Bikes you didn't like nearly as much as you thought you would.

[Nophix]

Not mine, per se'. Well, any bike thats hers is mine, right? My wife had a '97 GSXR600 for a while. She wound up not caring for it much, and as much as I tried, I couldnt like it. Every time I got on it I wanted to kill it.

Vibrated like crazy, had no power, handled like a tank. It just felt completely "off" no matter what we did to it.

Nice looking bike, though.

[Jim K.]

I thought this bike was right in my wheelhouse when I bought it in 1980. It was the 'standard" CX &I rode it for 4 years but never "bonded". I'm not sure why....it was very good in every way, it was stone reliable, smooth as silk, moderately quick for it's displacement, a little on the heavy side, but not overly so. It did everything I asked of it, commuting, 2 week touring every summer, no problem with 2-up rides, even good on gas. I even liked the funky, faux Guzzi looks. Looking back, it was a wonderful bike, just not the bike for me.

[kwb377]

The one that didn't do it for me was my '02 K1200LT.

Cheap feeling/sounding plastic bodywork (the panels squeaked incessantly), tractor-like engine sound, radio display hazed over, windshield power mechanism broke, trunk latch handle broke, front speakers stopped working, left mirror fell off over bump, etc. Add to that horrible local dealer service...I cheered the day it got hauled off by a new owner.

[dirtdreamer50]

I've made some expensive mistakes over the past few years. Couple of Harleys that I never got comfortable with. A Triumph Sprint 1050 and a Triumph Tiger 1050 made their way through the garage, too. Finally happy with the Dyna, RT, and the XR. Wasted thousands getting to that point. Hope to not put myself into such a position again. tp dd50

[Lornce]

'00 R1150GS.

I was supposed to love that bike. Everybody raved about them. I hated it from the first time I rode it.

Comfy Corbin seat, excellent heated grips, terrific brakes and decent midrange power. That's about all I liked about it.

It went through fuel like a garbage scow, was only marginally lighter. Had the worst suspension action/quality of any bike I'd ridden since maybe ever. Throttle control was terrible, more like an on-off switch than an actual throttle. FI system was a very crude/dumb cost saving measure from a company that knows better. The list goes on.

What a load.

[kirb]

I rode a '99 Buell M2 for 11 years and was really interested in moving 'up'. Buell was closing out all models at the time and I pulled the trigger on the 1125cr. First ride looked like a monkey f'in a football with the 'clubman' bars, so I put on a set of Rizomas with the rest of the 'high bar' kit and lowered the footpegs. Much better. Seat was like plywood, but the bike was a hoot to flog.

I put something like 2k miles on it over a year. I just couldn't get used to how 'frantic' the motor sounded, how easy the plastics scratched, how difficult the valves were going to be, and the GF hated riding on it. I sold it for what I paid a year later, bought a Griso, and moved on.

[ninepeaks9]

Originally Posted by Lornce

'00 R1150GS.

I was supposed to love that bike. Everybody raved about them. I hated it from the first time I rode it.

Comfy Corbin seat, excellent heated grips, terrific brakes and decent midrange power. That's about all I liked about it.

It went through fuel like a garbage scow, was only marginally lighter. Had the worst suspension action/quality of any bike I'd ridden since maybe ever. Throttle control was terrible, more like an on-off switch than an actual throttle. FI system was a very crude/dumb cost saving measure from a company that knows better. The list goes on.

What a load.

Hey, isn't that the same model of bike that two well known dudes took around the world and still has most loyal following in the adventure motorcycle world? And you just trashed it here?

[Rinty]

I hated it. Lornce

So what do you like?

[PAULIBIKER]

Not keeping track, but there sure does seem like a lot of BMW's in this thread..................

[Mr. Canoehead]

Originally Posted by Rinty

So what do you like?

Lornce is a Buell man through and through.

Funny because I love my GSA but the Buell is an itch I gotta scratch. Buddy just bought an XT, and so I'll be trying it out in the spring.

Sent from my SGH-I747M using Tapatalk 2

[Lornce]

Originally Posted by Rinty

So what do you like?

This bike rocks. I just know it.

[Anticyclone]

2007 Triumph Tiger 1050. Bought it used and owned it for 8 months and about 10k miles, so it wasn't all horrible obviously. Good commuting and around town bike. Nice on the weekends. Not the best gearbox. What sealed the deal for me was how the thing handled when loaded down for a camping trip for a few days.

The bags (which are oddly shaped and tiny on the inside/ bulky on the outside) are carried high and very far back. I simply could not get the thing to handle they way I wanted to with a load. I'm not talking about a 150lb passenger her either. I'm talking about as much camping gear as you'd carry on your back, maybe 50lb. I did all sorts of messing with the suspension. I ended up just humping the hell out of the tank for a 2000 mile long weekend through the Appalachians.

Oh, also the buffeting was atrocious, the headlight should have been a criminal offense and the engine leaked oil through a flaw in the engine case. Not a bad gasket or loose bolt, and actual hole in the block through which oil would seep and spray the back tire and leave a puddle in the garage. I'm still baffled how the previous owners missed that. I put some black RTV on that and traded it before it could leak any more. Kind of soured me on the whole "Boutique" bike experience...

[Cos]

Originally Posted by Anticyclone

2007 Triumph Tiger 1050. Bought it used and owned it for 8 months and about 10k miles, so it wasn't all horrible obviously. Good commuting and around town bike. Nice on the weekends. Not the best gearbox. What sealed the deal for me was how the thing handled when loaded down for a camping trip for a few days.

The bags (which are oddly shaped and tiny on the inside/ bulky on the outside) are carried high and very far back. I simply could not get the thing to handle they way I wanted to with a load. I'm not talking about a 150lb passenger her either. I'm talking about as much camping gear as you'd carry on your back, maybe 50lb. I did all sorts of messing with the suspension. I ended up just humping the hell out of the tank for a 2000 mile long weekend through the Appalachians.

Oh, also the buffeting was atrocious, the headlight should have been a criminal offense and the engine leaked oil through a flaw in the engine case. Not a bad gasket or loose bolt, and actual hole in the block through which oil would seep and spray the back tire and leave a puddle in the garage. I'm still baffled how the previous owners missed that. I put some black RTV on that and traded it before it could leak any more. Kind of soured me on the whole "Boutique" bike experience...

Triumphs are "boutique" bikes?

Sorry you had a bad experience mate. I've had my 955 Tiger for 6 years and it's never missed a beat.

The one that really did it for me was the Aprilia Dorsoduro.

Fueling...meh...couldn't be tuned either, so that blew.

Aprilia marketed it as some kind of wild thing...it's not. Nice bike and all, not quite the hooligan they made it out to be.

Suspension...good on paper, could never get it to be motardy enough. Too harsh, horrible at absorbing bumps.

Couple of little things, like my dash going blank and the hoses spraying hot coolant on my legs.

What sealed the deal was the abysmal range. I was on the throttle pretty hard ( engine is really nice and the sound is awesome), so i got the dreaded fuel light every seventy five miles...tops. Just as you're getting warmed up...stop and refuel. Blech.

[Anticyclone]

Originally Posted by Cos

Triumphs are "boutique" bikes?

Around here they are. 2.5 hours to the nearest dealer...

[Celtic Curmudgeon]

Biggest disappointment I actually bought was a CB1000 (Big One). Loved the styling, was well made, comfortable, and the handling and brakes were good, but the engine was a massive disappointment, even after a V&H pipe and rejet. I guess at that time the makers hadn't figured out that many people who want a big standard/naked want open-class power as well, not some wheezy detuned lump. The guy at the shop told me he could get the power I wanted, but would involved cams and other expensive tweaks I didn't want to mess with.

The biggest disappointment I ever rode was a mid-80's Sportster a buddy of mine was selling. Ridiculous ergos and controls, clunky, and bog slow. Put me off the whole "Harley Experience". Rode it around and block and said "no thanks". The next time I rode a Harley was a 2010 Road King, and I was blown away at how well it did what it was made to do.