Help me pick a new motorcycle

[WarriorMonk]

Hey all, I'm looking to get an on/off road motorcycle for under 3K. Are any of you familiar with these kind of bikes?

Here are a few that I'm looking at. Do any of these look good?

http://redding.craigslist.org/mcy/797761935.html
http://redding.craigslist.org/mcy/775294856.html
http://redding.craigslist.org/mcy/753530953.html
http://redding.craigslist.org/mcy/744921653.html

thanks,

WM

[wyld thang]

what do you want to use it for? how percentage trail/road time will you be using it?

[WarriorMonk]

I'll use it to get around town, and also want to be able to use the logging roads nearby. I'll be using it on road about 80%, off road 20%.

[wogglebug]

Hondas are brilliant cars, but there are better motorcycles out there, particularly when you take longevity into account, and most of them are Yamahas. Road performance isn't going to be that important to you, since most of your riding is going to be on speed-limited streets, and a 50cc postie-bike could do that for you. Anything will do. When you get off-road, big wheels, long-travel suspension, a lot of clearance,low gearing and light weight are going to be important.

Anything over 175cc is adequate for a motorcycle, providing you don't want to ride at suicidal speeds on the highway. However, lolloping along with a 250cc is better than belting along with a 175 if you're going to be pushing the envelope - the bike lasts longer, and there's not much difference in fuel economy.

I'm tending to push you towards the Yamahas, but whatever you do value low mileage and DON'T don't DON'T buy anything in the first 18 months of a new model.

[wogglebug]

Hondas are brilliant cars, but there are better motorcycles out there, particularly when you take longevity into account, and most of them are Yamahas. Road performance isn't going to be that important to you, since most of your riding is going to be on speed-limited streets, and a 50cc postie-bike could do that for you. Anything will do. When you get off-road, big wheels, long-travel suspension, a lot of clearance,low gearing and light weight are going to be important.

Anything over 175cc is adequate for a motorcycle, providing you don't want to ride at suicidal speeds on the highway. However, lolloping along with a 250cc is better than belting along with a 175 if you're going to be pushing the envelope - the bike lasts longer, and there's not much difference in fuel economy.

I'm tending to push you towards the Yamahas, but whatever you do value low mileage and DON'T don't DON'T buy anything in the first 18 months of a new model.

[Mr.Hoppes]

Have you rode a motorcycle before?

Relevant because the two tasks are completely different.

Dirt trail riding has very specific hazards that a off road cycle is designed for.
Those design traits don't cross over well to street which has a different set of hazards.

That said make sure you have
mirrors
tread on tires specific for dual purpose.
proper riding gear.
a way to secure or safe gaurd your carry items.

For highway use a 500 cc is barely adaquate for longer rides.
Larger bikes / motors with wind fairings & wind shields give MUCH nicer rides 600cc + .

Off road trail riding for less experienced riders can be cumberson with a 500cc cycle.

TAKE CLASSES if you have not rode a motorcyle before. Depending on where you are some driver schools will rent the cycle for the lessons. This would give you a chance to ge a feel for it.

Economy is important but safety is more important. To some extent comfort and safety can be related. Too little can be a problem and too much can be as well.

I am not brand loyal other than my Harley which you dont need. The cycles you are looking at are good choices. If one of them had the service records I woud lean to that one. Most vehicles will live and perform much longer if properly maintained.

Peace be with You

[beowoulf90]

Ok, at first blush they all llok to be "thumpers", which is fine if you have riding experience all ready... But if you don't have any experience they are to large to start with.

They would be fine is you are road riding, but when you take the "thumpers" off road they are heavier then the lighter 250's and 125's so they do handle different.

If all you are doing is riding around town or basiclly speeds lower then 45 mph you won't need all the power those for bikes have and a 125 or 250 would be fine...

Now don't get me wrong there is nothing wrong with those bikes and I would chose the Yamaha over the Honda's in the thumper catagory, but that is only my personal preference.. I had 108,000 on my Honda Goldwing Aspencade before a 20 yo drunk decided he didn't like the color.. but all my dirt bikes were Yamaha's or Suzuki's.. (when I was young, I used to race a RM 125 Suzuki) I've also had a Montessa, Odessa, and numerous other bikes...

[Hooligan]

Originally Posted by wogglebug

Hondas are brilliant cars, but there are better motorcycles out there, particularly when you take longevity into account, and most of them are Yamahas. .

Those 25+ year old XL's don't seem to have a problem with longevity. ;-)

Seriously though. Yamaha, Honda, Suzuki etc, have been making dirt bikes for a long time now. I wouldn't shy away from any of them. I personally prefer Honda's because that is what I have ridden the most and I know first hand the kind of beating they can take.

[CGUARDSMAN]

Originally Posted by wogglebug

Hondas are brilliant cars, but there are better motorcycles out there, particularly when you take longevity into account, and most of them are Yamahas. Road performance isn't going to be that important to you, since most of your riding is going to be on speed-limited streets, and a 50cc postie-bike could do that for you. Anything will do. When you get off-road, big wheels, long-travel suspension, a lot of clearance,low gearing and light weight are going to be important.

Anything over 175cc is adequate for a motorcycle, providing you don't want to ride at suicidal speeds on the highway. However, lolloping along with a 250cc is better than belting along with a 175 if you're going to be pushing the envelope - the bike lasts longer, and there's not much difference in fuel economy.

I'm tending to push you towards the Yamahas, but whatever you do value low mileage and DON'T don't DON'T buy anything in the first 18 months of a new model.

Everyone has their own opinion but really have you had any experience with Hondas?? They are known for their longevity where as older yamahas i would be more concerned about. As far as the bikes shown they are all older and would require more maintenance than a newer model but if you can do the routine stuff and already have experience with bikes the Hondas would be my first choice in that type of bike.

[SteveD(TX)]

They make bikes that are known as "Enduros" that are practical on the road and off. Many dirt bikes aren't worth a flip on the road and vice versa. Look around and educate yourself on the different types of bikes available before taking the plunge.

[Chixarecute]

Dh has owned Hondas & Kawasaki's for years - Hondas for street & dirt, Kaw's for dirt, was a Honda mechanic, and raced enduro with the Kaw's. We also started our sons off with Hondas - our latest n'used bike is a Honda 230 crf something or other(dirt)...definitely NOT built to Honda's usual standards...

very few bikes succesfully do both dirt & street...our 30+ year old Honda Xl 175 is one that can. When you say off-road 20%, what are you really thinking? going out in the field to check on the livestock, or going off-road wheeling across hill & dale?

research, ride, research. Have fun & best of luck.

[quadcam79]

I've been riding since I was 5, right now I have 3 bikes, a 74 honda cl360 which is technically a "scrambler" made for street and dirt, I also have a 75 kawasaki two stroke triple mach II 500 and a 79 Harley Ironhead sportster. If you're looking for an enduro bike
all 3 of those are decent, honda is known for reliability but the yamadogs are a little more updated in terms of suspension.


The XL500 honda 313lbs with full fuel, used some parts from the xl500 and some from the xl600..

yamaha xt550 .. 322 lbs. with a full gas tank, 34 hp, 27.8 ft. lbs. of torque at 6000 rpm, 14.1 second quarter mile @ 90 mph. Drum brakes front and rear, this was the first of the 4 valver singles that Yamaha produced. The second bite, the XT600, was the bike that the XT550 should have been. with most Yamaha XT's, the motors go soft and gutless due to the compression rings wearing out fast. The oil rings seem indestructible. And the dual carb setup SUCKS
It's an oddball to find parts for just like the honda XL

I think you could get em for a better price if you keep an eye open. I've seen em go for $500-600 in decent shape

[perennial]

I can only say as my hubby has ridden a long time (since age of 16) and
as someone else says - please make sure you have a good helmet and preferably a full face one. Take the course and wear proper clothing- pants,
coat, gloves especially and boots if possible. I can't say which bike to choose but please don't be cheap with the outerwear. If you new to biking
altogether, i know hubby would say start with an size appropriate bike -
nothing worse than a short guy trying to ride a heavy tall bike as a first timer.

Good luck.

[Hoop]

I would shy away from all of these bikes. As good as Hondas are, you're talking about a bike that is nearly 30 years old.
Old yamahas should be completed avoided, due to parts availibility. Yamaha is the worst of the Japanese manufacturers, when its comes to getting parts for 20+ year old bikes.
All of these bikes were great in their day. But there day has long since past. And these bikes are far from bargain priced.

The one bike I'd keep my eye out for is a 1996 to present Kawasaki KLR650. Kawasaki has been making this same bike since 1984, with few changes (it started out as a 600cc bike and changed to a 650cc bike in 1987). Parts availibility is arguably the best for a dual sport bike and there is a sizeable aftermarket producing items for this make/model. A trip over to KLR650.net will provide you with all sorts of info on this bike.
The bike generally gets approx 50 mpg.
A new 2008 KLR650 will run about $5000. Slightly more in California. 2004 - 2006 models are commonly availible in the $3000 - 3500 price. Earlier models are less expensive.
This is a stone cold reliable bike that generally has a trouble free life until the odometer reaches 60,000 - 75,000 miles.
It is the choice of many adventurers that choose to travel via motorcycle around the world. Able to reach 100 mph speeds on the interstate highways, yet capable on gravel roads.

[WarriorMonk]

Originally Posted by Hoop

I would shy away from all of these bikes. As good as Hondas are, you're talking about a bike that is nearly 30 years old.
Old yamahas should be completed avoided, due to parts availibility. Yamaha is the worst of the Japanese manufacturers, when its comes to getting parts for 20+ year old bikes.
All of these bikes were great in their day. But there day has long since past. And these bikes are far from bargain priced.

The one bike I'd keep my eye out for is a 1996 to present Kawasaki KLR650. Kawasaki has been making this same bike since 1984, with few changes (it started out as a 600cc bike and changed to a 650cc bike in 1987). Parts availibility is arguably the best for a dual sport bike and there is a sizeable aftermarket producing items for this make/model. A trip over to KLR650.net will provide you with all sorts of info on this bike.
The bike generally gets approx 50 mpg.
A new 2008 KLR650 will run about $5000. Slightly more in California. 2004 - 2006 models are commonly availible in the $3000 - 3500 price. Earlier models are less expensive.
This is a stone cold reliable bike that generally has a trouble free life until the odometer reaches 60,000 - 75,000 miles.
It is the choice of many adventurers that choose to travel via motorcycle around the world. Able to reach 100 mph speeds on the interstate highways, yet capable on gravel roads.

Thanks everyone for your responses. I like KLR650s, but they are expensive and heavy! I am only 5'8, so I think it might be too tall for me. Plus I wonder if I could even pick it up if it's laid down. What about a 2000 Kawasaki Super Sherpa? Here's one for sale - http://redding.craigslist.org/mcy/747356103.html

[swinginonastar]

Kawasaki's have made dual sport for a while and I have owned a few. I previously owned the 100 dual sport and I have also owned the super sherpa. I didnt have any problems at all with mine. If you are talking about just riding on trails and not into major jumps it would be fine for that. I am 5' 8 and female and didnt have any problems at all but I have ridden motorcycles since I was a 10 or so. Best of luck in your search.

[cowboy joe]

I've ridden a variety of bikes over the past 35 yrs...Hondas, Yamahas, Kawis, Harleys. Each has it's positives and negatives. All the bikes I have owned have been used. Here's the down low...a used bike is only as good as the mechanic that serviced it. On top of that, on/off road bikes (aka enduros) are often abused by their riders. Give whatever you are looking at a good once over. If you've never serviced a bike before, find a good mechanic or someone who knows their way around a bike to go with you. Unless you are a mechanic, willing to put some cash and time into an older bike, steer clear of duct tape and third world engineered repairs, especially on older bikes. Sometimes a deal is not such a good deal.

Other folks have already hit on some other good points so I'll spare you my long windedness...best of luck.

[hotzcatz]

Those 500cc Hondas are a bit more on the beast side than most dirt bikes. If this is your first motorcycle then they are too big. If they are two stroke then they will have a gnarly peaky powerband which considering the size of the motor is again more of a beast than a first bike should be. I'm not saying you couldn't learn to ride on one, it's just going to be more difficult. If you are an experienced rider then you probably wouldn't be asking our advice? For a first bike, something around 350cc or less would be good for the first year. Then you can get a bigger one if you feel you'd want one later.

The age of the bikes is a little worrisome since parts are hard to find for older bikes. Especially seasonal motors where they don't get used over parts of the season (at least on the mainland, it isn't so much of a problem around here.) If the bike is from an area which puts ethanol into the fuel and the bike is left sitting with fuel in it, some of the rubber parts may be eaten up. We just got a bike like that, it had been left sitting for a year with fuel in it and we are having to replace a lot of the interior gas tank parts.

Mileage on bikes is also very deceptive. 40,000 miles is a lot on a motorcycle. Triple or quadruple motorcycle miles to make them equivalent to car miles.

[tiogacounty]

Originally Posted by WarriorMonk

Thanks everyone for your responses. I like KLR650s, but they are expensive and heavy! I am only 5'8, so I think it might be too tall for me. Plus I wonder if I could even pick it up if it's laid down. What about a 2000 Kawasaki Super Sherpa? Here's one for sale - http://redding.craigslist.org/mcy/747356103.html

WarriorMonk, Everything Hoop has to say about the KLR is spot on. They are going to be as cheap or expensive as you are willing to spend. You want a nearly new one, with every trinket and toy known to man, bolted on? It's gonna cost ya. You want one that hasn't been abused, is ten years old and has 10K miles on, you should end up spending less than $2k. They are world famous for being the "tractor" of dual-sport bikes, nearly impossible to kill, cheap to buy and repair, and the choice of ride for many, many, round the world riders. If you are concerned about height, check out the other famous, "tough and cheap" dual-sport the Suzuki DR650. You can buy a nearly new one for $3k. they are a tad shorter, lighter and can be lowered by resetting the suspension. Good luck, and stay away from worn out antique pieces on CL. Everything you linked to was priced several times what it's worth, and too outdated to bother with.

[quadcam79]

forgot to add, this is a great dual sport bike Kawasaki KLR650 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kawasaki_KLR650
"if you want to ride a thousand or more miles, go offroading, and ride home, the KLR is a great choice"

BMW also makes some great dual sport bikes too. I wouldnt want a street only BMW bike, I just never liked them but I'd take a BMW dual sport in a second