Another Bike Choice thread, woot
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KarateChick
- Site Supporter - Gold
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- Joined: Wed Aug 10, 2005 4:27 pm
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- Location: 53°28' N 113° 35' W, Alberta
there are only 2 kinds of bikes: It's a Ninja... look that one's a Harley... oh there's a Ninja... Harley...Ninja...
Yamaha makes the Virago, a 250cc cruiser. Great first bike, rides bigger than it is. $3700 list. If you can find a good used late model Virago or EX250 for $2000 or so, ride it until you're bored with it, then sell it for what you paid. You are out nothing but the depreciation you didn't experience making beginner mistakes with a too-big bike.
I find the TW200 great fun, little worry, cheap to keep, and gets me where I want to go. It is so easy to ride and can go just about anywhere on or off road (except hauling down the interstate between cities) that I just enjoy it more than any bike I've ever owned, and I've owned a lot of bikes. It's so much fun I bought a newer TW200 for a spare. Other bikes will come and go, but I plan on keeping a TW200 around forever. I like my TWs so much I'm planning to build a custom version with a bigger engine and a little more rake and wheelbase for better highway performance, it's only short coming for my purposes. I would like to have more brake, and the spoke count on the TW200 wheels is pretty low, so I might look at a custom hub/disc brake rear wheel setup with an aluminum automotive wheel and a stock TW200 front disc. Maybe machine a front hub for dual stock discs and another 14-inch automotive wheel and run the 180/80-14 knobby tires on both ends. Lots of possibilities.
I find the TW200 great fun, little worry, cheap to keep, and gets me where I want to go. It is so easy to ride and can go just about anywhere on or off road (except hauling down the interstate between cities) that I just enjoy it more than any bike I've ever owned, and I've owned a lot of bikes. It's so much fun I bought a newer TW200 for a spare. Other bikes will come and go, but I plan on keeping a TW200 around forever. I like my TWs so much I'm planning to build a custom version with a bigger engine and a little more rake and wheelbase for better highway performance, it's only short coming for my purposes. I would like to have more brake, and the spoke count on the TW200 wheels is pretty low, so I might look at a custom hub/disc brake rear wheel setup with an aluminum automotive wheel and a stock TW200 front disc. Maybe machine a front hub for dual stock discs and another 14-inch automotive wheel and run the 180/80-14 knobby tires on both ends. Lots of possibilities.
If at first you don't succeed, skydiving isn't for you.
Haven't really been searching so much, as I haven't bought all of my gear yet. Plus, at the moment I actually don't have the money to afford a bike. I have the income, but I'd like to actually have the money before I decide to buy. I'm not far off of my $3000 goal. Should be the month after this one....full-time work on salary really pays off.
After that, I gotta start saving...
I'll check out the Virago. New, it's more than I'd like to pay for, but used, it might be within my range.
Edit: I'm still leaning towards the EX250 for its price point and its reputation as a commuter bike. People tell me "You'll be tired of a 250 really quickly" but if I can get great usage out of it for a while, then that's the way I'm going to go. I've heard that people still keep them around, because they're simply good bikes for any type of street or highway riding.
After that, I gotta start saving...
I'll check out the Virago. New, it's more than I'd like to pay for, but used, it might be within my range.
Edit: I'm still leaning towards the EX250 for its price point and its reputation as a commuter bike. People tell me "You'll be tired of a 250 really quickly" but if I can get great usage out of it for a while, then that's the way I'm going to go. I've heard that people still keep them around, because they're simply good bikes for any type of street or highway riding.
-lunchmeat