New bike advice please - 10k budget

[ILAFB]

Unfortunately at the start of the year I managed to bin my GSXR750 after 1 day due to being an idiot with the throttle while down an icy country lane. Fortunately I only hurt myself and wrote off the bike, but I was actually very grateful for the experience; which I know sounds very strange.

Any who, I'm looking to return to riding again, but not on a sports bike as the damn thing was so uncomfortable and far too powerful to enjoy. I actually preferred the comfort and ability to ride the nuts off my CBF600S!

I was ideally looking for a bike that I could do some 'touring' on across the UK as well as geen laning. One essential thing I'm after is cruise control because I'm a lazy bugger lol. I'm thinking a middleweight adventure bike for the task but I'm not really sure what is best to go get a test ride on. I like the look of the triumph tiger, bmw gs850, and honda africa twin. Budget is 10k max, but that will likely include kit and insurance.

Speed isn't important as I can't afford to lose my licence as I'll lose my job in the process! The bike will just be for fun on weekends; no work commuting involved.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[nordboy]

Something like a MT07 or MT09 Tracer would probably be a good fit for what you want?

[Jazoli]

Tracer 700 for 8k then 2k for kit and luggage and music/comms

Or a Niken for 9k that has cruise!

All the bikes you mention are really too big for green laning, what about a Tenere 700?

[KTMsm]

Ask the local guys what they use for green laning - around here in Warwickshire they are generally wet and muddy so any middleweight bike will really struggle, a 690 / 701 is as big as most would go although there are a couple of experienced guys with 790R Adventures

If your area has gravel tracks, fair enough

Even I fell for the allure of a KTM 990 Adventure, felt like it could conquer the world and it probably could but it made my 990SM feel like a dirt bike, I sold it before taking it off road, it was a disaster waiting to happen

Most buy adventure bikes to ride around small lanes and that's fair enough but if you actually want to go offroad you'll have to be a very good rider or very fit to keep picking it up

Edited by KTMsm on Saturday 23 October 13:14

[Walter Sobchak]

Probably being biased here as I think they look like great fun but really like the look of the Ducati Hypermotard.

[TT1138]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

And as a counter to that I think the F850GS is a fantastic bike. I own the standard version (not GSA). It feels light, torquey and very agile to me. It’s fairly tall and would probably benefit from a better windscreen but I think they’re really underrated. It’s not ‘fast’ fast but it’s pretty brisk and goes well. The standard dials are very good, but if you can get one with the TFT it’s superb. The riding modes, quickshifter/ blipper etc are all nice to have. I didn’t bother with the ESA as the standard suspension isn’t bad (for OEM anyway, it’s clearly not Nitron/ Ohlins quality). BMW Motorrad service has been very good in my experience and they come with a decent warranty if you buy approved used.

I’ve also owned a 2011 Tiger 800XC. Great engine, great chassis and a lovely bike to ride. Brakes are very poor on the earlier models like mine. I considered going for the Rally Pro 900 in August but went for a KTM instead.

Tiger 850 Sport might be worth a look. More road focused and supposedly a bit down in power but one of the American magazines did a dyno run, they reckoned it was pretty close to the 900.

[HairyMaclary]

A new Vstrom will tour and greenlane. My local dealer (laguna) have £1000 off now so you could pick a brand new 650 or 1000 for your budget.

If your feeling fruity after your off and the insurance isn't mental I would go for the 1000XT with luggage.

[KTMsm]

Walter Sobchak said:

Probably being biased here as I think they look like great fun but really like the look of the Ducati Hypermotard.

They are a bit weird to ride - everyone said it's like sitting on the bars, when stationary I wondered what they were talking about but once moving it's a bit weird - definitely an acquired taste and you'd be the only person greenlaning on one

[lazybike]

I'd consider splitting the budget..

[FatboyKim]

There will be no greenlaning on a Hypermotard. I enjoyed mine and really liked the ride and position, apart from the absolutely daft bar-end mirrors which extend the width of the handlebars by over a foot and make filtering an impossibility, but it came with the benefit of hand guards. For touring though, consider a Hyperstrada as a lot of them come with panniers/luggage already, ad they offer a very similar ride to the Hypermotard.

Honda NC750? If you want a more touring style then the NC750-X

[black-k1]

lazybike said:

I'd consider splitting the budget..

This is good advice.

[carinaman]

Seems one dealer is doing the 1050 V-Strom XT for the price of the non-XT:

https://www.bennetts.co.uk/bikesocial/news-and-vie...

[black-k1]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

I think your definition of "insanely heavy" differs from most, especially in relation to a bike that's good for touring and thus, I assume, includes integral luggage.

[Walter Sobchak]

KTMsm said:

They are a bit weird to ride - everyone said it's like sitting on the bars, when stationary I wondered what they were talking about but once moving it's a bit weird - definitely an acquired taste and you'd be the only person greenlaning on one

I’d really like to have a go on one, as sadly I haven’t yet, they look like great fun on the road though!, I thought they’d just ride like a big supermoto?.
Admittedly I don’t think they would be any good for green laning.
I was thinking about getting one as a road bike if I track convert my R1M as want something a bit more sedate, well sensible one day on the road!.

[KTMsm]

Walter Sobchak said:

I’d really like to have a go on one, as sadly I haven’t yet, they look like great fun on the road though!, I thought they’d just ride like a big supermoto?.
Admittedly I don’t think they would be any good for green laning.
I was thinking about getting one as a road bike if I track convert my R1M as want something a bit more sedate, well sensible one day on the road!.

I can only say that I found the same as most reviews and on my short test ride, didn't gell with it and I generally ride supermotos

[FatboyKim]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Indeed, you won't be winning any races on it -- it more or less has the engine from a Honda Jazz, cut in half, I believe, but it's got enough poke for any road and overtaking situation. 210kg, 220kg, 230kg, most bikes fall within that weight bracket anyway so it makes little difference in reality until you're getting into big touring bikes in excess of 250kg or super sports bikes where everybody obsesses with them being sub 200kg.

I had an NC750-S for a couple of months and it just wasn't for me, but I can fully understand how one could embark on a long comfortable ride on it, a week touring the Scottish Highlands for example. Large storage space where the fuel tank would traditionally be, which can take a crash helmet.

[Lee540]

You could get yourself on a new or very nearly new Suzuki DL1050XT for £10k. I bought one back in the summer and it is a fantastic bike, no frills, do it all.

All rider aids like cornering ABS, traction control, power modes etc, it'll green lane and tour the UK/Europe. Has cruise control.

[snagzie]

You could have at least posted the orange one.....

But yeah good bikes.