[eddie]

Before getting a SCR950, I've had the following:
{In order with lots of overlap}
1973 Honda CL350
1986 Kawasaki EN450/454Ltd
1991 Honda CB750 Nighthawk
1984 VT750 Shadow
1989 Honda Transalp XL600V *
1985 Kawasaki EN450/454Ltd
1993 Honda CB750 Nighthawk *
1989 Honda Transalp XL600V (#2) *
1996 Honda PC800 Pacific Coast *
2001 Suzuki SV650
2002 Suzuki DL1000 V-Strom *
2004 Harley-Davidson XL1200R Sportster
2005 Honda GL1800 Gold Wing
2001 SV650 (#2)
2006 Honda 919
2008 GL1800 Gold Wing
2009 Kawasaki KLR650
2011 Honda CB250R
2011 Suzuki DL650 V-Strom {LEMON! and last Suzuki for me EVER.}
2010 Yamaha FZ-8
2012 Yamaha XTZ12BB Super Tenere (still have)
2014 FZ-09 (sold to buy the SCR950)

* Put over 30k miles on each of these. :grin2:
The Tenere's almost there.

 

[OpenRoad]

I'm nowhere near as experienced as you.

Started riding with a 1998 Honda CBR250
2012 Kawasaki Ninja 300
2014 Ninja 650

 

[Cruze]

Well gosh darn :|

Don't you have quite the history with a broad range of bikes. That's impressive.

I've only had an old Ninja 636 and that's about it haha

 

[eddie]

My friends were surprised I waited almost 3 years before buying another bike. (Got the 14' FZ in Nov. 13').
LOL

 

[Cruze]

LOL so fair to say you get bored easily and you like fancy new things !

Do you already have you're eye on the next bike after this one ?!

 

[YamiGuy]

My friends were surprised I waited almost 3 years before buying another bike. (Got the 14' FZ in Nov. 13').
LOL

I'm surprised anyone even waits that long since the average time I see someone stick to a bike is about a year, maybe 2, but the 3rd year.. that's something special, but when that happens its with some bike that really stands out from the rest, something that doesn't make you ask what's next.

The ninja H2 is a good example, extreme, but a good example.

 

[eddie]

I'm surprised anyone even waits that long since the average time I see someone stick to a bike is about a year, maybe 2, but the 3rd year.. that's something special, but when that happens its with some bike that really stands out from the rest, something that doesn't make you ask what's next.

The ninja H2 is a good example, extreme, but a good example.

Despite owning so many odd ones, I'm drawn to somewhat practical bikes. That is, those that don't do any single thing outstandingly, yet seem to do a lot so well. I kept my first Transalp for just over 2 years and managed to put nearly 35k miles on it even though it wasn't my only bike. An accident saw it not getting replaced for about 18 months when I finally found another, low-mile example and rode it for 5 years and about the same miles. The DL1000 was my longest-kept m/c @ 6 years and 36k miles. The KLR had about 19k on it in 2 years and the current Super Tenere is climbing toward 26k. I may see if I can reach 100k on it. =)

 

[Tadlock]

2013 Yamaha XT250, loved this bike for learning how to ride and having the ability to throw on a carrier behind my jeep to take out to the desert for some fun. But now that I've been riding the XCR950, I've noticed just how small that bike is both in physical size and engine size. Will be looking into buying a Suzuki DR650 from a buddy or trying to find a street legal converted Yamaha WR450r.

 

[YamiGuy]

Despite owning so many odd ones, I'm drawn to somewhat practical bikes. That is, those that don't do any single thing outstandingly, yet seem to do a lot so well. I kept my first Transalp for just over 2 years and managed to put nearly 35k miles on it even though it wasn't my only bike. An accident saw it not getting replaced for about 18 months when I finally found another, low-mile example and rode it for 5 years and about the same miles. The DL1000 was my longest-kept m/c @ 6 years and 36k miles. The KLR had about 19k on it in 2 years and the current Super Tenere is climbing toward 26k. I may see if I can reach 100k on it. =)

I heard you on that. Some owners of liter bikes i've seen keep smaller 250-300 bikes around as bikes they can ride around, park and leave anywhere without worry. Doing that is not a bad mix, cheap 250-300 for commuting to and from work and then the REAL toy for when you really need to get in that zone.

 

[Rokrover]

Quite the eclectic mix here ........

1969 Suzuki X-6 Hustler Scrambler 250 twin
1970 Velocette Venom Clubman 500 single
1970 CZ Scrambler 250 single
1970 Suzuki Savage TS 250 enduro
1971 Suzuki T250 twin
1973 Matchless G80 500 single
1979 Yamaha SR500 single
1981 Ducati Desmo Supersport 900
1985 Ducati Scrambler 350 single
1998 Kawasaki KZ-1000 Eddie Lawson Replica
2004 Yamaha Zuma scooter
2007 Suzuki Savage 650 single
2010 Harley Sportster XL 883 Iron
2013 Suzuki TU250X single
2016 Yamaha SCR950

The KZ-1000 was a beast with potential far exceeding my skills, particularly on public roads. These machines all had distinct personalities and provided ample opportunity to hone my wrenching skills. At first, if it wasn't broke, I'd fix it till it was

 

[OpenRoad]

It's so interesting to see how riders progress when it comes to the power levels of their bikes. Everyone starts with a 250 or 300 and then move up from there and then move down again.

Now that it's on your list, that Yamaha Zuma scooter does look tempting...

 

[TheScrambled]

After a certain point, some riders realize they don't ride aggressively enough to bring out a bike's full potential and it would make more sense to downsize. I don't even track so I see no reason to go past a certain point in power.

 

[eddie]

After a certain point, some riders realize they don't ride aggressively enough to bring out a bike's full potential and it would make more sense to downsize. I don't even track so I see no reason to go past a certain point in power.

For me, it wasn't the aggressiveness that was lacking, it was other stuff. Examples:
I sold the FZ-09 not because it was a bad bike or even a bad bike for me. It was just that it was a ride-it-like-you-stole-it or be bored kind of bike. Poking around town was okay, but I felt guilty running it through the gears on my commutes home in the early morning just to have fun on it.
The 919 I had for a year? GREAT bike. I just couldn't get past the high mount exhaust leaving me smelling like a muffler every time I rode it.
I sold Gold Wing #1 to buy a different color/year. After 3 years of only taking the occasional two-up ride, it made no sense to have a GL1800 to make grocery runs.
My current go-to, every day bike? The Super Tenere 1200.
It'll do short or long trips with luggage capacity to haul anything I want. I take it to get groceries so I won't buy too much! LOL
I have a Toyota Tacoma for those days I do need a bunch.

Which leaves me answering why I bought the SCR950?
It looks like fun. It IS fun. Power? More would be nice, but missing the point. It's a relax and enjoy the ride bike. No worry about "Am I going too fast?" I get asked about it almost every time I take it out.
It doesn't do anything great.
It also doesn't do much wrong, either.
It's like the pair of shoes you wear when no one is looking. It just feels right some how and that's enough for a happy ride any day.

 

[TheScrambled]

It's like the pair of shoes you wear when no one is looking. It just feels right some how and that's enough for a happy ride any day.

Lol, the scr950 sounds like your secret side bike that nobody knows about.

Everyone has their own reasons as to why they choose to downsize or move away from sport-bikes. Mine is because of a creaky knee and yours is because you want something comfortable and fun to ride.

 

[YamiGuy]

For me, it wasn't the aggressiveness that was lacking, it was other stuff. Examples:
I sold the FZ-09 not because it was a bad bike or even a bad bike for me. It was just that it was a ride-it-like-you-stole-it or be bored kind of bike. Poking around town was okay, but I felt guilty running it through the gears on my commutes home in the early morning just to have fun on it.
The 919 I had for a year? GREAT bike. I just couldn't get past the high mount exhaust leaving me smelling like a muffler every time I rode it.
I sold Gold Wing #1 to buy a different color/year. After 3 years of only taking the occasional two-up ride, it made no sense to have a GL1800 to make grocery runs.
My current go-to, every day bike? The Super Tenere 1200.
It'll do short or long trips with luggage capacity to haul anything I want. I take it to get groceries so I won't buy too much! LOL
I have a Toyota Tacoma for those days I do need a bunch.

Which leaves me answering why I bought the SCR950?
It looks like fun. It IS fun. Power? More would be nice, but missing the point. It's a relax and enjoy the ride bike. No worry about "Am I going too fast?" I get asked about it almost every time I take it out.
It doesn't do anything great.
It also doesn't do much wrong, either.
It's like the pair of shoes you wear when no one is looking. It just feels right some how and that's enough for a happy ride any day.

I can attest to that and that sort of thinking and way of seeing a bike like this really pays off after you had the experience of going through a whole range of bikes. So you know whats out there and can appreciate something like this, the medium it brings together of all those.

 

[OpenRoad]

Some days you just don't want to be speeding down the street in a sportbike, as fun as they are. You just want to have a relaxed ride through some valleys and along tree lined roads without bending over too much and that's what the scr950 excels in. Just a do everything bike, unless you plan to go on long tours like eddie.

 

[Tadlock]

Just a do everything bike, unless you plan to go on long tours like eddie.

I plan to do long tours on it, but I'm also a little crazy. Mexico -> Canada and West Coast -> East Coast.

 

[OpenRoad]

All at one go? That sounds like an epic road trip that'll span a few months if not more.
So go from Mexico to Canada and then from west to east in the U.S?

 

[Tadlock]

Probably not, thinking two trips but you never know... Later this year I'm looking at doing a trip up to the SF bridge with some other friends.

 

[TheScrambled]

Going to be a pain to ride through San Fran and all those hills. Especially if there's traffic and you're stuck on a incline/decline. So many hills...