Motorbike Bangernomics

adouglasmhor

TL1000s Which had sat in a garage for 7 years, £250, best of it was the owner was about the same weight as me and had had a tuned back shocker fitted to it before he dropped it and he decided to go back to [STRIKE]tractors[/STRIKE] American bikes, all that was wrong with it was a broken foot peg and some cosmetic damage.

Richard53

andygb wrote: »

There is definitely something about Italian bikes, even if they had a bit of a reputation for being unreliable.
I never owned one, but the ones I lusted after were - Ducati 250 Desmo, Ducati 748, Laverda Jota, Moto Guzzi Lemans, Morini 350 V twin, ALL MV Agustas.
I believe that there is an MV racing at the Island this year.:)

I know the reputation, but my Guz was pretty reliable. The only thing that needed doing regularly was syncing the carbs. If you didn't do that every 1000 miles or so it went lumpy. Ten-minute job with the right gauges, and she was sweet again. The electrics were fine, surprisingly.

I'd have another, but the only ones out there under £1k or so are complete hounds, so not a bangerbike at all.

Rolandtheroadie

Had an ST2, hadnt had the recall to stop it burning out generators.

Ducati Glasgow supplied the part at cost (£21, they said as it was over 10 years since the recall they couldnt do it for free).

Sold it via the Ducati forum for £500 as a fixer upper.

andygb

scotsman4th wrote: »

Had an ST2, hadnt had the recall to stop it burning out generators.

Ducati Glasgow supplied the part at cost (£21, they said as it was over 10 years since the recall they couldnt do it for free).

Sold it via the Ducati forum for £500 as a fixer upper.

If I ever bought another bike, then I reckon it would be a 750/900 SS Ducati, I just love the sound and look of them, and they are a bit less extreme than the sports models.

Norman_Castle

Then in my late 20s I bought a house and needed transport for goods so went out and paid for 6 hours of lessons to pass my car test and spent £100 on a banger, the bike broke down and I've never ridden since!

I hadn't ridden a bike for 26 years. Offered a chance to ride one recently it amazed me that it took no thought or effort to ride. It felt as though I'd stepped of my own bike the day before. It felt great!. I need to sort my storage problems so I can get one again.

fivetide

andygb wrote: »

There is definitely something about Italian bikes, even if they had a bit of a reputation for being unreliable.

Remember reading an MCN buyers guide for the Ducati 916 which stated "it will set on fire".

Sounds like the similar generator issue but with slightly more serious consequences! One of those "they all do that sir" moments.

Lookign for a new bike myself at the moment and can't work out whether to get something fairly new or go with the bangernomics idea. I want something I can go on holiday on as well as commute, that's the issue.

Stooby2

Norman_Castle wrote:

I hadn't ridden a bike for 26 years. Offered a chance to ride one recently it amazed me that it took no thought or effort to ride. It felt as though I'd stepped of my own bike the day before. It felt great!. I need to sort my storage problems so I can get one again.

Please pay close attention to the speedo when you get a new bike. Modern bikes are deceptively fast and go from zero to "bl**dy hell" in seconds!

fivetide

Stooby2 wrote: »

go from zero to "bl**dy hell" in seconds!

Sounds like the wife.

Norman_Castle

Stooby2 wrote: »

Please pay close attention to the speedo when you get a new bike. Modern bikes are deceptively fast and go from zero to "bl**dy hell" in seconds!

I wouldn't trust myself on a modern sportsbike. Bike engines redline very happily and I would find that hard to resist. :D:D:eek:. I expect a lot of born again or new, older bikers have lost their licenses very soon after getting a modern bike.

ontrack

That's why I am sticking to Guzzi's even the 1200 sport I have is really too quick for most roads hate to think what a proper sports bike is like!
That was one nice thing about the V50 Guzzi it was low powered but lookers an felt " sporty" so you could thrash the tits off it and keep your license while feeling like a 1960s GP racer:rotfl: