Most reliable bomb proof bike.....ever.

[bigblackfalco]

Just been doing some more tlc work on my latest Honda Deauville courier machine.
I think I've got a burnt valve somewhere.... infact the engine is starting to sound loose if you know what i mean?!

I got the bike in June this year with 53'000 miles on. It's now September and the speedo reads 67'000. The bike gets ridden hard; when I'm on open A or M roads I sit at 85 all day. I'm not sure that the 650 V twin engine is really up to this level of abuse?
I think it'd do nicely for commuting at a more leisurely pace! The bike in general is great for all day comfort.

So my question....which machine would deal with more punishment?
My past experience says that there isn't one that'll put up with courier abuse.
I don't want anything too heavy like a Pan because they are too big round town (although the engine is a peach).
I think I've had my lot with BMW shaft drives/transmissions/paralevers although I think the Boxer RT's take some beating.
What do you guys say?
Bailey.
ps. dare I say VFR750 with Scottoiler etc?

[Gromit]

Ok...so I'm biased...

Honda Blackbird - plenty going round with upwards of 200k on them, plus several guys on B.I.R.D. forum have bikes with 80k+ on which they regularly do 'runway runs' ie Straightliners events etc.

Mine's now done (just) 41k - feels like it's done 4k. Doesn't burn a drop of oil between 8k changes, engine's quiet as a mouse and feels totally unburstable.

[jivebiker]

Hondas are obviously not as good as they used to be.

20 years ago I couriered with a CB250N Superdream. At over 100k miles it burned a bit of oil, but the only weak spot was the final drive chain and sprockets (rear wheel sprocket the main culprit), fixed with a home made modification. I rode at least 200 miles a day flat out on the Motorway (about 90mph). It never missed a beat.

Next best to that was a CBR400RR (if you like small bikes). 50k plus with only oil and filter changes. Again ridden like a banshee everywhere.

[bigblackfalco]

Ok...so I'm biased...

H*nda Blackbird - plenty going round with upwards of 200k on them, plus several guys on B.I.R.D. forum have bikes with 80k+ on which they regularly do 'runway runs' ie Straightliners events etc.

Mine's now done (just) 41k - feels like it's done 4k. Doesn't burn a drop of oil between 8k changes, engine's quiet as a mouse and feels totally unburstable.

I know what you're saying here Richard. A truly great bike. BUT.....I need to keep my licence......and I don't know if I can be trusted?!
There's plenty of them about for not a lot. And there's a guy who courier's his down in Swindon who swears by it.
Is yours the PGM jobby? What's it like in traffic? And what kind of MPG?

Also, what do you reckon to one of the later 1998 on K1200RS??

[bigblackfalco]

Hondas are obviously not as good as they used to be.

20 years ago I couriered with a CB250N Superdream. At over 100k miles it burned a bit of oil, but the only weak spot was the final drive chain and sprockets (rear wheel sprocket the main culprit), fixed with a home made modification. I rode at least 200 miles a day flat out on the Motorway (about 90mph). It never missed a beat.

Next best to that was a CBR400RR (if you like small bikes). 50k plus with only oil and filter changes. Again ridden like a banshee everywhere.

My dad used courier a fully dressed 'wet dream' in the 80's too! It always used to break down after he'd come off the M4 elevated at Chiswick!
I need a bike that is easy on the rider if you know what i mean. I need to be able to walk at the end of the day without feeling like a 'raspberry'!

[Gromit]

I know what you're saying here Richard. A truly great bike. BUT.....I need to keep my licence......and I don't know if I can be trusted?!
There's plenty of them about for not a lot. And there's a guy who courier's his down in Swindon who swears by it.
Is yours the PGM jobby? What's it like in traffic? And what kind of MPG?

Also, what do you reckon to one of the later 1998 on K1200RS??

It took my a little while to get used to the Blackbird, but after a couple of months (3000 miles or so) I began to warm to it. I love it now - it's the bike I really wanted my VFR800 to be...a proper all-rounder.

Mine's a carbed one - in fact one of the very last as it's a '99 registered.

In traffic it's not the easiest thing to throw around, although add a 6mm spacer under the rear shock transforms its steering. I've bar raisers and low pegs on mine too. Fuel works out at around 45mpg taking it 'normally' but giving the bike some grief soon drops this to low 30's. EFI bikes are thirstier...and slower

Dunno about the 12RS - it'll be nowhere near as quick and is a fair bit heavier.

[BockingBandit]

Bailey,... I'd basically go for 1 of 2 bikes,... though I'm actually riding a CBF600N (Hire Bike) at the moment.
K75: Ok,.. they're getting a bit old now but still some good ones around. They didn't do an RS, but the S or RT (Put a lanyard on the mirrors and they filter sweelty). A lot smoother than the K100, comfy, .. handling,.. well,.. its a bit like Elton John,.. get used to the weave and they're ok. Cheap and easy to fix (Bemers for work, Motorwarks for bits). Cheaper to run than an NTV, and the RT keeps you dry and cozy.
Bandit 600. Everyone knocks them, but I've had a few and they've all served me well. Last one got close to 250,000 miles. They look tatty after the second day of use,.. and you have to clean the brakes every month, .. but apart from electircal gremilins (Harness around the headstock) they keep going and are amazingly cheap to run, handle ok and fit a givi screen and muffs and your sorted. My last 3 Bandits all died under car/van/car respectively, all were totally neglected, and apart from flat battrey,.. no failures. Half a million miles between them and never changed a cam chain or even adjusted valve clearences etc.

Thus Bocking Bandit recommends, .... GSF600N (Bandit)

[hjr1100s]

I thought my former K100RS looked bullet proof. The engine itself looks like you need a panzerfaust to take it out of operation. I've been told it was actually designed to propel a mini-submarine

But then again, I didn't rode it long enough to put it through some serious abuse.

HJ

[timbox2]

Think Im with the Bandit man as regards the K75, if you can find a nice one they are still about.
With the mileage your doing I would still go shaft and I still wouldnt count another Dullsville out, Ive heard about loads of them with crazy mileages, of course you could go bonkers and seek out a mid 90's GSX1100G , unburstable mill and shaft to boot, also enough grunt to pull trees, looks only a mother could love mind.

Ummm, Guzzi Breva 750?? Some Cheapish ones about now, normally been totally cosseted, no bad things Ive heard.

[bigblackfalco]

Bailey,... I'd basically go for 1 of 2 bikes,... though I'm actually riding a CBF600N (Hire Bike) at the moment.
K75: Ok,.. they're getting a bit old now but still some good ones around. They didn't do an RS, but the S or RT (Put a lanyard on the mirrors and they filter sweelty). A lot smoother than the K100, comfy, .. handling,.. well,.. its a bit like Elton John,.. get used to the weave and they're ok. Cheap and easy to fix (Bemers for work, Motorwarks for bits). Cheaper to run than an NTV, and the RT keeps you dry and cozy.
Bandit 600. Everyone knocks them, but I've had a few and they've all served me well. Last one got close to 250,000 miles. They look tatty after the second day of use,.. and you have to clean the brakes every month, .. but apart from electircal gremilins (Harness around the headstock) they keep going and are amazingly cheap to run, handle ok and fit a givi screen and muffs and your sorted. My last 3 Bandits all died under car/van/car respectively, all were totally neglected, and apart from flat battrey,.. no failures. Half a million miles between them and never changed a cam chain or even adjusted valve clearences etc.

Thus Bocking Bandit recommends, .... GSF600N (Bandit)

I did a year or so on a K75Rt at Courier Systems. I know they're bullet proof and the fairing is the mutts, but I hate the way they handle(pivot in the middle and are crap round corners....bit like riding a plate of blancmange!!) and also I think they have a tendancy to do clutches as that's a lot of bike to be propelled by a 750 motor (I always found you had to rev it quite hard to get the bloody thing moving from standstill!)
Point taken though Geoff. Can get em for peanuts now.Ditto with the K11RT.
I've never had the (pleasure?) of riding a Bandit so don't know what all the fuss is about. I know that the engine is the same as the old generation GSXR's which are as you say rock solid. What are they like torque wise?
I'm afraid I'm from the less cylinder brigade, so smaller cc in line fours always seem a bit revvy!
It must be said that nearly every bandit I've seen couriered looks a mess.


Anyway, how comes you're presently riding an expensive hire bike?
Bailey.

[FalcoDog]

The K12RS is pretty quick (0 to 60 in 3.4 sec) they redline at 155 mph. (don't ask how I know this) They have a good track record as the engine will go for ever because it's way overbuilt. If you go for the post y2k, most have heated grips and cruise control with an excellent wind protection. They do burn clutches (expensive) and are hard on rubber. Also, it's a big heavy thing, nonetheless, it's a fantastic high speed motorway bike.

If I was working off of a bike, I'd take a close look at the new BMW F800ST. I rode one and found it comfy, agile as hell, very practical and it felt like it would last an age.

[throttlemeister]

If you are looking for bullitproof, yes, a VFR750. One of your collegues did 400k miles on one (granted, it got a new engine somewhere down the line, but still).

Basically the only thing that can break on a VFR750 is the R/R, and even that is rare with the modified R/R that's OE replacement now.

But forget ScottOiler, Pro-Oiler is much, much better. And cheaper in use (but more expensive to buy).

[Bruno]

Totally impractical now, I know, but I couriered an ex plod twinshock R75 for a company called Lightning Despatch 20 years ago.
It had 130K documented miles when I got it and I added another 150K in two years. It burnt an exhaust valve at 200K. I replaced the clutch twice and the battery once.
Piece of cake to maintain, bulletproof and they crash well. It would hold a calibrated 100mph all day and return 50mpg. With decent rear shocks it handled well enough to grind the rocker boxes. The tyres lasted well and the calipers never seized. A proper all rounder that earned its keep.

I wish my R1100S was as well built and durable.

Mark

[BMW-Fahrer]

Hondas are way overrated with all their camtensioner,alternator,rectifier problems and soft bolts,cheap paint...
My R1150RS on 65K miles needed only a couple of H4 bulbs and one alternator belt...
My R1100S,the first one on 63K miles needed only one new reardrive gasket which was cheap to fix.
Not too bad at all for almost 130K fun miles...
A friend of mine has a 98 K1200RS with 170K miles on the clock where only the clutch isn't origional...
Take that Mr. Honda...

[Archie]

an ex plod twinshock R75

Piece of cake to maintain, bulletproof and they crash well.

Too right, I had a horribly abused ex-plod (and i suspect ex-courier) one as a backup for when my Ducati broke (quite often).

It did all the above and I also slid it into a Vauxhall Viva, writing the car off . A bit of araldite on the rocker cover and a new headlight shell and it was good as second hand.