I love my Steamer, BUT....

[threepot]

I've only ridden one steamer and being used to fuel injection it was like Pony Express compared to email with the exception of the very last carbed Yamaha R6's I'd never go back to such in a million years as letting the bike stand I've left my 1100s for 12 months and even with old fuel it will fire bang on the button.

On the same battery? One thing I've learned in 20yrs of early Hinckley ownership..you need to run the bikes regularly,and they need well charged batteries. I've ridden quite a few different bikes over the last few yrs..vfr800,v Strom,z100sx,cb1000f,zx10,guzzi1200,trans alp,and I wouldn't swap my Triumphs for any of them! There's just something about these bikes that you 'connect' to,that you don't on others?? Maybe it's just me? I did a 130ml ride today to hay on Wye ,and my steamer was just brilliant!   

[Nick Calne]

It's not just you Threepot, a lot of new bikes are rather anodyne, particularly in regard of their engine characteristics. You can't say that of a steamer!

Sometimes I think choosing a new bike is as much a heart wrenching, nail chewing chore as it is a pleasure.

[Chris Canning]

On the same battery? One thing I've learned in 20yrs of early Hinckley ownership..you need to run the bikes regularly,and they need well charged batteries. I've ridden quite a few different bikes over the last few yrs..vfr800,v Strom,z100sx,cb1000f,zx10,guzzi1200,trans alp,and I wouldn't swap my Triumphs for any of them! There's just something about these bikes that you 'connect' to,that you don't on others?? Maybe it's just me? I did a 130ml ride today to hay on Wye ,and my steamer was just brilliant!   

Oh blimey I only put my third battery on my 1100s a couple years ago and I've had the bike 16 come January and I've learned from leaving an Optimate on all the time and I put it on every couple months and that's it.

Re character if your talking Japanese V European you have a point but my 1100/1200 and even my XR are as quirky as my Tiger it most certainly doesn't have a monopoly on that,I can make a good case for all of mine depending on what I'm riding at the time.

Certainly what you can say about the 955 female fuel connectors excepted there are zero skeletons in the cuboard their are very few bikes you can say that about and certainly one of the great current bargains.

[nickjtc]

May come down to price at end of the day, so 1050 may still be an option, as they seem generally a few grand less, ie the cost of a small car difference...
I'm all confused again....

Don't be confused! Think of those lovely chrome handlebars you get included in the purchase!   You will not regret that choice if you get one. (Just keep an eye on the charging system.... :icon_wink: :icon_wink: :icon_wink:)

[London_Phil]

Thanks for that Nick.
My last set of chrome bars were on a Shovelhead.....
Looks like all the bargains have been had pre Christmas now.
I'm currently awaiting an indicator to replace the one I broke whilst doing the leaky Rad, so I'm still looking at options, as I can see the longer term will probably not be Steamers, but it Will be a Tiger.

[Sparky]

The Steamer was my first big ADV style bike after getting back into riding after a long hiatus due to kids, self-employment, life etc.  I thoroughly enjoyed Steamer ownership, the bike never let me down and was a pleasure to ride but it did seem to require regular tinkering in order to keep it running in top form. Lurking here and other sites I feel like I got one of the better Steamers being a later 98 model Triumph had sorted most of the earlier issues and the previous owner had not done a hack job on anything. 

I have no problem tinkering and enjoy doing all my own work on bikes I have two older Collector Plated Hondas that I'm always playing with the difference is I do this tinkering on my terms and timeline as I had the Steamer which was the main bike I would ride.  Since I am trying to get some longer multi-day trips lined up over the next few years the Steamer had me wondering "what if" I guess I was tired of having to tinker and was looking for a newer, turn key, minimal maintenance bike.  If I did not or could not spend the money on a newer bike I would have happily continued with the Steamer I'm by no means independently wealthy but I did have the ability to upgrade so the Steamer was passed on to a new owner who was very happy with the overall condition of the bike and excited to get his first larger ADV bike.   

Now if I could only find a nice early Speed Triple or Thunderbird Sport for the stable 

[Tomcat61]

Or,have you got a Shell garage nearby?? Try running with VPower?

I tried VPower with my Ducati but can't say there would have been any difference compared to normal 98E fuel. I think VPower is 99 octane.  Is there difference in ageing of the fuel, can't tell either.

[Tomcat61]

3K gets you the best Girly ever, £2.5K for the bike and another £600 or so on a Wilbers. Just saying.  £5K is knocking on the door of a 1050 Sport ????

In our domestic motorcycle market I'd have to add 1000€ for Steamer, and 1000-1500€ for a Girly.
1050 would require 2000€ more than in most European countries, Germany perhaps having lowest prices for Tigers.  Right now there's a Girly '00 for 3900€ with 39k on the meter.  Alternative is 1999 Steamer with 96k for 2900€.  Tough choice.