My 2nd Bike-I Downsized.

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MrCritical

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Did a lot of research before buying my first bike, a used '07 Honda Shadow VLX with 1500 miles. Gave $3500 US for it. Added a windshield, did maintenance by the book, and sold it at 5200 miles for $3000.

Great bike, bulletproof, and worst mileage I ever got was over 50 mpg. I had a personal problem I wanted to share, had nothing to do with the bike.

I've got back problems, basically had a rebuild with cage, fusion, and a tinkertoy looking thing on each side (lower back) that will flex so I can bend over and tie my shoes. I'm 5'10", 200 lbs.

The Shadow was not a heavy bike, at least not compared to some of the 900+ lbs we have now. But I'd see a pothole or something in plenty of time, and just couldn't get the bike around it in time, which not only wasn't safe it did nothing for my confidence. So I sold it.

Well, I got the itch again, and now I'm the proud owner of a new '11 VStar 250. The lighter weight is perfect for my situation, and I never did ride the interstate much. And I'm back on a bike again, which is what matters to me.

Confidence is high, which means to me I'm a safer rider. I've heard about several bike accidents in my area since I sold the Honda which make me wonder. While most people aren't in my situation, how many are wrestling everyday with too much bike?
 
I ride a Suzuki 250, I got it to learn on and actually i like the fuel mileage. I get about 65-68 mpg. I ride it to work and for short trips to home depot when i need nuts or bolts. Even if i got a larger bike for trips,i would keep the 250. I think the 250 is perfect as a utility bike for riding to work.
 
Originally Posted By: spasm3
I ride a Suzuki 250, I got it to learn on and actually i like the fuel mileage. I get about 65-68 mpg. I ride it to work and for short trips to home depot when i need nuts or bolts. Even if i got a larger bike for trips,i would keep the 250. I think the 250 is perfect as a utility bike for riding to work.


Is it an enduro? I almost got a Suzuki SP 250 back in the 80s.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: spasm3
I ride a Suzuki 250, I got it to learn on and actually i like the fuel mileage. I get about 65-68 mpg. I ride it to work and for short trips to home depot when i need nuts or bolts. Even if i got a larger bike for trips,i would keep the 250. I think the 250 is perfect as a utility bike for riding to work.


+1 our little Ninja 250 (wifes) is my commuter for work, i only get my R1 out when i get together with my buddys, the ninja is more comfy too, here in a few weeks me and the miss are going back to the mountains, the little ninjas going with us (back of truck) for all day tooling around comfort. and i can strap a milk crate to the back of the ninja when i need to carry larger loads, like the front rotors of my silverado to be turned at the shop !
 
I made saddle boxes out of saw ammo boxes, they are waterproof and lockable. I painted them and they look pretty good. I can fit a gallon of milk in each on on its side.
 
Yeah my Virago 250 never got worse than 78mpg when I did the sprocket swap. Went to up one tooth on the front and down three on the back and went from the OE open chain to a 115 link x ring chain. Best I got was 93mpg. Im 6'1 and 225lbs. However, when I went to my 865cc Triumph that gets 55mpg, I wont look back. Much more comfy since I do ride long distance.
 
I've always preferred small motorcycles.

When we became a single income household, my aging Suzuki was the first casualty.

Truthfully, it had become a little long of tooth and notchy of shifter anyway.

But this is the first time since I was a youngster with a Briggs and Stratton powered minibike that I have not owned a motorcycle.

I have toyed with the idea of a Chinese 200. The price is right, with a sprocket change and jetting they will reportedly cruise capably at most posted freeway speeds, would provide hours of entertainment for me just tinkering and adjusting, and the engine should be OHV Chonda reliable. If it is not reliable, an entirely new engine can be had cheap.

Like a slightly bigger version of the CB125S I had when I was 15 (for a slightly bigger me)

The problem I have with it is that it is Chinese. Can't get past that really.

I would really rather have a Hyosung 250R. I wouldn't feel bad about it. Republic of Korea has been a solid ally to the USA. But then we are up near the $4000 mark and I'm in deeper than I was with the aging 400 Bandit.
 
I downsized a couple years back. Well, I upsized first.

I swapped a 2000 Yamaha V Star 650 for a 91 Goldwing back in 07 and what a mistake that was! It was 800 pounds worth of nice interstate cruising machinery.....which I didn't do. It was not an around town bike for a 5'8", 165 pound man! Not this one anyway!

I was lucky enough to buy my daughter's new 2006 V Star 650 Classic and then I sold the Goldwing. Took that money and bought a used Honda Rubicon atv....best move I ever made.

I have often toyed with the idea of upsizing from the 650 to say a 1300cc machine but even then, the weight of some of them can be too much for me to handle in tight or close situations.
So I stick with the 650. Plenty of power and just the right size for me.
 
I like my 865cc Speedmaster. Middleweight cruisers suit me the best. If I go to a smaller bike again it would be something like a Suzuki S40.
 
Originally Posted By: MrCritical
BTW, I ck'd fuel mileage @167miles on the clock. 87 octane non-ethanol. 82.009 mpg.


Wow thats impressive! is that bike fuel injected? Best i have gotten is abut 67-68 on my carbed 250.
 
No the Virago/V Star is carbed. Mine at worst got 78mpg and best was 93 after the sprocket change. I always went 175 miles before filling up. Rarely hit the reserve doing that on the highway.
 
Originally Posted By: spasm3
Originally Posted By: MrCritical
BTW, I ck'd fuel mileage @167miles on the clock. 87 octane non-ethanol. 82.009 mpg.


Wow thats impressive! is that bike fuel injected? Best i have gotten is abut 67-68 on my carbed 250.

I guess it depends on a number of factors, but I used to average around 76 mpg on my GZ250, sometimes getting as high as 80, on 87 ethanol fuel. But I know the Virago 250 is even more fuel efficient.
 
Before my sprocket switch I averaged about 80. The switch shaved off at least 500RPM at highway cruising speeds, maybe even 1000. The only think about small bikes I didnt like was the light weight. Windy days in Iowa and semis going by really moved that 323 pound machine all over the place.
 
I guess I'll find out about the "getting moved all over the place", even though I avoid the interstate whenever possible.

With my physical limitations I decided to swap the comfort of the weight for the maneuverablily of the lighter bike. We'll see.
 
I briefly owned a virago 250. I wasn't getting blown around, and the fuel efficiency was great. I only sold it because a friend needed a vehicle and offered me significantly more than I paid. I would buy another if I could find the right price, and I would definitely do the sprocket and chain swap to get rid of the vibrations.
 
Originally Posted By: MrCritical
I guess I'll find out about the "getting moved all over the place", even though I avoid the interstate whenever possible.

With my physical limitations I decided to swap the comfort of the weight for the maneuverablily of the lighter bike. We'll see.



I never was on the interstate, just two lane backroads.
 
Sometimes I think about how it might be fun to get another (3rd) smaller bike for commuting and short haul errands, etc. But then I see what people get for mileage, and I think there's not much point.

Don't get me wrong, 65-80 mpg is impressive. But if I rode my Yamaha FJR at the speeds the smaller bikes are being ridden, I'm sure I could get 50 mpg out of it, or really close. The Honda ST1100 I had for several years would get 50-57 mpg if I rode it at a steady 65-70 on the freeway.

I don't have a problem (yet) with a big bike's size & weight, so the extra performance and versatility still appeal to me more than the cheap running costs and easy handling. When a small bike starts to make more sense for me, I'm thinking either a dirt-capable dual sport or even one of the new electrics might be the way to go for me.
 
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