Wheres biking going ?
 

Just chattin one of the lads last night about where bikin is goin at the moment. Sports bikes v adenture v tourer/sports tourer.
The roads are busy with bikes but the trend seems to be definitely goin in the direction of adventure and tourer bikes.
The young lads 17 - 21 age group are buyin cages cos the bike insurance is killin them and then they have the cage for chaufferin the bird around.
Any of the boys on sports bikes that i meet are the same age as myself...the wrong side of 40.
I know the sales of GS's are massive along with all the other adventure bikes.
I talked to racer Michael Rutter two years ago at the NW200 and he said that if he was only to have one bike it would be a tourer /adventure bike.
I wonder in 5 to 10 years what its goin to be like..Are sports bikes goin to be track day blasts or will they make a comeback...:bikerie::bikerie:

Re: Wheres biking going ?
 

Well I can't see how the cage insurance isn't killing them even worse. Young wan around the corner got quoted €3,800 for some little one-litre shitbox lately, and I imagine it'd be worse for a youngfella.

Mate of mine changed a stunning 2010 Triumph Bonneville for some sort of BMW Super-Adventure thing lately. Those things, along with supermotos, are getting HUGELY popular. I'm the wrong end of 40 too, and I love sportsbikes. Must be some class of a generation thing alright! :lbhbh:

Re: Wheres biking going ?
 

It would be interesting to see how many new licenses were issued for bikes each year. I don't know anyone who has started biking in the last year, all of my non-biking mates consider them dangerous and uncomfortable.

If I had to have just one bike it would be a big trailie. I must buy a GS and see what all the fuss is about. Or a KTM990Adv.... Yum

'cptr

Re: Wheres biking going ?
 

Have to say iv got the cbr at the moment but I'm getting very tempted by some of the supermotos out there. I think one of them is next :woots:

Re: Wheres biking going ?
 

[quote=jimgoose;2651132]Well I can't see how the cage insurance isn't killing them even worse. Young wan around the corner got quoted €3,800 for some little one-litre shitbox lately, and I imagine it'd be worse for a youngfella.[/quote]

The courts passed a law lately saying its sexist to give women cheaper insurance, so instead of averaging out the quotes, the hungry cunts just put womens insurance up to the same as mens.

with the cost of go go juice going up and up and sportsbikes being thirsty creatures and the fact that your licene could be lost in 1 afternoon on one of them doesn't help either.

no to mention supermotos are easy to stunt and easier to insure for a young fella(for now)

Re: Wheres biking going ?
 

Aside from the whole adventure image thing that the wanna be bikers are looking for thanks to boorman and Mcgregor, and all the accessorising this hobby offers... there really are a lot of merits to riding a big ol trailie even for arsing the backroads in ireland... Especially if you are on the other side of 40. :ninja:

I haveta say, since I picked up the "93 Africa twin last year, the other bikes in the shed hardly get a look in. :bag:

The trailie just works better on the bad irish roads.

Re: Wheres biking going ?
 

[quote=Trotter Independent Trading;2651141]Have to say iv got the cbr at the moment but I'm getting very tempted by some of the supermotos out there. I think one of them is next :woots:[/quote]

if your used to the speed of a 600rr you will kill a super moto in a month the engins are gutless an africa twin engin would have longer legs but i hear the breaks are weak enough on them . big singles are fair slow they are working hard at 80 mph and your killing them at 90 :thumbsup2:

a street fighter / stunter may be the way to go for you ?

Re: Wheres biking going ?
 

Have to disagree with ye on insurance, that's how i got into biking. 1litre cage was 3500 cheapest quote when i was 18, so got moped was 600 quid.
If it weren't for that s wouldn't love bikes as much dont think ill ever own a cage love de bikes wayyy to much now :cool3:

Re: Wheres biking going ?
 

[quote=the toenail cutter;2651147]if your used to the speed of a 600rr you will kill a super moto in a month the engins are gutless an africa twin engin would have longer legs but i hear the breaks are weak enough on them . big singles are fair slow they are working hard at 80 mph and your killing them at 90 :thumbsup2:

a street fighter / stunter may be the way to go for you ?[/quote]

Maybe owning both is the way to go:biggrin_old:

Re: Wheres biking going ?
 

[quote=Blagadán;2651146]
The trailie just works better on the bad irish roads.[/quote]

Any softer sprung bike:thumbsup2: another reason i got sick shit of the daytona and got the sprint, tryin to live with the daytona on our roads was a cunt more then a joy after a while.

Re: Wheres biking going ?
 

I started biking a year ago determined to go through the first year or two being crucified with insurance until I was quoted 320 for the bandit because it was factory restricted- delighted I was. I'm 28 and dreaming about the day I pick up a gixxer or a blackbird or a zx9. Maybe it's something bikers must go through, the speed phase before they buy a different style bike. I hope when I get there the sport bikes will still be about :)

Re: Wheres biking going ?
 

[quote=Siren;2651160]I started biking a year ago determined to go through the first year or two being crucified with insurance until I was quoted 320 for the bandit because it was factory restricted- delighted I was. I'm 28 and dreaming about the day I pick up a gixxer or a blackbird or a zx9. Maybe it's something bikers must go through, the speed phase before they buy a different style bike. I hope when I get there the sport bikes will still be about :)[/quote]

Maybe it stems from being a product of the late '80s/90s, but this oul' bassid is still obsessed with FZRs/VFRs/ZZRs and ould Ile Biler Gixxers, and likely to stay that way! :biggrin_old:

Re: Wheres biking going ?
 

[quote=vroom;2651149]Have to disagree with ye on insurance, that's how i got into biking. 1litre cage was 3500 cheapest quote when i was 18, so got moped was 600 quid.
If it weren't for that s wouldn't love bikes as much dont think ill ever own a cage love de bikes wayyy to much now :cool3:[/quote]

after 14 years of bikes being my only means of transport my hatered of frost over came my love of motorcycles and i went over to the dark side . the insurence was still huge for q 30 year old . that was 12 years ago i still kept my bike my bike is worth 8 or 9 times what my other vehicle is . in that time i have enjoyed bikeing more cos now its a leasure activity/obsession but i dont have to ride on frosty roads anymore . i have choped and changed and had all sorts of bikes the best of the lot being the 1340 harley i kept that one nothing else soothes the soul like that baby i dont just ride it i make love with it i enjoy every mile . my woman said its not just rideing on a bike its hypnotic .:cool3:

Re: Wheres biking going ?
 

Thats another important one..apart from motorways which are useless for biking, the roads are pretty crap. I had a lovely mint condition low miler Africa twin and 5 minutes after sellin hit I regretted it , and still do .
Have the ktm sm now for up the mountains etc . Its grand but I would prefer a GS Adv. I always felt i am too tall for the Sm.:thumbsup2:

Re: Wheres biking going ?
 

[quote=jimgoose;2651162]Maybe it stems from being a product of the late '80s/90s, but this oul' bassid is still obsessed with FZRs/VFRs/ZZRs and ould Ile Biler Gixxers, and likely to stay that way! :biggrin_old:[/quote]

:thumbsup2: Maybe you're right, and the brothers influence down through the years also, I can't ever see myself buying anything else.

So there'll be at least one biker who will be about when I get on my
sporty :biggrin_old:

Re: Wheres biking going ?
 

[quote=the toenail cutter;2651164]after 14 years of bikes being my only means of transport...[/quote]

Yer not wrong. Twelve years in my case. Mark Twain's observation on Work versus Play springs to mind:

"[I]Work consists of whatever a body is obliged to do. Play consists of whatever a body is not obliged to do.[/I]" :thumbsup2:

Re: Wheres biking going ?
 

i dont think theres a trend with bikes TBH, more what your into, i cant stand the africa twins and the likes of those, im more into sports bikes, and im partial to a really nice cruiser/chopper too, id also grab a nice monster whatever category they fall into too, but those big bulky yolks, or the road going dirt bikes just dont do it for me at all, so even if the whole world was on them i dont think i would be

Re: Wheres biking going ?
 

Can we all at least agree that the 1800 Goldwing is the Elton John of motorbikes? It's not that there's anything particularly ghay about them, but I always thought that if the 'Wing were a person it'd be the type that'd play a diamond-encrusted Steinway on stage while wearing a Donald Duck outfit. :lbhbh:

Re: Wheres biking going ?
 

[quote=jimgoose;2651183]Can we all at least agree that the 1800 Goldwing is the Elton John of motorbikes? It's not that there's anything particularly ghay about them, but I always thought that if the 'Wing were a person it'd be the type that'd play a diamond-encrusted Steinway on stage while wearing a Donald Duck outfit. :lbhbh:[/quote]

+1 :lbhbh::lbhbh::lbhbh:
Lovely to look at, but thats where it stops for me. Same as those big Harley Ultra glides...whats the point...Ok you are fuckin loaded...Now move on :lbhbh::lbhbh::lbhbh::lbhbh:

Re: Wheres biking going ?
 

an interesting discussion this,
like a lot of others ime also the top side of forty, ive never had a" full on "litre sport bike, because i dont see the point of them, for solely road use.
dont get me wrong, ime not knocking them, totally the opposite i love them,
but to me , with only one bike they dont make sense.
the way i look at it is , what use can you get on a daily basis, from a possible 190 bhp bike , with a cramped riding position, yer arse pointing for mecca, and if you want to bring home a loaf from the shop , yed nearly want to distribute the slices around your pockets. add on top of that the state of the irish roads, lets face it most secondary roads in ireland are not sport bike friendly,. then ye have all the potential hazzards trying to kill ya, from sheep, cow shit, tractors, not the harley type, blind cagers, diesel spills, flying fag butts from cages, the list goes on,. this was my thinking when i parted with the blackbird last year, and bought a varadero 1000,.
ok, so all the risks are still there, bike this bike changes your way of thinking,
warp speeds are now totally pointless, secondary roads are now as comfy as a motorway. with a bit of luggage on the bike and i think it suits it,. you could do the weekly shop, and above it riding position is spot on,. in comparsion to the blackbird , it feels like a magic carpet,. aah i suppose ime getting old.:thumbsup2:

Re: Wheres biking going ?
 

I'm 45, and keep an 02 750 monster for pottering around- not mad fast, not looks well and helps clear the head. Not sure I want anything bigger- every class of prick trying to kill you on a bike- its smaller bikes we should be buying, not bigger! I also have a 125 ypvs 1988 model- that's more crack than the monster and it's safer- reminds me of when I was 17. I'm still 17 - 17 stone!!! :lbhbh: :lbhbh: :lbhbh: drive safe lads and keep yer eyes wide open.

Re: Wheres biking going ?
 

i dunno about the GS/varadero/tiger types, to me they're ugly coonts. ideal for an adventure holiday but this aint africa (despite the same class of roads). a quad is ideal for herding sheep around a field but you wouldnt get one to commute on would ya.
tourers, if you want an armchair, radio and luggage capacity get a cage ffs. i dont know if this is the fashion lately (down here its all harleys, seeing a sportbike is a rare treat) but they are very common these days.
tbh i think a jap litre bike is the best bike all round, nice and light for commuting/filtering, rake of power for open road spins, fairing there for weather protection etc. reliability.
im starting to associate the situpandbegs with harleys, too many lifestyle knobs going around with them now.

Re: Wheres biking going ?
 

Maybe its more of an ageing demographic thing...
My brother moved from a sports/tourer to a gs last year to get a few long spins in an he's younger than me.
I'm relatively new to bikes (3 years) so I'm still in the sportsbike phase.
I'm sure at some stage I'll make a move to something more comfortable.

Re: Wheres biking going ?
 

[quote=jmorris;2651217]I'm 45, and keep an 02 750 monster for pottering around- not mad fast, not looks well and helps clear the head. Not sure I want anything bigger- every class of prick trying to kill you on a bike- its smaller bikes we should be buying, not bigger! I also have a 125 ypvs 1988 model- that's more crack than the monster and it's safer- reminds me of when I was 17. I'm still 17 - 17 stone!!! :lbhbh: :lbhbh: :lbhbh: drive safe lads and keep yer eyes wide open.[/quote]

Same era as me, I headed out my 950 this morning and did over 100 miles on it. Prefer the supermoto for potterin around nice and comfortable and will stay with any sports bikes on the country roads. Only use my blackbird for long runs as it has luggage space

Re: Wheres biking going ?
 

Surprising none of you mentioned the rise of the maxi scoot market, this is more for comfort , looking foward to seeing the new BMW scoots

Re: Wheres biking going ?
 

[quote=I polished one off to a dude;2651227]i dunno about the GS/varadero/tiger types, to me they're ugly coonts. ideal for an adventure holiday but this aint africa (despite the same class of roads). a quad is ideal for herding sheep around a field but you wouldnt get one to commute on would ya.
tourers, if you want an armchair, radio and luggage capacity get a cage ffs. i dont know if this is the fashion lately (down here its all harleys, seeing a sportbike is a rare treat) but they are very common these days.
tbh i think a jap litre bike is the best bike all round, nice and light for commuting/filtering, rake of power for open road spins, fairing there for weather protection etc. reliability.
im starting to associate the situpandbegs with harleys, too many lifestyle knobs going around with them now.[/quote]
You're a special case - behold the man with a two-wheeled locomotive! :biggrin_old:

Re: Wheres biking going ?
 

[quote=jimgoose;2651235]You're a special case - behold the man with a two-wheeled locomotive! :biggrin_old:[/quote]

well yeah its not going to win any category apart from size, but when yer over compensating thats all that matters :biggrin_old:

Re: Wheres biking going ?
 

im 21 and only start biking mainly for the buzz but its also cause its alot cheaper then cages with the petrol and tax and cost of a great bike compared to a car is far better. im on a cbr400 and it cost me 1200 (provisional licence + 0 years no claims) insurance and 83 for tax when i had a cage which was a a decent enough yolk the insurance was 1500 and tax was around 120 for the year and it drank petrol compared to the cbr and the cbr would leave it in the dust. after tellin a few of me mates there looking into gettin into biking and one already has bought a cbr400, 2 other lads i know one 21 has a z750 and another whos 22 has a moto x thing so i think its the way t go for young lads

Re: Wheres biking going ?
 

[quote=I polished one off to a dude;2651236]well yeah its not going to win any category apart from size, but when yer over compensating thats all that matters :biggrin_old:[/quote]

Hell yeah. :cool2:

Re: Wheres biking going ?
 

It's going to the shop to get a box of teabags, a bag of sugar, a carton of milk and a pack of jaffa cakes.
After that it's heading back home to make a sup of tea to have with the jaffa cakes and it's going to watch the news.
When the news is over it might tackle the busted hinge on the gate, but it'll rip when it gets the hinge down from the press and realises the damn hinge isn't galvanised, not worth a fuck, it'll think.
Soon after that, biking might head out for a run on the bike.

Re: Wheres biking going ?
 

im 18, i have an nsr 125,
but the kind of bike that i would want is a cb750 or gs750 cafe racer
but one like this...


To view pics on this biker's forum - your post count must be 2 or greater.


:biggrin_old:

Re: Wheres biking going ?
 

[quote=jimgoose;2651183]Can we all at least agree that the 1800 Goldwing is the Elton John of motorbikes? It's not that there's anything particularly ghay about them, but I always thought that if the 'Wing were a person it'd be the type that'd play a diamond-encrusted Steinway on stage while wearing a Donald Duck outfit. :lbhbh:[/quote]
i have a honda silverwing 600cc scooter , my kids call it my gay bike , im of to do the shopping on it now , big boot and top box, no silly gears and i dont get dirty , ohh ! and its got heated grips so the pinkies dont get cold

Re: Wheres biking going ?
 

Think it really depends on what you use the bike for. Due to petrol prices in particular I commute only on the fazer (think it's a sports tourer) and leave the cage at home. It's comfortable and good for filtering. I also want to be able to do a bit of travelling on it and it's good for that as well. I love a sports bike but only for the weekends, no way would I want to get it bumped and scraped the way the fazer is getting.

Be interesting to know how many people commute to work on bikes and what kind is the most popular.:thumbsup2:

Re: Wheres biking going ?
 

[quote=scottser32;2651237]im 21 and only start biking mainly for the buzz but its also cause its alot cheaper then cages with the petrol and tax and cost of a great bike compared to a car is far better. im on a cbr400 and it cost me 1200 (provisional licence + 0 years no claims) insurance and 83 for tax when i had a cage which was a a decent enough yolk the insurance was 1500 and tax was around 120 for the year and it drank petrol compared to the cbr and the cbr would leave it in the dust. after tellin a few of me mates there looking into gettin into biking and one already has bought a cbr400, 2 other lads i know one 21 has a z750 and another whos 22 has a moto x thing so i think its the way t go for young lads[/quote]

good to hear young lads are getting on bikes again there were lots of the tiger years where all the young lads were boy racers :thumbsup2::thumbsup2::bikerie:

Re: Wheres biking going ?
 

[quote=phoenix;2651255]i have a honda silverwing 600cc scooter , [B]my kids call it my gay bike [/B], im of to do the shopping on it now , big boot and top box, no silly gears and i dont get dirty , ohh ! and its got heated grips so the pinkies dont get cold[/quote]

they're right! :woots: :lbhbh:

im 25 and ive been on a bike 6 years, have couple of mates my age in the same boat, never owned a c*r, use it everyday for college/work, rallies some weekends too, if i can get the cash together this year i will just buy a second bike for weekends and rallies.. something totally impractical..
streetfighter/ hardtail chop/hardly movingson or summat, and keep the bandit for the commute :thumbsup2:

Re: Wheres biking going ?
 

[quote=phoenix;2651255]i have a honda silverwing 600cc scooter , my kids call it my gay bike , im of to do the shopping on it now , big boot and top box, no silly gears and i dont get dirty , ohh ! and its got heated grips so the pinkies dont get cold[/quote]

because of a problem with my back,leg and ankle i bought a burger 400,fuel economy is great and it can cruise at 70.
i asked the mrs would she like to come for a spin on it and guess what she said
NO i married a biker:thumbsup2: not a mod:bag: ya look stupid on that thing:bag::bag:

saving a fortune of juice and i likes it

Re: Wheres biking going ?
 

[quote=Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark;2651262]because of a problem with my back,leg and ankle i bought a burger 400,fuel economy is great and it can cruise at 70.
i asked the mrs would she like to come for a spin on it and guess what she said
NO i married a biker:thumbsup2: not a mod:bag: ya look stupid on that thing:bag::bag:

saving a fortune of juice and i likes it[/quote]
i have a few bikes but the silverwing is used nearly every day have it ten years now , really pisses some lads off when a little ol lad with an open face helmet pisses them of on a scooter

Re: Wheres biking going ?
 

[quote=phoenix;2651270]i have a few bikes but the silverwing is used nearly every day have it ten years now , really pisses some lads off when a little ol lad with an open face helmet pisses them of on a scooter[/quote]

love it when you pass a cage at 70 and see the driver with his mouth open stareing at this scooter flying past,its worth any slagging for that alone:bikerie::bikerie:
if petrol keeps going the way it is everyone will soon be on scooters and small bikes

Re: Wheres biking going ?
 

[quote=moto400rr;2651249]im 18, i have an nsr 125,
but the kind of bike that i would want is a cb750 or gs750 cafe racer
but one like this...


To view pics on this biker's forum - your post count must be 2 or greater.


:biggrin_old:[/quote]

:thumbsup2:
id bleedin love a cafe racer was looking at cd250u's yesterday thats how desperate i am :tongue_old:
:lbhbh:

Re: Wheres biking going ?
 

all these biking is dying out threads are getting fierce :ghay:
No wonder there is no young lads on bikes any more cause all de old fella's be looking at us like we have and telling us about how dangerous bikes can be.... I knew all that before I ever swung my leg over no need it to hear everytime park up HTFU and keep riding :headbang:

And if biking is going any particular direction which i don't think it is, everyone has their own preferances, it is probably in the supermoto/enduro direction mainly due to Ireland's shitty roads and the occasional chance of some offroad/"green-lane" hooliganism