Why are Practical Bikes Unpopular?

[flynrider]

Nighthawk 750s were great. They haven't been shaft driven though since '86. I'm currently riding an '85. I'd prefer a twin over a four cylinder for easier maintenance and better gas mileage. While I like riding my 700s, it's more high=end performance than I need or ever use and way less low-end torque than I'd like and could use. it's also pretty hard to carry stuff on it. It's a decent naked standard, but I'm not sure it's really all that practical.

That brings up another thing. It'd be more useful I think, for a practical bike to have cams cut for low-end torque and sacrifice the high-revs. Practical bikes just don't live on the race track. To give performance, most bikes are designed for high revs, but from a practical standpoint that just eats gas and shortens the life of the engine.

The later model '91-'03 series Nighthawks were detuned for more low end power at the expense of of few hp at the top end. It's a very comfortable ride in town. The power curve is flatter than the 80s models. I get 42 mpg in city traffic, but I also have a heavy right wrist

I'm a big fan of practical bikes and this one works for me. I'm currently looking for a Hondaline backrest/luggage rack to solve the cargo carrying problem. If you absolutely can't stand a chain drive, then you're out of luck with this one, but I've found that chain maintenance with the O-ring chain is minimal on this bike. Mine has only required chain adjustment (10 min. job) twice in the last 14k miles. Overall, I just change the oil, lube the chain and keep the air filter clean.

[Jthmeffy]

In MOST cases, a bike that is going to cost you very little is going to make up for it in maintainence over the duration of ownership. A newer bike, while not needing repairs so often is going to cost more to purchase.

Dealerships do not want to carry cheap, bulletproof bikes because 1) They'd make less money from the sale 2) Make less money from repairs.

[d2mini]

This is why I got a Bonneville.
Sportbikes to me are the equivelent of buying an indy car for daily commute to work. Cruisers just aren't my style. My bonnie is just a nice, simple bike that can do almost everything. You can ride it as is and never look back, you can turn it into a cafe racer or do what I'm doing and turn it into a tourer. I put slightly lower bars, more comfy grips, better breathing exhaust, more comfortabel 2-up seat, sissy bar, just received my Parabellum Scout fairing with 16" windsheild, and I'm about to order some nice locking hardbags and eventually some Progressive 440's for the rear suspension to compliment the Ikon fork springs I recently installed. Got my com system hooked up and just need to find the right place to mount my gps. The bonneville is a great canvas to create the perfect bike for you. But don't get it if you don't want people stopping to talk to you about it every time you stop for gas.

[jstark47]

.......I've had a challenge out for about 6 months on the Usenet alt.scooters newgroup to come up with an example of one lasting more than 40 K miles. It's been unanswered to date. Perhaps a mega-scooter like a Burgman 650 or SilverWing could make it, but they cost a lot more and ought to last 100 K miles.

I posted this on the Reflex list on Yahoo Groups. Will let you know if someone comes up with an example.

Of course there's also the question of whether scooters are really inexpensive to purchase and maintain even if they do last forever. I don't think they are.

Inexpensive to purchase is relative, of course. A 250cc Reflex costs more than a 250cc Rebel or Nighthawk. It also has capabilities those bikes don't have.

Our Reflex has certainly been inexpensive to maintain. Change the oil, and umm.......... change the oil. Eventually the belt will need changing, but it hasn't happened yet.

[Locopez]

don't discount the scoots. I read somewhere in here that someone said about Honda scoots. well I have had a Big Ruckus for over a year now...5300 miles and counting no...I repeat no problems. Changed the oil a few times, changed the air filter and plug..for good measure. It is my almost daily commuter...can not beat the gas mileage.

I have heard that the Burgman and Suzuki had had problems...but I do not know much about it.

when you say that you want to go on the Highway..for what distances?

[TechTMW]

I also think that your conception of the scooter is a bit skewed. Here in Italy for example, there are Way more scooters than motorcycles - and they are almost all being used for commuting. Alot of people save their cars (If they have em) for weekend trips and the like.

Southern Italy is the poorest part of western Europe by far - People are surviving on very little money. If scooters weren't cost efffective, I really doubt you'd see as many of them on the road. And how about the Asian scooter market?

Finally, I think you are barking up the wrong tree by looking for scooters that have lived full lives in America. Americans simply don't ride scooters enough to make your newsgroup question relevant.

Not trying to convince you to get a scooter, but I think they've proven themselves as economical and effective transportation all over the world.

[aflundi]

don't discount the scoots. I read somewhere in here that someone said about Honda scoots. well I have had a Big Ruckus for over a year now...5300 miles and counting no...I repeat no problems. Changed the oil a few times, changed the air filter and plug..for good measure. It is my almost daily commuter...can not beat the gas mileage.

No disrepect intended, but it's a long way from 5300 miles to 50,000 miles (or 100,000 miles). It looks to me like the belts are roughly the price of a chain and spocket set for a motorcycle equivalent, and the tires wear quickly because of the small diameter, but cost roughly the same as motorcycle tires. That said, I think scooters are really wonderful bikes, particularly for a new rider that doesn't want to deal with a clutch and won't put on a lot of miles. It doesn't make sense to purchase a 1000cc motorcycle that only has a 1000 miles a year put on it. A small motorcycle or scooter would be a much better choice. I am putting on about 10,000 miles per year minimum so it'd be more cost for me in my situation to get a bike in the 500cc to 1000cc range.

when you say that you want to go on the Highway..for what distances?

I commute about 20 miles each way, about 3/4ths of that distance on a Freeway that travels about 65-75 mph.

[paul246]

How about a Honda CX 500 or CX 650? Very reliable and economical, shaft drive, and you can find Silver Wing versions with hard bags and windscreens. The only negative would be the adjustable valves rather than hydraulic, but they are very easy to get at and simple to adjust, essentially a 20 minute job. These bikes have a strong reliability history as they were one of the favoured rides of dispatch riders. Still plenty around at reasonable prices too.

[aflundi]

How about a Honda CX 500 or CX 650? Very reliable and economical, shaft drive, and you can find Silver Wing versions with hard bags and windscreens. The only negative would be the adjustable valves rather than hydraulic, but they are very easy to get at and simple to adjust, essentially a 20 minute job. These bikes have a strong reliability history as they were one of the favoured rides of dispatch riders. Still plenty around at reasonable prices too.

The CX500/600/650 is really, really close, I think, to a practical bike. It was, in fact, a modern incarnation of the CX500 that I was looking for when I started looking at current bikes. I couldn't find one though.

In addition to the problems you mention, it also had the problems, I understand, that the gas tank was way too small, the engine had oil circulation problems, and its biggest problem is that it hasn't been made for 23 years. Keeping my 21 year old '85 Honda 700s alive is enough of a pain mostly because of parts non-availibility. I won't do that again. If I were wealthy, had lots of time, lots of tools and lots of garage space, I think it would be great fun to resurrect old classics like the old Silverwing and keep them running, but I don't have those things. I'm looking for inexpensive (both in terms of money and time) transportation.

Here again my question is highlighted. Why have bikes that were fairly practical like the Honda Pacific Coast 800 and the old CX series SilverWings disappeared? Is it really true that there isn't a market for them in the US?

[TechTMW]

Well you have a relatively small transverse mounted vee in the CX.

Once again I hear Moto Guzzi screaming your name. The breva 750 ... with bags is about as close as you are going to get to a modern CX. And it's got hydraulic valve lifters.

And to answer your question - the reason is probably because in the states Bikes are toys more than transportation - hence you have little no market for a practical bike. As long as average people can afford to solo commute to work every day in a 15mpg SUV, there will be little interest in "Practical Transportation"

Yeah that's a bit pessimistic, but on the bright side, gas prices are rising. Practical bikes are probably in the very near future for the US. (Not to mention increased scooter sales )