V Raptor in a couple of weeks

[sidrat]

So first of all lets get a round in, real ale for me in Summer! Feel free to put one on my tab.

I have been looking for another bike for a while, i have had previously 77 motorcycles, the raptor will make 78. I had an affair for 5 years with a Griso which was great but was going to kill me as she was a bit of a pig in lipstick. So i went to the other extreme and bought a street triple r, great bike which i will keep, i also bought another track day bike for the kicks.

I love roadsters, the more unique the better and i will own up to having a fetish about Bimota Mantra's.

I have had a cagiva previously, a W8 125 dirt bike and the vast majority of my bikes have been italian, i just saw the V raptor in the shop, thought wow, i haven't seen one since the bike show when they came out, was immediately smitten and bought it, can't wait!

I will post a picture when i work out how to

[nickst4]

I'll get in first and say welcome, Sid the Rat! Unless it's a pint Adnams Broadside bought close to Southwold, I'd rather have a G&T please.

I love the variety of bikes you describe, though have never aspired (if that's the right word ) to track riding. Smelling the roses is my thang, with the occasional mild blast, and two cylinders is generally my preferred limit.

Please do make comparisons with other bikes you've experienced rather than keeping strictly to the title of the forum because I, for one, am still wide open to sampling other brands and models. It's what makes biking so fascinating!

Cheers,

Nick, in Norfolk

[sidrat]

Cheers Nick, my other tipple is G&T so i am in good hands.

If you need some comparisons i can give you my views from the list below!

Favourite bike that i have owned was the Ducati Monster S4rs, most unreliable bike BSA B31/Suzuki GT 550/Ducati 1000ss

Plenty of more to try but as i get older the list of new bikes i would want seems to be getting smaller


Cagiva V Raptor 1000 (on its way!)
Suzuki GSXR 600 srad track day bike
Triumph Daytona 600 track day bike
Suzuki Bandit Baby 600 track day bike
Lexmoto Lexmoto ZSB
Triumph Triumph Street Triple 675r abs
Malagutti F12 Phantom 50cc scooter
Suzuki Bandit 600 track day bike
M2R M2R Pitbike
Stomp Stomp PitBike
Moto Guzzi Moto Guzzi Griso
Triumph Triumph Speed Four
Triumph Triumph Speed Triple
Honda Honda 125
Ducati Ducati 1000 ss
Sanya Sanya Scooter 50cc
Sachs Sachs 125
Thumpstar Thumpstar pitbike
Triumph Trumph T595
Italjet Italjet scooter 50cc
Ducati Ducati Monster 600
Thumpstar Thumpstar pitbike
Ducati Ducati Monster S4RS 998
Ducati Ducati Multistrada 1000S DS 
Ducati Ducati Multistrada 1000DS 
Ducati Ducati Monster S4R  996
Malagutti Malaguti F12 Scooter 100cc 
Ducati Ducati 900ssie 
gilera Gilera SP180 Runner 
Malagutti Malaguti F12 Scooter 50cc 
Ducati Ducati ST4s  996
Ducati Ducati Monster Dark 600 
Ducati Ducati ST2 
Moto Guzzi Moto Guzzi California 
Harris Harris Yamaha Race Bike 
Aprilia Aprilia Race Bike 
Ducati Ducati 900ss 
Ducati Ducati Monster 900 
Aprilia Aprilia RSV 1000 
Aprilia Aprilia RSV 250 
MZ MZ ETZ Race Bike 
MZ MZ ETZ Race Bike 
Cagiva Cagiva W8 
Ducati Ducati 900ss 
Tigcraft Tigcraft Race Bike TT Bike
Yamaha Yamaha DT125 
Aprilia Aprilia RS125 
Yamaha Yamaha Thunderace 1000
Tigcraft Tigcraft Rotax Race Bike WSB Bike
Ducati Ducati 748
Hejira Hejira Rotax Race Bike WSB Bike
MZ MZ ETZ Race Bike 
MZ MZ TS Race Bike 
Ducati Ducati 906Paso 
Yamaha Yamaha FJ1100 
Kawasaki Kawasaki KZ125 
Yamaha Yamaha SR 500 (2nd one) 
Yamaha Yamaha DT175 
BMW BMW R100s 
Yamaha Yamaha SRX125 
Honda Honda CB750z 
Suzuki Suzuki GS450 (2nd one) 
Suzuki Suzuki 50 Stepthru 
Yamaha Yamaha SR 500
Suzuki Suzuki A100 
Suzuki Suzuki GS550
Honda Honda 250 Superdream 
Suzuki Suzuki GT550
Honda Honda XL185 
Honda Honda CX500 
Honda Honda XL125 
Suzuki Suzuki GS1000
Suzuki Suzuki GS450 
Suzuki Suzuki GT750 
BSA BSA 650 Lightning
Suzuki Suzuki 50 
Suzuki Suzuki 125 twin stinger 
BSA BSA B31 
Yamaha Yamaha B100

[shebee]

Fk me thats an impressive list!

(It’s raining and i am bored so i have just done mine and only get to 28 from memory... must try harder!)

Welcome to the asylum..

So what is on the wish list?

[andybaggies]

So first of all lets get a round in, real ale for me in Summer! Feel free to put one on my tab.

Top man! I'll have a large scotch with lots of ice.

had an affair for 5 years with a Griso which was great but was going to kill me as she was a bit of a pig in lipstick.

Oo, I've always fancied one of those. A nice bit of individual style and a large modern 4 valve Guzzi motor. I always hankered after a Le Man in me youth but only ever got as far as a V50.

Was that a bevel 900ss?

And with your experience of many many different motors it'll be good to hear your opinion on the Raptors. BTW if the forks are standard you may be in for a shock... Matris do do a pricey cartridge insert.

Cheers,

Andy B

[sidrat]

Shebee

I have lots of other bikes i would like, the Bimota Mantra i have already mentioned, I like the Norton 961 and the new Brough Superior and the Arial Ace R, none of which i can afford!



Andy

I hear that the forks are a bit soft? are we looking for heavier oil and new springs?

[nickst4]

Awesome list of kit! Not so sure that the tiddlers and scooters count, but we'll let you off if you tell us about some of the others.

My Ducati ST4 remains very close to my heart, but I'm struggling a bit with a Monster S4R that seems more 'raw' than I expected, despite proper tuning. And having just put my Suzuki GT550 back on the road, I don't want to hear about unreliability! Various other Cagivas populate the garage plus a couple of other Ducatis, an Aprilia and a Gilera. The desire to love a Guzzi has never been fulfilled because all that I've owned or tried have been crude beyond belief, sort of like an Italian URAL or DNPER!

Nick

[sidrat]

Nick

If you want to try a Guzzi then the 1200 4 valves are the most modern engine, but they have some serious problems with the top end that you need to have resolved before you dive in, unless you get it really cheap and fancy doing it yourself, or buy post 2013. They are an acquired taste but if you persevere they do get under your skin, but it wont make them any smoother, that's what v twins re all about

I too loved the ST model range and it was my radar to buy one, did Rome to Oxford two up in a day (1100) miles on one, perfect for fast touring.

The S4r and the subsequent S4rs with the 999R engine and close ratio gearbox in it are still some of my favorite bikes and i put a deposit on one last year but it didn't work out. They are effectively naked Ducati sports bikes of their era, the S4rs was the fastest accelerating Ducati when it was released, so they are definitely raw beasts.

Love the GT range of Suzuki, as i love two strokes and would love another, mine sadly kept seizing the middle cylinder, despite carb changes, but it was my everyday transport at the time.

[andybaggies]

hear that the forks are a bit soft? are we looking for heavier oil and new springs?

Whatever you do you just can't get around the crude damping. Mine where set up a little on the firm side, ex demo, and the keys used to rattle about on bumpy roads.

You'll find all sorts of threads on here regarding the front suspension, adding spacers, changing the air gap/oil/springs and generally farting about. But none of it can't get around the fact the damping is awful...

And judging by your selection of bikes you'll probably know good suspension comes at a price.

the Arial Ace R

I'm with you there Shebee - I reckon it's one fantastic machine. With the girder forks of course.

Andy B