ANOTHER SLATING ON YOU TUBE....

Tornado said:
TMF reviews are usually glowing and gushing exercises in keeping good relations with his sponsors and dealerships. The guy has nearly no mechanical knowledge and is all about style (has several dozen riding jackets hanging in his garage and spent around 14k GBP on having a modern Enfield modded with weird styling bits and paint.

The op's linked video is by a guy without sponsors to keep happy and bike reviews are not his regular gig at all. He is a commercial airline pilot so does have some level of technical proficiency hopefully. I've watched his work from 7 or 8 yrs ago when on his air-cooled triumph thruxton. Always found him entertaining and helpful when replying to comments. He is one of the influences that got me into riding.
So instead of bashing his video style, best to address the very real issues he brings up. These will be much closer to what other potential buyers of his peers will also experience when comparing the bike with other competitors.
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TMF was coming over in 2020 or 2021?? to be a co-rider on my Thruxton R at Bonneville. The covid complications prevented him from coming over.

He and his wife were going to ride around the U.S. for a week or so before going to Bonneville. I think he was serious about it at the time but I'm not sure it would have worked how so well looking back at it now. I didn’t approach him again when I went back to Bonneville in 2021 and 2023.
 
Tornado said:
TMF reviews are usually glowing and gushing exercises in keeping good relations with his sponsors and dealerships. The guy has nearly no mechanical knowledge and is all about style (has several dozen riding jackets hanging in his garage and spent around 14k GBP on having a modern Enfield modded with weird styling bits and paint.

The op's linked video is by a guy without sponsors to keep happy and bike reviews are not his regular gig at all. He is a commercial airline pilot so does have some level of technical proficiency hopefully. I've watched his work from 7 or 8 yrs ago when on his air-cooled triumph thruxton. Always found him entertaining and helpful when replying to comments. He is one of the influences that got me into riding.
So instead of bashing his video style, best to address the very real issues he brings up. These will be much closer to what other potential buyers of his peers will also experience when comparing the bike with other competitors.
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Fair enough Tornado, although this is an enthusiast/owners forum, so you might expect some commentary on a VLOG like that!🤣 The video bashing though, is less about their style (which is entertaining enough) and more so the content.

The 961 is far from a perfect bike (name one that is) however a fair degree of their negative commentary is subjective at best (with a smattering of the ridiculous), much of which appears to stem from not really understanding where the 961 sits by way of its configuration, performance and design intent.

Noting that the bike (for most) might be more about how it makes you feel when riding it, and through its ownership. As opposed to a performance per pound comparisons with a bike that doesn’t readily compare - for all of the reasons discussed.

But of course they do make some valid points - I take it you believe those real issues you mention relate to price, performance, vibration?
 
TonyA said:
Hi Stu , Is this for certain ?
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They have to road register then via the motorcycle single vehicle approval scheme in the UK. You aint going to get that current bike through euro5....it only just scraped through euro 4 by the skin of its teeth, even then the test bike wasn't as per production. If its not homologated, then it can't be sold as a new bike overseas.
 
Stephen_Spencer said:
Noting that the bike (for most) might be more about how it makes you feel when riding it, and through its ownership. As opposed to a performance per pound comparisons with a bike that doesn’t readily compare - for all of the reasons discussed.
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Exactly, and this is what most tests/testers don't get, and can't reconcile for a 70+HP, £16K motorcycle.
For folks who want a Norton Commando, it's almost transcendental. For folks who want a motorcycle, it makes no sense.
 
The better comparison might be against the original Commando.
Kenny Dreer's idea was to build a Cafe racer version of the original Commando with a bit more power and good reliability. He had already tried modifying the original bike. He found extra power but the engines wouldn't hold together. Had the engines held, the gearbox would have quickly failed.

If the 961 could be made to be as reliable as the most reliable versions of the original Commando and run as smoothly as they do, but offer a bit more power, then I suspect there is still a sizeable market for that. That market probably isn't as big as it once was as Triumph has exploited it quite successfully.

I'm pretty sure that if Captain Rambuctious reviewed a nice running original 750 or 850 Commando he would heap great scorn and ridicule upon it for many reasons.

Nonetheless there is a strong market for 750/850 Commandos.


Glen
 
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worntorn said:
I'm pretty sure that if Captain Rambuctious reviewed a nice running original 750 or 850 Commando he would heap great scorn and ridicule upon it for many reasons.

Nonetheless there is a strong market for 750/850 Commandos.


Glen
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as i stated in the video comments, god help him if he rode a H2 750, 180 Laverda Jota or even a Suzuki GT750 ( at least THAT shouldn't vibrate).... and how would he ever understand that people pay 18-20K for restored versions when they could buy a £3K modern Bonneville...?
 
worntorn said:
The better comparison might be against the original Commando.
Kenny Dreer's idea was to build a Cafe racer version of the original Commando with a bit more power and good reliability. He had already tried modifying the original bike. He found extra power but the engines wouldn't hold together. Had the engines held, the gearbox would have quickly failed.

If the 961 could be made to be as reliable as the most reliable versions of the original Commando and run as smoothly as they do, but offer a bit more power, then I suspect there is still a sizeable market for that. That market probably isn't as big as it once was as Triumph has exploited it quite successfully.

I'm pretty sure that if Captain Rambuctious reviewed a nice running original 750 or 850 Commando he would heap great scorn and ridicule upon it for many reasons.

Nonetheless there is a strong market for 750/850 Commandos.


Glen
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I get your point Glen, but I’m guessing some may contest that’s where we are already. The Donington 961‘s, whilst significantly flawed, can be made reliable - many have proven it. Especially if first fettled by the mythical spanners of Sir Stu of Bodycote.

Despite reports of a few initial faults (dodgy set of clocks on the OP are example - it’s only the faults that you hear about), I think it more likely that the Solihull 961’s will prove reliable in the long run. Only time will tell of course. We‘ll have a bloody good idea by the end of the 2 year warranty period.

Does it need a bit more power? Personally I would want more, as would most bikers, mainly because we’ve been conditioned by the market (and our thrill seeking younger selfs) to always seek more. There’s plenty enough ‘uuuuumph’ in the 961 to have plenty of fun; if an owner wants much more they’re probably on the wrong bike IMO. The OP‘s claim of ‘gutless’ is just plain rubbish.

Smooth? A matter of preference, perception and opinion. If Solihull could have resolved one issue though, that puts the most prospective buyers off, it would be primary clatter. Terminal no. Off putting for some - definitely. If they could have resolved it with reasonable cost/effort it was a (big) mistake not to do so.

I’d take longevity over more power any day. But if someone were to introduce a supercharger:oops:!?
 
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961al said:
These blokes are really taking the piss... trouble is everyone seems to agree with them... even other you tubers are adding to the negative comments. I tried stickin up for the 961 in the comments but fightin a losing battle i feel.
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The most childish two people ever..
 
Well as I keep saying a review is kind of interesting to see what floats that person's boat in a motorcycle (excuse the mixed metaphor) but other than tangible measurements of weight/size it's not much more use than that. Now while I have your attention can I just point out that I can't understand how anybody can enjoy cold lager beer - room temperature bitter is just so much nicer. And why do people go on so much about chocolate - cheese is just so much tastier.........
 
Clive said:
And let us be thankful for those differences.....
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ANOTHER SLATING ON YOU TUBE....
 
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