Welcome to the Two Wheeled Texans community! 
Feel free to hang out and lurk as long as you like. However, we would like to encourage you to 
Howdy all.
In my long quest of finding the perfect bike I've come close several times, but never found "the one". This myriad assortment has included sport bikes, standards, sport tourers, and a cruiserish bike or two. No adventure bikes, and sadly no hypersports.
I do know after going towards the sporty side for a few years I prefer the UJMs. I never got all the way to a supersport or open class bike, but was close enough to know that unless my morning commute was the Nordschleife I wouldn't be able to live with it day-in, day-out.
Some of my favorites:
-2002 Triumph Daytona 955i
This bike "spoke" to me the first time I *shot* down the block. What a fun, well composed bike that disquised it's mass well and was comfortable despite the aggressive position. A true gentleman's street sport bike.
Unfortunately it wasn't quite comfy enough, not sedate enough to keep from doing absolutely stupid things all the time, was expensive to work on/maintain...and it was yellow.
-1992 Honda VFR 750
Easily the greatest all around bike ever made...or is it? This bike was good at everything, but not really good at anything. Just sporty enough to make you happy, but not completely quell the appetite. Just comfortable enough to take a long ride out on, but not quite enough to be happy the whole way back (even with risers), and just fast enough to bring a smile, but just lacking the "hysterical laugh inside your helmet" warp factor.
It did have character though, and what a well engineered bike.
I traded the VFR for an SV650, making somebody really happy, and hoping I'd found a good daily beater I didn't care about.
Sure enough though, I'm not content.
I want something that:
-has power to burn
-is beyond comfortable
-still fairly light (eg. no ST1100s or Connies)
-preferably naked although a good windscreen and some weather protection are welcome
-affordable used ($3k or so)
-dependable, well designed
-easy to work on
-strong aftermarket and easy to find (and cheap) parts
-somewhat attractive
-willing chassis and suspension, or good chassis with easily upgraded suspension
I don't care about going any faster than 100mph...I just want the bike to move when I feel like it, and yes, I want to be able to pull a wheel up on command. I hardly ever do it, but when I feel like...well, that's my business right, but I want that kind of power in a machine. A horse doesn't have to rear up on it's hind legs to get somewhere, but they do it for fun anyways. I guess my point is I've been riding for over a decade, nearly two dozen machines, and I've decided I want a lot of power on tap...preferably where I can use it without anyone passing thinking I'm trying to qualify on the pole.
So I've done a lot of reading, which I've always done, and back to the same conclusion I've had for years now:
I'm looking for either a ZRX1200 or a Bandit 1200.
I just want to know I'm right before I liquidate both the bike, and my other automotive project I'll have to sell in order to come up with the $3-4K it will take to find a good example of either.
Also, how much better will the Bandit be for me over the retro Kawi?
Anyone Bandit owners in Willis/Conroe/BCS willing to swap bikes with me and take a trip up 149 to Richards for coffee and a chat one morning? (I'm free on Fridays)
Am I crazy?
What else do you need to know?
In my long quest of finding the perfect bike I've come close several times, but never found "the one". This myriad assortment has included sport bikes, standards, sport tourers, and a cruiserish bike or two. No adventure bikes, and sadly no hypersports.
I do know after going towards the sporty side for a few years I prefer the UJMs. I never got all the way to a supersport or open class bike, but was close enough to know that unless my morning commute was the Nordschleife I wouldn't be able to live with it day-in, day-out.
Some of my favorites:
-2002 Triumph Daytona 955i
This bike "spoke" to me the first time I *shot* down the block. What a fun, well composed bike that disquised it's mass well and was comfortable despite the aggressive position. A true gentleman's street sport bike.
Unfortunately it wasn't quite comfy enough, not sedate enough to keep from doing absolutely stupid things all the time, was expensive to work on/maintain...and it was yellow.
-1992 Honda VFR 750
Easily the greatest all around bike ever made...or is it? This bike was good at everything, but not really good at anything. Just sporty enough to make you happy, but not completely quell the appetite. Just comfortable enough to take a long ride out on, but not quite enough to be happy the whole way back (even with risers), and just fast enough to bring a smile, but just lacking the "hysterical laugh inside your helmet" warp factor.
It did have character though, and what a well engineered bike.
I traded the VFR for an SV650, making somebody really happy, and hoping I'd found a good daily beater I didn't care about.
Sure enough though, I'm not content.
I want something that:
-has power to burn
-is beyond comfortable
-still fairly light (eg. no ST1100s or Connies)
-preferably naked although a good windscreen and some weather protection are welcome
-affordable used ($3k or so)
-dependable, well designed
-easy to work on
-strong aftermarket and easy to find (and cheap) parts
-somewhat attractive
-willing chassis and suspension, or good chassis with easily upgraded suspension
I don't care about going any faster than 100mph...I just want the bike to move when I feel like it, and yes, I want to be able to pull a wheel up on command. I hardly ever do it, but when I feel like...well, that's my business right, but I want that kind of power in a machine. A horse doesn't have to rear up on it's hind legs to get somewhere, but they do it for fun anyways. I guess my point is I've been riding for over a decade, nearly two dozen machines, and I've decided I want a lot of power on tap...preferably where I can use it without anyone passing thinking I'm trying to qualify on the pole.
So I've done a lot of reading, which I've always done, and back to the same conclusion I've had for years now:
I'm looking for either a ZRX1200 or a Bandit 1200.
I just want to know I'm right before I liquidate both the bike, and my other automotive project I'll have to sell in order to come up with the $3-4K it will take to find a good example of either.
Also, how much better will the Bandit be for me over the retro Kawi?
Anyone Bandit owners in Willis/Conroe/BCS willing to swap bikes with me and take a trip up 149 to Richards for coffee and a chat one morning? (I'm free on Fridays)
Am I crazy?
What else do you need to know?
