Motorcycle advice requested

In My Humble Opinion
1

Quite some time ago I had a Honda 350 that served me well (rode it across the country and back). I think it might make sense to have a bike these days. I’d like to hear recommendations.

I think what I want is a used bike a few years old, that could be had for modest $; probably around 500 - 650 cc. I wouldn’t mind having to do some work, but I’d like to end up with something that could be expected to be reasonably reliable. I’m looking for practical, not exotic.

What bikes are worth looking at? Worth avoiding? (And what sort of real-world gas mileage do bikes in this range actually deliver?)

2

the Suzuki SV 650 has been around for a number of years so used ones abound. Kawasaki has the Ninja 500 that’s been around in the Ninja and EX-500 forms for a long time. Honda has a 599 that’s a little spendy and relatively new but is well reviewed. Yamaha has the FZ6 which is a fairly new model so you’re not going to find many used ones. These are all standard-ish (except the Ninja) bikes.

3

The idea of a bike has been singing its siren song to me also. When I was in my mid teens I had a couple of Honda XL models that were street legal but also built for off road use. If I get serious about getting a bike, I’ll be looking for something like that. Those models have the added advantage of not making you look like a douche on a crotch rocket nor a yuppie living his Easy Rider fantasies on a Harley.

4

Also, in the slightly but not outageously exotic camp there’s the Moto Guzzi Breva 750, the Ducati Monster 620, the Ducati Multistrada 620, and the BMW F650 line. I left out the Suzuki GS500. It’s been around for ages and you should be able to find a used one easily.

5

To the OP:

It would help if you told us what *type * of bike you’re looking for?

Cruiser, standard, or gixxer (racing bike)?

Some of the suggestions offered were for racing bikes, and I don’t think that’s appropriate for someone whose sole experience was a 350cc Honda many years ago.

6

Standard - something for more or less practical transportation. I don’t feel much need to race or to impress anyone.

7

You could do worse than look around for a well-used BMW flat twin - say an R80 (800cc). Shaft drive that is nearly maintenance-free, a more-or-less unburstable engine, relaxed performance and excellent fuel economy. The F650 single is good, but it munches chains like there’s no tomorrow.

8

I own a 2005 Suzuki Savage (now called the Boulevard S40).

It features:

A big, single-piston engine (a rarity nowadays, but I say it’s retro chic!)
Air cooled engine (no radiator and accompanying fluids)
Belt drive (no greasy chain and just as maintenance-free as a shaft drive)

All three of those things mean that maintenance is VERY easy. These things can run forever, and Suzuki has been making them for 20+ years (i.e., a good track record).

The 650cc engine has 30 hp, and that’s more than enough to pull this 350-pound bike. So you’ve got plenty of power at low, middle and high speeds, but not so much that you can’t control it.

You won’t find a lighter bike out there, except for maybe the 250cc bikes like the Honda Rebel. And the 650cc S40 costs about the same as these 250cc bikes: about $4,500 new.

At only 350 pounds, this bike handles divinely. You can turn it *so * quickly, and it can stop on a dime.

Suzuki calls this a cruiser, because it’s got the same name as its other, bigger Boulevard models (which *are * true cruisers), but the riding position on the S40 is more like a standard. You sit upright, knees bent at about 90 degrees, and you ride high (“on top” of the bike) and not semi-reclined as you would on a true cruiser.

But if you are taller than 6 feet, an S40 may be too small for you. I’m 5’ 11" with a 33" inseam, and it’s just fine for me. But much taller than that, and you may feel cramped.

Anyway … can you tell I love my bike? :smiley:

9

For informational purposes: when I lived in Hawaii, I had a Kawasaki Vulcan 500. I’d recommend it as a decent bike (although I’m actually not sure if any bike would give you too many problems if it’s maintained properly). Bought it from a dealer with 300 miles on it for just over $2K back in '97 (someone had traded it in for something bigger). It had the same engine as on the Ninja 500 (in-line 2); I’m 6’2", near 200 pounds, and it had decent enough power for me (not compared to a 750+) and still had some pickup at 80-90mph. It was also relatively comfortable, but for long distances, the stock seat would have to go. No maintenence problems at all in the 3 years that I owned it, and I drove it every day. I also rather like the look (red and chrome), although there are others I like better.

To sum up: OK pickup, but not going to win any drag races; they’re fairly heavy (which also makes them not too easy to handle). OK comfort (a friend of mine with a YZF said it was like a couch on wheels), better with a replacement seat. Decent price. Got about 22-25 miles per gallon. A trustworthy, decently fun bike; the kind of bike that you can be proud to ride, but not one you’d become really attached to.