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Thinking It's time for a motorcycle: Any thoughts

BigGun74BigGun74 Member Posts: 189 ✭✭✭
edited August 2005 in General Discussion
Gas hit 2.79 where I am today. I am thinking it is time to get a Motorcycle for around town driving. Any bike guys out there who can recommend a good cheap ($2000 tops) beginner's bike. New or used. All informed opinions welcome.
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    BOBBYWINSBOBBYWINS Member Posts: 7,810
    edited November -1
    I'm startin' to think on those lines as well.My drive to work is only about 20 miles round trip,but it does add up.50 mpg beats the hell out of 12.

    Only problem is,how many miles would I have to make to pay for a $2000 bike?

    BW

    IT'S WHAT PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THEMSELVES THAT MAKES THEM AFRAID.
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    He DogHe Dog Member Posts: 50,951 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Best make your selection based on gas mileage. My beemer gets about the same as my truck.
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    BigGun74BigGun74 Member Posts: 189 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Only problem is,how many miles would I have to make to pay for a $2000 bike?


    For me back when gas was ONLY $2.50, it cost $65.00 for a full fill up, with about two fill ups a month if I am VERY careful. Figured a payment on a motorcyle worked out to be about $50-75$ a month assuming 36 month financing. CNN says $4.00 gas is on the way and so far they have been on the money. I don' know if I can afford NOT to get a bike.
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    shoff14shoff14 Member Posts: 11,994 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I just did a cost of a bike verses my truck by purchasing a $2000 bike that gets 50mpg. It would take about 3 months of driving it all the time, which is impossible to make up the cost. That is with a gas price of $3.20. I included insurance cost into the equation.
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    jdyerjdyer Member Posts: 795 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Just a guess, but looking at some motorcycle forums looks like guys are saying they get about 40 mpg on a street bike. My truck gets 15 mpg, so I'd really have to get a good deal on a bike in the short run to make it worth my while. If gas goes to $4.00 and stays it's less of a brainer.

    deer-running.gif
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    MVPMVP Member Posts: 25,074 ✭
    edited November -1
    Good Idea.
    I bought a bike a month ago and have not been in a car since. And my pocket book has been enjoying the savings at the pump.

    Whatever you decide on, if it is a used bike it has already depreciated and the 2000.00 spent will mostley be recouped if and when you sell the bike so don't worry about how long it will take to make you money back in gas saving.

    ALL AMERICAN INFIDEL
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    n/an/a Member Posts: 168,427 ✭
    edited November -1
    For under a grand, you should be able to pick up a good running Honda Rebel.. or any of the other smaller Japanese bikes.. [:D][;)]

    yo-yo.gifsmilie_flagge13.gifmittelgr124.gif
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    RedneckRedneck Member Posts: 551 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    If you can find one get a honda hawk. They were a great bike.

    Long live General Lee
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    jjmitchell60jjmitchell60 Member Posts: 3,887
    edited November -1
    Any one know of any Honda Dreams for under $2000, I too would buy another bike IF I could find a Dream. My Harley gets about 35 MPG with me on it and 40-45 MPG with both myself and my ol lady on it. Prices of Harleys had began to drop but I see they are rising again as well.

    badwrench has the idea as to what you can find oin that price range BUT one thing to keep in mind is iF gas stays at the $3+ a gallon mark, bikes will go up as well.

    Education is nothing if common sense and manners are not in the curriculum!
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    zipperzapzipperzap Member Posts: 25,057
    edited November -1
    Where's my neighbor's old moped when I need it? LOL
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    FrancFFrancF Member Posts: 35,278 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    base_rock_red.jpg
    R 1200 GS [;)]





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    NRA Life Endowment Member

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    cbxjeffcbxjeff Member Posts: 17,427 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    95 and red had good advice. Sure I'm partial, given my name. No way you need to spend 2K for a around town bike. If you are in a large city you will be amaized how many low mileage bikes are around. Sure the fuel system will probably need to be cleaned. Many want-to-be guys buy them and never ride. Same thing with RV's. I have found that there was little difference in mpg between my old 550/4 Honda and the 1050 CBX. Both are 40-45. Look for a 250 twin. Need not be Honda but a 4 stroke twin would be my advice.

    Let us know what you get.

    cbxjeff<P>It's too late for me, save yourself. <br>
    It's too late for me, save yourself.
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    FrancFFrancF Member Posts: 35,278 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by cbxjeff
    I have found that there was little difference in mpg between my old 550/4 Honda and the 1050 CBX. Both are 40-45. Look for a 250 twin. Need not be Honda but a 4 stroke twin would be my advice.

    Let us know what you get.

    cbxjeff<P>It's too late for me, save yourself. <br>


    Jeff, thats the 6 cyl 1050 CBX?




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    jaflowersjaflowers Member Posts: 698 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    my 2004 Suzuki SV-650 get between 52-57 mpg as long as I don't get crazy with it or speed over 80 for long stretches. [:D] my commute is 34 miles each way so the savings add up real quick when the weathers nice.
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    cbxjeffcbxjeff Member Posts: 17,427 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Yeah FF, I rebuilt 2 wrecks in 1979 and then bought a new one 1980. Great ride. Still have it although my youngest son now thinks it's his! Went to Sturgis almost every year from '78 to '02. Can't do it anymore. Lots of good memories though. [:D]

    cbxjeff<P>It's too late for me, save yourself. <br>
    It's too late for me, save yourself.
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    plains scoutplains scout Member Posts: 4,563
    edited November -1
    quote:Best make your selection based on gas mileage. My beemer gets about the same as my truck.

    You better get it tuned!!!

    My Beemer at 75mph gets 45 mpg. Really. Cooking at 85 gets still over 30mpg.

    FrancF That 1200GS is a sweet machine. I test drove one in Sturgis this year. It may have to be my next bike.

    Hey BigGun the suggestions on Honda or the others are right on. Don't be afraid of a used bike. There is more to a motorcycle than a good gas mileage. They are FUN!
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    mpolansmpolans Member Posts: 1,752 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    For $2000 and a beginner bike, you're probably looking at a Suzuki GS500, a Kawasaki EX-500, or a Suzuki Savage. All of them get around 40-50mpg.
    FWIW, my 883 Sportster got around 50mpg.

    Assuming gas cost $3.00, your car got 20mpg and your bike got 50mpg and rode 150 miles per week, it would take almost 3 years for the bike to pay for itself. This isn't figuring the cheaper cost to insure a motorcycle.
    But, you also get the fun of riding a motorcycle.
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    egatimraegatimra Member Posts: 469 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I'm fixing up a mid 65 BMW r50. Gas prices are definitely making me wanting to get it up again.
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    plains scoutplains scout Member Posts: 4,563
    edited November -1
    quote:I'm fixing up a mid 65 BMW r50. Gas prices are definitely making me wanting to get it up again.

    Very cool!! My friend restored a R75/5 and he rode it from Baltimore to Montreal to Quebec City, back to Baltimore a few years back. What was really cool is every place we stopped people would flock to the bike. He was wearing the BMW leather jacket he bought in 1975 on the entire trip. In 1975 he could not afford the bike just the jacket. Very Retro!




    My friend is one... who takes me for what I am.
    Henry David Thoreau

    "If you do not allow yourself to find a positive way to get through the difficult times, you will become bitter. If you stay bitter, you do not get better." -- Joan Brock

    WARNING:
    the crumsumpten of alcahol may mack you tihnk you can tipe real gode.
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    cletus85cletus85 Member Posts: 2,104 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I've had 2002 a Harley 1200 Custom and a 2003 Yamaha V Star 1100 Classic...they both got from 47-51 MPG for highway riding at 60-65. The Harley actually stayed in the 49-51 all the time, while the heavier Yamaha stayed more toward the 47-50 range. Either way it's a significant increase in mileage over the typical car or truck...plus the fun factor. I been saying all along the motorcycles should be more of means of transportation in this country than they are...maybe they will be now. I expect to see a lot of new mid sized bikes in the next couple of years, with a pulling away from the recent trend in big displacement bikes.
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    Winston BodeWinston Bode Member Posts: 1,628 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Hey,

    Look at it this way...


    Motorcycle payment 125.00 monthly

    Insurance 250.00 annually

    At the end of the year you have a motorcycle or something of value to show for the money you have spent.


    Gas 2.50...3.00 gallon=250.00-400.00 monthly, (depending on how much or far you drive). At the end of the year, you have nothing to show for the money you have spent.

    I like getting something material or tangible for my money.

    Bode
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    dbaraledbarale Member Posts: 328 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Another bargain bike is the Yamaha Seca II. Can be easily found for under 1200$, very reliable, quite comfortable, witha afiring for those cold or wet mornings and good gas mileage.
    Otherwise GS500E or Kawasaki 500 Ninja are good suggestions...

    Daniel.
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    Texas HunterTexas Hunter Member Posts: 484 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Biggun for that price range i would suggest a Kawasaki Ninja 250 which gets around 60-70 mpg and has very good performance with decent handling and great brakes.
    You can easily find one of these with low mileage.
    They are very reliable as one right now is about to finish the eleven day IronButt Rally and it will probably have put in 10-11,000 miles in that eleven days.
    Another good suggestion is a Suzuki GS 500.
    Stone reliable,air cooled,easy to work on.
    These get around 50-55 mpg.
    Both of these are two of the very best beginner bikes around because of their performance and durability that so many other beginner bikes lack.
    As a matter of fact i had a thread going on a motorcycle site a few months ago that i was considering getting one of these bikes if gas hit $3.00 a gallon.
    I really dont want to push my BMW k75S into commuter mode as i use it for long distance riding.
    Still it gets 45-50 mpg.
    But someone mentioned bikes only getting 40 mpg.
    Well some really big engined bikes do but if ridden a little more judiciously,they will get even better.
    Besides that they go 0-60 in 3 seconds or less and still get over 40mpg and no car can or will ever do that.

    mike
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