NFR: Motorbike advice

[Berserker]

I've had a BMW F650GS for 5 years, I am thinking of getting a Honda CB500F as there are aspects of the BMW I don't like. I had a Honda Hornet CB600F for 10 yrs previously but don't want another one of them now.

Can anybody advise what the Honda CB500F is like, any good? I am only 5 ft 4 in tall so have to take that into account, but use Daytona boots.

[Southcoastffc]

Sorry, I have no idea but are you aware of these bike forums? :    http://www.bikechatforums.com/  and http://www.themotorbikeforum.co.uk/

[Bedford White]

Hi Berserker, so what don't you like about your Beemer. The CB500 seems to me to be a bit of a commuting tool. I'd have suggested the F650 was a better bike.

I'm into older classic Japanese bikes myself, Im riding a 1983 Z1000R.

[Berserker]

Hi Berserker, so what don't you like about your Beemer. The CB500 seems to me to be a bit of a commuting tool. I'd have suggested the F650 was a better bike.

I'm into older classic Japanese bikes myself, Im riding a 1983 Z1000R.

I paid the extra to have the bike factory lowered by BMW when I bought it. The problem I have found since:
1. is that they didn't shorten the side stand, therefore the bike is nearly upright on level ground and if there is any slight camber it will topple over.
2. I don't like the indicator buttons being on different sides, and the indicator stop switch is a seperate button that is awkward to use as have to use  thottle hand, especially awkward on roundabouts.
3. The middle portion of the bike is lower but the back isn't, therefore I near enough have to throw my leg as high as my shoulder to get over the seat to mount the bike.
4. It's not easy to push the bike around stood next to it as handle bars being enduro type are high and far apart, and I have short female arms

Lots of goods things I love about the bike though, mostly to do with the enduro styling and the perfect balance of it. Plus I fancy Ewan Mcgregor abit, hence the bike's name of Obi Wan

[Bedford White]

All valid reasons to dislike the BMW there, it's personal choice at the end of the day. Now the CB500 I guess you are looking to buy new. There are some good deals out there and the Honda is possibly the best choice of middleweight around. I'll do a bit of research on Thursday and offer some alternative you may have overlooked. Leave it with me...

[Berserker]

All valid reasons to dislike the BMW there, it's personal choice at the end of the day. Now the CB500 I guess you are looking to buy new. There are some good deals out there and the Honda is possibly the best choice of middleweight around. I'll do a bit of research on Thursday and offer some alternative you may have overlooked. Leave it with me...

Thanks much appreciated

[GloucesterWhite]

I guess bikes have changed a bit since I used to ride. I had one of the first Suzukis to arrive in the UK. The tyres were lethal in the wet; there was an air scoop on top of the pots that acted like a bucket in the rain and one cylinder would keep cutting in and out which resulted in a very hairy ride; the headlamp bulb keep blowing so much so that the supply of bulbs in the UK ran out - I had to ride with 2 torches strapped to the side of the headlamp. They cured that by adding about a mile of cable to reduce the power surge. And to think that bikes like that virtually destroyed the British bike industry.

[Bedford White]

Honda CBF 500F ABS £5299

Your choice of bike will be governed by what you intend to do with it. Commuting or pleasure riding maybe even riding for work. I've trawled the new bike market to see what's available, disregarding any Chinese manufactures because that'll just be a world of pain. I've considered the height restrictions and excluded superbikes and the sports bikes and here's what I've found.

Alternatives - The usual suspects:-

Honda NC700XA £5999 A friend of mine has one of these; she's 5' tall and has no problems with it.
Honda NC700S ABS £6400 as above with ABS
Honda CB600 Hornet £6550 this is going to be a much better bike in terms of performance compared to the CB500

Kawasaki ER6N £5800 Very similar in performance to the CB500 modern styling is a matter of taste
Kawasaki ER6F ABS £6499 ABS version with a fairing

Yamaha XJ6 ABS £6499 Like the Honda Hornet for performance a good utility bike
Yamaha XJ6 Diversion £6599 as above with a fairing

Suzuki GSX650F £6286 Basic bike which doesn't look all that great imo   
Suzuki SFV650 Gladius £5699 Much like the ER6 modern styling is unusual but it's cheap
Suzuki SFV650A Gladius ABS £6100 as above with ABS
Suzuki SV650S £4975 A lot of bike for the money with a really good engine too

Alternatives to the alternatives:-

Triumph Bonneville £6550 Classic styling doesn't suit everyone but for sure I'd have one tomorrow.
Ducati Monster 696 £6750 Italian exotica, a really good motor and cool styling.
Harley Davidson 883 Iron £6999 Dearer than most but really good for pose value. It's not just a bike, it's a lifestyle choice. Really good for shorter riders too. Would I buy one? Maybe, but you need to factor in £1000 to de-restrict the engine.

[Logicalman]

I guess bikes have changed a bit since I used to ride. I had one of the first Suzukis to arrive in the UK. The tyres were lethal in the wet; there was an air scoop on top of the pots that acted like a bucket in the rain and one cylinder would keep cutting in and out which resulted in a very hairy ride; the headlamp bulb keep blowing so much so that the supply of bulbs in the UK ran out - I had to ride with 2 torches strapped to the side of the headlamp. They cured that by adding about a mile of cable to reduce the power surge. And to think that bikes like that virtually destroyed the British bike industry.

I'm with you there GW.

I transitioned from the BSA Bantam onto the Jap bikes in the late 70's and early 80's. The scariest one I rode was an old Bantam up and down the North Circular, having to stop every couple of miles to use my clog (yep - remember them?) to bash the baffles back into the exhaust pipe cos the screw at the end had shredded off. After that the worst was test riding a BMW 850 unfaired in the early 90's for a local beemer dealer in Dorset, and reporting back to him it was just too squeaky for me, brakes underperformed and the lack of weight at the front meant the bike rattled from side to side at lights if you blipped the throttle!!  Happy memories, eh?

[Sammyffc]

I'm looking to do my license , did my cbr already when i was like 16 . looking at getting a ninja 300 for my first bike , however some people are telling me start straight on a 600r ? not really sure what to do !

[GloucesterWhite]

I guess bikes have changed a bit since I used to ride. I had one of the first Suzukis to arrive in the UK. The tyres were lethal in the wet; there was an air scoop on top of the pots that acted like a bucket in the rain and one cylinder would keep cutting in and out which resulted in a very hairy ride; the headlamp bulb keep blowing so much so that the supply of bulbs in the UK ran out - I had to ride with 2 torches strapped to the side of the headlamp. They cured that by adding about a mile of cable to reduce the power surge. And to think that bikes like that virtually destroyed the British bike industry.

I'm with you there GW.

I transitioned from the BSA Bantam onto the Jap bikes in the late 70's and early 80's. The scariest one I rode was an old Bantam up and down the North Circular, having to stop every couple of miles to use my clog (yep - remember them?) to bash the baffles back into the exhaust pipe cos the screw at the end had shredded off. After that the worst was test riding a BMW 850 unfaired in the early 90's for a local beemer dealer in Dorset, and reporting back to him it was just too squeaky for me, brakes underperformed and the lack of weight at the front meant the bike rattled from side to side at lights if you blipped the throttle!!  Happy memories, eh?

Yup. they don't make 'em like they used to! Just as well!

[Bedford White]

I'm looking to do my license , did my cbr already when i was like 16 . looking at getting a ninja 300 for my first bike , however some people are telling me start straight on a 600r ? not really sure what to do !

Depends where you live sammyffc, if you're riding around town all the time you may as well have the 300. The extra capacity and speed would of little use. However if you live in the sticks like me the bigger bike would make more sense.

I used to despatch ride back in the late '80s and early '90s and honestly anything bigger than my trusty CX500 wasn't necessary.

[Berserker]

You know when I was young I used to ride a Yamaha DT 100 in a skirt, how mental is that. I even went to Bournemouth on holiday on it with shoes strapped to the handle bars. I also had problems with my spark plugs back in those days GW, the covers were metal and when it rained kept sparking at the wrong time, got rubber covers in the end which solved the problem. Oh they were the days

[Berserker]

Oh also anybody tried the Triumph Street Triple?