Once again considering second bike for city

Have been thinking of getting a sm for city riding, my sdr is just too brutal for it (don't worry, the sdr is staying as well -insurance is sorted ). Had a look at the 690 SMC today (unfortunately only a look, no demonstrator at the dealer). But it's quite pricy, maybe 640lc4 is a better alternative. Found this on ebay:

what do you guys think? -I have spent very little time on sm's so all suggestions are appreciated

if i were you i would go for a 690 something. the engine is much smoother, and has a 6 speed gearbox. i had an 06 640 SM and after i rode my friend's 690 SMR my mind changed very quickly. here is an example i would rather get
http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/bikes ... 84020&mfy=
occasionally there are some SMs and SMR pop up o MCN closer to the 4K range. I am sure considering the economic mess we are in that Duke 3 can be bought closer to 4500 than to 5K.
good luck o your decision

I had a test ride on a 690 SMC when they first came out. Really, really, wanted to like it but didnt.

Nice and light but a wheezy underpowered thing compared to the SD.

The handling of the SMC was disappointing too. It was so soft and floppy on tarmac. I had long forgotten just how much flex you get from spoked wheels. Although I believe you can get a prestige model with cast wheels.

It was not at all what I expected. I have seen what the supermoto guys can do with these but for a road riding style and hard lean angles the thing was just flexing in all the wrong places.

I was going back for a ride on the Duke 3 which I suspect would have been more suitable for road riding. It has shorter, firmer suspension and cast wheels for a start.

Never got around to it though as it would still have had that wheezy engine.

Try before you buy as it may be what you are looking for. In London however, I cant see it doing anything better than a LC4 640 or Duke 2 that you could get for a couple of grand.

If it were my money I would look around for an old Honda Dominator or similar twin. Bit heavier but just as easy to manoeuvre in town. These would have the added benefits of better road presence and perhaps a better choice of commuting tyres. Less theft attractive too.

+1, the "new" LC4 is SO much better than the old. The low-end grunt is the same, but at the top of the RPM curve is a much better punch, and an incredibly smooth thumper it has become. The SMC is a great hooligan, but the SM/SMR or the 690 Duke are very civilized street bikes, and the Duke has the most HP. If I had a little more disposable income, I'd have a white Duke parked next to the SD.

Here is my combo with upsize...

Spend a little more and get a 690 - the SM [beaky] will be the cheapest. Although they are the next generation LC4 they feel like 3 generations better. I have had both. The older LC4 is a farm bike by comparison - but it will get you back and forth to work no probs [but so would a GN250]. The 690's are great engines - smooth, grunty, and reliable. I ride mine to work every day ran or shine and it has not missed a beak - commuting I get 300kms out of the 13.5 ltr tank and I have fun the whole way

God I wish I lived in NZ.


In England having a SDR is just a small compensation for the sh*t climate and down the tubes country. It, and my kids, are the only things that stop me trying to headbut the Orient Express on its next visit.

Trust me a Duke 3 may be perfect for your commute in the city but in London? On roads that are greasy all year around though overuse and under investment? Between the traffic lights every 20 yards and speed cameras every 10? When every car/ van /bus driver is a homicidal ass h*le venting their frustrations on every biker they see? Oh and it rains every feckin day.

Then when you park it you have a ton of other problems: There is not an inch of London that some c*nt wont charge you to park on, Whilst parked your bike will be vandalised by some jeleous halfwit. Or stolen by his underclass mates who know the law is only a deterent for honest motorists and cannot touch them. Or towed / clamped by one of the many private companies licenced to extort money from the unwary for a kickback to the council that allows it. Dont call the police as the white working / middle class is the last vestige of authority they have so they will just as likely arrest you/give you a kicking/ shoot you.

So what? You say, my ride to work is my compensation for all that, my bit of ME time that makes it all worthwhile. Then you try to get insurance and it is 1 billion million trillion pounds please (current exchange rate about 400 NZ dollars). What? you have a Superduke as well? better make that 2 billion million trillion pounds. Ask Fredrik, he knows.

Or...... 70mpg SM bike.
Half the $$ of a 690 XXX - but it IS Japanese.





http://www.yamaha-motor.co.uk/products/ ... wr250x.jsp

Now that's a nice 2nd bike , congrats!!! How 'bout a review after a couple hundred km?

Nice. Those look like Ohlins forks/shock, but looks can be deceiving.
I hope it's as nice as it looks. Good call.