Rabbid-chop
Member
of motorcycles
Who rides bikes and what are they
- Thread starter scottybobcat
- Start date
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Went and saw this GL1500 (non-Aspencade) locally today. It had a switch dangling on the dash, a panel missing beside the passenger seat ... I left it. Guy pointed me to a 1600cc BMW sports tourer though ... 160hp ... 5LPHK mixed duty ... 30,000km on the clock and they want $21K for it. Still want a Wing, but not a broken one!
happy john
Member
Most Goldwing owners are very fastidious Tony, you should come across a nice one. Bloody hard to lift the bugger if you drop it.
There are a couple more that I can go look at but I'm starting to lean back to the 1400GTR Concours by Kawasaki. The BMW K1600GTL is a nice, nice bike, but for some reason the Kawasaki appeals more to me.
If anyone has any opinions on any of these bikes, let's hear it! In private if you don't feel like publicly posting. As usual, nothing in private will be shared publicly unless it's photos of your naked and shaved cat! Yes! We all want to see ... no, no we don't. Let's just talk bikes.
If anyone has any opinions on any of these bikes, let's hear it! In private if you don't feel like publicly posting. As usual, nothing in private will be shared publicly unless it's photos of your naked and shaved cat! Yes! We all want to see ... no, no we don't. Let's just talk bikes.
D40-12-Xtra-Newc
Member
Tony,
the GTR1400 would be a good choice - see this about a fellow rider:
http://kawasaki.com.au/news/general-kawasaki-news/item/1677-kawasaki-1400gtr-racks-up-over-300000km
And he doesn't hang around either....
the GTR1400 would be a good choice - see this about a fellow rider:
http://kawasaki.com.au/news/general-kawasaki-news/item/1677-kawasaki-1400gtr-racks-up-over-300000km
And he doesn't hang around either....
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Rabbid-chop
Member
My vote would go to the Gold wing for sheer decadence. Maybe test ride a few different tourers tony, see what suits you best then you can really sink your teeth into finding the perfect specimen.
happy john
Member
The Goldwing gets along very well for a 400+kg lounge.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHBFE09hDnw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHBFE09hDnw
Have actually seen a few more reviews on the three bikes (Kawasaki 1400GTR, BMW K1600GTL and the Honda GL1800 Aspencade).
The upshot of it all goes like this:
Top of the tree: Honda Aspencade. Cons: about 100Kg heavier than the others, but has 50% more carrying capacity. Reduced ground clearance in corners. Electronics not as advanced as the others. Higher fuel consumption. Torque comes on early and ends very early.
Only just second: BMW K1600GTL. Cons: not as much carrying space as the Wing. Torque comes on later than the Wing but stays much longer.
Third (by a fair bit but expected given the price): Kawasaki Concours 1400GTR. Cons: Noticeable engine vibration. Heavy steering. Won't stay in a corner unless you fit a 190/55 tyre in the rear in place of the 190/50. Reduced load capacity. Less power.
That (according to a number of motorcycle review sites) is the order in which to look at these bikes.
300,000km is a healthy innings. You can't be unhappy with that.
I'm still undecided. Could I be happy with the weight of the Wing?
The upshot of it all goes like this:
Top of the tree: Honda Aspencade. Cons: about 100Kg heavier than the others, but has 50% more carrying capacity. Reduced ground clearance in corners. Electronics not as advanced as the others. Higher fuel consumption. Torque comes on early and ends very early.
Only just second: BMW K1600GTL. Cons: not as much carrying space as the Wing. Torque comes on later than the Wing but stays much longer.
Third (by a fair bit but expected given the price): Kawasaki Concours 1400GTR. Cons: Noticeable engine vibration. Heavy steering. Won't stay in a corner unless you fit a 190/55 tyre in the rear in place of the 190/50. Reduced load capacity. Less power.
That (according to a number of motorcycle review sites) is the order in which to look at these bikes.
300,000km is a healthy innings. You can't be unhappy with that.
I'm still undecided. Could I be happy with the weight of the Wing?
Rabbid-chop
Member
But can you listen to Wagner whilst enjoying a pipe and a snifter of brandy on the others?
http://www.bikesales.com.au/mvcajax...ice%3D%5BBikesales%5D%29&sort=Premium&index=0
http://www.bikesales.com.au/mvcajax...ice%3D%5BBikesales%5D%29&sort=Premium&index=0
Apparently the Beemer is very quiet below 3000rpm and it does 100km/h at 2700rpm in top, so basically YES!
Gotta love the blue, that's a nice bike.
Gotta love the blue, that's a nice bike.
Rabbid-chop
Member
^ pretty impressive.
Wouldnt consider doing up another big old CB or Z? Or even better ->
https://youtu.be/GMWurGORq_8
Wouldnt consider doing up another big old CB or Z? Or even better ->
https://youtu.be/GMWurGORq_8
I've ridden the CBX. Awesome bike, smoother than the CB900 and a noticeable amount of extra poke.
Trouble with those old girls was the carburettors. The cylinders leaned forward so far that when the float valve didn't seat perfectly, fuel would trickle into the motor and would result in hydraulic lock. That bike was in dire need of fuel injection.
Trouble with those old girls was the carburettors. The cylinders leaned forward so far that when the float valve didn't seat perfectly, fuel would trickle into the motor and would result in hydraulic lock. That bike was in dire need of fuel injection.
Rabbid-chop
Member
Cool factor is through the roof though
Yeah it is. There's where the new Beemer K1600GTL flies too - parallel 6-banger.
I think my heart has settled on an Aspencade. Now the search for a good one begins!
I think my heart has settled on an Aspencade. Now the search for a good one begins!
Rabbid-chop
Member
You gotta try and get a good ride on both, see for yourself which one feels right.
Let me say that the BMW K1600GTL is a blast. They want $21K for a second-hand with 30,000km on it at Brisan's. Bloody nice piece of kit. Smooth, massive amounts of power. Too much for me, I don't need that many ponies.
The Kawasaki 1400GTR is almost as good, but noticeably more vibration and a MUCH heavier feel to it. I've read that you can resolve the heavy feel with a different tyre choice, but I think the vibration kills it for me.
I've not found anyone with a GL1500 Aspencade for sale in Newy.
Anyone local feel like lending an Aspencade for a couple of days?
Rabbid-chop
Member
Better to have too many ponies and not need them than need them and not have them!! Must be nice to have bottomless, effortless torque!
I don't know about that, the Ducati Multistrada has a stupid amount of horsepower for a trail bike. I rode the Africa Twin and it was wickedly powerful - with 93hp. The Ducati has 160hp - I cannot imagine how many people are going to twist the throttle and find that bike lifting up and landing on them. If you turn its traction control off and lean forward, it'll just burn its back tyre until you're down to the rim and I'd wager it wouldn't take it long to do that!
The BMW is also a 160hp beast but being a 6-banger 1600cc (rather than the Ducati's 2-banger 1200cc) the Beemer is much smoother. It's hard to tell the engine's running and it's so quiet below 3,000rpm - but it absolutely sings above, sounds like you belong on a race track. It makes you want to stay in first all the time - because in second at 4000rpm you're cop-bait.
I want to try an Aspencade, preferably a 1500. Has a nice 99hp to push its 400kg around. There's a white GL1500 at Brisons too, but they want too much for it, it's got a couple of missing bits and I suppose I could replace them ... I didn't want to bother Kevin (sales rep) to move the (several) other bikes out of the way so I could take it for a spin. It's the only one in the region that I know is for sale.
I really only need it for a couple of hours so I can give it a good ride, take it home, then take it back with a full tank as a thank you. Might ask Kevin if he'd mind, and I might go looking on eBay for some of those missing bits. Then I'll see if I can talk him down in price.
The BMW is also a 160hp beast but being a 6-banger 1600cc (rather than the Ducati's 2-banger 1200cc) the Beemer is much smoother. It's hard to tell the engine's running and it's so quiet below 3,000rpm - but it absolutely sings above, sounds like you belong on a race track. It makes you want to stay in first all the time - because in second at 4000rpm you're cop-bait.
I want to try an Aspencade, preferably a 1500. Has a nice 99hp to push its 400kg around. There's a white GL1500 at Brisons too, but they want too much for it, it's got a couple of missing bits and I suppose I could replace them ... I didn't want to bother Kevin (sales rep) to move the (several) other bikes out of the way so I could take it for a spin. It's the only one in the region that I know is for sale.
I really only need it for a couple of hours so I can give it a good ride, take it home, then take it back with a full tank as a thank you. Might ask Kevin if he'd mind, and I might go looking on eBay for some of those missing bits. Then I'll see if I can talk him down in price.
Rabbid-chop
Member
Saw one of those fancy 6 cyl BMWs pull up at the lights where i was working. He had some 80's power ballard blasting on the sound system, lol. Was clear as a bell, and loud! Looked like a very nice machine too.
