UK All weather bike

[Dodgy69]

Reckon cheesy or mofo had it.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Reckon cheesy or mofo had it.

It wasn't me, I've run out of room for any more bikes, but I have worked out I can buy a second hand new Katana and keep my current CB1000R and still spend less than a new Katana 1000 would cost me, don't ask why do I want two modern 1000cc bikes, ask yourself why you don't want two modern 1000cc bikes

Keep the answers coming on good winter bikes, as has been said, a lot depends on what you want to use it for, I would use a winter bike for twatting about on, so I think a trail bike would be best for my winter requirements

[Dodgy69]

How about...

https://ebay.us/m/TQIsTv

[Ditchfinder]

If you drop your requirement of being able to cruise at 75 to 65 then a Himalayan / scram 411. It will need a regular wash but the confidence inspiring handling in shitty conditions will make up for it.

Plus if you drop it you won't be able to make it look worse.

Edit* you said light, so forget that idea. Sounds like you're looking for a unicorn.

[Pirahna]

I always used Fireblades.

My commute was 80 miles a day, plus several trips to Ireland a year, plus general running around, and you've got somewhere around 40k miles per annum. Buy a low mileage bike and scrap what's left of it 3 years later.

If it's a bike for winter fun, buy a trials bike and join your local trials club.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

If you drop your requirement of being able to cruise at 75 to 65 then a Himalayan / scram 411. It will need a regular wash but the confidence inspiring handling in shitty conditions will make up for it.

Plus if you drop it you won't be able to make it look worse.

Edit* you said light, so forget that idea. Sounds like you're looking for a unicorn.

I'm not looking for anything, it was just a what if kind of thread, tbh a 350LC would work apart from the brakes not liking salt and LCs being stupidly expensive now, I'm only saying 350LC because that was the last bike I had when a motorcycle was my only form of transport.

[Supermofo]

Reckon cheesy or mofo had it.

Not me Chief.

Funnily enough about a month ago I saw a really good deal on a pre reg Triumph Street 400, as well as a nice 2nd hand F800 and the Mrs said if I wanted one get it However, this has coincided with me not being that bothered about riding at the moment, maybe the chase is better than the catch Usually I'm chomping at the bit to be out especially as it's mild and just shitty non salted roads. Maybe come Jan/Feb as I last rode about a month ago so not been long.

Winter bike ideas for me fall into 3 categories which I'm undecided on.

1. SV650 probably Gen 2, always fancied one. CBR6, there's a reason they sold a bazillion. BMW F800, no idea just something I like about them. However all are old and potentially arrive with issues.

2. 300 Maxi scoot. Bit of the perv in me fancies a scoot for relaxed trips in winter, nipping about locally/work and maybe entice the Mrs on the back with the comfort and storage for trips out in the sun for breaky. Plus it'll be a very different experience to the GSXS.

3. New or newish 300-400cc small bike like the Triumph 400, Duke 390, BSA 350 etc. New it'll have a warranty, can be PCP'd for around 50 quid a month, no need to worry about using it in winter as I'll only be loaning it Found a 390 Duke for £3800 with 0% new last week That's a cheap rental.

[Taipan]

Good call on a scoot. Mk1/2 Tmax are great winter bikes.

[Whysub]

I always used Fireblades.

My commute was 80 miles a day, plus several trips to Ireland a year, plus general running around, and you've got somewhere around 40k miles per annum. Buy a low mileage bike and scrap what's left of it 3 years later.

If it's a bike for winter fun, buy a trials bike and join your local trials club.

I used a CBR9000 RR I bought with 75,000 miles on the clock for not much money. Commuted it 120 miles a day, into/out of London, 90% on motorway and dual carriagway for a few years.

It took me all over Europe and Ireland, no real issues apart from when the reg/rec failed in Germany, it had an intermittent speedo and the usual brittle plastics.

Can't remember why I stopped using it, but sold it to Screwd, who restored it to its former glory.

[Bigjawa]

BMW R1150.

An RT if i was doing major miles, or an R if there was any town work involved.

It's what i choose for the job 20 years ago, and it's what i would choose today.

BMW R1150.

An RT if i was doing major miles, or an R if there was any town work involved.

It's what i choose for the job 20 years ago, and it's what i would choose today.

My R1150 was an all-year-rounder and, apart from the alloy bits at the bottom of the forks which lost their shine somewhat it survived without much cosseting.

Not convinced that anything they've made since then would shrug it off though, certainly don't think my R1200 would have if I'd kept it longer.

I use this as my daily, it's mechanically very good but it's been an all year round bike it's whole life and is dog rough cosmetically. It'll roll over 99k tomorrow.

I imagine a RE Himalyan could do we ...

It will literally corrode before your eyes and start to fall to bits despite being smothered in ACF50.

[Mr Moofo]

BMW R1150.

An RT if i was doing major miles, or an R if there was any town work involved.

It's what i choose for the job 20 years ago, and it's what i would choose today.

BMW R1150.

An RT if i was doing major miles, or an R if there was any town work involved.

It's what i choose for the job 20 years ago, and it's what i would choose today.

My R1150 was an all-year-rounder and, apart from the alloy bits at the bottom of the forks which lost their shine somewhat it survived without much cosseting.

Not convinced that anything they've made since then would shrug it off though, certainly don't think my R1200 would have if I'd kept it longer.

I use this as my daily, it's mechanically very good but it's been an all year round bike it's whole life and is dog rough cosmetically. It'll roll over 99k tomorrow.

I imagine a RE Himalyan could do we ...

It will literally corrode before your eyes and start to fall to bits despite being smothered in ACF50.

Sounds like my GS1150 ADV

[Bigjawa]

Sounds like my GS1150 ADV

I replaced my Himalayan with the GS and it did winter 22, 23 and 24 and never missed a beat. Even the ABS still works at 72k. The Himalayan was knackered after 4k, I sold it in May 22 and it's been SORN'd ever since. It was literally only 18 months old with a FSH. I know I go on about it a bit, but I've never been so disappointed in a bike because I absolutely loved riding the thing.

[Ditchfinder]

I replaced my Himalayan with the GS and it did winter 22, 23 and 24 and never missed a beat. Even the ABS still works at 72k. The Himalayan was knackered after 4k, I sold it in May 22 and it's been SORN'd ever since. It was literally only 18 months old with a FSH. I know I go on about it a bit, but I've never been so disappointed in a bike because I absolutely loved riding the thing.

What did it die of?

[Count Steer]

I replaced my Himalayan with the GS and it did winter 22, 23 and 24 and never missed a beat. Even the ABS still works at 72k. The Himalayan was knackered after 4k, I sold it in May 22 and it's been SORN'd ever since. It was literally only 18 months old with a FSH. I know I go on about it a bit, but I've never been so disappointed in a bike because I absolutely loved riding the thing.

What did it die of?

Accelerated decrepitude brought on by a serious allergy to H2O and NaCl?

[KungFooBob]

I replaced my Himalayan with the GS and it did winter 22, 23 and 24 and never missed a beat. Even the ABS still works at 72k. The Himalayan was knackered after 4k, I sold it in May 22 and it's been SORN'd ever since. It was literally only 18 months old with a FSH. I know I go on about it a bit, but I've never been so disappointed in a bike because I absolutely loved riding the thing.

What did it die of?

Accelerated decrepitude brought on by a serious allergy to H2O and NaCl?

I'm sure I remember the pistons in the brake callipers dissolving.

[Mr Moofo]

Sounds like my GS1150 ADV

I replaced my Himalayan with the GS and it did winter 22, 23 and 24 and never missed a beat. Even the ABS still works at 72k. The Himalayan was knackered after 4k, I sold it in May 22 and it's been SORN'd ever since. It was literally only 18 months old with a FSH. I know I go on about it a bit, but I've never been so disappointed in a bike because I absolutely loved riding the thing.

They were brilliant in Nepal. I guess it’s just the different climate

[BBB]

Picked up a very cheap r1100rs as a project, if use that plenty of weather protection, hard luggage and heated grips. Abs too

[asmethurst99]

BMW R1150.

An RT if i was doing major miles, or an R if there was any town work involved.

It's what i choose for the job 20 years ago, and it's what i would choose today.

BMW R1150.

An RT if i was doing major miles, or an R if there was any town work involved.

It's what i choose for the job 20 years ago, and it's what i would choose today.

My R1150 was an all-year-rounder and, apart from the alloy bits at the bottom of the forks which lost their shine somewhat it survived without much cosseting.

Not convinced that anything they've made since then would shrug it off though, certainly don't think my R1200 would have if I'd kept it longer.

I use this as my daily, it's mechanically very good but it's been an all year round bike it's whole life and is dog rough cosmetically. It'll roll over 99k tomorrow.

I imagine a RE Himalyan could do we ...

It will literally corrode before your eyes and start to fall to bits despite being smothered in ACF50.

I’ve always wanted one of these- just the ULEZ and the width of my garden gate stopping me.

[Rockburner]

I think the way to successfully appreciate an all year round bike is to bear in mind that very few bikes are built to the standards required these days, and that even those aren't always built with the UK's propensity for using salt on the road in mind.
You have to not care about the outer presentation of the bike, but keep the mechanisms in good condition, because the UK market is going to make it worthless after your tenure simply on the mileage, let alone the outer condition.
So you have to treat the bike as a permanent, "for life", purchase and expect it to die in your ownership, (in effect). Thus the longer it lasts, the better, (obviously), and it's the choices you make regarding servicing and maintenance become utterly based on its mechanical longevity rather than saleability.

[Bigjawa]

I replaced my Himalayan with the GS and it did winter 22, 23 and 24 and never missed a beat. Even the ABS still works at 72k. The Himalayan was knackered after 4k, I sold it in May 22 and it's been SORN'd ever since. It was literally only 18 months old with a FSH. I know I go on about it a bit, but I've never been so disappointed in a bike because I absolutely loved riding the thing.

What did it die of?

Accelerated decrepitude brought on by a serious allergy to H2O and NaCl?

To be fair, it was showing signs from day one, I rode it to work and when I came back, the clocks were fogged up. I noticed the rear suspension was very stiff so I stripped it and it was nearly devoid of grease, so I sorted that. Then I covered the thing in ACF50 before the real bad weather came in. It was actually a very mild winter and they don't really salt the roads out where I lived. The back caliper started to rot anyway, the anodising was coming off the piston. Oddly the front was fine. Then the neutral light and gear indicator started playing up. Come spring and the fuel injector packed up. Phoned the dealership and they told me to bring it in a couple of days after the warranty expired.

Despite the fault occurring in the warranty period and a full dealer service history, they still billed me and refused to carry out the recall for the brake calipers. Contacted RE and they didn't want to know either.

Like I said, it was lovely to ride but just not built right. Even a CZ was better built.