All our yesterdays...

[DaveB]

The place that I got my 2 Triumphs from has a little showroom at the rear of the store which, the last time I went, had an assortment of low mileage bikes from 70's up. I was quite tempted by one of the 3 Kwak Turbos but having had one.. I wasn't tempted enough to have another.. especially given the asking price. Down the end of the centre row were 2 KH250's.. one of which had about 15miles on the clock. They were selling that for £4300 When the 250 was new.. you could have picked up a new E-Type for similar money

ATB
Dave

[J0hn]

Really excited now.

I was due a test ride of a 2003 Triumph Trophy 1200 next weekend, but they've discovered a crack in the swingarm. So now I get a go on a Fazer 1000 instead! Yikes!

I'm going to have some serious fun on that.

Twisties, here we come!

[DaveB]

Never had a Yamaha and doubt I ever will at this point in my biking career. Darned good they found that crack in the swinging arm on the Trophy

ATB
Dave

[J0hn]

Indeed, Dave - he's trying to find out what's to be done about it for the weekend, but it isn't looking good considering the bike is priced at £3000.

I was riding a Yamaha - the only one I've owned - when I took my test. A nice TZR-125R. Lovely bit of kit. As I had only ridden mopeds and scooters to that point, it was a very hairy experience for me. I remember leaving Slipstream Bikes in Skeggy and going round the corner at the lights, twisting the throttle hard like I did on my C70 and suddenly pulling the brake lever hard when I went just a bit faster than intended. I nearly head-butted the tank!

That was an experience, I can tell you. One of those firsts that one never forgets. I think I was grinning like a wally all the way home!

After I passed my test (3 day course with CSM - test day was a Saturday morning in Peterborough city centre! ) we used to ride two-up to Skeggy on it a couple of times a week. Nice days - but no mods or rockers these days!

We happened to bump into the previous owner in a cafe in Horncastle one Sunday (what are the chances?!) and he told us he and his mate had ridden two-up on it to the IoM TT.

[J0hn]

Wow! This bike is really gobsmackingly good! I couldn't stop smiling yesterday afternoon, despite the heavy showers and gusty winds. An incredible piece of work!

Of course, it was originally considered a 'hooligan' bike, until people recognised it's excellent all-round ability and that it could actually be ridden (semi-)sensibly for very long distances.

It's very comfy, for myself and SWMBO. It reaches 3-figure speeds without even thinking about it. Seriously, a ton on this feels like about 60 on my GPZ. There's also lots still in reserve at those licence-killing speeds.
You don't even have to think about overtaking, either. 'Oh, there's a car coming - will I make it in plenty of time?' well, on this thing - yes, you will! Not only oodles of power, but very smooth with it, too.

It comes with a complete set of luggage, all boxes are 2-helmet size, and crash bungs, as well as a high, tinted screen. Felt like riding a souped-up version of the Tiger. I am definitely having this.







Fazer 1000, 2005, less than 30k miles - for £3k.

I had to have an early night - I was completely knackered, but I'm surprised I slept, as I still haven't come back to the ground after riding this!

[DaveB]

Glad you're enjoying it John The price doesn't seem bad for what you're getting. Never bought a bike with that mileage on it mind you. I think the highest was the 955i at around 11k.. might have been a bit higher. Chopped it in at 19k as I was doing too many miles on it and didn't want it's value to drop off a cliff. Think the dealer had it on show for around £4k which was a LOT more than he gave me!

Not sure where I stand as far as owning a bike goes now. I had the 675 out a few weeks ago for a fortnight and got up one Sunday morning to go to work to see the top cover had been taken off and folded under the front window and the bottom cover had been lifted up and over the fairing. Whoever it was probably stopped when they saw the alarm light flashing on the rev-counter. Had it been moved with any sort of force, the movement sensor would have tripped and woken up the street! Dirty thieving b@astards. I can't tell you what ill I've wished on them

So.. I can't leave it by the front door anymore without fear that it's gonna be tampered with which means it's back on the yard. While it's safe there.. it's also a royal pain in the butt to get up and over the back step and I really can't be @rsed with this rigmarole every time I want to ride it. Even worse getting it back onto the yard. I either have to back it up and over the step (this through 2 doors) or take it in front wheel first then spend a while doing a 300-point turn to get it facing the right way to go out again. Were I in the house next door, it wouldn't be a problem as entry to their yard is flat.. no 9" step to get up from the entry or 2 steps down onto the yard.. it's all on one level

I'm SO annoyed.. it winds me up just thinking about it. The number of years bikes have been left outside here without being touched and for extended periods too while I've been at sea. A damning condemnation of the world we now live in I guess

ATB
Dave

[J0hn]

Sorry to hear that, Dave.

I know how you feel - I had a similar incident with my RGV250 in 1997. There was nowhere else to leave it but at the side of the house, which was open. One morning I came outside and found the disc lock laying on the wall, in pieces. A neighbour told me he'd seen someone loitering in the dark early hours and when he went outside they simply said "Good morning" and walked away.

Whether he put them off or they saw the electronic immobiliser and gave up, I don't know. Maybe they were just letting me know how rubbish my disc lock was?

In any case, I insisted the police come out, as the lock was still there and may have had prints or suchlike on it, but he just stuck his head above the car door, confirmed the lock was cut and then drove away again.

My wife had her bicycle stolen from the same spot. She was heatbroken about it. A few months later we saw the culprit on her bicycle (it had a telltale scratch in a prominent position) outside Asda - unfortunately I was too slow to grab him, but I recognised him from a couple of years previously, as the boyfriend of a girl I shared a house with.

We went to the cop shop and to our utter astonishment they refused to do anything about it, because my wife had not reported the theft at the time. That was the point at which I lost confidence in our police force, having always been very much a supporter until then.

[J0hn]

I got my insurance quotes today.

This bike is a group 15 (maximum is group 17) and all but 3 companies refused insurance on the comparison sites.

Which makes it even stranger that the lowest quote (bikesure) was only £150 and the most expensive was £270. That's with just a year's provable NCB (they let you transfer your bike NCB to a car, but not vice-versa).

I'm still smiling!

[DaveB]

My Daytona 675 is group 16 so group 15 for a 1000cc Fazer doesn't seem so bad all things considered. Your quote isn't bad with only 12months NCB either. When I got my first year NCB back (after a 6 year lay off).. I had to pay £600 TPFT on the ZX9R.. a drop of £200 on the year before I pay over £200 now (fully Comp) on the 675

ATB
Dave

[J0hn]

Ouch!