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<b>PURE BLISS:</B> Wheels24 reader Marius Vosloo says his Suzuki B-King and Inazuma is all the happiness he needs in a bike. <I>Image: Marius Volsoo</i>
The 2013 Bike of the Year finalists are out and Dave Fall revealed the 15 bikes on the list. Wheels24 readers have written in and shared their choices on who should be crowned as the winner.
It's also inspired Wheels24 reader MARIUS VOSLOO to write in and shares his love for his Suzuki B-King and the baby Inazuma.
He has this to say:
"I am the proud owner of a badass Suzuki B-King, the problem is that it is so expensive to maintain that I had to buy a dedicated commuter bike to survive financially.
On the B-King I can't achieve more than 1000km on its rear tyre. The chain, sprockets and brake pads need replacement every 2000km.
I managed to do 30 000km in 12 months and the bike has an average fuel consumption of 4km/litre. This is due to my riding style. I know other owners of B-Kings and they do not endure this kind of high maintenance. They ride like old people, that is why.
With my riding style the King costs me about R7 per km.
ENTER THE BABY KING
The obvious choice for me was to buy the Suzuki Inazuma aka the Baby King. Everyone told me that I was being stupid, since I could purchase a second-hand R6 for the same price.
The point was to save money and have a reliable bike. If I bought a R6 or GT650 I would still have had a tyre burner, wheelie machine, fast sports bike and high maintenance. Unfortunately I do not possess the self-control needed to ride a sports bike decently.
I meet a lot of riders on the road every day with sports bikes and they do not keep up with me in traffic. This bike inspires kamikaze tactics!
Suzuki claims a consumption figure of 32km/litre for the Inazuma. I managed 30km/litres during the first 600km. After that there was no more mercy and the fuel consumption went down to a reasonable 24km/litres.
I can't perform a wheelie on it and it does not have the power to burn the tyres. Oh, but what a pleasure it is to ride.
No car comes close off the line so you don't end up in anyone's way. It runs over all speed limits. You can throw this bike around in corners like a red-head stepchild!
'PUT A SMILE ON MY FACE'
On my B-king, my fuel bill alone was R2000 a month at an average of 40km per day. With the Inazuma, my payment, insurance and fuel for the month is about R1900.
I have now managed 2000km and the tyres still look brand new. I used to ride the Baby King from Monday to Thursday and use the B-King on a Friday just to spoil myself.
I just use the Baby King now because it can still put a smile on my face and I have some spare cash to pimp the hell out of my B-King and use it on the weekends.
This is my sixth Suzuki since 2005 and most probably the most sensible bike I have owned. I do not regret buying it for a second.
As for the 2013 SA Bike of the Year awards on Wheels24, my vote naturally goes to the INAZUMA.
My bike list:
3 x Hayabusa (I spent R50 000 on one of them, and that was just motor mods and an Arata pipe).
1 x DRZ400 - It was modded to the end of the world, crazy bike. I spent about R50 000 on this one due to performance mods.
Suzuki B-King - It has crazy power (if you derestrict it). I have spent about R20k on mods for this one already.
Inazuma - Stock, just got new bar end mirrors, original mirrors caused take-off.
It's also inspired Wheels24 reader MARIUS VOSLOO to write in and shares his love for his Suzuki B-King and the baby Inazuma.
He has this to say:
"I am the proud owner of a badass Suzuki B-King, the problem is that it is so expensive to maintain that I had to buy a dedicated commuter bike to survive financially.
On the B-King I can't achieve more than 1000km on its rear tyre. The chain, sprockets and brake pads need replacement every 2000km.
I managed to do 30 000km in 12 months and the bike has an average fuel consumption of 4km/litre. This is due to my riding style. I know other owners of B-Kings and they do not endure this kind of high maintenance. They ride like old people, that is why.
With my riding style the King costs me about R7 per km.
ENTER THE BABY KING
The obvious choice for me was to buy the Suzuki Inazuma aka the Baby King. Everyone told me that I was being stupid, since I could purchase a second-hand R6 for the same price.
The point was to save money and have a reliable bike. If I bought a R6 or GT650 I would still have had a tyre burner, wheelie machine, fast sports bike and high maintenance. Unfortunately I do not possess the self-control needed to ride a sports bike decently.
I meet a lot of riders on the road every day with sports bikes and they do not keep up with me in traffic. This bike inspires kamikaze tactics!
Suzuki claims a consumption figure of 32km/litre for the Inazuma. I managed 30km/litres during the first 600km. After that there was no more mercy and the fuel consumption went down to a reasonable 24km/litres.
I can't perform a wheelie on it and it does not have the power to burn the tyres. Oh, but what a pleasure it is to ride.
No car comes close off the line so you don't end up in anyone's way. It runs over all speed limits. You can throw this bike around in corners like a red-head stepchild!
'PUT A SMILE ON MY FACE'
On my B-king, my fuel bill alone was R2000 a month at an average of 40km per day. With the Inazuma, my payment, insurance and fuel for the month is about R1900.
I have now managed 2000km and the tyres still look brand new. I used to ride the Baby King from Monday to Thursday and use the B-King on a Friday just to spoil myself.
I just use the Baby King now because it can still put a smile on my face and I have some spare cash to pimp the hell out of my B-King and use it on the weekends.
This is my sixth Suzuki since 2005 and most probably the most sensible bike I have owned. I do not regret buying it for a second.
As for the 2013 SA Bike of the Year awards on Wheels24, my vote naturally goes to the INAZUMA.
My bike list:
3 x Hayabusa (I spent R50 000 on one of them, and that was just motor mods and an Arata pipe).
1 x DRZ400 - It was modded to the end of the world, crazy bike. I spent about R50 000 on this one due to performance mods.
Suzuki B-King - It has crazy power (if you derestrict it). I have spent about R20k on mods for this one already.
Inazuma - Stock, just got new bar end mirrors, original mirrors caused take-off.
