Most important feature in a bike?

hondazooom

New member
Some people buy bikes for how they look, and others, for what they can do. What's important to you? What are your must-haves in a bike?

For me, aesthetic appeal comes first. I'm not a big rider, but I do like having the showpiece.
 

ballas123

New member
For me, its the basics that is important. I am a practical kind of guy therefore all i am interested in is getting from a to b the quickest and by using as less fuel as possible. However, one of my few requirements on a bike is a nice comfortable seat with enough luggage space.
 

Trellum

New member
I'm a very practical person, so for me the most important in a bike is how reliable it is during unexpected events, like for example if I'm caught in the rain and I've no choice but ride back home. As for aesthetics... I don't like bikes displaying flashy colours or designs. I like bobbers, I don't know why... I just think they look awesome.
 

Danch

New member
I first check out the overall appearance. A bit on the heavier side, I prefer a big bike, so it wouldn't look stunted when I go out for a ride.

Accessories like a luggage carrier is important for me. Fuel efficiency comes next. Finally, I would choose the Yamaha brand for sheer speed.
 

Daboo

New member
I've found that what is important, is an intangible that I can't truly define. I've owned two Suzuki Burgman 400s for 5 years and 77,000 miles. In May, I got a tip on one of the two CTX700 forums to check out a nearby NT700V that was on Craigslist. I ended up buying a new one.

I've ridden the Burgman 400 on a SS1000 and found it surprisingly comfortable as it ate away at the miles. It gets great fuel economy with an average for my kind of riding in the mid-60s and over 70 on trips. It has 62 liters of storage under the seat, and more in the front fairing. And maintenance is easy and low cost. Engine heat is non-existent.

The NT700V is heavier. The seat isn't as comfortable and it is high enough that I only touch on my tip toes with both feet. The economy isn't as good. And the storage isn't as good. Maintenance will be a bit more frequent (valve checks) and the tires cost twice as much. And yes, you can feel the engine heat rise up into the gas tank along your legs.

Both bikes look sharp and I get compliments on both from total strangers. Those are the tangibles.

Which bike to I pick to ride? The NT700V. Logic tells me it should be the other way around. There's something I just can't quite define that makes one bike more appealing than the other.

Chris
 

wander_n_wonder

New member
For me, it's always about safety. I wanna make sure that a bike does not have glitches that would probably put me at risk later on. Everything else is just a bonus once I'm able to fulfill this safety feature.
 

hbmm

New member
Same, safety is a big issue for me after being in a small bike crash, I really focus on safety features now. but I also want the bike to look good and ride well and smooth and corner well. But safety is definitely number one for me now.
 

hbmm

New member
Also I'm not bothered about impressing anyone, I want something practical were I can store a few things in the seat too
 

Stallion

New member
The most important thing for me in bike is how it rides.

Looks and other factors are also important but not as important as the first one. If a bike rides really well, everything else is secondary.

On the other hand a bike may have killer looks but if it is not a good ride it is of no use to me.
 

willstat

New member
I look for durability and/or quality of the bike's body and parts. I want a bike that lasts for at least a decade. I also want one that will stay intact during a minor crash. Most of the reviews of Honda bikes have shown that this brand scores very well in all of these categories. Quality of the bike parts are really important. If the bike has a reputation for parts that break or falter frequently then I lose interest right away.
 

Chaos

New member
The most important part in any bike is how it takes corners at medium or fast speed. If the balance, frame and the suspension is bad, the exterior look and the engine doesn't matter. before buying any bike you should go on a test run and take some corners at medium speed 50-60 km/h and see how it handles.
 

novasparker

New member
Ok, so I have to say that I have to like the way it looks before I can go any farther. And then I have to like the way it feels: weight, balance, and body position. Next is price and then last, but not least, i think about performance. This might be a warped way to think about buying a motorcycle, but it's the only way that I know that I am really getting something I want and looks and feel come way before performance in my book.
 

hbmm

New member
The most important thing for me in bike is how it rides.

Looks and other factors are also important but not as important as the first one. If a bike rides really well, everything else is secondary.

On the other hand a bike may have killer looks but if it is not a good ride it is of no use to me.

Oh yeah, i forgot to say that haha!:)
I look for safety too, and a nice smooth ride that is easy to handle and react
 

Chaos

New member
I want a bike that won't cause me any trouble and do anything strange too

Bikes are machines they will not do anything strange by themselves, you control them and you decide when they need repairs or improvements. My first bike was a little 250cc Honda and my front brake wasn't working properly, and I had to hit a car (minor collision) to understand how important precise working breaks are for a bike.
 

mevsthor

New member
I'd have to say performance is key for me. I use my bike to commute and I need it to be in top shape. The second most important thing to me would be the way that it looks. Performance is really important to me but if the bike looks haggard then it's a no deal for me. Also the weight of the bike is important to me, I like it to be not to heavy but not too light as well. I want to feel like I can move fast but still not get blown over too bad by a semi.
 

Trellum

New member
Hahaha, I thought I was the only one that cared about looks a lot! I was just mentioning the other day in one of my threads that for me safety came first, then design (looks) and then comfort (I was talking about helmets). It's cool you use your bike to commute, mevsthor. I'm thinking of stop driving a car and start using the bike to get to and from work... the gas is just rising and rising!
 

andrew172

New member
Looks, comfort, technology and riding experience are, to me at least, the three most important features to be had on a bike. When considering how these features are met on the Honda CTX700, we can first consider how it looks. You don't need to be a genius to take one look at the CTX and see that it's one of the prettiest machines on the planet. It's sleek and 21st century looks put it way ahead of it's the competitors. When considering Comfort, Technology and riding eXperience, well all one has to do is look at the name "CTX". Obviously Honda was keeping these three things in mind not only when it named the bike, but also when they they designed it. The CTX has a low seat height as well as a low center of gravity and an good power delivery as well as (the option of) a dual clutch transmission meaning that Honda met those requirements that is was aiming for quite well.
 

Oivas

New member
Hello Hondazoom,

I must admit I am much like you. For me the looks come first and then the make and manufacturer. So, from that perspective Honda is a reliable brand to plonk your money into.
 
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