What Bike 2?: I did not listen to you guys last time.

It really sounds like a CBR250 would fit the bill.

I ride a CM200T. I weigh about 165lbs. Aside from highway blasts, it does everything I ask of it. Wind will affect me, but I've learned to compensate.

I would assume that with 50 more CCs and wind protection, you could hit the highway. 2 ups might be taxing but imagine a fat guy riding it. You and your girl will weigh less than that. It has available ABS which many of these bike suggested won't have.

As for the center stand, I'd add spools to the swing arm and troll CL for a cheap motorcycle stand.

Its a Honda. Maintenance? What maintenance?

In reply to Appleseed:

I don't understand how people can recommend the CBR250 and Buell blast as highway-capable bikes.

Granted, I have never ridden either, but I have had smaller bikes and they suck on the highway. You get blown around a lot and have to downshift several gears to make a pass. I would guess that at normal 70+ highway speeds, the Blast and baby CBR would be running pretty high RPMs.

Triumph Sprint?

re: reliability in Triumph and Aprilias I mentioned. When it comes to bikes, I tolerate far fewer 'character flaws' than I do with cars. I've researched the heck out of all the bikes I've considered. The modern Triumph triples are surprisingly bulletproof. Only problems I consistently read about are weak charging systems but there are fixes. I fully expected the Caponord to be a typical Italian moody beeotch but there too I find very few complaints. Apparently there are some brown wiring harness connectors that fail but if you know it in advance and fix it, and carry a spare coil, you're good to cross the continent. I've read far more negative experiences with BMWs (thought I wanted a K bike for awhile...until I read about final drive failures). This is disappointing as I really like BMW cars, but after having finally test rode one I honestly didn't see what all the fuss was about. I'd rather have a used Triumph at half the price.

Rusnak_322 wrote: In reply to Appleseed: I don't understand how people can recommend the CBR250 and Buell blast as highway-capable bikes. Granted, I have never ridden either, but I have had smaller bikes and they suck on the highway. You get blown around a lot and have to downshift several gears to make a pass. I would guess that at normal 70+ highway speeds, the Blast and baby CBR would be running pretty high RPMs.

I run the Twinstar in the upper 10% of the RPM range about 85-90% of the time I'm on it. It's fine. It's also a 33 year old bike.

Shifting gears to pass is a problem? I've only got 4, so I'm up and down gears all the time. Different riders, I guess.

Test ride a blast if you get a chance, that's all. The blast has character some of those jap bikes can only dream of. Cheap buy in, cheap parts, cheap maintanence, cheap power. Don't let the ignorant majority sour your opinion.

ddavidv wrote: Struggling as I am with a replacement for my mighty but agricultural KLR, someone turned me on to this site: Cycle Ergonomics That should be helpful. I have the same issue with not wanting much, if any, forward lean on my next bike.

That is a great link! Many thanks.

Btw, out this weekend riding with some ADV riders, one had a BMW F650, which was quite interesting. Ergonomics were very good, imo. A very tossable bike, while having decent legs for highway runs.

foxtrapper wrote:

ddavidv wrote: Struggling as I am with a replacement for my mighty but agricultural KLR, someone turned me on to this site: Cycle Ergonomics That should be helpful. I have the same issue with not wanting much, if any, forward lean on my next bike.

That is a great link! Many thanks.

Particularly for guys like you, eh Fox?

LOL! I love it.

Yep, back when I wore cowboy boots (otherwise known as high heels for men), I could fit more bikes.

I am not going back to these days:

I'm just geting back to riding, so I can't help with bike selection, BUT when you start a carbed bike with a well adjusted choke, you should be able to ride off within a few seconds.

Jack wrote: I'm just geting back to riding, so I can't help with bike selection, BUT when you start a carbed bike with a well adjusted choke, you should be able to ride off within a few seconds.

QFT

ddavidv wrote: re: reliability in Triumph and Aprilias I mentioned. When it comes to bikes, I tolerate far fewer 'character flaws' than I do with cars. I've researched the heck out of all the bikes I've considered. The modern Triumph triples are surprisingly bulletproof. Only problems I consistently read about are weak charging systems but there are fixes. I fully expected the Caponord to be a typical Italian moody beeotch but there too I find very few complaints. Apparently there are some brown wiring harness connectors that fail but if you know it in advance and fix it, and carry a spare coil, you're good to cross the continent. I've read far more negative experiences with BMWs (thought I wanted a K bike for awhile...until I read about final drive failures). This is disappointing as I really like BMW cars, but after having finally test rode one I honestly didn't see what all the fuss was about. I'd rather have a used Triumph at half the price.

I have a Triumph and a k bike.....specifically an 09 Speed Triple with 10k miles and a 2005 k1200s with 38k miles. They are both awesome bikes, but if I could only have one, even at twice the price, it would be the k bike. It is just THE bike for me. Reliability isn't what the majority of the BMW nuthuggers will have you believe, but the riding experience makes up for it.

I've had zero issues with the Triumph, but it was all but new when I bought it. I've had several issues with the BMW, most known that BMW "fixed" in later models, so I had to by the part and retrofit mine. The biggest issue was a fried ECU due to a loose battery cable...that one hurt, but I forgot about the pain in my wallet after the first 30 miles back on the bike. I haven't read about final drive issues on the K/S yet, but I'll research it and see what's coming my way lol.

Obviously this is just my opinion, and everyone has their own preferences, but the K/S just does it for me. When this one dies I'll pick up a k1300s.

I guess I don't really know how much weight I want to deal with. The XT225 I have is 240 lbs dry, closer to a scooter or moped than a sport-tourer. I do know that, when I roll the bike backwards or maneuver in tight urban parking lots I get the feeling that another 240 lbs would not work for me. I don't really know. Honestly, now that I think about it I have no idea how heavy is too heavy. I have a hard time imagining that I would be happy pushing an R1100RT around my apartment parking lot when I get blocked in though...

I like the low maintenance and weight of the CBR250 and Blast for general purposes, but I do want a bike that is comfortable on the interstate this time. Note: my XT225 will do 70 mph, this is one of the first things I checked on the test ride on an empty country lane. But, crosswinds, 85 mph SUV's, no additional passing power etc. make it quite unpleasant. As a cheap person I am highly drawn to this class though. I'll find a Blast to test ride and see how I feel about it.

Osterkraut - I like the idea of putting SV650 pegs and bars on an SV650S... a lot. Does anyone know where I could source those parts used. The more I think about it the more this seems like a really good solution. SV650S plus standard riding position and a laminar lip? Yes.

93EXCivic - what is the reliability like on a Triumph ST 955i? They seem to be fairly common and pretty cheap.

Jack - I must admit that I grew up in the post-carburetor era. It is entirely possible that I have no idea what I'm doing. That said, my current bike rides well in warm weather, but not so much on a 40 degree day it seems. Also, it does NOT like to sit. A week away from it and starting it is a hassle. I'm spoiled by the push a button and go nature of all my FI cars I guess.

benzbaronDaryn wrote: Test ride a blast if you get a chance, that's all. The blast has character some of those jap bikes can only dream of. Cheap buy in, cheap parts, cheap maintanence, cheap power. Don't let the ignorant majority sour your opinion.

ShadowSix wrote: Osterkraut - I like the idea of putting SV650 pegs and bars on an SV650S... a lot. Does anyone know where I could source those parts used. The more I think about it the more this seems like a really good solution. SV650S plus standard riding position and a laminar lip? Yes.

SVrider.com is probably the largest SV forum, people are parting out bikes all the time.

You can get a set of stands pretty cheap, so I wouldn't even worry about having a center stand. If I had a center stand, I'd probably take it off and just use my rear stand anyway. A cheap cycle gear stand has worked great for me.

You can find pretty much anything you need for an SV on the cheap. SVrider was already mentioned, and was where I went for stuff when I had mine like 10 years ago.

The Buell Blast will disappoint you in the same way that your current bike disappoints you. Don't even consider it.

While a Buell Blast may disappoint, a Buell Ulysses will not.

You can certainly get one for $6k without looking hard, I am sure that there are decent examples for $5k. With the exception of ABS, the other criteria are met...or available (centerstand).

ShadowSix wrote: I guess I don't really know how much weight I want to deal with. The XT225 I have is 240 lbs dry, closer to a scooter or moped than a sport-tourer. I do know that, when I roll the bike backwards or maneuver in tight urban parking lots I get the feeling that another 240 lbs would not work for me. I don't really know. Honestly, now that I think about it I have no idea how heavy is too heavy. I have a hard time imagining that I would be happy pushing an R1100RT around my apartment parking lot when I get blocked in though...

The SV adds about 150 pounds to your XT225, and I have no trouble moving it around, and I'm about as far from Senor Beefcake as a guy can get.

Yeah, the weight thing isn't a big deal. There are plenty of tiny women that can wrangle 400-500lb motorcycles.

Weight matters, but so does the height of that weight. That's why a low slung and heavy Harley is more stable and easily balanced than the lighter but far taller KLR. Especially for the, ehem, inseam challenged.

I have always wanted a Buell XB12r, I love the looks and low maintenance. But I rode one at a bike meet not long ago and was let down by the power. they still look sexy tho

I hate harley's, too much vibration, no RPMs, just thump thump thump, blah styling (hey, I'm not a cruiser guy, sue me.) No to mention I am not a fan of loud pipes. No they don't save lives they are just an excuse for you to be an asshat.

I would so rock a buell. All of them, except the blast. The only reason no blast? I am too frickin' big.

IMHO the SV650 with fairing sounds like what you need, but if that isn't what you want, go with the Buell. They won't be around much longer due to stopped production in 2010 and you may not get another chance.

Yeah, I'm not a cruiser guy either.

So, some financial reality-checking has taken place and I think I need to aim for $3k rather than $5k. A that price point I'm looking at lots of decent SV's, the very cheapest used CBR250R's, old-tech bikes like the Ninja 500 or the GS500, the Blast (I'm going to find one and give it a ride, if I don't like it I'll move on, if I do then I never have to clean a chain again), and some very old/high-mileage BMW's, Triumph Sprint ST's, etc. I think ABS is out of the question now.

A quick look at the tips and tricks section over at svrider seems to indicate that tubular bars (as opposed to clip-ons) won't work with the SV650S fairing. This means that I would be looking at getting a naked SV and trying to make it work for me. Has anyone had any success adding a windscreen or fairing to a naked bike like this and making it comfortable on the highway? I'm not looking for a Gold Wing level of comfort but I find the noise and buffeting at 70 mph gets old really fast.

Nobody has said sidecar on a B King? You huddle in the side car and the wife bike-pools you to work.

Gasoline wrote: Nobody has said sidecar on a B King? You huddle in the side car and the wife bike-pools you to work.

I don't know what's going on here, but I like it.

Edit: That steering linkage seems like pure winning genius. I wonder if it works

The funny thing is that the conditions that you desire fit a range of 600 - 1000cc cruisers. I understand not wanting one, but once you decide one something else, your options get pretty limited. We need a "sport-cruiser" category!

The new Honda and the Versys and even the Ducati Multistrada are moving in the right direction, you just need to wait a few years for the used market to get to your price range. I love my cruiser, but would like to get something sportier someday (in addition for solo rides) that is not a pure crotch rocket. I hope the Ducati values drop like a stone and there is an aftermarket replacement for the chicken beak.

Bok bok bok bok Mcgawk!!