choices are: Honda CMX500 Rebel £5799 Kawasaki Vulcan S £7399 Suzuki SV650 £7,400 Ducati Scrambler £10,400 Ducati Monster £12,000 Triumph Bonneville Bobber £13795 Roughly. My criteria is (roughly) kerb weight and seat height (but not where there is a crazy high pillion seat, or hump behind the rider seat to try to swing my right leg over). What I need to do is physically try the bike. I did do that when I bought the KTM, so I don't know what I was thinking. The main thing to note is I am not going to get any better than I am now, so the bike has to be good for me right now. If it isn't then forget it. With scooters, my thinking is, yes, I could get on and off easier, but at the end of the day, I just don't want one. I don't need anything for any reason and this is just for mucking about, so it has to be something I like the look of. Fowlers sell everything except the Ducatis. That's were Riders comes in.
Only update for today is (after looking at the list again) is that the Triumph is too much money - NO! Cancel that! I was going to say that the Triumph is too expensive by being more expensive than the Ducatis, but this isn't about money (to a certain extent) as it is about being happy (and I am not now as my fecking leg still hurts after bashing my shin on the KTM yesterday!) and so if the Triumph was to make me happy, then it qualifies. Not having a pillion seat might be a really good thing with my reduced mobility. I'll see if Fowlers have one in when I visit next week.
A five year old used Bobber as-new with very low miles can be had for under 10K. Pre-2020 model with up to 10K on the clock can be found for 6-7K. They will generally be immaculate with light sunny day use because they're that sort of bike. I wouldn't spend the extra on a new one. The original Bobber had a slimmer front tyre and a single front brake disc. They were under-braked but not scarily so. The Bobber Black had twin front discs and a fatter front tyre. Braking is much better but don't feel quite as nimble as the original. If possible test ride both and see which characteristic is more important to you. One thing to bear in mind is comfort. The riding position isn't bad. The seat height is low and the ergonomics are armchair relaxed and not wildly feet-forwards extreme, but there isn't much rear suspension travel and on rough roads the Bobber can be quite crashy and jarring on the back. Don't know if you have back problems but be sure to have a lengthy test ride on a variety of roads. Bobbers are great and immensely fun bikes with a grunty and willing engine that romps along with a zest that belies its power figures, and despite limited ground clearance they feel planted and confident in the bends, but they're not terribly practical. And they only have about 90 miles of fuel range. If possible take one out for half a day and really put it through its paces and see how long you can last on it. The Speedmaster is essentially the same bike as the Bobber but with swept back beach style handlebars and a much plusher seat. They're a lot more comfortable but early ones came with foot boards and had frighteningly limited ground clearance. You'll jump out of your skin at the first mini roundabout when the boards scrape. Later ones came with pegs and better ground clearance. They're more comfortable and distance-friendly than the Bobber but the Bobber feels more agile.
The Monster is the one you will be happiest seeing when you open the garage door. And also the one to keep you amused for the longest.
I reckon Fowlers must be in line for some sort of medal, for never in the field of human consumption has so much patience been shown by so many salesmen for so few rewards
The one that I really meant Kawasaki wise was the W800. It seems to drift in and out of websites, but that might be me swapping countries every ten seconds! Also, the Triumph T100 looks good, but was discounted as it busts my 200kg weight limit into the wild blue yonder. I'll go and physically look at all next week. It's worth it to take my mate to Riders where he spits blood at Ducati prices! He rides a BMW, so he can't really talk.
Under 200 kg wet and USD forks. That was my crazy criteria, as well as crazy range. I should just go with my eyesight and physically try getting off and on. Avoid tall bikes, like the crazy KTM!
A quick search brought up a seat height list. Your KTM seat is 820mm Significantly lower seat height Honda CMX500 Rebel £5799 690mm Triumph Bonneville Bobber £13795 seat 700mm Kawasaki Vulcan S £7399 seat 705mm Marginal difference in seat height Suzuki SV650 £7,400 seat 785mm Ducati Scrambler £10,400 seat 795mm Ducati Monster £12,000 seat 820mm
Tidied up . . . . Honda CMX500 Rebel £5799 Kawasaki Eliminator £6500 Suzuki SV650 £7400 Triumph T100 £9700 Ducati Scrambler £10,400 Ducati Monster £12,000 Triumph Bonneville Bobber £13795
762 mm was my maximum seat height. I don't know where that came from but it was important to me sometime when. My inside leg is about 31" so 787 mm. So, based upon that helpful list posted above (Thank You @Jez900ie) my inclination is either the Kawasaki or Triumph. To keep things simple for me (I am now a member of Simple Minds!) when I go to Fowlers, it will be the Kawasaki and Triumph that I shall concentrate on. Also, the Triumph T100 is of interest.
I've got a 31" inside leg and I can flat foot a Multistrada. I don't think seat height is your problem, it's throwing your leg over that's the issue so I would suggest you forget all about seat height and just look at style of bike and whether you can physically get on it.
I think that you are right. The Multistrada is an interesting case. I had one once as a loan bike from Louigi Moto. It was brilliant, though a heavily modified version. A modern Multi was not considered as it broke my self-imposed 200 kg weight limit. But if the weight limit is now flushed away, maybe I should reconsider.
Or as @Sam1199 said in another thread there’s always @Chris ’s Monster 1200, which should be a serious consideration imo.
The price? But, just looking on Riders website, I could go used and still be able to p/x my KTM. I am not precious about it being a brand new bike, as it just has to be something easy for me to mount and dismount. Also from a dealer, so I can p/x the KTM. Incidentally, the KTM has just passed its first MoT and I think it has less than 1000 miles on it. For sale to anyone for£3000.
I wouldn't, with the issues you are talking about you would never be able to throw your leg over as the rear is tall despite being able to flat foot once astride it.
Going to Fowlers on Tuesday and Riders on Friday next. Riders will take in the KTM for part exchange but they reckon I would struggle getting on and off the Multi. They have a late Monster in at the mo, so I can try getting off and on that and do have in a few Diavels used, so I can try those. I am fed up to the back teeth with this dicking around, so I want a decision by next Friday 8th May. The Ducatis are far more money than I would like to pay, but it is what it is.
