Help Me Choose...

[Rated B]

Guess what? Yay, a motorcycle thread. So if you don't like pretty bikes, move along.

Ok, so there's nothing definite to this yet, but my baby, my pride and joy (ha!) is broken. Rosa is once again at the dealership for an electrical warranty repair. That they couldn't fix last time, and don't know any more what's wrong this time. It's not looking good.

In order that I don't lose my mind and sanity when I finally admit the bike's fucked, I've started looking at potential replacement machines.

So, simple really. Look at the pictures of shiny metal, vote for the one you like best, either by knowledge and reasoning, or by "oooh, that one's nice!".

The Contenders

Ducati 848 Evo "Stealth"



Pros: Gorgeous looking, ride, build quality
Cons: Only a 600 equivalent, Saturday rider reputation, shitty dealers

Aprilia RSV4 Factory



Pros: Looks, speed, handling, V4 engine
Cons: Price, unlikely to ever be fully used on the road

BMW S1000RR



Pros: Reputedly the best thing ever if you believe the reviews, 200+bhp as standard, electronic everything
Cons: Never actually won on track, image, electronic everything

Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade



Pros: Ride, handling, reliability, legendary Honda build quality
Cons: Former class leader now lagging slightly behind, not the prettiest thing here

So, a bit of fun. Vote away...

[Rated B]

I fully expect this to be a lively debate, with many replies...

[Limpin' Jez McKenzie]

Ducati, surely. Saturday rider rep notwithstanding. If you want a BMW or Honda, buy a car. And doesn't it have a..a... desmadromic valve? Something like that anyway.

[Tapiocahead]

I went for Ducati.. it looks coolest. I have no idea what I'm talking about though so feel free to ignore my opinion

[Witchypoo]

Going off looks only the Ducatti wins hands down.
But
The Honda might be the ugly child but if it rides well & has a good rep for reliability, well that makes up for its looks.

[Rated B]

Ducati, surely. Saturday rider rep notwithstanding. If you want a BMW or Honda, buy a car.

Insanity!

I went to a dealer on Saturday, and the folks there were pretty abhorrent, though. Rude, arrogant, middle aged fairweather riders in shop-new branded one-piece leathers, there were very nearly a couple of punchings. Twats, basically. It's a hard rep to leave behind...

And doesn't it have a..a... desmadromic valve? Something like that anyway.

Yeah. Probably, the last throes of power they can get from their hoary old Desmodronic Testtaretta 4 valve L-twin.

[Rated B]

I went for Ducati.. it looks coolest. I have no idea what I'm talking about though so feel free to ignore my opinion

That's quite alright, I was expecting a deal of that to be honest.

Looks are important, anyway.

Yes, I am shallow.

[Phil T]

Just out of interest, what sort of prices are we talking here, roughly?

[Rated B]

The Ducati is the cheapest £10,995, but that's because it's not the same class as the others (it's effectively a 600, the others are 1000s). The 1198 (their 1000cc equivalent) would be £18k.

The Aprilia is the most expensive, just under £16,000.

[harvey k-tel]

Ducati's are relatively small bikes, are they not?

[Phil T]

The Ducati is the cheapest £10,995, but that's because it's not the same class as the others (it's effectively a 600, the others are 1000s). The 1198 (their 1000cc equivalent) would be £18k.

The Aprilia is the most expensive, just under £16,000.

That's a helluva leap in price for a 1000 cc equivalent for the Ducati. But I still like the Ducati. I'd find it hard to pick between that and the Aprilia though.
Those prices you gave, I assume that you can get variations/savings between dealers for the same model, a bit like when I buy a guitar, kinda thing?

[Corporate whore]

The beamer looks like a cop bike.

Get a high viz vest and a checquered helmet, then go and shit some motorists up.

[Corporate whore]

Isnt the correct answer 'fuck the looks, which one is the best ride' ?

[Fireplug]

You're never, ever going to use any of them to their limit so track performance becomes somewhat irrelevant. Unless you do a lot of track days, in which case I assume you'd have mentioned them before now.

The Duke and the Aprilia have the most character and the Duke's obviously the best-looking. The others are amazing machines but what, really, is the point of them on the road? Even the Aprilia's total overkill but I'll forgive it because of its general mean bastard demeanour.

I'm torn. If you can find a different dealer then get the Duke. If not, well, I'm voting Aprilia.

[Limpin' Jez McKenzie]

Isnt the correct answer 'fuck the looks, which one is the best ride' ?

Apparently it is based who are the nicest dealers.

[Jumper k]

ZX10 or 8 Ball

[Rated B]

Isnt the correct answer 'fuck the looks, which one is the best ride' ?

Partly, but not entirely. I mean, would you buy a Lotus Eclat?

As I said, I'm shallow. It has to be shiny and pretty. All of these bikes are good to ride.

Regarding the dealer thing, it'll be difficult to buy one if the salesmen completely ignore you... but hey, it's them who'll be commission-less, the judgemental fuckwits.

As for not using it, well to an extent, yeah. Although it never stops anyone buying a Ferrari, does it? Besides, knowing you can actually out accelerate anything you're likely to see on the road is more than enough. And trust me, riding along at 150+ is one of the most amazing things ever. You just have to experience it. I've been on track twice, although not with the R1 yet (because it's not allowed on the two tracks nearest me, noise restrictions). There are plenty other reasons for going for a 1000 too, but thread this isn't really about justifications, so I'm not about to.

Jumper, I rode the last ZX-10R. Lovely looking bike, but far too powerful and far too much of a handful. And the 11 is even more so. Not ready for the muscle bike, yet. Still want the BHP and the lean angles for now.

For me, if money and dealer distance were no object, it'd be the Aprilia. It's about the size of a 400, but that 998 V4 is an amazing engine. The Ducati would be next, on looks, but I suspect I'll find the same with it as I did the last time, that I really just don't want a supersport at the moment, they're too much like hard work.

[Jumper k]

New MV F4 is a wondrous thing as well.

[Polishgirl]

I can't choose. Now, if there were one that was pretty colours and glittery......

Am I allowed to use the term "Crotch rocket" here?

[Uncle Spellbinder]

There is only one motorcycle...