Boring Bikes

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Merkid

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Growing up with bikes that needed constant attention like my old '69 Triumph 650 Tiger, I learned a lot about what they needed to keep running like dealing with the the troublesome Lucas electrics, points and condenser ignitions systems, etc I even replaced a piston on it as a teenager in my parents driveway when it blew a hole thru the top. The early '70s brought out the UJM's like my XS650 Yamaha and H2 Kawasaki triples that were built better and could be trusted for longer trips without packing tons of tools.

Todays bikes are like cars and dependable but when faced with issues, the average shade tree mechanic is at a loss to diagnose issues without the help of the internet .

Which bike have you had that had been trouble-free but BORING ?

For me it's my Gold Wing. Aside from the usual oil and filter changes, nothing ever needs attention which is kinda boring. On the other hand at my age working while kneeling down makes it hard to get up so i don't miss it.... :rolleyes:
 
"Todays bikes are like cars and dependable but when faced with issues, the average shade tree mechanic is at a loss to diagnose issues without the help of the internet" <- Buy 2 of the same bike, swap parts until you find the broken ones, any skilled idiot can do it ;)

Heated garage floor and a dog bed to work on, make sure all the tools you need are in reach.
 
Honda Rebel 500...good bike, comfy, fair power for my style....but so so boring! I much preferred my CB500F which is the same drivetrain. Go figure.
 
Not sure if it counts, but my '88 Hawk GT could be a bit bland as stock. Started every time, just did as it was asked, didn't need much.

So I traded boring for 10 hp by adding a Stage 3 jet kit, a race exhaust, and the pièce de resistance, Uni foam pod filters. Suddenly it was temperamental, needed constant attention, and would run rich if I didn't clean and oil the filters before almost every ride. This would have made total sense if I was at the track, but I commuted on the thing.

Sometimes boring is better...
 
Honda Benly ? and any Honda motorcycle with an automatic transmission.
 
None, zero. The closest I had was a nearly new Ninja 1000SX - it didn't have any *real* problems but the clutch was so noisy it sounded like it was broken (it wasn't). And the factory oil filter was on so tight it could only be removed destructively.

I can say this though - as a purveyor of the GTA's finest used motorcycles, a fair number of problems I experience are caused by people "improving" their bikes. And I think I've had like... two bikes ever that didn't come with toasted batteries. Hence my battery post in the tech section. Second most common problem is people re-using crush washers and ripping out the threads on the drain plug / cracking the oil pan.

Question for OP: have you ever had cause to remove the wheels from your Gold Wing?
 
The closest to boring I have ever owned was a TW200.
 
fz6, it was somewhat neglected sitting in a barn behind a dealership, after some wrenching and getting it back on the road, I realized it was fairly boring with no real world useable grunt, even more boring than my old honda cbr500r
 
You need full sized wheels in the woods or you will be carrying it. Buy a trials bike.
... check the wet weight of the TW
 
Tw200 was a hoot in its element, problem for me is I had it in the city.

I bought mine off a fire department, it was 10years old with 3000km, they used it for search and rescue in the bush.

Its actually in an obsolete motorcycle category called “farm bike”. Before ATVs, farm bikes were used to get around farms. Fat tires, low gearing, huge payload, fuel efficient and dependable made them great replacements for horses.

Tw200 does 115kmh tops, so it’s hard to go distances on the road. My intended use; cottage bike and something my kids could learn on. It was great till I got rid of the cottage. Great on dirt roads and on atv trails. It would keep up with 125 enduros, but a dr200 would smoke it.
 
Trials said:
You need full sized wheels in the woods or you will be carrying it. Buy a trials bike.
... check the wet weight of the TW
Click to expand...
Was reading into that a few days ago, and general consensus seemed trials bikes weren’t ideal due to the riding position for extended periods of time and no seat?

Thinking of something for the cottage to ride through Simcoe Forest trails or up near Algonquin near friends cottage. Will trailer it to either location.
 
mimico_polak said:
Was reading into that a few days ago, and general consensus seemed trials bikes weren’t ideal due to the riding position for extended periods of time and no seat?

Thinking of something for the cottage to ride through Simcoe Forest trails or up near Algonquin near friends cottage. Will trailer it to either location.
Click to expand...
Tw200 is perfect for cottage roads, hydro ROWs, and multi use trails. It’s also quiet as a mouse. Its light enough carry on a receiver hitch motorcycle carrier (no trailer required). It’s also a pack mule, payload is 400 lbs.
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