Time for another decision...

So the insurance company just cancelled my insurance on the 650. They claim that anything with ‘Ninja’ printed on it will be most likely to make me go out and rape and pillage and they’ll be responsible to pay up the following lawsuits!
Idiots! Absolutely no stats behind anything… It just IS! So fuck off and get your insurance somewhere else.
Oh, by the way, I hope you’ll let us keep your car and van and house insurance, OK?


Grr… Grr…

Anyways, much, much thought in the last few weeks. I’ve been contemplating getting an 'all-purpose' bike for a while now, but more as an additional riding option. I checked out several used bikes on Kijiji and thought I’d found three that were worthwhile.
I took my choices to the local drug dealer at the Kawasaki store and asked him if he remembered the bikes because they must have been bought there originally.
He said to stay the Hell away from the KLX250 because it had been beaten within an inch of its life in the short 4 months it had been in an Indian’s hands at the reserve.
OK, said I…
How about these DR200’s? Almost brand new… Good price…
“FOR YOU?” He laughs… “You’d kill it within a month”. “They’re DOGS”… (He tried to convince me the 500 was too small, and he was right…)

Damn! “How about this TT225?” I plead…

“Oh for Christ’s sake!” He exclaims… “What’s the matter with you?” “Listen when I say ‘too small’!!

Here! He says, thrusting the brochure forward… THIS is what you want!



It is a Suzuki DRZ400...

I think he may be right. I’m seriously contemplating my biking future in my old age. I really didn’t use the 650 anywhere near enough last year.
I’m probably NEVER going to ride it back to Ontario to visit, never mind across Canada.
I’m more than likely to run out of luck on the 140 KPH run along the coast road on the way in to work.
Etc.. etc… the insurance company may be correct…

THIS thing will run all day long at 100KPH, it’ll dig through mud and beach sand, it’s 100 lbs lighter than the Ninja, the insurance company doesn’t know what it is, it’ll let me discover all the back roads in comfort, AND it has a fair degree of respect from those ‘in the know’.
It COULD be an 'all purpose' bike if you've only got one!

Not a lot of choice in the 'used' market, but I’m almost thinking of buying a brand new one.

As S.W.M.B.O is in the habit of saying… “Get a good one, it’ll probably be the LAST ONE you’ll ever buy!”

Thoughts?

I know a few lads that love them , so light and so much grunt for a 400 , but comfortable ?? they all say seat like a plank ,but take the bike where it was Kent to be , off road and you arnt on the seat long enough to notice , and then pure unadulterated FUNN

Nothing but good recommendations from everybody for this thing. Makes me wonder why I never considered it before. It does fit my riding style a lot better than baby Ninjas... Cycle magazine even voted it "Best all-round bike in the world" a few years ago. Now to begin the sly and careful operation to convince you-know-who...

Good luck with that one ,

So I’m in the drug store looking over the merchandise (Suzuki, Kawasaki, Benelli, Bombardier, etc…), and two Chinese kids walk in maybe 20 years old?
One is obviously translating for the other one. Sydney has a University that caters to foreign students for all sorts of weird studies… Lots of air pilot training and stuff.
Anyhoo… Buddy # 1 (the younger guy) is chattering away and pointing at a picture of the 2014 ZX-10R.
I’ll skip forward a bit here, and it turns out that Buddy #2 is the translator, or ‘fixer’ for a whole bunch of ‘clients’ at the University. Buddy #1 wants to buy the ZX10 and he wants it NOW. Not ‘this spring’, not ‘when the snow melts’, he wants it this afternoon if possible.
The dealer looks at him for a minute and says ‘You realize this is a 2014, they have not been released to stores yet?’
Buddy #1 is told this and says ‘I want it now!’.
The dealer glances outside at the snowbanks and the minus 13 degree weather.
‘Okayyyy’ He says… ‘Does he have a license?’
Buddy # 2 says ‘No. He will get one soon’.
‘It’s snowing outside’ says the dealer. ‘Were will he get the training course?’
Buddy # 2 says ‘He will get one soon. I will take the motorcycle to his home when you get it and make sure it is not ridden until he gets his license.’
The dealer says ‘You realize this is a $16,000 motorcycle?’
Buddy # 2 says ‘ I’ve seen his bank account. I suggested he could get a Mercedes C coupe, but he wants a bike!’
The dealer says ‘I’ll see what I can do then. I’ll have to borrow one from the show circuit.’
Suddenly, Buddy #1 starts chattering away again and pointing at a new catalog.
Buddy #2 goes over and there is some to and fro in gesturing and whatnot. He comes back to the dealer.
‘My friend says that if you can’t get the ZX-10, the GSX-R1000 will be OK as well.’

The dealer has this weird look on his face.

‘OK’ He says… ‘What colour?’

Now I know what living in Saudi Arabia and dealing with the young 'Prices' must be like. Cubic money in China theses days!

I went home and told S.W.M.B.O. “I want supper NOW’  

The bump on my forehead should be gone in a few days…  

You might have more fun with a DRZ in super-motard form...  I understand they just "re-introduced" them this year (at least in the states).



Odd that they would be killing you on insurance at your advanced age (I say this as an old fart myself). I'm convinced that geezers end up with a mid-life crisis Corvette because they can *finally* afford the insurance!

Looked at the SM version, but it is too.. too... just too! Gravel roads are calling! Now I've found a KLR650 at a reasonable price and I'm wavering... I posted an insurance comment on another site with Canadian connections and got tons of replies from other Canuks with similar woes. Seems as though anything with a fairing is devil spawn. I'm paying 1/4 of what some are paying in Ontario, so I somehow feel a little better now...

Hmmm... not sure of your particular case, roads-wise, but I would think the SM would be much better on a good quality dirt road or asphalt, and 'OK' on a rougher trail. For what I would do in a rural area (say up in the Carolinas), I think the SM would work better.

But, I'm no expert...

I guess the insurance thing is related more to body-work repair than horsepower. Or a little of both.

I'm turning into an old woman in my old age (senility). I wanted a 'motard' really badly about 3 years ago, then thought that a fairing would be more comfortable, then thought maybe something fairly heavy for 'road work', then thought 'no' ' need something light and maneuverable... then thought maybe 'dual purpose'... of course, multiple bikes would be the answer. However, limited time and finances, of course, preclude that.
It'll be down to the flip of a coin pretty soon! If the new thing doesn't work out, I can always change my mind again. Just like a woman...  

On the insurance thing... I've had a bunch of comments on the cost of fixing plastic body work, but they'll insure me on a Gold Wing, and an FJR, and a Vstrom... Nope! It's all in the name. Particularly when you consider I was not even asking for accidental damage, just liability.
I was talking to a guy yesterday who had his insurance cancelled as well when he traded up from a ZX to a Ninja. Trouble is, the only thing that changed from one year to another was the name! They were virtually identical bikes, just Kawasaki identifying all their sport-bikes as Ninjas. That was enough for the broker! 'You'rrrrrre OUT!'

time for an up date has the decision been made has the new bike been found ???

Remember a bit back to the old FS site? One of the guys had a DRZ400SM (with the smaller wheels and road tires). He loved it and I even downloaded pictures of his trips in the Dales thinking it would be a good trade-off for the roads around here... Trouble is, the plank-like seat and psycho personality are not as tempting as it once was.
After much soul-searching and bargain searching... this is what is coming home with me...



Strangely enough, I flipped a coin at the time I bought the Ninja, and the very same bike is back for sale second hand. It's KLR650 Karma!

I'm going to miss the slick look, but it will best suit how I want to ride for the next few years (at least). The old girl is officially for sale...



Any takers? As is, WHERE is, of course, for youz not on THIS island!

Timmy the Baker will get a kick out of this decision. He's just bought a DR650 (shorter height).

Done! Gone over to the dark side... So long 'sport bike rider', hello 'dual sport rider'...

Nice one am sure you will love it , and wonder why you didn't do it years ago , when I got the little bike for on the back of the Bugilow I was shocked how much fun I was having on it , then when I got the little stinker wooooow fun fun fun

Steady Eddy wrote: wonder why you didn't do it years ago  

It was some sort of a perverted desire to abuse the sport bikes in the spirit of adventure!





But you are right Eddie! I feel this is going to be a keeper! 8,000 km, one little scratch on the rear seat panel, new tires, and the exact same one that was on the floor when I went shopping for the Ninja. Like I said, KLR Karma!

Sorry for the very late response, but congrats on the new bike! I've promised myself something new once the job stuff settles down (provided that it is a favorable outcome of course) that I will treat myself to a new bike.

Smilo! You already HAVE about 20 bikes, don't you? What would be another new addition if the Loto ticket was a good one?
No wait... EVERYBODY would want a Panigale... or a Road Glide Custom if you were an overweight red-neck...

The question should be... " What would you get for a DAILY ride if you got it for free and were never allowed to sell it?"

That always starts good discussions!

I did sell one, though.  This would just be keeping the fleet size stable.

Not like I need one, but it is something nice to think about at the end of a long ordeal.

Picking one bike would be nearly impossible for me.  One of the attractions of bikes for me is having a few.  The days of scrounging up a nice cheap used one are waning, so the fun of swapping around a cheap one or two is tougher to achieve these days.

But it was fun while it lasted!

Touring, a little sport riding on the street, track days... I dunno.

as I get older the bikes get smaller the little DT 125 Yamy 2 st stinker is the one that puts a grin on my face it is just so much fun love it if any more turns up it will be a monkey. Bike

When I think about pure, unadulterated FUN on my various bikes... the little ones stand out. An S90, an XL100, a Vespa scooter, and my favorite, an IT175. All of them were easy to live with, and did what they were meant to do perfectly. I should have kept them all!

BTW - Did you get my PM J.P.?

Wow, it's quiet even for this "on life support" place...

Ye it has gone a bit like that ,am sorry I have been full of busy with the Bugilow and the computer has gone tits up so its just the phone and I find that hard work , the Bugilow is behind scedual and am trying a bit panicy due to be away in it in two weeks and have still got to make the furniture PANIC PANIC PANIC

Yeah, fair enough. Not complaining, just pining for the old days, I guess. Still not depressed enough to move to Facebook, though!

Oh I am a tart I go on there the iomtt between-the-hedges all over when I have the time and some one to talk to , I try not to talk to my self , I can't get any sense out of me no matter how hard I try lol

Is there someplace other than Facebook (a board) where some of the old FS crew may be found? I can go bother you there (and bring J.P. along too of course)!