’ and it still makes me smile every time (well slightly less in this weather). Great machines and very difficult to replace.

[Gavia]

Jazoli said:

Because for most people who may not have years of experience they are broadly comparable bikes, similar price, similar capacity and all touted as great for new bikers, it's just the 675 Triumph is so far ahead of all the others.

My point wasn’t to slate the 675, quite the opposite, it was more to highlight how different these bikes are to each other and not direct comparisons. I’d take the 675 over any of the others too, but I’d also take the Golf R out of the cars amd nobody would say those cars are direct comparisons.

[Jazoli]

Gavia said:

My point wasn’t to slate the 675, quite the opposite, it was more to highlight how different these bikes are to each other and not direct comparisons. I’d take the 675 over any of the others too, but I’d also take the Golf R out of the cars amd nobody would say those cars are direct comparisons.

I know what you were saying, but someone who is new to bikes will see them as comparable.

Harji said:

Why not a Kawasaki ER6F/ Ninja 650? I have the ER6F, i's my first bike and really easy to ride and has a bit of oomph and good low down torque.

Compared to a Street Triple? not a chance, I have owned both this year (well a Versys but its the same bike as an ER6) and there is no comparison, one is a built to a budget street bike and the other is a Daytona with mandlebars, they really are chalk and cheese.

(the Versy's was/is a great bike taken in isolation but its 30bhp down on the Triumph with a cheap dash and shocking brakes)

[mgv8]

My time on an XJ6 was good. Nothing outstanding but just did what you needed it to. At the end of the day, that is all you need for a first bike. Start ride and have fun. After that, you can move towards the bike of your dreams.

[Harji]

Jazoli said:

Gavia said:

My point wasn’t to slate the 675, quite the opposite, it was more to highlight how different these bikes are to each other and not direct comparisons. I’d take the 675 over any of the others too, but I’d also take the Golf R out of the cars amd nobody would say those cars are direct comparisons.

I know what you were saying, but someone who is new to bikes will see them as comparable.

Harji said:

Why not a Kawasaki ER6F/ Ninja 650? I have the ER6F, i's my first bike and really easy to ride and has a bit of oomph and good low down torque.

Compared to a Street Triple? not a chance, I have owned both this year (well a Versys but its the same bike as an ER6) and there is no comparison, one is a built to a budget street bike and the other is a Daytona with mandlebars, they really are chalk and cheese.

(the Versy's was/is a great bike taken in isolation but its 30bhp down on the Triumph with a cheap dash and shocking brakes)

but for a beginner, with the insurance of a beginners, and price of bike, and the fact its quite good, that's why i added it to the mix.

[Chicken Chaser]

Another thing to be aware of on the Street Triple, your garage may or may not like servicing it. The locals around here wont touch them, so I need to take it to the dealer which is 40 miles away. Dealer costs are definitely higher than Indy's.

The SV was a good bike with a good engine, but poor brakes. I thought my Versys was another good engine, not quite as characterful as the SV though although I loved the riding position and the brakes were a bit better. The Street Triple R I had was the fastest, had the best brakes and was a beautiful bike but for riding around on Dales/Moors roads, it was fking awful as the suspension was too firm. I probably should have gone for a non-R model in hindsight. I may buy another non-R model again soon.