Mix and Match Bike?

[Tango]

Have you ever had a bike where the engine was/is superb, but it's let down by the rest of the bike?

Or a bike that's great, but it's let down by the engine?

What hybrid would you produce if you could match any engine with any bike, irrespective of the mechanical issues of making them fit?

[XTreme]

5 minutes ago, Tango said:

Have you ever had a bike where the engine was/is superb, but it's let down by the rest of the bike?

Immediate thought is my Kawasaki 500 H1 in 1975......crazy motor but nothing else. Brakes? Handling? No need for that shit.....just point the fucking thing and hope for the best! 

Also any Suzuki I've had......strong engines but the rest of it tends to be cheap and nasty with tacky plastics, sloppy wiring, and bad welds! Accompanied by rust! Lots of it!

The Brits I had in the early 70's were shit motors, but the rest of the bike was shit as well! They got the balance right for sure!

[Tango]

1 hour ago, XTreme said:

Immediate thought is my Kawasaki 500 H1 in 1975......crazy motor but nothing else. Brakes? Handling? No need for that shit.....just point the fucking thing and hope for the best! 

Also any Suzuki I've had......strong engines but the rest of it tends to be cheap and nasty with tacky plastics, sloppy wiring, and bad welds! Accompanied by rust! Lots of it!

The Brits I had in the early 70's were shit motors, but the rest of the bike was shit as well! They got the balance right for sure!

So, which frame would you have put the H1 motor into, @XTreme?

[XTreme]

1 minute ago, Tango said:

So, which frame would you have put the H1 motor into, @XTreme?

RD350 for sure!

[Tango]

I reckon that my RD350 motor in my Speed 4 frame would have been fun!

[busabeast]

Id have to say a busa engine in my 636 frame because I haven't had 100,000 different bikes like the rest of you lot

[Pedro]

My R1150GS, the balance of that bike was great, good suspension for two up touring I thought, great confidence inspiring brakes, nice engine that would have loads of torque at 2500rpm, but the gearbox was shit and took a lot from the bike after a long day on the saddle. I would like that bike with a nicer gearbox, from my current 1200 for example.

Then again, I prefer the 1200 in almost everything. I would prefer the 1200 to have a longer sixth speed like the 1150 had. And a smoother engine on the motorway, probably sorted by the longer sixth, no need for more power or anything like that.

[XTreme]

1 hour ago, Pedro said:

My R1150GS, the balance of that bike was great, good suspension for two up touring I thought, great confidence inspiring brakes, nice engine that would have loads of torque at 2500rpm, but the gearbox was shit and took a lot from the bike after a long day on the saddle. I would like that bike with a nicer gearbox, from my current 1200 for example.

Then again, I prefer the 1200 in almost everything. I would prefer the 1200 to have a longer sixth speed like the 1150 had. And a smoother engine on the motorway, probably sorted by the longer sixth, no need for more power or anything like that.

1200 boxes are less agricultural Pedro?

[Pedro]

24 minutes ago, XTreme said:

1200 boxes are less agricultural Pedro?

The watercooled 1200 are, quite so, more so from 2018 on.

The thing is, most oil cooled bikes like 1100, 1150 and the first 1200 are just fine, with the old school dry clutch and “car” style gearbox, but my particular bike was not a good example, it never really shifted properly and finally the gearbox bearings fell apart after I sold it.

[Catteeclan]

Riding the Dominator today and while going through a couple of lanes I thought about the old xl600lmf I had. The engine was a bit tame for a 600, really under powered although it would get up to speed after a while and id would plod though anything.

But the plush seat, soft suspension and the bike fitted me better got me thing about stuffing a dominator engine in it.