Hard to find bike?

[ammolab]

Is it the look of a sport bike that rules out the whole group? The riding position?

Several sport bikes have a normal riding position, Kawasaki 300 & 650, Honda 500 etc.

 

[grampi]

A full fairing on a 400-800cc bike is going to kill that thing...it'll take all the power it's got just to do the speed limit on the highway in a head wind...

 

[LoneRanger]

Harley Dyna FLD Switchback.

 

[Robenstein]

Originally Posted By: LoneRanger
Harley Dyna FLD Switchback.


Too big of an engine, and I think probably out of their desired price range.

 

[Silverado12]

^^^Nice bike, though. I think Quattro's suggestion is pretty good. The Honda 700 is cheap enough to buy new.

 

[Robenstein]

They are nice...and they should be for the price tag. I agree also, the new Honda would be the closest thing to what they want off the factory floor without going crazy in cost.

 

[Jarlaxle]

Originally Posted By: grampi
A full fairing on a 400-800cc bike is going to kill that thing...it'll take all the power it's got just to do the speed limit on the highway in a head wind...


Pablum! My Burg will run 80 all day.

 

[grampi]

Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Originally Posted By: grampi
A full fairing on a 400-800cc bike is going to kill that thing...it'll take all the power it's got just to do the speed limit on the highway in a head wind...


Pablum! My Burg will run 80 all day.


What's a Burg?

 

[Quattro Pete]

Suzuki Burgman.

 

[Cujet]

There is an entire class of mid sized motorcycles available today. And, some of them are available in various different configurations. I recently sat on the Honda CB500X adventure bike. It's really quite small, even though it looks like the "big boys", it's not full sized.

 

[Jarlaxle]

Actually, she's looking at a Honda Pacific Coast today.

 

[02SE]

Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Actually, she's looking at a Honda Pacific Coast today.


If it's one of the earlier (late 80's early 90's) models, keep an eye out for deteriorated rubber parts. Ie: brake hoses, carburetor boots, etc.

 

[Jarlaxle]

She's looking at two: a 1996 and a 1998, as I recall. It hits pretty much all her preferences: 800cc V-twin, full fairing with great weather protection, storage, shaft drive, and it seems to be pretty bulletproof even by Honda MC standards. (Doesn't even need valve adjustments!)

 

[WANG]

So what's the word? Did y'all spring for the PC, or what?

 

[Jarlaxle]

The 96, no: it wasn't nearly as nice as the pictures looked, the seat was coming apart, it had been dropped hard (on both sides!), and despite only ~14,000 miles, she said it felt kind of used up.

On the downside, it was a day wasted. On the upside...it was a very nice ride to rural Maine.

She has been playing phone tag with the guy that has the 98. Mostly: hooking up with him in person is tough, because he works night shift. (I got the impression he's a cop.)

 

[grampi]

Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Originally Posted By: grampi
A full fairing on a 400-800cc bike is going to kill that thing...it'll take all the power it's got just to do the speed limit on the highway in a head wind...


Pablum! My Burg will run 80 all day.


There are a lot of bikes that will run 80 all day long...the question is, can you stand to be on them for any period of time at that speed? There aren't many bikes of any size I could be on for very long when the engine is running near max RPMs the whole time...

 

[FastGame]

Originally Posted By: grampi
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Originally Posted By: grampi
A full fairing on a 400-800cc bike is going to kill that thing...it'll take all the power it's got just to do the speed limit on the highway in a head wind...


Pablum! My Burg will run 80 all day.


There are a lot of bikes that will run 80 all day long...the question is, can you stand to be on them for any period of time at that speed? There aren't many bikes of any size I could be on for very long when the engine is running near max RPMs the whole time...


HaHa you hit the nail on the head, grampi

I don't know what RPM Harleys are doing @85mph but, I've followed full dressers riding 2 up and they were pumping thunder for 60-100 miles @85+ mph and not skip a beat. My old naked KZ would would put the hurting on me at those speeds, throw in gusty cross winds I would run out of lane and eat pavement

 

[Jarlaxle]

If there was no tach, you'd never suspect it spins 8000RPM. Ditto for even Liz's Comet...you'd never think that it's topping 9000 on a high-speed run. (Redline is 11,500.) Honestly...the biggest limitation on my Burg is the relatively small fuel tank.

 

[dr2152]

A friend of mine is talking about selling his Goldwing and getting a Burgman 650. He doesn't take long trips anymore so the Burgman should work for the rides he takes with us. We may go this week and look at them.

 

[Jarlaxle]

A Burg 650 is great for long rides...at least one guy has done Iron Butt rides on his.