Sports to Modern Classic

[NB1980]

Morning all,

I've always loved sportsbikes and had my current Fireblade for just over a year. However, over the past few months i've found most of what I'm watching has been around modern classic bikes & my taste seems to be moving in that direction. I don't have the budget for a second bike, so if I change, it'll mean moving away from a 1ltr sports to something with much less power. I've looked at the obvious triumphs (would love a Speed Twin 1200!!) but they too are out of my current budget. What I am seriously considering is the RE Continetal GT650. I've been offered a very fair trade-in for my blade against a 1yo GT650 with very low milage & it's had first service etc done already. Just wondered if anyone has made a similar move and did you regret it......or loved it? I'm trying to train my brain that its not about power its more about the riding style but I'm doubting myself!!

 

[TallADVer]

I haven't looked at a Speed Twin in person yet, but I had a coworker a few years ago who had a Speed Triple R - he loved that bike! Me, I'm more of a Bonneville T120 guy (although I don't actually own one... yet). Give me a comfortable, upright riding position and an old school bench saddle any day! But that probably says more about my personal ergonomics preferences than anything about the bikes.

The GT650 looks great - if you're sure you can handle the ergos. Those drop bars look awesome, but unless you're only looking to just "do the ton" between cafes, they might be hard to live with over long distances. I haven't ridden one, but have thrown a leg over a Thruxton, and while I loved the looks, I just couldn't pretzel myself into it for more than a couple minutes.

I guess what I'd ask myself is, how comfortable are you on the Fireblade over long distances? On my old VFR 750 (which had ergos that would have been pretty close to your Fireblade), I would be fine for maybe a half hour, then would need to get off, walk around, and regain feeling in my hands. Forget about any long distance rides. I ended up eventually getting an old school UJM (1980 Suzuki GS), and then moving on to an ADV. Those, it turns out, are my sweet spots: upright and comfortable. But again, YMMV.

 

[R-Rated]

@NB1980 You wrote that you do not have the budget for a second bike. How about and older bike that inspired what you are looking at?

Then you would have your current trusty ride plus get a cool old bike that has the looks you like but with the added mystique of being vintage.

Just an idea.

 

[lonerockz]

What problem are you looking to solve? Are bikes Jewelry to you and you just want a fashion? For many riders this is the case. They like the style and looks of one thing and then fashion moves on and they want to stay in fashion. There is nothing wrong with this. It's nice to have nice things.

But, if you are interested in the performance of the bike at all, that GT650 is going to suck in every dimension vs. the bike you have. Less power, check. Worse suspension, check. Less stopping power, worse ergos, slower handling? Check, check, check! So from a riding perspective you are going to really feel it. Also I hate to say it but Royal Enfield bikes are not in the same reliability category as that Honda.

I too am looking for another bike (but I'm lucky in that I can afford another bike). The bottom end of my Triumph Explorer is going to go sometime, and so I need to replace it. I love the scrambler look. But hate chains. Still trying to decide if I can stomach having to do chain maintenance again. I'm also having trouble with knowing that any scrambler is going to be a sacrifice from my big touring bikes that I travel on. But around town it will be a blast!

Good luck.

 

[HippoDrone]

i went from a Ducati 1098 Streetfighter S to a Moto Guzzi V7 and didn't look back once... still have the V7 nearly 11 years later, although am finally considering selling it.

 

[motonomad]

I'm quite interested in having one too. I love my MT03, and for Chiang Mai/Asia its a great daily driver in the city. But I do want something a little bigger for longer/highway/mountain trips. Was looking at the XSR700 and XSR900. But man, I want one of pretty much every type of bike lol. Dual sport, adventurer, classic, cruiser, supermoto, superbike. Bikes are addicting.

 

[TallADVer]

What problem are you looking to solve? Are bikes Jewelry to you and you just want a fashion? For many riders this is the case. They like the style and looks of one thing and then fashion moves on and they want to stay in fashion. There is nothing wrong with this. It's nice to have nice things.
...

I've thought about this on and off over the years. For me, I have to say the answer is "yes and no". No, in that, for me, my primary bike should be first and foremost a good multi-purpose vehicle. Maybe those purposes are touring and light offroad (ADV), or street and light highway touring (my previous bike, an old UJM). In this case, Function > Form.

But the answer is also "yes", in that there's a certain classic style that really appeals to me, and makes me happy whenever I see one. Maybe it's a factor of my age, but for me that includes a range of standards that look like they came out of the 1970s. Bikes like classic 70s-80s UJMs (Z1 & KZ900, CB700s and CB900F, GS1000, and some older Bandits), modern Bonnevilles, certain Italian standards, the RNineT, the Z900RS, etc. That list covers a range of performance capabilities, and I probably wouldn't physically even fit on some of them. But they all share a certain simplicity in style: upright, naked (but not in the stripped look of a modern naked sportbike), and with an emphasis on aesthetics. That to me is jewelry, yes, but functional jewelry.

Bottom line is, there is no way a vintage standard or a modern repro would ever be my go-anywhere bike, but it could certainly be my fun streetbike for local rides, if and when a second slot should open up in my garage. One that would make me smile every time I see it, even more than my ADV currently does. Hey, I can dream, right?

But for OP, I'd say that, if you're going to only have one bike, make sure it's going to do everything you want it to do, and comfortably. Having a bike that's a good fit for your needs beats having a bike that you love the look of.

 

[NB1980]

hi all, first of all thank you everyone for your opinions and input. I took some time to think it over, and over. Changed my mind a number of times and then decided not to overthink things. So long story short, I’ve paid the deposit on the GT650 and it should be with me in a couple of weeks. If I regret it so be it, I can always go back to what I’ve been used to

 

[TallADVer]

hi all, first of all thank you everyone for your opinions and input. I took some time to think it over, and over. Changed my mind a number of times and then decided not to overthink things. So long story short, I’ve paid the deposit on the GT650 and it should be with me in a couple of weeks. If I regret it so be it, I can always go back to what I’ve been used to

Nice! Looking forward to the videos!

 

[HippoDrone]

AWESOME STUFF :-D

 

[NB1980]

new bike was delivered yesterday

 

[HippoDrone]

LOVERLY JUBBERLY

 

[AlanSmith7]

Very informative, guys.