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 Post subject: Suzuki VanVan 200cc
PostPosted: Sat May 14, 2016 6:30 pm 
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125cc
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Joined: Tue Nov 05, 2013 1:06 pm
Posts: 192
Wife's new bike, bought today.



Image

Image


and here is what it just replaced;

Image

Image

I have not ridden it, for reasons to boring to go into I am not insured to ride it and won't be until later in the summer.

It vibrates a lot more than the 125cc, even with bar ends on. The old !25cc lost it's bar ends when it had heated grips fitted.

The bars seem different, but maybe the whole bike just felt slightly different cos its new. The 200cc has some sort of oil radiator on the front of the frame. The little tail pack is cheap and nasty. We took the tool kit out already, but it's a poorly made pack. Think poundland, rather than Kriega.

The 200cc has five gears.
The 125cc had six gears.

Rides almost the same, but quite a bit better, according to the wife. So, just the ticket for her.

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Mark Brown - Bedford.
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 Post subject: Re: Suzuki VanVan 200cc
PostPosted: Sun May 15, 2016 9:41 am 
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125cc

Joined: Sun Nov 10, 2013 3:28 pm
Posts: 144
Location: yeovil
ive been looking at the 125 for my.....erm vertically challenged other half :lol:

would you recommend them?

cheers
Dan


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 Post subject: Re: Suzuki VanVan 200cc
PostPosted: Sun May 15, 2016 1:33 pm 
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125cc
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Yes, I've got 2 reviews of the 125cc version on my youtube channel.
Helen rode from Galloway to Bedford on hers in a day. Regularly rode to Portsmouth on it


edit: this link takes you to the reviews playlist;
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=P ... tjZ4nfXQHz

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Mark Brown - Bedford.
RoR Officer with Herts TRF
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 Post subject: Re: Suzuki VanVan 200cc
PostPosted: Tue Jul 12, 2016 12:30 pm 
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300 cc
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Joined: Wed Nov 02, 2011 12:39 pm
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Location: Herts / Beds / Bucks
Mark

Thanks for the youtube reviews, my better half has finally decided she wants her own bike and being vertically challenged I was struggling to think of a bike she would be comfortable with. However once I showed her a picture of the Van van, and then your reviews she was sold.

We popped into Mission Motorcycles in Bletchley on Saturday so she could try one for size and not surprisingly could get both feet down and although she had been worried about the weight of bikes was pleasantly surprised how light the van van felt.

Did your wife get hers from there? The guy mentioned a customer called "Helen" who recently traded her 125 for a 200 :D

Of course there was then the decision of 125 or 200? In the end the lack of full licence (she's only had a moped before) swung it as she can ride the 125 straight after her CBT whereas she would have to get through CBT, theory and practical tests before being allowed out on a 200.

The fact that 0% finance is available on the 125 (but not the 200) also swung it as it meant she could get the bike without me having to sell off one of mine to finance it (I wonder if I can persuade her that four bikes will fit in the garage)!

So today she phoned them and put down the deposit and is popping in after work to do the paperwork!

CBT booked for July 23rd, theory test for August and deposit paid for training and A2 test (Ye Gods it was simpler in my day)!!!

And unlike Mrs Brown, she has already suggested that it looks more than suitable for some of the gentler green lanes :mrgreen:

The funny thing is the bike is currently sitting in Suzuki's warehouse about half a mile from our house, so it has to be delivered to Bletchley only for us to bring it straight back again!

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Tony Ferrari
Roads Conservation Officer
Hertfordshire TRF


http://www.nomadracing.co.uk No Byways were harmed in the making of this blog!

2006 KTM 450 Rally
2011 KTM 990 Adventure
2015 Honda CB500X


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 Post subject: Re: Suzuki VanVan 200cc
PostPosted: Tue Jul 12, 2016 1:10 pm 
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650 cc Monster
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Joined: Fri Aug 14, 2009 8:34 am
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Location: East Sussex
Although I suspect I may look an even bigger prat at 6'3 on a Van Van, they have always had an appeal to me - just the dinky, simple and chunky design is so different

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 Post subject: Re: Suzuki VanVan 200cc
PostPosted: Wed Jul 13, 2016 1:08 pm 
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300 cc
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Joined: Wed Nov 02, 2011 12:39 pm
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Location: Herts / Beds / Bucks
At 6' 1" i did think the same but it actually seems to fit me quite well


But of course I won't be able to see myself riding it :oops:







*note to self... avoid looking at reflections in shop windows when riding the van van ;)

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Tony Ferrari
Roads Conservation Officer
Hertfordshire TRF


http://www.nomadracing.co.uk No Byways were harmed in the making of this blog!

2006 KTM 450 Rally
2011 KTM 990 Adventure
2015 Honda CB500X


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 Post subject: Re: Suzuki VanVan 200cc
PostPosted: Wed Jul 13, 2016 2:08 pm 
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650 cc Monster
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Location: East Sussex
:D :D

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Liable to sudden and unintended changes in speed and direction.
Araf!


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 Post subject: Re: Suzuki VanVan 200cc
PostPosted: Wed Jul 13, 2016 8:08 pm 
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125cc
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Posts: 192
Yes, that was my wife Helen that they were talking about.

I did get her to do a green lane once on her 125, just so that she could se what it was I did and where I went, and with some jiggery pokery in the editing I got this one video of the 125 on a lane.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIJeJGS4lyw

she is taking he 200cc to Mission tomorrow for its 600 mile service, and top box fitting.

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Mark Brown - Bedford.
RoR Officer with Herts TRF
_____________________
http://www.youtube.com/senthx


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 Post subject: Re: Suzuki VanVan 200cc
PostPosted: Thu Jul 14, 2016 1:11 pm 
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300 cc
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Joined: Wed Nov 02, 2011 12:39 pm
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Location: Herts / Beds / Bucks
Looks OK to me ;)

Grainne has been green laning a few times but only on the back of my 990 Adventure (and one on the CB500X), clearly I didn't scare her off!

Still waiting for Mission to confirm collection date :roll:

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Tony Ferrari
Roads Conservation Officer
Hertfordshire TRF


http://www.nomadracing.co.uk No Byways were harmed in the making of this blog!

2006 KTM 450 Rally
2011 KTM 990 Adventure
2015 Honda CB500X


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 Post subject: Re: Suzuki VanVan 200cc
PostPosted: Sun Aug 07, 2016 10:24 pm 
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125cc
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Joined: Tue Nov 05, 2013 1:06 pm
Posts: 192
Well, I did a 300 mile round trip on it at the weekend. Solo there, passenger back. Everything from motorways, to obscure b roads. no complaints. :mrgreen:

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Mark Brown - Bedford.
RoR Officer with Herts TRF
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http://www.youtube.com/senthx


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