Why are Practical Bikes Unpopular?

[aflundi]

But in my opinion, if you want to take a whole weeks shopping home, get a cage. I don't really think you want a bike and you're just stirring the pot....

Stop being a cheapa$$ and spend some money on a BMW or Honda.

I know exactly what you need, and I have one (not for sale). It will do everything that you mentioned, gets 55mpg, has hydraulic actuated valves (even variable timing) and will carry a passenger and a month's worth of groceries. It even has standard ABS. Plus, it still has a large parts inventory and will easily last 300k miles. Its my 2005 Toyota Echo Hatchback, now marketed here as the Yaris.

It doesnt sound like you need a MC, but rather a very economical compact car. In this thread, people have recommended tons of different kinds of bikes, but you have found something wrong with every one. I have a feeling there is no perfect answer for you.

He never said anything bad about the Moto Guzzi. So that IS the perfect bike for him - SAPAUL and I were Correct.

Sorry guys, but I obviously didn't make my question clear. I have a bike that I ride virtually every day, and I'm not looking (actively anyway) for another. My question never was What bike should I get?. I'm pretty familiar with whats out there. My question was Is there really not enough interest for the manufacturers to make a practical bike again?. I was sort of hoping to hear a lot of Yeah, me too!! type comments, but I guess the manufacturers are right. American's apparently want entertainment.

[ZooTech]

My question was Is there really not enough interest for the manufacturers to make a practical bike again?. I was sort of hoping to hear a lot of Yeah, me too!! type comments, but I guess the manufacturers are right. American's apparently want entertainment.

America is one of the most productive countries on earth, yet we have the least vacation time. Our lives are chock full of "practical" things. Park a practical bike on the showroom floor and I'll knock that beotch over on my way to something with some fun engineered into it.

You want practical, move to a country where Honda still sells the Super Cub.

[dieziege]

To say it another way...

For $3000-9000 you can buy a bike that is fuel efficient, comfortable, fast, has gobs of style, sends a political message, or anything else you want. Getting the same level of whatever in a car costs maybe $21,000-60,000...

A 1-car garage can comfortably hold 3-5 motorcycles, meaning that for the price and storage requirements of a new toyota you can park a nealer-fresh Ninja 250, v-strom, and 'bussa. Heck, a 'bussa with a side car probably.

So, from a strictly financial standpoint, motorcycles are unavoidably practical in that you can get a lot of whatever for a little bit of money, relative to the alternatives. They are more expensive than bicycles, but a lot more practical in that you can go long distances and take trips with them. They are a lot less expensive than anything else available.

From a more general standpoint, 'mericans are on average thin skinned cowards who can't take even the least discomfort. They will cruise a parking lot for 20 minutes looking for the spot nearest the door. They all but panic at the prospect of walking through rain, as though they will melt away like the good witch of the west at the prospect of getting wet. They drive convertables and never lower the top! The odds of getting them on motorcycles is slim to non-existent.

So the market is limited to the poor, the impassioned, and the deliberately strange. And the device is innately affordable, innately practical... so there isn't much call to make them more practical.

[TechTMW]

My question was Is there really not enough interest for the manufacturers to make a practical bike again?.

You want practical, move to a country where Honda still sells the Super Cub.

Yah. Zoo's right. You're not a REAL American are you!? Commie bastards like you should all move to china and scoot around with 5 people hitching a ride on your 50cc scooter!!!!!

Seriously - I think there are quite a few practical bikes on the market. You may just have to broaden your definition of practical a bit.

[High_Side]

I can see the point about the shaft drive: I had them way back when, moved to supersports when I was in my twenties, V-twin sports in my 30s and wouldn't mind a shaft drive bike at this point. Modern shaft-driven bikes like BMWs hardly suffer from the extra unsprung weight and performance loss, AND you don't have chain-lube all over your bike at the end of the day. If a modern UJM had a modern shaft drive it wouldn't have to make the bike dull....but it would make it a lot more practical....

[swatter555]

From a more general standpoint, 'mericans are on average thin skinned cowards who can't take even the least discomfort. They will cruise a parking lot for 20 minutes looking for the spot nearest the door. They all but panic at the prospect of walking through rain, as though they will melt away like the good witch of the west at the prospect of getting wet. They drive convertables and never lower the top! The odds of getting them on motorcycles is slim to non-existent.

Edit- ooops wrong thread, got mixed up with the spin off thread.

Could you generalize in a less dumb way?

[dieziege]

Could you generalize in a less dumb way?

Yeah, but who would understand me?

Seriously, as an American I get a "ringside" view of the whole idiot circus... and every generalization I made can be backed up with concrete examples of people (in the plural) I know and interact with.

[swatter555]

I find that whenever I make generaliztions, I am often the one who is uninformed.


Anyway... lets not ninja hi-jack this thread

[jmillheiser]

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.

amen to that.

shame they stopped making the CX bikes.

I love my CX, I paid $500 for it and it has not given me a lick of trouble. Average MPG on a CX500 is 50 for normal riding, close to 60 if your really easy on it. Has plenty of power down low and will do 80mph all day long.

if you want hard bags and a windscreen check out the GL500 silverwing which is touring equipped CX.

the 500s are the more reliable the 650s were known for some issues with their cam chain adjuster.

The 650 nets you an extra 20hp over the 500 and a powerband nearly identical to an SV650 or VStrom

[BigChickenStrips]

America is one of the most productive countries on earth, yet we have the least vacation time. Our lives are chock full of "practical" things. Park a practical bike on the showroom floor and I'll knock that beotch over on my way to something with some fun engineered into it.

+1