"Too much bike" or nostalgia? 100hp 4cyl vs <50hp twin for leisurely back road riding

[Brendan W]

Those MRA vario screens are hard to come buy and cost a fortune now. I always wondered if they worked well. They get excellent reviews. I'm going with a double Bubble windshield. It would be nice to see a picture of it.

This link is a better pic than I could take. With mounting kit it comes in at €200 + shipping.
It's adjustable as you ride, at least the rake is. To fiddle with the slot thing you have to stop.
Coming from a pure naked GS850, all I can say is it's noisy at high angles.
Best compromise seems to be set it low to take the load off your chest and keep your helmet in free stream.

https://www.mrashop.de/com/model-based-products/aprilia/125-classic/alle-bj/5938/vario-touring-screen-for-n.b.-hk-variotouringscreen-for-nakedbike-vtnb-all-years?c=90003929

[RichDesmond]

As a follow-up on my own thread, I did the *unthinkable* and ended up buying an old Shovelhead harley (1980 FXS Low Rider) to see if a cantankerous plodding old V-twin would scratch the "usable characterful performance" itch.... but I think I overdid it on this one folks. It's just a bit *TOO* cantankerous and sketchy for me to currently consider any sort of touring on! You live you learn, I'm hoping I can get out of this thing without losing my shirt. Instead, my brother and I are planning to do our annual PA tour on our original warhorses: my on my well worn XS500 (needs some fresh clutch springs/plates and some more carb fiddling), him on his CB360 that he needs to re-ring and do some work on in time for a fall ride.

I've really enjoyed reading all the responses!

Yeah, those old AMF-era Harleys were, by and large, crap. By the 90's they had gotten a lot better. Still not my cup of tea, but at least they're functional motorcycles.

[Rob S.]

Yeah, those old AMF-era Harleys were, by and large, crap. By the 90's they had gotten a lot better...they're functional motorcycles.

Quite reliable, in fact. You might even say bulletproof.

[GS1150Pilot]

Quite reliable, in fact. You might even say bulletproof.

EVOs, yeah. Twinkies mostly got ironed out, too, but the M8 still seems to be problematic in certain areas.

[GS1150Pilot]

Two questions:

Is that steering dampener stock?

Isn't that quite a bit of length of gold exhaust for an experienced DIYer like yourself? That's lean, right? (Blue would be rich?)

Stainless exhausts on modern bikes almost always go gold.

[Grimly]

Funny how bikes become relegated to the 'Sport Touring' club as they age. I recall the first Yamaha FJ (1100?) was an extreme, cutting edge 'Sport' bike when it debuted. It didn't get de-tuned, others just got more extreme (GSXR, etc). I think the same thing happened to the 'Blackbird' (Honda) as well as the ZZR.

Yesterday's sports bike is tomorrow's lardy tourer.

[Rob S.]

Stainless exhausts on modern bikes almost always go gold.

Sorry. Back in my day, everything was chrome. A new 4-into-1 every few years did wonders for the bike's look, and the owner's outlook.

A great thing about the chrome staggered shorty duals on the XL883 - the pipes themselves are hidden, and the chrome shields never get hot enough to discolor in the least.

[rphillips]

Remember when the GS1000 "S" and Kawasaki Z1R were the sportiest things out there?? My remembering the Honda Interceptor really got the race bike thing out on the st. Followed by Katanas, Ninjas, and FJ's.,

[Suzukian]

Remember when the GS1000 "S" and Kawasaki Z1R were the sportiest things out there?? My remembering the Honda Interceptor really got the race bike thing out on the st. Followed by Katanas, Ninjas, and FJ's.,

The same year 1983 GS750ES blew the Honda Interceptors off the road. They handled better, weighed 40 lbs. less. You didn't have to unbolt the engines to adjust the rear valves. The '83 GS750ES, made for 1 year, then became the GS700ES (same horsepower) evolved into the Gixxer, which was the same basic engine, but with 14 more H.P.. I worked for the dealerships and got to ride all those bikes. I found the Interceptor to be disappointing. The V65 Magna, while not looking the part, hand much better performance.Still have my '83. I haven't seen an Interceptor for over 20 years on the road. Many burned up those engines, as the valves were so difficult to adjust. IMHO

[rphillips]

I's thinking more about looks, those Hondas just looked like they just got loose from the race track and rolled out onto the st.. I never rode one, have no clue anything about them.

[GS1150Pilot]

I owned a VF1000R and loved it even though it was a tank for its time. I also rode a VF500F that a friend owned and thought that bike was brilliant.

[Suzukian]

Not a fan of the newer Hondas. My brother in law has a showroom condition VFR 750 and the 800 cc shaft drive version of that model. I can run circles around him with my old '83 GS750ES. They steer like a Ducati, very hard (like the'83 600 Pantah) but they don't handle like the Ducati, that justifies the feeling. The VFR's feel like there is a bowling ball on the ends of the handlebars. The ABS is horrid. It was on both of the bikes. I don't know if he had a problem, or that was how they are, but the front wheel would hop, which I though ABS would not allow. He is very proud of his bikes. I helped him with engine removal of his VFR750. He had spent 2 hours trying to get the engine out, without realizing the center stand was on the engine, not the frame.. I had him, after a little argument, attach for hooks to the ceiling, and we raised the bike off of the engine using heavy duty tie down straps.. A 15 minute job. Our relationship after 40 odd years has deteriorated to nothing. No good deed goes unpunished.

[GS1150Pilot]

I was unaware that the VFR models ever evolved to shaft drive.

[Diirk]

First post here. Been lurking on here for a week or so 'cause I got my eye on a "79 GS850.

That being said I'll give my two cents on the topic and say a small bike definitely has its merits once the roads get twisty. But in the end it all kind of boils down to what feeling you're chasing after.
Which is what most of motorcycling is all about, as compared to driving a car whereas most of it's use is getting from a to b.
The simple solution? Diversify your garage

I've kinda jonesed for one of these for a long time:
https://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/mo...20400%2089.htm

I can tell you: they're a lot of fun

IMG_1166.jpg

[gtem]

First post here. Been lurking on here for a week or so 'cause I got my eye on a "79 GS850.

That being said I'll give my two cents on the topic and say a small bike definitely has its merits once the roads get twisty. But in the end it all kind of boils down to what feeling you're chasing after.
Which is what most of motorcycling is all about, as compared to driving a car whereas most of it's use is getting from a to b.
The simple solution? Diversify your garage


I can tell you: they're a lot of fun

First off, welcome! Whether you end up with a GS or not, I've found this forum to have some of the highest quality interactions among the community of anywhere I've seen online. I had forgotten all about those CB-1s, part of that era in the 90s where the Japanese manufacturers allowed a slow but steady trickle of neat Jap/euro market bikes that never really caught on. Suzuki sold the GSF400 Bandit here as well in the early 90s.... I've been tempted by them before as well.