Bought a bike you didn't click with?
Discussion
I've been riding since 2001 with a break between Covid - 2024. The earlier years were mainly sports bikes, trackbikes, motocross, trials etc. Prior to Covid I moved more towards naked and cruiser bikes, FZ1, XJR1300, Harley Streetbob & a Fat Boy. Towards the end of last year, looking for something slightly more comfortable I bought an R1250GS Adventure, being a taller rider I thought this would have been perfect and eagerly waited for spring this year. It's been a few months and I hate to admit defeat, I'm just not feeling it. It ticks all the boxes, comfy, fairly protected from the elements, all the gadgets you could wish for but I'm missing that desire to get out for a ride at any opportunity. With all my previous bikes, cleaning them was part of the enjoyment, opening the garage for a quick peak, squeezing in a quick blast after dinner when the kids were in bed.
I'm finding myself scrolling through Autotrader everyday, hunting for something that looks fantastic and has that excitement. I like the thought of a Ducati Streetfighter, S1000R, Tuono V4, Multistrada V4S was impressive but possibly a quicker GSA.
Has anyone bought a bike and regretted it soon after? I'm curious and thought it would be interesting to hear of similar stories, what did you buy and what ended up replacing it?
I'm finding myself scrolling through Autotrader everyday, hunting for something that looks fantastic and has that excitement. I like the thought of a Ducati Streetfighter, S1000R, Tuono V4, Multistrada V4S was impressive but possibly a quicker GSA.
Has anyone bought a bike and regretted it soon after? I'm curious and thought it would be interesting to hear of similar stories, what did you buy and what ended up replacing it?
Loads
I think it's hard to know what you like until you've ridden many bikes of different types
It's why I became a bike dealer so I'd have an excuse to ride loads of different bikes
I didn't think I'd like a 1200GS but a couple of mates, who are good riders, rated them so I bought one, it was the most disappointing experience - it's the only bike I've turned around to go home, 45 minutes into a planned day ride
I thought I'd like the Tuono V Twin but it was such a rough engine and it was happiest at higher speeds that I was glad to sell it
I've also bought bikes that I do like but find I don't ride - Speed Triple R - I love the engine, the smoothness, the torque and the looks but in the year I owned it, I barely rode it
I keep buying cruisers because I love the look and the noise they make - but they're awful to ride
I've finally accepted that the KTM 950/990 in all it's guises SuperDuke, Supermoto, Adventure, Super Enduro suits me perfectly and I should stop trying to find anything better
I think it's hard to know what you like until you've ridden many bikes of different types
It's why I became a bike dealer so I'd have an excuse to ride loads of different bikes
I didn't think I'd like a 1200GS but a couple of mates, who are good riders, rated them so I bought one, it was the most disappointing experience - it's the only bike I've turned around to go home, 45 minutes into a planned day ride
I thought I'd like the Tuono V Twin but it was such a rough engine and it was happiest at higher speeds that I was glad to sell it
I've also bought bikes that I do like but find I don't ride - Speed Triple R - I love the engine, the smoothness, the torque and the looks but in the year I owned it, I barely rode it
I keep buying cruisers because I love the look and the noise they make - but they're awful to ride
I've finally accepted that the KTM 950/990 in all it's guises SuperDuke, Supermoto, Adventure, Super Enduro suits me perfectly and I should stop trying to find anything better
After punting a little MSX125 for a few years, Suzuki were flogging off their SV650S for about 4500 quid in 2016 so I snapped one up - good looking, good handling bike, after all.
Trouble is that at age 57, my hips hurt and my body was a touch too short over the long tank and low bars, placing strain on my neck when trying to look right. Style over comfort but I endured it for 3 years before packing it in.
Trouble is that at age 57, my hips hurt and my body was a touch too short over the long tank and low bars, placing strain on my neck when trying to look right. Style over comfort but I endured it for 3 years before packing it in.
KTM 640LC4. I’ve ridden sports bikes for many years - ZX9R, several 1000 GSXRs and had a Suzuki DRZ 400E enduro bike which I loved riding. Unfortunately, my knees are both knackered, so having got rid of my track bikes, I thought something upright and similar to the DRZ would be great fun. It isn’t! It’s uncomfortable and I’m struggling to think of a single redeeming factor.
I bought a Multistrada that took a good month and maybe 1000 miles to start really enjoying it. I had serious buyers remorse and really regretted getting rid of the slightly grotty CB1000R I had part exchanged. That was about 4 years ago now, and I don't think I'll ever get rid of the Ducati, its brill.
It's taken me almost 12 months to start enjoying my Hayabusa. I've been so close to selling it, but I'm glad I persevered as in the last month it's suddenly become wonderful.
I have a Triumph Rocket which I wouldn't say I clicked with. I expected it to be massive and a handful but also nice to cruise on. It is exactly those things. I think I enjoyed its failings / idiosyncrasies' from the start because I was expecting something "odd".
I think expectations play a part in it, but I'm sure some bikes can take a little time to grow on you (which I hear often regarding the GS). It's probably a bike that's more about the using and traveling on, than the short blasts and cherishing.
Maybe it was different when I was younger and I just got excited about everything. I may be a bit old and grumpy and harder to please now.
It's taken me almost 12 months to start enjoying my Hayabusa. I've been so close to selling it, but I'm glad I persevered as in the last month it's suddenly become wonderful.
I have a Triumph Rocket which I wouldn't say I clicked with. I expected it to be massive and a handful but also nice to cruise on. It is exactly those things. I think I enjoyed its failings / idiosyncrasies' from the start because I was expecting something "odd".
I think expectations play a part in it, but I'm sure some bikes can take a little time to grow on you (which I hear often regarding the GS). It's probably a bike that's more about the using and traveling on, than the short blasts and cherishing.
Maybe it was different when I was younger and I just got excited about everything. I may be a bit old and grumpy and harder to please now.
Not really! I've bought a few bikes that were "nothing special" but I've enjoyed most of the bikes I have owned. Those that weren't so good tended to be back at the start of my biking when finance (or near complete lack thereof) and simple transport necessity played much bigger parts in my decision making.
LuS1fer said:
After punting a little MSX125 for a few years, Suzuki were flogging off their SV650S for about 4500 quid in 2016 so I snapped one up - good looking, good handling bike, after all.
Trouble is that at age 57, my hips hurt and my body was a touch too short over the long tank and low bars, placing strain on my neck when trying to look right. Style over comfort but I endured it for 3 years before packing it in.
Other than the suitability of the riding position for you how did you find the SV650?Trouble is that at age 57, my hips hurt and my body was a touch too short over the long tank and low bars, placing strain on my neck when trying to look right. Style over comfort but I endured it for 3 years before packing it in.
600 bandit was pretty lacklustre.just didnt get any enjoyment from it at all.
F650gs was the most boring machine i had ever ridden. Absolutely pathetic offroad. I reckon my pan european would be as much use on dirt tracks with the right tyres.
Honda c90 was the exact opposite. On paper slow and not built for enjoyment, but every journey was a laugh. Could go anywhere even on road tyres.
F650gs was the most boring machine i had ever ridden. Absolutely pathetic offroad. I reckon my pan european would be as much use on dirt tracks with the right tyres.
Honda c90 was the exact opposite. On paper slow and not built for enjoyment, but every journey was a laugh. Could go anywhere even on road tyres.
carinaman said:
LuS1fer said:
After punting a little MSX125 for a few years, Suzuki were flogging off their SV650S for about 4500 quid in 2016 so I snapped one up - good looking, good handling bike, after all.
Trouble is that at age 57, my hips hurt and my body was a touch too short over the long tank and low bars, placing strain on my neck when trying to look right. Style over comfort but I endured it for 3 years before packing it in.
Other than the suitability of the riding position for you how did you find the SV650?Trouble is that at age 57, my hips hurt and my body was a touch too short over the long tank and low bars, placing strain on my neck when trying to look right. Style over comfort but I endured it for 3 years before packing it in.
Yes, for me it was the S1000XR. I'd previously had an S1000R and loved it, then moved to a Tiger Explorer, I thought the XR would perhaps be a middle ground between the two, but nope I couldn't get on with it at all.
Uncomfortable, gave me back and shoulder ache and found myself more often than not, coming home after an hour on it as I didn't enjoy the experience and lost all confidence riding it.
Now back on an old basic 2012 Street Triple and no shoulder pain, no back ache, nothing fancy but I've used this more in the past month than I did with a whole year on the S1000XR.
Uncomfortable, gave me back and shoulder ache and found myself more often than not, coming home after an hour on it as I didn't enjoy the experience and lost all confidence riding it.
Now back on an old basic 2012 Street Triple and no shoulder pain, no back ache, nothing fancy but I've used this more in the past month than I did with a whole year on the S1000XR.
LuS1fer said:
It was a good bike. Reasonably light. Changed the yellow headlight bulbs for proper white bulbs. Half decent top fairing. Far better quality than the Thailand-built Honda, to be honest. Good handling and reasonably frugal. Just hurt my wrists as I'm only 5'6" tall with a short neck.
Did you consider swapping the clip ons for bars off the naked version ?carinaman said:
LuS1fer said:
After punting a little MSX125 for a few years, Suzuki were flogging off their SV650S for about 4500 quid in 2016 so I snapped one up - good looking, good handling bike, after all.
Trouble is that at age 57, my hips hurt and my body was a touch too short over the long tank and low bars, placing strain on my neck when trying to look right. Style over comfort but I endured it for 3 years before packing it in.
Other than the suitability of the riding position for you how did you find the SV650?Trouble is that at age 57, my hips hurt and my body was a touch too short over the long tank and low bars, placing strain on my neck when trying to look right. Style over comfort but I endured it for 3 years before packing it in.
KTMsm said:
it was the most disappointing experience - it's the only bike I've turned around to go home, 45 minutes into a planned day ride
Ducati scrambler ticks this box for me, i've had a couple as courtesy bikes. Last one I cancelled my day off and rode straight home. They sell loads so it might just be me. Aprilia Tuono V Twin. Very, very late gen 1 version. I wanted something more reliable (I know) after my Triumph Sprint kept wanting me to bump start it.
I'd had an RS50 and an RS125 and always wanted a bigger version.
As clean as it looked, as good as it sounded I just didn't get on with it.
The lack of ABS made me paranoid (after the sprint that had it). The suspension damping was utterly appalling. I had the worst tank slapper I've ever experienced on it and quite frankly it made me terrified of riding it on anything but silky smooth roads. To top it off the fuel economy of 25mpg wound me up as well as it equated to about 80 miles until the light came on.
I only kept it for about 8 weeks until I swapped it for a K1200R.
Otherwise it would be the Triumph Sprint ST1050 abs I had before it. My first 1000 after having a Speed Four for 7 years. The Sprint was just meh. Engine was nice but heavy, wallowy, terribly numb brakes and horrifically unreliable.
I'd had an RS50 and an RS125 and always wanted a bigger version.
As clean as it looked, as good as it sounded I just didn't get on with it.
The lack of ABS made me paranoid (after the sprint that had it). The suspension damping was utterly appalling. I had the worst tank slapper I've ever experienced on it and quite frankly it made me terrified of riding it on anything but silky smooth roads. To top it off the fuel economy of 25mpg wound me up as well as it equated to about 80 miles until the light came on.
I only kept it for about 8 weeks until I swapped it for a K1200R.
Otherwise it would be the Triumph Sprint ST1050 abs I had before it. My first 1000 after having a Speed Four for 7 years. The Sprint was just meh. Engine was nice but heavy, wallowy, terribly numb brakes and horrifically unreliable.
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