Topic: What Motorcycle Have You Been Obsessing About Today?

[dkaz]

Fortnine did a used break in oil analysis of 12 brand new motorcycles.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GAUo8eUXeU

Not sure if I should watch. 

Have seen some of his "tests" before and they weren't terribly..umm..good.

Well I agree that a lot of the break in happens at the factory these days. But you don't generally agree with their ranking on best built engines?

[Jaeger]

So for the most part we think of vehicles built in Japan to be the highest quality and most well built for cars.  As far as motorcycles, which country builds the best?

The "best" is subjective, most reliable, Japanese, far and away the best. Performance wise, that totally depends on the segment of the bike.

Are the majority of the Japanese bikes made in Japan?  I tend to think the most reliable vehicles come out of Japan, the highest quality vehicles out of Germany, and the most style and soul out of Italy.

I'd disagree with that.

Yeah, I'm with Rocket on this one as well......glitzy, sure, fancy, sure, quality....ehhhhh.

Agree completely. The most meaningful measure of the quality of a machine is how reliably it functions.

[rrocket]

Well I agree that a lot of the break in happens at the factory these days. But you don't generally agree with their ranking on best built engines?

That his ranking of best built engines??  Enfield first??

If that's the case, his "testing" has slipped even farther than imagined.

[Arthur Dent]

I thought his testing was the break in oil condition rather than quality of engine. His tests are more entertainment value rather than hardcore science. Sort of like Mythbusters, etc.

[rrocket]

. His tests are more entertainment

ie. Clickbait.

[Fobroader]

I thought his testing was the break in oil condition rather than quality of engine. His tests are more entertainment value rather than hardcore science. Sort of like Mythbusters, etc.

Yeah, that list is engine cleanliness, not anything else

Sent from my SM-G960W using Tapatalk

[Triple Bob]

They used to be horrible quality wise - 80s Hyundai of the bike world. They invested huge in quality and seems to be paying off. They are built in India and some folks have a tough time with that is maybe a part if it.

Not sure if they were worse than the British original, but by modern standards they've been crappily built for a long long time

Will be interesting if they've actually turned things around

They are basically half the price of a Triumph, and about half the quality. BUT, that's a lot better than they used to be. AND if you fix the known issues from the get go, you will have a cheap reliable bike.

My Dad owned many Triumphs, and bought an RE (in about 2015 ish). All of the known faults happened fairly soon, clutch cable breaking immediately etc. When he went to buy parts, the guy told him to order a few more aftermarket parts to replace the factory ones that were known to give way, so he did.

After about a year he replaced it with another Triumph Bonnie as the quality just wasn't good enough for him.

There are exceptions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6Dpwc1y3ZU

[dirtyjeffer]

hardly anyone sells RE bikes...often just small places in little towns...makes you wonder why the big dealers don't carry them.

[rrocket]

hardly anyone sells RE bikes...often just small places in little towns...makes you wonder why the big dealers don't carry them.

Because they'd have to expand their service department many times over.   

[ktm525]

It could be rose coloured glasses but I think early 90s was peak Honda. I had a 91 CR250 and a 92 CR500. The 250 was a cockroach, raced hard and rarely let me down. One rebuild I put the piston in backwards and it still ran and another time I ran half a cross country race with the ignition lead beside (not clicked on) the spark plug. The bike was a runner lol. The showas were a young mans fork though.

[dkaz]

Reliability would be the big 4
Honda
Yamaha
Suzuki
Kawasaki.

Love my beamer but feels like a time bomb

The engine is bulletproof, it's the electronic support to the engine I'm worried about. 

[rrocket]

It could be rose coloured glasses but I think early 90s was peak Honda. I had a 91 CR250 and a 92 CR500. The 250 was a cockroach, raced hard and rarely let me down. One rebuild I put the piston in backwards and it still ran and another time I ran half a cross country race with the ignition lead beside (not clicked on) the spark plug. The bike was a runner lol. The showas were a young mans fork though.

That would have been the introduction of the CBR900RR too!

That was a colossal upheaval for open class street bikes and was a big, big deal.

[dirtyjeffer]

It could be rose coloured glasses but I think early 90s was peak Honda. I had a 91 CR250 and a 92 CR500. The 250 was a cockroach, raced hard and rarely let me down. One rebuild I put the piston in backwards and it still ran and another time I ran half a cross country race with the ignition lead beside (not clicked on) the spark plug. The bike was a runner lol. The showas were a young mans fork though.

That would have been the introduction of the CBR900RR too!

That was a colossal upheaval for open class street bikes and was a big, big deal.

ah, the Fireblade...back in those days, the big bikes had such awesome names...the CBR1100XX was the Super Blackbird...132HP...in 1996 (that's 25 years ago)!!!

[rrocket]

It could be rose coloured glasses but I think early 90s was peak Honda. I had a 91 CR250 and a 92 CR500. The 250 was a cockroach, raced hard and rarely let me down. One rebuild I put the piston in backwards and it still ran and another time I ran half a cross country race with the ignition lead beside (not clicked on) the spark plug. The bike was a runner lol. The showas were a young mans fork though.

That would have been the introduction of the CBR900RR too!

That was a colossal upheaval for open class street bikes and was a big, big deal.

ah, the Fireblade...back in those days, the big bikes had such awesome names...the CBR1100XX was the Super Blackbird...132HP...in 1996 (that's 25 years ago)!!!

They still have the names in Japan...they usually get dropped for North America though

[ktm525]

Looking towards building a long range adventure bike. Started out thinking XR650 but that is too close to my 501. Then considered the Yamaha 700 Tenere, again somewhat close. The more I read the more I think the KTM 790 Adventure R is a good stablemate for a KTM 300 and Husqvarna FE501. Pricey though.. Going to have to drive the Ridgeline another 10 years but I am good with that.

[rrocket]

Get the 890!

Ever consider something older like the 950 or 990 Adv?

Or you wants a smaller package?

[Triple Bob]

Nice!

But have a look at longer term reviews, some have been critical of build quality.

https://www.reddit.com/r/advrider/comments/lrqm2o/790_adventure_r_issues_bret_tkacs/

[ktm525]

Get the 890!

Ever consider something older like the 950 or 990 Adv?

Or you wants a smaller package?

Haha had to go back and read what I posted after that comment. Typo on my end. I meant the 890 lol.

Yeah KTM quality issues. Been riding them for 20 years, pretty familiar lol.

[rrocket]

Get the 890!

Ever consider something older like the 950 or 990 Adv?

Or you wants a smaller package?

Haha had to go back and read what I posted after that comment. Typo on my end. I meant the 890 lol.

Yeah KTM quality issues. Been riding them for 20 years, pretty familiar lol.

Well you could buy a used 790R...wouldn't be a terrible place to start a project IMO.

Could do lots with the money saved over a new  890.

[ktm525]

Get the 890!

Ever consider something older like the 950 or 990 Adv?

Or you wants a smaller package?

Haha had to go back and read what I posted after that comment. Typo on my end. I meant the 890 lol.

Yeah KTM quality issues. Been riding them for 20 years, pretty familiar lol.

Well you could buy a used 790R...wouldn't be a terrible place to start a project IMO.

Could do lots with the money saved over a new  890.

I think the ideal situation will be to wait until end of summer and buy a lightly used, farkled-up 890 Adventure Rally whose owner can't deal with the 38" seat height.