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[7550]

Big IF, but if I was going to get a new bike do I choose looks over power?
What do folk put as priority when choosing a new bike ? And how little power is enough for a Sunday blast ?

[Green_Ninja]

A very good question, for me it's more about how much fun the bike is to ride, hence going from a 1000cc sportsbike to a 675 Street Triple 7 years ago. Sufficient power to give good on road performance while having the abiltiy to wring it's neck without stupidly breaking the speed limit. Still a Street Triple now (765RS) and it does everything I need. Very rarely think I need more power.

You can have fun on a 60hp bike or a 160hp bike, a lot depends on the roads you are riding.

So what are you going to by then Grumpy   

[MOzZereLLa]

Road riding. It's all about grunt, not power. If a bike's awesome and doesn't look great that's no problem.

[David W]

Just depends on type of bike I guess? If I was looking for sportsbike I'd be looking at the mental power, but if I'm looking at a retro scrambler kind of a thing or even a cruiser I doubt I'd really be that bothered as long as it felt like it had 'enough'.
It's a pretty subjective question.

[Jarse]

I no longer own a bike with more than 100bhp and very much enjoyed the borders run on the Scrambler. Don't recall being left behind much either.

Like you, my license is precious but they are all capable of license loosing speeds on A roads, they just don't tempt you to the same extent.

I guess, again like you, I'm pretty brand loyal but not to the exclusion of others if they ticked more boxes.

I couldn't buy a bike that didn't turn my head but different stuff turns my head these days. I also have different criteria for the bikes I have.

From what I believe you are after, I'd say so it. Plenty performance, good looks and plenty opportunities to tastefully modify.

[Jarse]

That should say "do it" 🙄

[Alzo]

What's the looks bike?
What's the power bike?
If you buy the looks bike does power matter?
If you buy the power bike does the looks matter?
I like the level of power the S1000R affords me...I don't need to use it all the time...but it's there for when I want it...I fully accept the points made that you can have fun on bikes with modest power.

[7550]

Looking at the Z900RS. With a set of headers and a ecu flash it will put out more than my 6.
Just have to decide what colours.

[Alzo]

With what you're proposing and getting the suspension set up to your liking, the bike will be a fun package...plenty for the roads.
You know my opinion of the Z900RS...it's the best looking Retro produced to date.

[Green_Ninja]

Looking at the Z900RS. With a set of headers and a ecu flash it will put out more than my 6.
Just have to decide what colours.

As Jarse said "Do it"

[DaveH]

Needs some of both; love the ER6 derived bikes and they have enough to nearly keep up with bigger bikes and a lot of fun trying, but would be so much better with that wee bit more power for either two up, or just making keeping up a bit easier.

[Manic636]

In terms of power then it doesn't matter, I still feel tempted by the idea of a Himalayan as it is just a happy bike that I think could just be a nice place to be for a weekend camping trip every now and then.. Z900 RS, nice looking bike decent for all round fun I reckon, NIKE 😸

[Raydial]

I concur that you can have fun with 70bhp, especially if it handles well like the ER-6 bikes DaveH mentioned, or the wee Huskvarna Vitpilen I had on the memorial run last year, or even on my CB750 that doesn't have the best handling but overall it's good enough to keep up. If I could only have one bike, I'd want a bit more power - 100bhp at least.

My R1 has plenty of power but still about 50bhp less than current superbikes. But I can't even use that on the roads here without getting fines galore.

Personally, my balance would be to go for something with looks I love and enough power (>100bhp) to not feel frustrated. I'd want it to be a bike that always makes me turn and take another look at it every time I walk away from it. So a Z900RS would tick those boxes for me.

[Lord Danoir the first]

Selling my Buell pretty much put an end to my road riding.

Still can't understand why I sold it....... I remember it leaving in the back of a van and thinking "what the fuck am I doing?"

Now there's just always something else to spend money on.....

[David W]

Selling my Buell pretty much put an end to my road riding.

Still can't understand why I sold it....... I remember it leaving in the back of a van and thinking "what the fuck am I doing?"

Now there's just always something else to spend money on.....

Remember thinking the same watching my ZRX riding away!