Buying smaller & lighter?

[Coyote Chris]

Installation of new front tire on my rim with new stem and pirate taxes was $71. When I get back from Reno the FJR will get new shoes and then every bike will have about new rubber. The dealership is remodeling and doing well. They said if I wanted to make an appointment for them to put on new tires it would be 3 weeks out. But if I just drop off the tiress and wheels, its usually same day/next day

 

[DirtFlier]

I rode a Kawasaki W650 when they were first introduced and was impressed.

There are lots of rumors and some spy photos of a Royal Enfield ADV bike fitted with their 650 twin engine plus it appears the Himalayan 411 might soon become a 450 with lots of additional power.

 

[Coyote Chris]

I rode a Kawasaki W650 when they were first introduced and was impressed.

There are lots of rumors and some spy photos of a Royal Enfield ADV bike fitted with their 650 twin engine plus it appears the Himalayan 411 might soon become a 450 with lots of additional power.

The Himalayan and bikes like it, have lots to offer older riders if done right. I still want enough power to cruise at 65 without feeling like the enginee is too busy and I want tubeless tires....
I assembled the first W650 in Downers Grove ILL where I worked at a forigin car dealer that took on Kawasakis....I like that sized bike for older people. Just needs real tires and a few farkels and light touring can easily be done

 

[DirtFlier]

Yes, the RE Himalayan & Scram 411 having tube-type tires in a concern plus I discovered it has the charging system output of a typical dirt bike so probably too wimpy to power my electric vest without the battery going dead. Conversely it would only be ridden in fair weather when having my elec vest would be the last thing on my mind!

Now leaning once more towards a Honda CB500F as my first choice which is their "standard bike." It has upright seating & normal handlebar and foot peg position. The most popular versions are the cruiser Rebel 500 and pseudo-ADV 500X, plus the CBR500R which is a sport bike version.

All the 500s use the same engine that produces 50 HP, mated to a 6-speed, with a wet weight of around 410 lbs (for F-model). I rode an F-model on a demo ride several years ago and was impressed.

 

[Hondafan]

A good selection of smaller bikes https://www.cycleworld.com/story/motorcycle-reviews/ten-great-motorcycles-under-9k/

My personal choice in that mix is the Kawasaki Z400....a true lightweight. I had a CBR500R, and although I really liked it, it did not feel like a lightweight bike. The SV650 is a good looking bike, with a nice motor, but to close in size and weight to my NC700.
Right now I have an 87 Transalp, a 300X, NT and NC700, and an 88 650 Hawk insured. So I get to choose from a pretty varied group. But for no logical or sensible reason, I have my eye on the Z400. Just wish it had a bit more garage appeal.

 

[WVRider]

I got to ride with the guys on these today. The Royal Enfield was the 650 and it sounded awesome and ran super nice. The other is the W800 Kawasaki. Pretty awesome too although the W800 rider said the Enfield has one more gear so much better top end. They could eat up the roads in my area. I was really impressed with the Enfield.

 

[Hondafan]

I have talked to a couple of RE Interceptor owners and they loved them....no complaints. They are a gorgeous bike with some nice touches, like an aluminum fork brace and braided steel brake lines. Below is a CW review.
https://www.cycleworld.com/story/motorcycle-reviews/royal-enfield-int650-review-2022/

 

[mikesim]

I have been enamored by the RE Interceptor since its introduction. A beautiful bike indeed! If I were a bit younger, there would be one sitting in my garage.

Mike

 

[George S.]

Same here Mike. I considered the INT650 but the dealers were adding more than $2K in transport, prep, and other dealers fees to a MSRP that they already wouldn’t move on so I refused to be squeezed. My rule anyway is to always buy lightly used and let someone else eat the 25% depreciation. I also inquired at another dealer on a very low mileage BMW that NADA prices at between $4700 to $6200, and the dealer wanted $8500 BEFORE any added fees. I then found this mint, low mileage, well taken care of and dealer serviced NT from a private seller so here I am. (Again).

 

[JQL]

I was thinking about how, in Europe, they are trying to make high powered vehicles, cars and bikes, obsolete and all other vehicles obey the law.

1. EVs can easily be electronically limited.
2. The EU have mandated that all new vehicles (EV & ICE) must now warn the driver that they are breaking the speed limit with haptic feedback in the accelerator peddle. Later (after 2025 I believe), they will physically stop the vehicle exceeding the speed limit (updating the ECU in vehicles built from 2022 onwards). This is FACT, it is happening in Europe NOW. This means that the facility to turn this on in cars worldwide already exists! If a government decides to mandate it, it's just an ECU update when the vehicle goes in for a service.
3. Speed cameras everywhere (over 4,000 in the UK alone https://www.speedcamerasuk.com/) and they are being rolled out all over Europe (what will happen when cars can't break the speed limit? - Don't buy shares in Speed Camera companies as they'll be out of business in 20 years).

 

[Warren]

I was thinking about how, in Europe, they are trying to make high powered vehicles, cars and bikes, obsolete and all other vehicles obey the law.

1. EVs can easily be electronically limited.
2. The EU have mandated that all new vehicles (EV & ICE) must now warn the driver that they are breaking the speed limit with haptic feedback in the accelerator peddle. Later (after 2025 I believe), they will physically stop the vehicle exceeding the speed limit (updating the ECU in vehicles built from 2022 onwards). This is FACT, it is happening in Europe NOW. This means that the facility to turn this on in cars worldwide already exists! If a government decides to mandate it, it's just an ECU update when the vehicle goes in for a service.
3. Speed cameras everywhere (over 4,000 in the UK alone https://www.speedcamerasuk.com/) and they are being rolled out all over Europe (what will happen when cars can't break the speed limit? - Don't buy shares in Speed Camera companies as they'll be out of business in 20 years).

That will make passing slower moving vehicles pretty slow and dangerous in some situations. Also with many roads having different speed limits how does the car know what the speed limit is

 

[mikesim]

That will make passing slower moving vehicles pretty slow and dangerous in some situations. Also with many roads having different speed limits how does the car know what the speed limit is

Warren, I suspect that they will use the same mapping technology used by the GPS manufacturers. I am always amazed when I approach a school zone or speed limit change that my Zumo recognizes that immediately.

Mike

 

[Warren]

Well I guess the next step will be to take the human out of the equation altogether and have mandatory autopilot cars.

 

[ARKNT]

Mandatory autopilot cars.
Kind of hard for me to imagine under all the oddball conditions out there. Snowstorms, fog that reflects back all signals and such as that. They will work much better than I imagine and better than many drivers today but I'm not a true believer in that technology.

Arknt

 

[RedLdr1]

Warren, I suspect that they will use the same mapping technology used by the GPS manufacturers. I am always amazed when I approach a school zone or speed limit change that my Zumo recognizes that immediately.
Mike

My Ford's built in GPS does the same thing. Plus the forward camera "reads" speed zone signs and changes the map display even if the GPS doesn't. That works out well in construction zones.

 

[JQL]

According to the info, they're going to use a mixture of GPS and reading the Road signs with the cameras.

They're not interested in whether it takes you 10 minutes to pass another vehicle (this has been the case in the UK for about 30 years or so with lorries limited to 56 mph). They are looking at allowing short periods of (limited) increased speed in order to overtake for an initial period only.

This is all to do with the introduction of autonomous vehicles and trying to stop people owning cars in Europe. They are already banning certain vehicles from city centres and making it expensive for other vehicles to enter cities (the London LEZ and ULEZ, Paris Crit'air etc). People will, instead, call an autonomous Uber or Bolt or whatever to do their shopping and use public transport for the rest. I just hope they don't live in the countryside but the EU hasn't thought about that (or don't care)!

 

[Bear]

The 305 was definitely a big bike in those days especially for some long distance folks. The Harleys and Indians were still the majority. I remember riding my NSU 250 cross country without incident in 1961. The NSU was not a fast bike but was capable of maintaining 65MPH all day. It was also a very comfortable bike when equipped with the optional Denfeld seat.

 

[DirtFlier]

Bear - was your NSU a Max or Super Max? One or both of those engines had reciprocating rods (not pushrods) acting on an eccentric at the cam. I thought it was certainly a different way to operate the valves. What was the redline on that bike?

 

[Bear]

The NSU was a 1956 Special Max--way ahead of its time with a monoshock in the rear. It also had the reciprocating rods to drive the overhead camshaft. Other features were interchangable front and rear wheels, and a hinged rear mudguard to facilitate rear wheel removal. I also liked the fully enclosed chainguard. The bike handled really well.

 

[DirtFlier]

My '67 BMW R69S which I sold to a collector many moons ago, had interchangeable wheels.