What bike next?

[Andym535]

Seems Norton have a 200+HP 1200cc V4 now. They could do something nice with that but chances are it will just end up in a track day bike. Then they’ll go bust again.

[richtea]

Seems Norton have a 200+HP 1200cc V4 now. They could do something nice with that but chances are it will just end up in a track day bike. Then they’ll go bust again.

Hmm, not sure.
Nice engine, but to get a sports tourer made costs means a longer wheelbase, panniers, etc. That's a lot of upfront investment.
And reliability - would you buy a bike with an engine that's a year old, or one that's been tweaked for 10 years (and still isn't perfect- the K).
Lastly, 8 dealers in the UK, none of which seem mainstream, or at least none I've heard of.

Wouldn't a sports touring Triumph be more likely source of a UK bike? A 1200 triple wrapped in decent sport tourer clothing. It's even got a shaft.
Plenty of torque, but a bit low on power at 139 BHP. They'd have to lighten the bike, or increase the power to match a K.

[Phmode]

Oh and phmode sounds like a late nineties ally naughties rs4 would suit better than new s3

Perfect car would be a Sepang Blue RS6 as a move on from my lovely A6 quattro avant, RIP.

However, things like road tax get in the way much more than running costs for me. Also, RS4's now only available in auto S-Tronic variety and while I would love a quick-shift manual, a la K13, I detest auto boxes with a vengeance.

I nearly put an A5 loaner into my garage, with the door closed and my bikes immediately inside, in reverse because you touch the throttle and nothing happens. You touch it a little harder. Still nothing happens. And then, just as you are about to give up, the bloody car lurches backward. Good job I am practiced at left foot braking...

The S3 is a perfectly sober looking car but its ability to overtake is almost on a par with the bike and therein lies a problem for my brain...the space needed to land the thing after yet another Banzai overtake of one of Herefordshire's mobile traffic jams is significantly different from the space needed to land the K.

Nice, tractable, sober, mind-warpingly quick in the gears but a tad small for my ultimate liking. However, job done and having gone through the heartache of finding a replacement for the A6 I'm glad I won't have to think about doing the same for the K any time soon.

[black-k1]

Seems Norton have a 200+HP 1200cc V4 now. They could do something nice with that but chances are it will just end up in a track day bike. Then they’ll go bust again.

Hmm, not sure.
Nice engine, but to get a sports tourer made costs means a longer wheelbase, panniers, etc. That's a lot of upfront investment.
And reliability - would you buy a bike with an engine that's a year old, or one that's been tweaked for 10 years (and still isn't perfect- the K).
Lastly, 8 dealers in the UK, none of which seem mainstream, or at least none I've heard of.

Wouldn't a sports touring Triumph be more likely source of a UK bike? A 1200 triple wrapped in decent sport tourer clothing. It's even got a shaft.
Plenty of torque, but a bit low on power at 139 BHP. They'd have to lighten the bike, or increase the power to match a K.

If Triumph were to "bolt 2 of their 675ish triples together" to make a V6 they could have a superb sports tourer engine.

[richtea]

If Triumph were to "bolt 2 of their 675ish triples together" to make a V6 they could have a superb sports tourer engine.

True!

Which way were you hoping to have the 'V' - along the frame like a Ducati, or across like a Guzzi?
It's going to be wide or long, but probably not both.   Unlike me. 

Laverda had a go a while back, of course. It was even shaft drive:



Tech details:
https://silodrome.com/laverda-v6/

And some noise - with Piero Laverda himself warming it up:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKD4Wakw9Q0

[black-k1]

If Triumph were to "bolt 2 of their 675ish triples together" to make a V6 they could have a superb sports tourer engine.

True!

Which way were you hoping to have the 'V' - along the frame like a Ducati, or across like a Guzzi?
It's going to be wide or long, but probably not both.   Unlike me. 

Laverda had a go a while back, of course. It was even shaft drive:



Tech details:
https://silodrome.com/laverda-v6/

And some noise - with Piero Laverda himself warming it up:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKD4Wakw9Q0

I'd put it across the frame.  It's going to be no wider than a straight 4 and a bit of extra length (ooh ere Mrs!) is generally required on a sports tourer. It gives space for a decent sized petrol tank.

The across the frame V engine works for short wheel base 1000cc sports bikes like the Ducati and the Aprilia so there is no reason a 1300cc - 1500cc V6 couldn't work, especially as it'll be 60 degrees and not 90 degrees.

[Perbunan]

Randomly H2-related, but it was the TFT diagram that caught my eye:
https://www.motorcyclenews.com/news/new-bikes/kawasaki-ninja-h2/

I love intimate detail of how a TFT works. Except the one bit they forgot to label is the liquid crystal! Good old MCN.

Oh, and back to bikes - that exhaust is plug ugly. You'll have to get the Akra version, Perbunan.

I always like to tinker anyway and swop out indicators, pipes etc and favour Akro stubbies at the moment I think in 3-4 yrs time they will be considerably less than £17k....I hopes...

[Sutty]

https://www.motusmotorcycles.com/home
V4 , 1650cc 180 bhp sports tourer

[richtea]

https://www.motusmotorcycles.com/home
V4 , 1650cc 180 bhp sports tourer

I'll see your Motus Sutty, and raise you:
https://www.raleigh.co.uk/motus/

Why pushrods, though?
Are they an attractive throwback for Harley owners, or is there some practical advantage over chain driven cams?

[black-k1]

And what weight? Most US vehicles are built with lead linned cast iron.

Nice concept and reasonable looking bikes though.

[richtea]

And what weight? Most US vehicles are built with lead linned cast iron.

Nice concept and reasonable looking bikes though.

580 - 589 lbs wet depending on model, says the interweb.
263Kg in modern money, so a touch more than a K1300S, but not by much

Quite a nice writeup here (after accepting cookies, etc):
https://www.motorcyclistonline.com/building-american-dream-motus-mst

“It has one riding mode,” Conn said, “and that’s ‘ride yer damn bike’ mode.”

“Sport-touring has gotten very functional, with no sex appeal,” Conn observed. “The K1600 does everything it was designed to do. What it doesn’t do is whisper to you on Saturday morning that it’s time to get up and go ride.”

“Change the oil every 6,000 miles,” Conn advised, “and go wear out your tires. This bike is designed to be ridden and ridden hard, not polished up and parked in your living room.”

Comes with Sargent seat - you have been warned!

[black-k1]

That's pretty impressive.  It's what the mainstream manufacturers should be producing.

[Blobby]

V4, 2 valves per cylinder, overlead valves... Reminds me of my old Ford Zephyr Mk4 2 litre... 

[Belco100]

https://www.motusmotorcycles.com/home
V4 , 1650cc 180 bhp sports tourer

I always wanted to have a go on one of these, but never even got to see one in the flesh. Probably never will now as they have just gone out of business