Second bike ??

[Acpantera]

I have been toying with the Idea of a second bike. I did have a small 200cc enduro but I found that I did not use it very much(not many trails near by). Now that I spent more time riding the internet because of winter conditions, I find myself very curious about the Royal Enfield C5 classic. The R1200R eats up miles effortlessly and I think the classic may be a fine bike to bomb around town,and commute to work. What sort of second bike(s) do you have and why? do you ride it(them) much?

[TAG-Caver]

Suzuki DR650 for my commuting needs. Fun, light, easy to maintain and reliable. It gets ridden daily unless there's too much risk of hitting a patch of ice. The R1200R is my freeway flyer and gets used when the salt is off the roads. Both are great bikes that I'd recommend to anyone.

[nielsm]

I recently went thru a similar question. I had been interested in getting into more off-road riding, but as I live in NYC, needed a bike that I could ride to the dirt. So I considered bikes like KTM & Husqvarna for their dual sports.

I'd also toyed with the idea of getting something a bit sportier than the R1200R, that would be better for toying around the city. Some contenders were Ducati Monster, Triumph Thruxton. I have a friend that has a Monster & I always appreciated those bikes.

In the end, I realized the Monster was too similar in style to the R & while a little bit better in the city, would be painful for any longer rides. The Thruxton suffered the same fate. The KTM & Husqvarna while certainly very different than the R, would be painful to ride all the way to the dirt.

I ended up with a 2012 R1200GSA. The boxer is a great motor & the GSA, while not as nimble off road as a KTM or Husky makes getting to the trails a joy. It also eats up the potholes in the city & makes a really good commuter bike around the city.

I may eventually get one of the other bikes I considered, but limited to 2 bikes, they both had to be able to do a bit of everything. The other bikes I considered were too much of a compromise in other areas.

Both of my bikes get a good amount of riding in spite of it being winter. I think they are different enough to have different feels, yet each is flexible enough to be able to do a lot.

[Acpantera]

I was considering budget too. I can buy this neat little put for about 5g. 2010 left over low mile demo.

[Gib984]

Got a Vespa GT60 but fancy a Ducati Diavel

[mogu83]

I rode an Enfield and it did nothing for me (it didn't actually feel like an old Brit bike), and for a few dollars more you could get a Triumph which is twice as much motorcycle. Personally I would get an old Beemer slash bike that was in good shape and fix it up to be a rider (not a show bike) then you would have a machine that was rideable in modern traffic but still a legitimate antique.

Naturally IMHO

[tl440]

I had a Enfield/Indian back in the fifties. Remember it fondly and have lusted for another ever since the Indians brought them back having moved the shifter to the other side. I'd get one now were it not for the Virago the wife doesn't ride often enough.

I've talked to a few owners who liked them very much. My suspicion ia that these guys were not real hard core riders, but they had done some fairly challenging local rides.

Dge

[SDMAX]

Main bike is the 2007 R1200R; then I wanted something that looked vintage and actually took my check book to the Triumph store for a T100 or a Bonneville; test ride, no power. Hit the throttle, nothing happened. Too used to the R12 100 HP. So don't ask, I bought a 2011 Victory Kingpin 8 Ball....honest that's what they call them; plenty of big twin 106 cubic inch power.

So then, came the Ducati Monster 696, I got it for cheap, a 2009, and it had the sprocket change they need and ECU and Terminoni exhausts; and it is light and red and flickable and makes amazing noise. So to the first poster I would go Monster and jam it around the city and use the R1200 for the rest.....I actually ride them all; and the Victory fits in too.

Oh yeah can't get a Vespa because I have a Japanese/Chinese/Mexican Honda 125cc that fills that bill.

Rock on.

[wncbmw]

I got a DR650 to supplement the R1150R. The Suzuki gets work around here for Forest Service roads and is a fun, light machine for exploring back roads where it might go to gravel at any time. Even though I am a rank amateur on gravel and avoid any rough stuff! Too old to heal like I used to!

I initially intended to use it on some trips, getting to some far-away gravel roads, but when the time comes to hit the highway, it seems the Roadster gets the call every time.

Nice to have a road stud and a dirty girl!

[CRazyCam]

For what it's worth, my BMW is my second bike.

I got a Triumph Street Triple 675, back in 2008, but, when I got it home, my wife took one look at the seating position and passenger footpegs, sneered, giggled, and told me that wasn't going to work.

So I had to go out and get a "shopping" bike.

I was really lucky, coming across a BMW R850R, which does the shopping, wife-carrying, weekend away, and long trips stuff wonderfully well, and I still have a stupidly fast light flickable mono-ing stoppy-ing hooligan bike to ride for fun.

To be honest, if I had to get rid of one of the two big bikes (I also have a Honda Z50) I would have to keep the BM.

regards,CrazyCam

[Ric]

Maybe this will clear things up for you.....


First Bike


Second Bike


Third Bike


Fourth Bike


Fifth Bike


Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Bikes

[SDMAX]

Dude! I want every one of those.....great selections.

[CRazyCam]

Hi Ric.

Love the RD400!

When I had to get the BMW as a shopping bike, it meant that I had to make space in the garage, so my RZ250 (in fluro Pink) had to go. <sob>

regards,CrazyCam

[Ric]

Hi Ric.

Love the RD400!

When I had to get the BMW as a shopping bike, it meant that I had to make space in the garage, so my RZ250 (in fluro Pink) had to go. <sob>

regards,CrazyCam

You are one sick puppy......sell your RZ...the very idea !

[SDMAX]

R1200R, Victory Kingpin 8 Ball, Ducati 696, Honda Invicta 125; tomorrow I'm pulling the trigger....probably .... on a 2012 Triumph 800 ABS

[AlecMyrddyn]

I'm down to only one bike at the moment, but it was originally a second bike, and hopefully will be again this year.

"Igor" is my '99 Monster 900. He's a rescue. Bought him when I had an '05 FJR 1300 as my primary bike as a project to wrench on, and so when complete, I'd have a solo bike that I could maybe do some track days with, and not be as concerned about dropping as the big heavy yet-unpaid-for FJR. And what a project he was! When I got him, I had to fix a dented front rim, replace the handlebars, clutch master, switch gear, left peg/exhaust bracket, left pegs, shifter & linkage, and sidestand. Not to mention redoing the shocks, clutch and replacing the tires... (And you wonder why the previous owner low-sided it on a clean, warm, recently-repaved road...?)

I sold the FJR last year, and am now working on test rides to pickup a new primary bike. In fact, I'm joining the Test Ride club this afternoon if all goes as planned!

That will put Igor back to duty as a second bike. I really enjoy having a light, small, flickable bike to take out when I'm feeling squidly, or even when commuting on nicer days. The motor in this particular M900 only puts out HP in the mid-60s, but it has a custom 2-1 exhaust that sounds so nice, and fattened up the mid-range a bit. So I have have fun winding out the gears without having to double or triple the speed-limit to do so. And, Igor is definitely still a wrenching project for the future. At some point I'd like to strip him down the frame to clean that up, and maybe put some better heads on and some hi-compression pistons to boost the HP.

[Acpantera]

Ric, sorry but you didn't clear up anything for me. That H2 brought back memories of I guy I knew when I was just a kid. He had one like yours but it was blue,can't remember the year, he always boasted how scary fast it was. He wrecked it twice and broke many bones.....man I wanted one of those!! I think cabin fever is getting to me. I know once the weather/salt eases up I will ride the R and be perfectly happy as always. Super nice/cool collection Ric. For some silly reason the enfield speaks to me, A dealer near by has one to ride, maybe I'll test ride it and leave it a loan like I have done with dozens of bikes over the last decade. That KLX looks as fun as hell tooo. So many bikes, so little time and money.

[Ric]

Ric, sorry but you didn't clear up anything for me. That H2 brought back memories of I guy I knew when I was just a kid. He had one like yours but it was blue,can't remember the year, he always boasted how scary fast it was. He wrecked it twice and broke many bones.....man I wanted one of those!! I think cabin fever is getting to me. I know once the weather/salt eases up I will ride the R and be perfectly happy as always. Super nice/cool collection Ric. For some silly reason the enfield speaks to me, A dealer near by has one to ride, maybe I'll test ride it and leave it a loan like I have done with dozens of bikes over the last decade. That KLX looks as fun as hell tooo. So many bikes, so little time and money.

My KLX super motard is supper fun. I bored it to a 351 so it has some giddyup and gets 60 mpg. I will put the road tires back on it to ride to work this year and escape the high gas prices.

I restored the 65 Black Bomber and it handles like modern sport bike and gets about 70 mpg.

As much as I hate too I need to sell the H2. The Bushwacker is on the block too. I just today sold the little 120. Had to do it...Daughter headed to college.
The RD is a rocket. It's engine has been mod'ed by Team Scream racing. Super smooth on the road and making 61 hp to rear wheel. It's a very fast bike that requires an easy touch on the throttle to keep the front end down.

A dealer near by sells and owns an Enfield. He a few others with Enfields owners go for monthly rides. They love them although they say they need a little attention, but not so much.

Another bike I really like is the modern Triumph Bonnie; old school style with modern reliability and super comfortable for the long haul while being nearly as strong as a Suzuki SV.

Of course I love the R12R....GF and I take a lot of trips to the Smoky Mtnson it through the good weather months. We're taking out to Colorado this summer.

Also, I got to start thinking about retirement. I may end up with the R12R, the KLX, and maybe one old bike like the Black Bomber or RD.

[Acpantera]

Just curious, whats a H2 like yours go for these days???

[Ric]

Just curious, whats a H2 like yours go for these days???

Mine is fully restored so, it would no doubt bring $ 7,500 at a minimum; likely a couple grand more on ebay. I'd let it go for 7,500 to avoid going to ebay.