Gas sucks. Who knows about motorcyles?

hmmwv15 · 05-04-2008, 12:12 PM

I am seriously thinking about getting something I can ride around/commute on. I don't need anything super fast, but I don't want it to go slow either. It would be my first bike that I would have to learn on. I am leaning more towards a cruiser or something, but if I can find something for cheap I would take it. Of course I would have to wait until I pay off my 4runner, but I'm about 60% sure it's what I want to do. I gues what I'm trying to find out is what should I start looking for?

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Bwilson52 · 05-04-2008, 12:18 PM

my buddy just got a suzuki DRZ 400 its gets about 50 or 60MPG he paid about $5700 for a 2007 insurance is 60 bucks full coverage so if I was gonna get one thats what I would get

gilby4runner · 05-04-2008, 12:34 PM

no gas needed....

hmmwv15 · 05-04-2008, 12:44 PM

^ yeah I can see me going to work on that!

If I were to get a bike it would be an older used one that I could get for cheaper than $2,000

mrtejman · 05-04-2008, 01:01 PM

look for an older xr600 or 650

gilby4runner · 05-04-2008, 01:15 PM

If you are that worried about gas just suck it up and get a scooter.... vintage plus mpg's. They make them now that look like the vintage Vespas and they get like 60 mpg

bob200587 · 05-04-2008, 01:16 PM

I've been considering a dual sport bike. Mostly because of the light weight, I could hopefully get a hitch mount or a very small trailer to take it to and from school and then ride it to and from campus or around town at home.

111db · 05-04-2008, 02:11 PM

Older, cheaper, but reliable: Yamaha Maxim 550 or 650, Honda Magna 700

Tons of parts available for those at DennisKirk.com

My buddy put over 80k on his Maxim 550 back in the day with nothing but an occasional tuneup.

If you wanted something newer I'd consider a Suzuki sv650

misterzee · 05-04-2008, 02:36 PM

Think about how long it would take for you to break even on your investment...
and make sure you have good MEDICAL, and if you have dependents, good LIFE insurance too. I love em... but ... too many idiots sharing the road for me anyhow.

Supra 4x4 · 05-04-2008, 03:24 PM

Pretty much any year Kawasaki EX500 if you like the sport bike look but much better riding position and extremly reliable. If you want a dual sport (I have a 05 DRZ400S) more for commuting than dirt riding you can find older Kawaski KLR650 for real cheap and they are very reliable. Also older Suzuki DRZ 400 and 650.

hmmwv15 · 05-04-2008, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by misterzee

Think about how long it would take for you to break even on your investment...
and make sure you have good MEDICAL, and if you have dependents, good LIFE insurance too. I love em... but ... too many idiots sharing the road for me anyhow.

this is why I'm only 60% sure.

The farthest distance would be to lilburn, that means through lawrenceville in morning rush hour. that's my worst commuter route I may not even be taking if I were to get one. This is just an idea I'm throwing around, not like a for sure thing in the least. 2 trucks and a bike would be pushing it for me. maybe if I had a truck I could sell it would be fine, almost like a swap, but I'm keeping both of my trucks.

toytech76 · 05-04-2008, 04:25 PM

I had a 03 suzuki SV650S. They are sporty looking, go plenty fast, (had it at about 115) and get great mileage. Its a vtwin and my insurance was pretty cheap on it. It wasnt very expensive either. Look for an 03 and later since they began efi then

co4wd · 05-04-2008, 05:46 PM

what ever you decide to get, concider taking the Motorcycle Safety course, you will learn alot, plus most ins. cos. will give you a discount.
Remember, if you have a $2.00 head, buy a $2.00 helment

hmmwv15 · 05-04-2008, 05:55 PM

haha, yes I will be taking a bunch of safety courses because to tell you the truth the only motorcycle experience I have is when my neighbors had a little honda 70 automatic. That's another thing I'll have to learn is the clutch lever...

Djlarroc · 05-04-2008, 06:19 PM

If you're that worried about MPGs. Spend $1000-2000 on a cheap 4 cylinder beater car. Civic, Tercel, Metro, Swift. Much safer than a MC. I've had MCs since 1997, they are fun and good on gas, but way too many idiots out there. Especially during rush hour. Riders get no respect.

drguitarum2005 · 05-04-2008, 07:27 PM

i was going to get one but by the time i bought it, took the course, insured it, etc., it would take forever to break even with the gas savings...not to mention the hassle of moving it around to and from school etc. it'd be fun but not worth it yet

misterzee · 05-04-2008, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drguitarum2005

i was going to get one but by the time i bought it, took the course, insured it, etc., it would take forever to break even with the gas savings...not to mention the hassle of moving it around to and from school etc. it'd be fun but not worth it yet

And, don't forget about the RAINY DAYS, and the COLD DAYS. They totally SUCK on a motorcycle.

hmmwv15 · 05-05-2008, 09:04 AM

I figured on cold and rainy days I would just drive my truck. I believe insurance would be a lot higher for a car than a bike, and a lot more money poured into a beater car than a bike. My buddy has one his dad will sell me for $1000. Smaller and slower than I want, not the style I want, and it's a cheap chinese bike I believe. Here is one similar.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Other...spagenameZWDVW

jeopardy98 · 05-05-2008, 09:44 AM

A couple of things:

You will NOT save money by buying a motorcycle. Insurance will be much more on the bike then the car. You have gear, maintenance, tires, etc. on a bike. Once you start enjoying riding you will ride much more and therefore buy much more gas.

My suggestion would be a beater car. I picked up a 1996 Escort for $1000 with 100,000 miles and it's already paid for itself in 6 months. You will be hard pressed to find a motorcycle that is reliable enough to trust your life with for less then $2000 bucks. Anything less and you will end up finding that it turns into a money pit. This is just my opinion but I know for a fact my motorcycle costs me much more then it saves me.

Elton · 05-05-2008, 12:32 PM

when i first started rideing at 17 i started with a 1980 yamaha virago 500 paid all of 600 bucks for it ran great never gave me one problem got good gas mileage insurance was cheap

ernest t bass · 05-05-2008, 08:34 PM

whatever you do, dont buy a chinese bike. They are total CRAP

Id trust a used, 20 year old, $1000 jap bike, over any NEW chinese bike.

Honda,Suzuki,Kawasaki, or Yamaha ONLY. and in that order.IMO

Single cylinder Dual Sport Enduro would be a good choice.

Honda Nighthawk, Kawasaki ex500, Kawasaki klr650
Honda shadow, Honda Helix scooter. Old Suzuki GS Models, 250 to 1100

denpacc · 05-05-2008, 09:31 PM

I have a simple rule of thumb when people ask me if they should buy a motorcycle for commuting: If you are prone to accidents, irregardless of whether they are your fault or not, you will get seriously injured or killed on a motorcycle. End of story.

Having said that, if you aren't accident prone I agree with some of the motorcycle suggestions listed above. Generally insurance is cheaper and you'll save money on fuel. Over the course of 2-3 years you'll definitely save more than a few hundred bucks. Or as some have suggested get an old fuel sipper car and be safer and warmer/dryer.

Cheers and good luck with your decision.

Jimmeh · 05-05-2008, 11:48 PM

The only thing I want to say is get a freaking helmet. Every time I see somebody on a motorcycle on the road WITHOUT a helmet, I only see that persons head as a bowl of mashed potatoes with raspberry syrup on top. Have you ever had mashed potatoes with raspberry syrup? It's nasty. Exactly what an accident WITHOUT a helmet would be.

I hate seeing people rock just the sunglasses. My buddy Justin just got a really nice Harley from his girlfriends brother that he custom built, and guess where his helmet was? On the bitch seat's back rest. I don't care if you're a freaking rocket scientist, if you aren't wearing a helmet, YOU ARE RETARDED!

As far as bikes go, I would get a Honda over anything if I was looking at something cheap, reliable, and good on gas. And everyone says that insurance is outrageous for motorcycles, but my buddy is paying a hell of a lot less for insurance on his Harley then his Tahoe. And he's getting probably three times the gas mileage out of the bike.

Djlarroc · 05-06-2008, 08:55 AM

Yes, I agree on the helmet!! I admit, my first year I rode with the glasses and no riding jack. I was an idiot in 1997. I sold my last bike in '06. Yamaha R1, fully polished frame, bright yellow, hight mount race pipe.

...where was I? Oh yeah. If you get the bike, USE A HELMET DUDE. And a jacket. I don't get why so many cruiser bike guys don't use helmets? Like those bikes are any safer?

On insurance, it really depends. If you have liability only, it shouldn't be very expensive. A MC can't do as much damage as a passenger car. If you add comp & collision (full cov), then it gets a bit more because of theft. Medical is not available of course! At least in CO. Because that would be the coverage used most & most expensive. I Wonder why?

If you're young, insurance will be expensive no matter what.

FUN4U&ME · 05-06-2008, 09:44 AM

I can appreciate the beauty of a dual sport bike but if I were looking for something cheap and effective, I would probably have to check out an older CBR 600. I had one for a couple years and it was 40+ mpg (based on the way you ride it) and it was fun. You can also take your lady on it with you and it's quick but not super fast! And if you look for an earlier 90's model they are cheap too! Just my thought but I've been wrong before.

05-04-2008, 12:18 PM	#2 (permalink)
Bwilson52 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: CA Posts: 48	my buddy just got a suzuki DRZ 400 its gets about 50 or 60MPG he paid about $5700 for a 2007 insurance is 60 bucks full coverage so if I was gonna get one thats what I would get __________________ Stock 88 toyota pickup,v6 3.0, 5 speed, 4x4, runnin on 31s blown headgasket so she sits 1990 chevy silverado 2wd, 350

05-04-2008, 12:44 PM	#4 (permalink)
hmmwv15 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Good 'ole Georgia Posts: 1,805	^ yeah I can see me going to work on that! If I were to get a bike it would be an older used one that I could get for cheaper than $2,000 __________________ I haven't failed, I've just found several different ways NOT to fix this truck. :D Sean

05-04-2008, 01:16 PM	#7 (permalink)
bob200587 Contributing Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 2,843	I've been considering a dual sport bike. Mostly because of the light weight, I could hopefully get a hitch mount or a very small trailer to take it to and from school and then ride it to and from campus or around town at home. __________________ 87 4runner 4x4 SR5 22RE ARB Bull Bar, 31X10.50 Mastercraft M/T's, Stock 4.10 Gears, Flowmaster Muffler, LCE Header AISIN Manual Hubs, Marlin Crawler Sliders 190XXX miles

05-04-2008, 02:11 PM	#8 (permalink)
111db Registered User Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Mesa AZ Posts: 1,215	Older, cheaper, but reliable: Yamaha Maxim 550 or 650, Honda Magna 700 Tons of parts available for those at DennisKirk.com My buddy put over 80k on his Maxim 550 back in the day with nothing but an occasional tuneup. If you wanted something newer I'd consider a Suzuki sv650 __________________ Jon *97 4Runner 3.4 4.88's * ARB Lockers F/R * ARB compressor * Sonoran Steel numba 1 * 285 BFG AT/KO * TJM 17 * BudBuilt Skids * Stubbs Sliders & BBQ sauce * Irbis out back * Various Electronic Gadgets**

05-04-2008, 02:36 PM	#9 (permalink)
misterzee Registered User Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: North Georgia-Cumming Posts: 636	Think about how long it would take for you to break even on your investment... and make sure you have good MEDICAL, and if you have dependents, good LIFE insurance too. I love em... but ... too many idiots sharing the road for me anyhow. __________________ 85, 87 (SAS), 88 (on loan), 96 4Runners, all males... 03 Town and Country... female CLIK4PIX

05-04-2008, 01:01 PM	#5 (permalink)
mrtejman Registered User Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Santa Cruz, CA Posts: 100	look for an older xr600 or 650

05-04-2008, 03:24 PM	#10 (permalink)
Supra 4x4 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Conyers, Ga. Posts: 37	Pretty much any year Kawasaki EX500 if you like the sport bike look but much better riding position and extremly reliable. If you want a dual sport (I have a 05 DRZ400S) more for commuting than dirt riding you can find older Kawaski KLR650 for real cheap and they are very reliable. Also older Suzuki DRZ 400 and 650. __________________ 85 4Runner, Chevy rears, Marlins 4" fronts, Marlins high steer Trail Gear Hydro assist, R151 w/dual cases, TJM front bumper and Ramsey winch, custom rear w/swing out tire carrier, custom rock sliders, Ford frnt shock mounts custom rear and 5150 Bilstiens all around, front and rear full spool, 35" Pit Bull Rockers, Bud Built cross member and skid plate with 2" drivetrain lift, Turbo 4Runner f&r seats, & rock lights.

05-04-2008, 04:25 PM	#12 (permalink)
toytech76 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Camino, Ca Posts: 1,161	I had a 03 suzuki SV650S. They are sporty looking, go plenty fast, (had it at about 115) and get great mileage. Its a vtwin and my insurance was pretty cheap on it. It wasnt very expensive either. Look for an 03 and later since they began efi then __________________ 97 Runner. 4" Pro Comp IFS lift in the front, LC coils and shocks in the rear, 33x12.5/15 Pro Comp mud terrains, 15x8 Pro Comp 1069 alloys, 00 runner headlites, clear corners and bumper lenses, 00 runner airbox/MAF conversion, Reverse indiglo gauges, 5000K HID's, LC hood struts, Magnaflow exhaust, custom grill insert, hella driving lights converted into headlight highbeams, retrofitted avalon homelink sunvisor.

05-04-2008, 05:46 PM	#13 (permalink)
co4wd Banned Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Colorado Posts: 4	what ever you decide to get, concider taking the Motorcycle Safety course, you will learn alot, plus most ins. cos. will give you a discount. Remember, if you have a $2.00 head, buy a $2.00 helment

05-04-2008, 05:55 PM	#14 (permalink)
hmmwv15 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Good 'ole Georgia Posts: 1,805	haha, yes I will be taking a bunch of safety courses because to tell you the truth the only motorcycle experience I have is when my neighbors had a little honda 70 automatic. That's another thing I'll have to learn is the clutch lever... __________________ I haven't failed, I've just found several different ways NOT to fix this truck. :D Sean

05-04-2008, 06:19 PM	#15 (permalink)
Djlarroc Contributing Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 1,322	If you're that worried about MPGs. Spend $1000-2000 on a cheap 4 cylinder beater car. Civic, Tercel, Metro, Swift. Much safer than a MC. I've had MCs since 1997, they are fun and good on gas, but way too many idiots out there. Especially during rush hour. Riders get no respect. __________________ '89 4Runner: 22RE 5spd, 4:10s w/202K, 16x8 w/265-75 MT, Diamond headlights, Aisin hubs, Tortis' custom roll on paint job, Home made bikini, 1" Body Lift, 1.25" greasable lift shackles, TG Sliders, 1.5" BJ spacers, Rust is gone! - SOLD! '00 4Runner: Locked F/R - sold!

05-04-2008, 07:27 PM	#16 (permalink)
drguitarum2005 Contributing Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Houston (home), Atlanta (school), Cincinnati (work) Posts: 2,235	i was going to get one but by the time i bought it, took the course, insured it, etc., it would take forever to break even with the gas savings...not to mention the hassle of moving it around to and from school etc. it'd be fun but not worth it yet __________________ -David 2000 Taco TRD Access Cab v6 \| 5spd \| 33" BFG A/Ts \| 33" PC Mud Terrains \| OME 882's \| Bilstein HD struts front \| Rancho shocks rear \| Chevy 63" leaf spring swap \| Custom sliders \| Custom front bumper \|3" BL \| U-Bolt flip \| Flowmaster exhaust \| Kenwood Speakers \| Grey Wire Mod \| Aux. Reverse Lights \| Deckplate Mod \| Lots of lights Pictures

05-05-2008, 09:04 AM	#18 (permalink)
hmmwv15 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Good 'ole Georgia Posts: 1,805	I figured on cold and rainy days I would just drive my truck. I believe insurance would be a lot higher for a car than a bike, and a lot more money poured into a beater car than a bike. My buddy has one his dad will sell me for $1000. Smaller and slower than I want, not the style I want, and it's a cheap chinese bike I believe. Here is one similar. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Other...spagenameZWDVW __________________ I haven't failed, I've just found several different ways NOT to fix this truck. :D Sean

05-05-2008, 09:44 AM	#19 (permalink)
jeopardy98 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 125	A couple of things: You will NOT save money by buying a motorcycle. Insurance will be much more on the bike then the car. You have gear, maintenance, tires, etc. on a bike. Once you start enjoying riding you will ride much more and therefore buy much more gas. My suggestion would be a beater car. I picked up a 1996 Escort for $1000 with 100,000 miles and it's already paid for itself in 6 months. You will be hard pressed to find a motorcycle that is reliable enough to trust your life with for less then $2000 bucks. Anything less and you will end up finding that it turns into a money pit. This is just my opinion but I know for a fact my motorcycle costs me much more then it saves me.

05-05-2008, 12:32 PM	#20 (permalink)
Elton Contributing Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Siletz,Oregon Posts: 10,462	when i first started rideing at 17 i started with a 1980 yamaha virago 500 paid all of 600 bucks for it ran great never gave me one problem got good gas mileage insurance was cheap __________________ My Truck 98 4runner SR5 3.4L 5spd 4x4 E-Locker Mods Mom 07 Tundra d-cab limited 5.7L 4x4 auto sister 92 pickup SR5 X-cab 3.0L 5spd 4x4 Papa 89 Pickup SR5 X-cab 4x4 3.0L 5spd/98 4runner SR5 4x4 auto 3.4L R.I.P 91 4runner SR5 4x4 3.0L 5spd Totaled 5/13/06 My Wreck

05-05-2008, 08:34 PM	#21 (permalink)
ernest t bass Registered User Join Date: May 2007 Location: Point Loma, California Posts: 141	whatever you do, dont buy a chinese bike. They are total CRAP Id trust a used, 20 year old, $1000 jap bike, over any NEW chinese bike. Honda,Suzuki,Kawasaki, or Yamaha ONLY. and in that order.IMO Single cylinder Dual Sport Enduro would be a good choice. Honda Nighthawk, Kawasaki ex500, Kawasaki klr650 Honda shadow, Honda Helix scooter. Old Suzuki GS Models, 250 to 1100 __________________ if a duck stands still, you can catch him by the bill

05-05-2008, 09:31 PM	#22 (permalink)
denpacc Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Calgary, Canada Posts: 194	I have a simple rule of thumb when people ask me if they should buy a motorcycle for commuting: If you are prone to accidents, irregardless of whether they are your fault or not, you will get seriously injured or killed on a motorcycle. End of story. Having said that, if you aren't accident prone I agree with some of the motorcycle suggestions listed above. Generally insurance is cheaper and you'll save money on fuel. Over the course of 2-3 years you'll definitely save more than a few hundred bucks. Or as some have suggested get an old fuel sipper car and be safer and warmer/dryer. Cheers and good luck with your decision. __________________ 1997 3.4 4Runner, 5spd, e-locker, SS#1.1 Lift, 265/75/R16 Dick Cepek FCII Coming soon: ARB front bumper with T-Max or Warn winch, sliders, snorkel, etc.

05-06-2008, 08:55 AM	#24 (permalink)
Djlarroc Contributing Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 1,322	Yes, I agree on the helmet!! I admit, my first year I rode with the glasses and no riding jack. I was an idiot in 1997. I sold my last bike in '06. Yamaha R1, fully polished frame, bright yellow, hight mount race pipe. ...where was I? Oh yeah. If you get the bike, USE A HELMET DUDE. And a jacket. I don't get why so many cruiser bike guys don't use helmets? Like those bikes are any safer? On insurance, it really depends. If you have liability only, it shouldn't be very expensive. A MC can't do as much damage as a passenger car. If you add comp & collision (full cov), then it gets a bit more because of theft. Medical is not available of course! At least in CO. Because that would be the coverage used most & most expensive. I Wonder why? If you're young, insurance will be expensive no matter what. __________________ '89 4Runner: 22RE 5spd, 4:10s w/202K, 16x8 w/265-75 MT, Diamond headlights, Aisin hubs, Tortis' custom roll on paint job, Home made bikini, 1" Body Lift, 1.25" greasable lift shackles, TG Sliders, 1.5" BJ spacers, Rust is gone! - SOLD! '00 4Runner: Locked F/R - sold!

05-06-2008, 09:44 AM	#25 (permalink)
FUN4U&ME Registered User Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Overland Park, KS Posts: 4	I can appreciate the beauty of a dual sport bike but if I were looking for something cheap and effective, I would probably have to check out an older CBR 600. I had one for a couple years and it was 40+ mpg (based on the way you ride it) and it was fun. You can also take your lady on it with you and it's quick but not super fast! And if you look for an earlier 90's model they are cheap too! Just my thought but I've been wrong before.

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