What's a good bike for me?

[Shiv]

just as long as it's done on a controlled environment.

Which they so very rarely are. Like the guy who did a wheelie through the middle of campus today on a very busy street.

[isnowbrd]

A 1993-2004 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6E (ZZR600) has one of the lowest seat heights of any sportbike, and is very comfortable for commuting. I routinely get almost 60mpg with my 2004. They have a lot of power for a first bike though. At about 100-130mph it will pull like mad in 6th gear. Way more power than you need to wheelie. (not in 6th gear obviously)

[Rebel0007]

This isn't my first bike though, lol.

[VermilionX]

This isn't my first bike though, lol.

yeah we know...

but since you just mentioned MPG is the most important... a RR bike isn't the way to go.

500cc bike are great for commuting w/ lots of highway. there aren't any 500cc sportbikes though. closest you can get are sporty bikes like GS500F.

or try the SV650S... i heard it can get 50mpg and just get the suzuki lower fairing set if you want a fully faired sportbike.

[earwig]

Get a Buell Blast. They are cheap, reliable, easy to work on and *different*. They get awesome gas mileage also.

Or... if you want something super fun/fast and pretty cheap, get a used Buell XB... I have an 1203cc XB12S and I get 50mpg city 60+ highway.

[TxCZShooter]

Commuting?

Nighthawk 250
Ninja 250
Ninja 500
Blast 500

All getting around 60-70mpg, used models for under 3k very plentiful and under 2k with good research.

Maybe where you are, I'm lucky to find anything here in the $3k range as you describe. Found a '99 Nighthawk 750, and that was it in standard/sportbike.

Is there a "best time to look" for such bikes. I'm in Houston, there isn't much of an "Off" season here. Frustrating.....

[Dichotomous]

I'll second the SV650, kinda like Mr. Buell I love to pimp my own ride (while not so secretely wishing I was riding his...). Anyways it has those qualities you ask for, and has the frame to upgrade the suspension to something crazy, and the motor has plenty of power but works great for commuting. if you are a fan of wheelies the naked version will do that better, the S version you lean farther forward and the gearing is higher, though both those can change. for cheeper try to find one before 2003. As far as LONG wheelies, the motor will blow itself up, though synthetic oil MAY or may not help this. We are talking more than a 15 second wheely, definately trying to stunt. Dont know if there are many Vtwin sport bikes that really like wheelying for a while though. anyways, its an option.

[earwig]

I'll second the SV650, kinda like Mr. Buell I love to pimp my own ride. Anyways it has those qualities you ask for, and has the frame to upgrade the suspension to something crazy, and the motor has plenty of power but works great for commuting. if you are a fan of wheelies the naked version will do that better, the S version you lean farther forward and the gearing is higher, though both those can change. for cheeper try to find one before 2003. As far as LONG wheelies, the motor will blow itself up, though synthetic oil MAY or may not help this. We are talking more than a 15 second wheely, definately trying to stunt. Dont know if there are many Vtwin sport bikes that really like wheelying for a while though. anyways, its an option.

Hrm, there are no problems riding over a mile wheelie on a Buell XB... air cooled v-twin.

[Dichotomous]

its the oil pickup in the front cyl. if you wheely, it will not pick up oil and therefore starves the engine of oil, therefore it likes to go seize-stop-boom-ouch. personally I wouldnt want to wheely for more than a second or two anyways, just not my style. However if its a requirement for the bike, and I make no judgement call on that BTW, and the requirement is to be able to ride the wheely for a while, then the SV might not be for you. Otherwise the engine is just beautiful, and lasts a LONG time too.

[Rebel0007]

What about a Suzuki Katana 600?