new member
 

Hi - first things first cards behind the bar so help yourselves.

Got aroudn £1500 to spend and am thinking of getting a FE or SL - would anyone have any advice on the above?

Also coming off a string of japanese bikes do I need to watch for anything and are these more maintenance hungry?

Finally would the cylinder heads bolts have been changed on any bike I buy now?

thanks for any advice

sam

Welcome to the board Sam, mines an ice cold Stella
I would say in my experience that your budget may be a little lean to get you what you want, that figure is more SS country.
Lots of info on SL`s here WWW.900sl.com
Cylinder stud problems should have been resolved on most early bikes now, unless its been standing around
I came from Jap bikes to dukes and was not sure when I first got my SL but the whole Ducati V twin thing grows on you, and there is no nicer sound than a open pipe duke on full chat.
As for maintenance, look for bikes with some history etc but on the whole they seem to be owned by people who love them, but beware a neglected bike that may seem a bargain but can soon become a money pit.
Good luck in your quest and keep an eye on Ebay as they come up for sale on there quite often
Cheers
Ian

Just spotted this clean looking SS
http://www.visordown.com/forums/showthread.php?t=276687

Not quite the SL or FE you are after but the kind of bike you may get for your budget

Ian

Welcome Sam!

You'll have a hard time finding an SL or FE for that kind of money (most are at least £1k more than that) but you'll probably find a decent (not mint) standard SS for that.

The only differences really are the single seat unit and high-level pipes but both can be found aftermarket. The reason SL/FEs go for more is that they have generally been better looked after as well as the rarity value.

They are not more maintenance hungry than a jap bike but respond well to a bit of patience with the setup.

The engines are pretty much the same as monsters of the same era but they tend to have lower mileage (tend to be fair-weather ridden rather than all year round like monsters) and should be very reliable. I don't know about the cylinder head bolts but wouldn't have thought they would have been changed.

replied to your pm - welcome

Welcome Sam,

I'm having a cold Stella right now - cheers.

There's a wealth of info on here; just browse the SS forum and use the search function and you'll be fine.

As has been said I think £1500 will only bring you an uncared for example - much better to 'raise the bar' and get a good un with some history.

Cheers - Frank

cheers
 

I would rather save up a bit more and get something a little more distinctive.

oh hum best keep looking. It would nice to have something by September though!

sam

Welcome Sam, hope you get a lot out a great site.
Mines a pint of cocoa, it's a bit late.
:)

another question
 

is the power output sufficient to run a heated vest and heated grips?

Sam

Just wear an all in one suit, have a curry the night before and then provide your own central heating.

I think the curry might provide a certain form of "air conditioning " also :-)

ps mines a West Malle Triple, and welcome aboard

Hi Sam, and Welcome. Was that you at Cornerspeed on Saturday?

I take it if you are thinking of heated grips you are looking for a bike to use all year round?

I found that mine ran poorly in winter and suffers from carb icing when it is cold and humid. My 750 ss has been modified so may be worse than some, but I do not think it is unique. I would definately consider this to be a fair weather bike.

Many thanks for the advice will keep looking for a bike. TBH I dont ride much in winter but I do like riding in autunm so its nice to have the option of heated kit!

sam