[GreenRE]

My dear speed-demons,

At some point in the near future an opportunity is going to present where I will have an option to bring a stablemate for my beloved 2008 RE. Ideally I would like to sit upright and be able to do the freeway thing and hills and not have to worry about the things I have to worry about with the RE. But, I also do not want to spend a fortune on things like oil change, so out go the ducatis, beemers etc. I have narrowed it down to this one :
http://www.yamaha-motor.com/sport/products/modelhome/652/home.aspx

If you have rode one or know some one who has, i'd be grateful for your input.

[mbevo1]

I've got my '07 Classic for fussing with and my '10 C5 for just pushing the button and going...

Can't say I'm a speed-demon, though...

Mike and S&S in Michigan

[barenekd]

I had an '86 Fazer and put 75,000 miles on it in 5 years. One of my all time favorites, definitely in the top five of 45. It was a 700, to beat the Harley tariff in those days. It got great mileage, was fast, handled well, was nice two up, all-in-all, a great bike. This new one looks like an evolutionary version of the old one. From all I've read about them, they are still great. If I were in the market for another Jap bike, I'd definitely look at it.
Bare

[MotoJ]

A Honda Nighthawk 750 is pretty bulletproof. Hydraulic valves, easy to change oil, spin off oil filter. I had an '85 700S. The first ones used to be kind of a hot bike, shaft drive, dual discs, bikini fairing, 16" wheels, etc. They were also tariff bikes.

After '86 they were tamed down and became chain drive and were detuned a little and got different livery. They were virtually unchanged from about '87 '90 to 2003 or 4 when they finally stopped making them.

You can find a nice example with low miles for $1500 probably. It will take you anywhere, anytime.

[2bikebill]

I wanted a second bike for longer trips and more grunt than my G5, but it had to look like a real bike too, so I got a Kawa W650. Gorgeous bike, beautifully built, fast & nimble, and 60 - 65mpg (UK). And I wouldn't trade it for the W800 either!
Style & class  

[singhg5]

My dear speed-demons,

At some point in the near future an opportunity is going to present where I will have an option to bring a stablemate for my beloved 2008 RE. Ideally I would like to sit upright and be able to do the freeway thing and hills and not have to worry about the things I have to worry about with the RE. But, I also do not want to spend a fortune on things like oil change, so out go the ducatis, beemers etc. I have narrowed it down to this one :
http://www.yamaha-motor.com/sport/products/modelhome/652/home.aspx

If you have rode one or know some one who has, i'd be grateful for your input.

Looks like a good bike - though it does not have a thump  .  Perhaps similar to  Suzuki's Gladius 650 cc V-twin about $7K. Did you look at Suzuki models ? Whatever makes you happy, go with that.

http://www.suzukicycles.com/Product%20Lines/Cycles/Products/Gladius/2009/SFV650.aspx?category=standard

I wish we could get Will's Kawasaki W650 or W800, but I think they are not sold in US.

[boggy]

Cycle World had a cover story comparing this bike with a bunch of other "middle-weights" including the Monster, Street Trip, F800R, and the Shiver.  Bike got good marks - most of all for being the affordable option while still being capable.

Here is their write up from their first preview of it.  I don't think you can go wrong with that machine.

http://www.cycleworld.com/motorcycle_roadtest/first_rides_articles/11q1/2011_yamaha_fz8_-_first_ride

[TWinOKC]

My dear speed-demons,

 Ideally I would like to sit upright and be able to do the freeway thing and hills and not have to worry about the things I have to worry about with the RE. But, I also do not want to spend a fortune on things like oil change, so out go the ducatis, beemers etc. I have narrowed it down to this one :

Does the rider sit upright on the Yamaha?   What about a Triumph Bonneville?

[boggy]

Although its very sporty, the FZ8 riding posture is pretty relaxed.

(image of a rider)
http://images.passionperformance.ca/photos/0/5/8/058162_Yamaha_FZ8_FAZER8_FZ1_FZ6_Non_FZ8.jpg

[Arizoni]

For a sit up old fashioned motorcycle the Truimph twins look very interesting for about the same price as the Yamaha.

65 hp should get a person down the road at treeway speeds without straining the bike at all.  I don't know how difficult servicing them is but there isn't any plastic covering the engine.

http://www.triumphmotorcycles.com/motorcycles/range/classics/bonneville/2011/bonneville-t100/2995

[r80rt]

The Bonnie is a very nice bike, I sold my 05 Bonnieville black to buy a C5 though

[TWinOKC]

For a sit up old fashioned motorcycle the Truimph twins look very interesting for about the same price as the Yamaha.

65 hp should get a person down the road at treeway speeds without straining the bike at all.  I don't know how difficult servicing them is but there isn't any plastic covering the engine.

http://www.triumphmotorcycles.com/motorcycles/range/classics/bonneville/2011/bonneville-t100/2995

+1   I just love the look of old school British bikes.   Spoke wheels, gas tank is in the right position, handlebars are just right.   I don't know what is wrong with me.  

[scoTTy]

Buy an old Boxer.. if you can work on lawnmowers , you can work on the old Beemers..

Airheads Rule

[Ice]

Fireball meets your requirements and is an option.

Chumma7 has over 30,000 trouble free miles on his.

[2bikebill]

Don't want to go on about it, but if it's a Bonneville style bike you're looking for, the Kawasaki W650 is an old style Bonnie in all particulars except the badge on the tank, build quality & reliability. Spot-on traditional Brit looks, with Jap quality & performance.
May be a bit hard to find, and they do hold their price.
Bullet-proof modern classic.
(can you tell how I feel about this bike....?  )