Farm bike - do you have one?

Kiwi Pete

Member
Livestock Farmer
Would love to try one trail riding... Wet Welsh bog or muddy Shropshire lane in mid Winter.... 2WD, no problems :LOL:

Have to take teh bike to the area first, as 75miles might be a struggle on range. Maybe do a day in a "figure of 8", change battery at lunchtime?
Or get 2 bikes?

Given that they don't "wear out" as such, probably in that scenario I'd just have a spare on the charger, which is why my mate has 2 bikes per labour unit.
The only thing I don't like is the low front guard, which was a problem on the old CT90/110s as well, once the guard builds up with mud/sheepshit then you have a job digging it out
 

steveR

Member
Mixed Farmer
Or get 2 bikes?

Given that they don't "wear out" as such, probably in that scenario I'd just have a spare on the charger, which is why my mate has 2 bikes per labour unit.
The only thing I don't like is the low front guard, which was a problem on the old CT90/110s as well, once the guard builds up with mud/sheepshit then you have a job digging it out

Agreed.... I've seen that a few times on trail bikes over the years, it's something that for a model spending most of it's life on farm, will need fixing. Quick mod will sort that normally, at home or the factory! Longer stay, or redesigned mount.

Just priced an additional battery.... Made me cough!! :oops:

 
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steveR

Member
Mixed Farmer
Same here, my better half has done the research on it, she thinks it would suit her a treat . I just phoned the Atv services sales guru, and awaiting an e mail with a price !(y)

I pinged an email last night, and had a call this morning. Good service!

Now also had a call from a more local Dealer too. Bikes in the UK in September. BUT, looking a bit uncertain on the EV Grant, which to me is a bit of a killer... They are not cheap, and need all the help they can get! Hopefully they can resolve this one, as they have obviously got Type Approval or whatever, if they can be UK road registered..
 
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Hooby Farmer

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
roe valley
Had loads of farm bikes here over the years, current model is a WK125 - cheap Chinese thing, pretty rubbish, but nobody is going to nick it because it's crap. Often conks out resulting in a push home.

Over the years there have been;
Suzuki ts185 - father's favourite, did 15 years or so until it rusted out and fell apart.
Yamaha ty80 - my starter bike, did ages 8-12 quite well, then I was too tall for it.
Yamaha dt175 - bought cheap, reasonable bike, did a couple of years then got stolen 🤬
Yamaha xt350 - little bit top heavy and father dropped it quite a bit, had a fair few issues with reliability and then the spark plug snapped off one day. Got rid.
Suzuki drz400 - great bike, needed high octane petrol or wouldn't run properly. Possibly a bit on the heavy side if you dropped it or the stand sunk in. Some toerag nicked it 🤬🤬
WK 125 - bought new with insurance proceeds. Utterly rubbish, but nobody is going to nick it. Father copes with it, I walk round the cows.

Had the rmz450 hands down one of my favourite bikes for riding just a big old thumper........but an absolute tramp to kick if you stalled it. I had a friend who used to ride factory suzuki when he was younger said that they ran hot unless you ride them hard so not much use for pottering around.
 

farmerdan7618

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Somerset
Had the rmz450 hands down one of my favourite bikes for riding just a big old thumper........but an absolute tramp to kick if you stalled it. I had a friend who used to ride factory suzuki when he was younger said that they ran hot unless you ride them hard so not much use for pottering around.
Spot on about running hot, bit of a potter around and up the road behind the cows would have it boil if you parked it straight up. One quick run across the field by the farmyard would cool it down. Father couldn't quite get it, so would park it up hot, bit counter intuitive but I put it down to airflow through the rads.
 

steveR

Member
Mixed Farmer
Spot on about running hot, bit of a potter around and up the road behind the cows would have it boil if you parked it straight up. One quick run across the field by the farmyard would cool it down. Father couldn't quite get it, so would park it up hot, bit counter intuitive but I put it down to airflow through the rads.

A lot of early w/c were like that! I had a KMX200, which was a notorious bitch for overheating. A small PC fan sorted it for slow speed riding!
 

8100

Member
Location
South Cheshire
Before lock down i would pop up to D&K motorcycles its that big a shop a vending machine coffee was needed to walk about with . They have some interesting imports and ones that stood out were a Suzuki RM 250 with a Suzuki gt 750 water cooled two stroke engine in it ! and a Rokon dirt bike with a huge snowmobile engine in it which had a pull start . They have a huge two man chainsaw up stairs too :)
 

steveR

Member
Mixed Farmer
Before lock down i would pop up to D&K motorcycles its that big a shop a vending machine coffee was needed to walk about with . They have some interesting imports and ones that stood out were a Suzuki RM 250 with a Suzuki gt 750 water cooled two stroke engine in it ! and a Rokon dirt bike with a huge snowmobile engine in it which had a pull start . They have a huge two man chainsaw up stairs too :)

The Stoke outfit?

Also known as a "Kettle" Luvverly stuff...
 

Yale

Member
Livestock Farmer
I pinged an email last night, and had a call this morning. Good service!

Now also had a call from a more local Dealer too. Bikes in the UK in September. BUT, looking a bit uncertain on the EV Grant, which to me is a bit of a killer... They are not cheap, and need all the help they can get! Hopefully they can resolve this one, as they have obviously got Type Approval or whatever, if they can be UK road registered..
What’s this EV grant thing?

Any links?
 

steveR

Member
Mixed Farmer
Atv services nr Ayr are going to be selling these. All electric 2 wheel drive off road bike . Looks very interesting. They’re from nz I think !View attachment 900760
Don't like the White frame. The demo models for the NZ army* mentioned here, in camo and green look the part, and have side panels too, which again, looks better IMO. But soon knock one up out polyprop sheet...

If you don't need teh step-thru, a complete sheeting in, would give a good storage area in front of the seat?



*Sent my lad a link and a suggestion his Unit buy some for next year when he's deployed!! :)
 

JP1

Member
Livestock Farmer
Don't like the White frame. The demo models for the NZ army* mentioned here, in camo and green look the part, and have side panels too, which again, looks better IMO. But soon knock one up out polyprop sheet...

If you don't need teh step-thru, a complete sheeting in, would give a good storage area in front of the seat?



*Sent my lad a link and a suggestion his Unit buy some for next year when he's deployed!! :)
Just come off the phone from John at ATV Services

Hold the front page. I hope to get John on here as a member to comment

New model due early 2021 with more power and higher speeds / range

Frame colours to be discussed

Feature in Farmers Guardian next week

Weights / extended warranties being discussed to qualify for the Low Emissions Vehicle grant (hope that doesn't just mean the price goes up)

Honda dealer too and John doesn't think the Honda CT125 Hunter will be homologated for UK only Europe
 

Yale

Member
Livestock Farmer
Just come off the phone from John at ATV Services

Hold the front page. I hope to get John on here as a member to comment

New model due early 2021 with more power and higher speeds / range

Frame colours to be discussed

Feature in Farmers Guardian next week

Weights / extended warranties being discussed to qualify for the Low Emissions Vehicle grant (hope that doesn't just mean the price goes up)

Honda dealer too and John doesn't think the Honda CT125 Hunter will be homologated for UK only Europe
That’s really interesting.

Like I’ve said I enquired a couple of years ago however the importers were just a bike shop and mixed reviews with their service.

If the UBCO is with ag ATV suppliers and the grant would get the cost down to £3-4k then I’d certainly be having a serious look again.

Our eldest daughter will be 16 next year so assuming it could be ridden on a provisional license then that would be useful.
 

steveR

Member
Mixed Farmer
Just come off the phone from John at ATV Services

Hold the front page. I hope to get John on here as a member to comment

New model due early 2021 with more power and higher speeds / range

Frame colours to be discussed

Feature in Farmers Guardian next week

Weights / extended warranties being discussed to qualify for the Low Emissions Vehicle grant (hope that doesn't just mean the price goes up)

Honda dealer too and John doesn't think the Honda CT125 Hunter will be homologated for UK only Europe

Good. I also encouraged my local Dealer to take a look here as well..
 

JP1

Member
Livestock Farmer
That’s really interesting.

Like I’ve said I enquired a couple of years ago however the importers were just a bike shop and mixed reviews with their service.

If the UBCO is with ag ATV suppliers and the grant would get the cost down to £3-4k then I’d certainly be having a serious look again.

Our eldest daughter will be 16 next year so assuming it could be ridden on a provisional license then that would be useful.
Not sure on the last bit, think she may have to have a CBT, us oldies will be OK
 

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