Ok Chips'

We've narrowed down some parameters here.

Matti brings up some good points, too

My personal opinion?

My missus won't go near my bike either. So you know what you have in pocket. I love my 'Cane, as old as she is, I can't give her up and pray I'll never have to

You'll always have the CBR, but I agree with your beloved

Life's too short.

Which, imo, means one must have a love/hate relationship with something Italian.

It's a right of mechanical passage. Might cost a pretty penny, but there will be a moment when she'll sing like no other.

I mean a freakin' aria

After that?

Sell it

 

VMAX!!!!


Its a bucket list bike of mine. That's just about the most quintessential power cruiser there is.

 

I had a VMAX (Old but full power one) for about 3 months. Awesome on the straights and even with the work done on the handling it couldn't corner to save it's life...but I did p*** off an R1 rider at some lights.


A Rocket as good as it is and being British isn't for me, I want to corner and chuck a wheelie if I want.


Italian sounds good and there are several close by that I can test ride.


I did test ride a tuned RSV Mille 1000 in 2004 and left big black lines down the road when I first got on it because I went from the 'cane to it. Lovely bike but definite licence loser in my hands.


I think definite naked bike...just see which one. At least I can test ride a few at the local shop when I get home, they have most of what I'm looking at in stock.


I will not be looking at Ducati in any way shape or form...it's personal!!

 

Now who says a rocket won't wheelie?

So it should be a fighter-ish bike, that can lift a wheel and do corners but isn't too fast...


Now I might get burned for this... but there's only one bike manufacturer in my mind that fulfills all the requirements.



Buell.

 

I owned a Buell, and I miss it. I will own another one someday. No flaming from me, Mattson, they're awesome machines and its the perfect "other bike" to have alongside an I4. Great suggestion.

 

V- Maxs are big fun. You can cruise quietly all day, or with a simple readjustment of the right hand position you can have yourself a super motard fun bike; albeit at slightly more eye watering velocities than most motard bikes.

They're kind of like a Hurricane, all nice and respectable "Thank you very much sir for your considered input" - but then you hit the tipping point around 7k rpm and they decide that you want to play hard and fast.

They are more than willing to play that game.

 

Further Toy list thoughts.

Never ridden one, but if I I won lotto this week I'd be seriously looking at an MT 09. Every report I see just rates them very highly as the most fun you can have with clothes on.

 

You could just add bar risers, wiseco big bore kit and a 4-2-1 exhaust to your 1000f, that is what I have and it is not hard to wheelie but can cruise all day as well.

 

Godda be Italiano, geddit???

As the founding member and unofficial leader of motorcycling’s “super-naked” class, Aprilia’s Tuono is the bike that several of this year’s most exciting new models have been created to topple. The bad news for challengers including BMW’s S1000R, KTM’s 1290 Super Duke R and Ducati’s Monster 1200 is that Aprilia’s unfaired V4 has just raised the bar.

The Italian firm invented the class in 2002 when it created the original Tuono by swapping its RSV Mille sports bike’s low handlebars for a raised, one-piece bar and leaving its V-twin engine’s thunderous 130bhp output untouched. Three years ago a similarly uncompromising approach resulted in the Tuono V4R, which was based on the super-sports RSV4 and powered by a 999cc V4 engine that produced 167bhp.

That first Tuono V4R was a thrilling machine that combined fierce performance with V4 character, light weight, superb handling and cutting-edge electronics. It was very nearly as fast as the RSV4 and arguably more fun to ride, even on a track day



Mamma mia, magiari!!!

A mate in NZ (no another one TK) owned one of these, said he had a problem keeping the front wheel down and he did a couple of track days that apparently took weeks for the grin to fade!

Cheers, SB

PS: an afterthought..............



Oh my! I think I might need a tissue...............

 

Mattson...I really don't think I have the skill to wheelie a Rocket, mind you it would be fun to try.


Kiwi - I have seen a lot about the MT-09 as well and I have a Yamaha shop up the road so might look into that and test ride one, they're not a bad price either.


Jarvid, I'm sorry but the thought of lifting the front wheel of my lady just doesn't work. When I first got her I did lift it several times but then thought about it and stopped. At her age I think she wants a more pleasant life but now and then likes to show the young ones a thing or two.


So I'm now down to the following: Tuono, MT-09, CB1000R and Speed Triple.


The BMW is history.


Not sure about a Buell, only seen one in my life and that was being ragged up and down a private road. I think someone had forgotten the baffles in it. Never ridden one or even thought about one. Thank you for the suggestions folks.