Bikes you have been disappointed in

[ron1100_imp]

By far, the greatest disappointment I've owned was the Moto Guzzi Griso. I felt like I married a supermodel who turned out to be a crack cuss. Lured in by all the talk about 'character' and the beauty of the matte green livery. Horrified by the agricultural running gear, clouds of acrid smoke from the electrics, and a dealer experience second to every other dealer experience.

I still look at the centerfold pictures of my ex. But I know, man, I know...

I was perusing these threads while having my coffee at work (got in early) and burst out laughing. Good thing I had just finished my coffee before reading your message. Just made my day.

[12cb96vfr_imp]

haha, now I KNOW I'm weird!! I have a VFR, I had a Shadow 750, and I lust after a VRod and VMax!!

LOL guess I'm one of the lucky ones - have not ridden a bike and been disappointed (yet)!

[flynrider]

My biggest disappointment on two wheels was a brand new '83 Harley Sportster. I don't know what I was thinking. After having owned 3 Kawasakis, I guess I just assumed that most motorcycles were reliable. I was young and naive.

This was just after Harley took back ownership from AMF and the quality of their bikes hadn't really had time to improve. My particular example had problems from the start. Oil leaks, parts falling off, unexplainable cooling problems, leaking gas tank, etc... Long story short, I owned the bike for 6 months and it spent 3 of those months in the dealer's shop. The dealer didn't seem to think this was unusual

I learned a painful lesson about the importance of quality manufacturing. Without a car, I depended on motorcycles to get around. Fortunately, I'd kept one of my old Kawis and it got plenty of use as my backup bike.

[Lunatic Fringe_imp]

After 20+ years of buying very used old bikes I finally was able to buy a brand new bike. I decided to buy a leftover 2001 Kawasaki ZR-7S because it was one of the last vestiges of the old air cooled Kawi fours. Big mistake. As delivered the bikes fueling was super lean, the fork was horribly under damped, painful seat, and the brakes were not good. I owned 20 year old bikes that ran better in every way. All the issues were fixable but I was very disappointed in my first "new" bike but I stayed with it for 6,000 miles just to give it a real chance. Sold the bike and bought a completely clean original condition 94 Pacific Coast to get the taste of that Kawasaki out of my mouth. Great bike, one I should have kept but it was sold to pay for a new left over 2003 Suzuki Bandit 1200S, a great bike.

[redbirds_imp]

When Honda replaced the ST 1100 with the new 1300 I knew this was the bike for me. I was able to find an unsold 2005 at a greatly reduced price and jumped on it. The first sign of trouble was on the ride home. It was a hot July day and my legs felt cooked by the time I had covered the 80 miles to home. It was incredibly top heavy and grossly overweight at 740lbs fueled. The seat was not well designed and the motor sounded like a 30 year old Evinrude. I kept it just over a year, sold it and got a Triumph 1050 Tiger, one of the finest bikes I ever owned.

A Moto Guzzi Breva 1100 taught me all I needed to know about the true meaning of "character", a term the Italians use as an excuse for engineering flaws they just don't have the inclination to deal with. Dodgy electrics, a gutless motor below 4000rpm, weeping CARC drives and an instrument cluster that would decide to take a 3 hour "lunch break" on a whim and I had had enough. Traded it for the CB1100.

[Mick65_imp]

Well the bike I tried to love, but it just was, nt to be was my Goldwing 1832cc.
The roads in the UK ard pretty bumpy and the wing never got use to them, use to get bad neck ache and always had a mucky face after a ride of about 80mls.
My wife didnt like it so it spent most of its life in the garage, only used it 3 times last year about 200mls.
Had the CB and its stirring my soul again.....

[the Ferret]

Redbirds...I have a love / hate relationship with my ST 1300. I bought it as a new leftover in 2008 and I have put 37,000 on it, with another 6,000 mile trip planned for this summer. I hate the weight, and although the heat can be an issue I wear Tourmaster riding pants and boots when riding it which shields some of that from getting to me. I had my seat "Spencerized" and its better than the stocker, the major factor for me was he lowered the seat an inch as well as putting his LD foam in it. Where the ST really shines is freeway all day and the adjustable windshield is awesome. When I get headed someplace far away, I love my ST.

[redbirds_imp]

Redbirds...I have a love / hate relationship with my ST 1300. I bought it as a new leftover in 2008 and I have put 37,000 on it, with another 6,000 mile trip planned for this summer. I hate the weight, and although the heat can be an issue I wear Tourmaster riding pants and boots when riding it which shields some of that from getting to me. I had my seat "Spencerized" and its better than the stocker, the major factor for me was he lowered the seat an inch as well as putting his LD foam in it. Where the ST really shines is freeway all day and the adjustable windshield is awesome. When I get headed someplace far away, I love my ST.

I made the same changes to mine and the bike was a comfortable tourer in winter when the engine heat actually felt good. The windscreen is the bike's best feature. I found the bike impossible to live with on a south Georgia summer day when the heat index is 110 or better. Another problem for me is the road I live on. From my driveway to the first paved road is one mile of sand-clay mix graded dirt. The 1300 was always a handful getting in and out, given it's excessive weight and high COG.

[the Ferret]

Oh yea, I can see that, that would not be a fun road to ride on everyday. Here in Ohio we rarely get over 90, and on those days I ride early and late. Over 90 and under 30 are both miserable riding conditions on anything.

[calamarichris_imp]

1998 Honda VTR1000F Superhawk.
Fun bike, fast bike, beautiful bike, but fatally flawed because Honda decided that instead of a dedicated cylinder block, they'd simply bore the cylinders into the top half of the squishy aluminum crankcase, then add a rinky-dink later of electroplating that wore out after only 50,000 miles.
It was a wheelie monster, but that was because of the rearward weight bias, and because it was colossally undergeared.
Limp, squishy brakes, laughable fuel economy, a noisy lump of an engine, and I haven't been interested in any Honda bike since that POS, but still I love looking at the old pictures of her.