Looking for a tough motorcycle | GTAMotorcycle.com

Looking for a tough motorcycle

Deimos

Deimos

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So I'm coming to terms with myself and think I'm better suited to a motorbike built tough, the type I won't cry about when it falls, the type that can go distances comfortably, not cost you your first born child to maintain, the one that can take abuse and still love you.

No lie, I dream about my CBR getting stolen or getting caught in the rain! A little paint coming off here or a scratch there.... When I'm riding, I worry about any noise that seems 'off' when it's just the other cars around me making odd sounds. I don't want to worry that much over my bike, sounds like a high maintenance woman.

So there has to be bikes out there that fit the profile above...
 
Deimos said:
So I'm coming to terms with myself and think I'm better suited to a motorbike built tough, the type I won't cry about when it falls, the type that can go distances comfortably, not cost you your first born child to maintain, the one that can take abuse and still love you.

No lie, I dream about my CBR getting stolen or getting caught in the rain! A little paint coming off here or a scratch there.... When I'm riding, I worry about any noise that seems 'off' when it's just the other cars around me making odd sounds. I don't want to worry that much over my bike, sounds like a high maintenance woman.

So there has to be bikes out there that fit the profile above...
Click to expand...

First of all - Don't worry so much.....lol.
I rode with a chick, ONCE, who rode an 883. The bike spend more time on it's side, than upright. After she dumped it about 7 or 8 times trying to get up Twiss Rd, I got sick to the balls of picking it up for her, climbed on it, and rode it up. Horrilbe bike, but sure took a beating that day (and others I'm sure), and nothing was broken.
Just a (dumb) thought.
 
Yup the DL-650 is a good bet. A dual sport guy once told me that you get the bike bring it home and put it on the side stand. Then give it a boot and knock it over - then you are good to go. (I'd put some crash bars on firts though ;)) . Some good deals on Varaderos out there too. I bought one last fall and have put over 13k on it and love it.
 
Deimos said:
So I'm coming to terms with myself and think I'm better suited to a motorbike built tough, the type I won't cry about when it falls, the type that can go distances comfortably, not cost you your first born child to maintain, the one that can take abuse and still love you.

No lie, I dream about my CBR getting stolen or getting caught in the rain! A little paint coming off here or a scratch there.... When I'm riding, I worry about any noise that seems 'off' when it's just the other cars around me making odd sounds. I don't want to worry that much over my bike, sounds like a high maintenance woman.

So there has to be bikes out there that fit the profile above...
Click to expand...

Go with an old-school' air/oil cooled engine to avoid breaking important parts that might leave you stranded. There are some decent looking old Suzuki GS's or CB Hondas avaiable at good prices at this time of the year
 
I used to be the same way about my CBR. I'd obsess about every little nick or scratch on it, spend way too much cleaning it and polishing the plastics. Then I crashed it and you know what? I could really care less about the appearance now. Mind you, the damage was minimal, but there's no way I'm going to spend the coin to replace or repaint the tail and side plastic for some rash that doesn't affect the way the bike functions.

So my advice to you is, either stop caring so much about keeping a pristine bike, or sell it and buy a dual sport. If I was going to get a dual, I'd get a DR.
 
Gremlin said:
Yup the DL-650 is a good bet. A dual sport guy once told me that you get the bike bring it home and put it on the side stand. Then give it a boot and knock it over - then you are good to go. (I'd put some crash bars on firts though ;)) . Some good deals on Varaderos out there too. I bought one last fall and have put over 13k on it and love it.
Click to expand...

+1 on the Varadero, rode it at a Honda demo day and absolutely LOVED it :)
 
silverbullet132 said:
+1 on the Varadero, rode it at a Honda demo day and absolutely LOVED it :)
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Ditto that. I had more fun on the Varadero, than the other 3 or 4 hundred bikes I've demo rode.
Would a Varadero meet the OP's expectations though?
 
This video seems fitting:

[video=youtube;Zibj7KnjClk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zibj7KnjClk[/video]

...and a KLR definitely fits your criteria
 
Whenever I go touring, the number one bike I see all over the place is the V-Strom 650. Next common is probably a big BMW GS, the V-Strom's outnumber the GS's probably 3-4 to 1 though. Definitely says something positive about the bike.

Nice thing is they're so dirt cheap, who cares if you scratch it or crash it. Hell, they look better when they're beat to crap
 
SkinnyPedal said:
This video seems fitting:

...and a KLR definitely fits your criteria
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Yup, I second the dual sport. One might look at my bike and think I could care less about it, but it's just that I enjoy riding it more than I like looking at it. I knocked a hole in the coolant reserve tank, so I replaced it with a turkey baster zip-tied up by the rad :)
 
Heck any old SS would fit the bill too. For example my CBR F2 took a beating like a champ. I put the dino rotella every 10K. I didn't do a valve adjustment in 50k. IMHO there is nothing special about the DL-650. I was about to buy one but it's suspension is horrible. It's also heavy and under powered. My F2 is more of a "dual sport" than the DL-650.
 
KLR-650 fits the bill - cheap tough and if you buy pre-2008 parts are the same for previous 20 years.
Lots of after market stuff and you can find them for sale already kitted out.
 
Buy a Bandit. It isn't perfect, but it's cheap to buy, cheap to insure and incredibly reliable.
 
DRZ400SM

you can drop it from orbit and ride it back home.

You'll become a better rider and have more fun than you will on anything else mentioned.
 
stop worrying so much! Just ride the damn thing, you don't need another bike to do it.
 
i crashed my 94 Katana 600, still ride it today, didn't do any frame damage or anything. Only cosmetics had to be replaced. Dropped it a coouple times too, great learning bike.
 
I got a DR650 for the same reason. I just wanna ride - don't need yet another beauty queen to be looking after. There's so much dirt on mine right now that you can't even tell where all the warning/spec labels are anymore. Chain, sprocket and controls sparkle of course...
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