Minor life update: I've decided to move out of the shared shop space I've enjoyed as a workspace and off-site vehicle storage for the past twelve years. It's been a ton of fun, and a good community, and when I moved in, it presented me with a way to sell my house/garage, and stay involved in the hobby.
Since being hit by the red-light-runner, I've had time and cause to think/re-evaluate, and came out of the reflection feeling the need to transition to a living/workspace situation that is better for my current needs and wants. The main thing I want is to get completely away from renting work and/or storage space, and have my vehicles and tools where I live, but without having to move out to the sticks, and without needing to take on yard care or exterior building maintenance tasks...I'd be totally happy to never mow another lawn, clean another gutter, or fix another roof. I haven't done any of this stuff since 2012, and I love the extra free time, and don't miss the house/yard chores.
As one might imagine, sorting, packing, and moving over a decade's worth of accumulated vehicles, tools, parts, and stuff isn't easy. I've been chipping away at reassessing and downsizing for several months. My goal is to sell my current place and buy a townhome/row-house-style condo, still in the central city, with my own walk-up entry, 2+ car garage on the ground floor, 2-bedroom living space above, and an HOA that doesn't exclude minor work in the garage. Should make a pretty sweet middle-aged GRM bachelor pad, and I've always got the shop at my work as an option if I need tons of space, or the ability to do noisy tasks. I've got my eye on some places (none yet for sale.) Since my list of criteria is pretty specific and there isn't a ton of inventory out there matching it, I'll have be diligent and patient, but I'm on my way to being prepared to strike when the real estate opportunity arises.
Back to the bikes; the effort to downsize puts everything under scrutiny, and if I could let one go, it would simply things, but isn't essential. The Husaberg is one of the obvious candidates, since I have two supermotos, and the 701 is arguably the more versatile all-around supermoto. For a while late last year, I thought I might have it sold, but the deal fell through. Now isn't a great time to sell, but if I'm going to sell in the spring, now is the time to plan/prep.
The runners:
Husky 701 Enduro/Supermoto. This is the best bike I've ever owned, and is beyond reproach. Great lightweight all-around bike. I'd instantly chose it if I had to pick only one to keep. Moderately difficult to replace. A 701/690 shouldn't be too hard to find, but it has a entimental value as it used to belong to my best friend.
Honda VFR800. Great sport tourer, and as a high-mileage (85,000ish) runner which I bought under-market, perhaps worth more to me than to someone else. Great midweight all-around bike and highway champ. Sounds awesome, and considerably different from the Husky (much better on the open road, not as suited to the tight 'n twisties) but I don't do a lot of long trips or two-up riding, so... Fairly easy to replace if I sold it and missed it.
JDM Suzuki Goose 350. Quintessential cafe racer. A unique and beautiful toy. Very tough to replace if I sold it and missed it. Flyweight, small, and a bit cramped. No wind protection, heated grips, ABS, or passenger-carrying capability. Dives into corners without a second thought, and great fun to wring it out without going too fast. Not great for rearward visibility. Could still use a little carb tuning, and repair to the better-condition of the two gas tanks I have for it. The perfect ride on this bike is 20-30 minutes to a bike meet, coffee shop, or cars and coffee on a low-traffic, nice-weather day. Really fun for a short ride in the twisties. Not great for much else, but one of prettiest bikes I've ever seen, and hard to imagine parting with. I also have 90% of the parts to convert to EFI if I get bored at some point.
The projects:
JDM GSXR250 four cylinder. Super-low miles time-capsule, but has been sitting a long time, so it needs some going through. I have most of the parts needed to sort it out. I love the aesthetics and the era, but haven't ridden it to evaluate in the real world. 18,000rpm! A little less cramped than the Goose. I always envisioned getting it running, riding it some, seeing how it compares/contrasts with the Goose, and the re-evaluating, but then again, I haven't actually done it yet, so... If I pass on it, my dad is very excited to have first right of refusal. Tough to replace. Tough to sell as a non-runner needing some paperwork. If I put the effort into getting it running and registered, not sure I'd sell right away.
Husaberg FS570. Currently runs, but is partially disassembled to fix lots of little issues. Supposedly low hours/miles, but needs lots of little stuff to be cherry. I have most of the parts needed, just a question of time. Could be slapped back together without much work to sell if I didn't give a E36 M3, but I do, so my fault for looking under the hood! Should be good for the long haul once I'm done, though. Addictive fun as it is a fire-breathing race bike for the street, and potentially one of the easier-feeding examples of the breed. Feels very special and lightweight compared to the Husky, but also doesn't compare to the Husky for ease of everyday use. Not easy to replace. A real mixed bag for parts availability, with many but not all mechanical parts still available, but cosmetic stuff drying up quickly. The best-handling bike I've ever ridden; the chassis is amazing. The engine/transmission are great for a sporty ride as well. Ergonomics aren't perfect, but I'm trying to improve them. Not great for long rides, but if I could source a discontinued 70 Degree Racing subframe fuel tank...I'm two years into trying and all I have to show for it is several dozen "helpful" suggestions that I just post a WTB ad, and several dozen WTB threads I've posted all over the internet. Each WTB ad has zero useful leads or potential sellers, but most of them also have lots of hop-on posts from others also wanting to buy. Anyone with experience with molding short runs of complex-shape plastic fuel tanks, feel free to get in touch! We might even sell double digits, if not dozens! Some overlap for use case with the 701, but they are also distinct in feel and character.
Should I sell one? If so, which one, and why?