AMERICANS: Would you buy a 125cc motorcycle for the street?

[JSH]

I'm also looking for a bike the the back of an RV. However mine needs to be capable of freeway speeds and carry a passenger. I also will not buy another motorcycle without EFI and ABS.

It is funny different people's perception of the same bike. To me a CRF300L is light as a feather at 333 lbs with fuel in the tank. That is half the weight of my current BMW and the MP3 500 is a porky 540 lbs.

The Ruckus is priced like it is because it is made in Japan (both the engine and final assembly) The Navi was designed in India and I bet most of the parts are made there. Final assembly for the US market is in Mexico. (We will know more when the NAVI hits the EPA certification website)

When the Navi was still sold in India it was priced at $612 so I'm sure Honda is making a good margin on the US ones priced at $2007.

[freebeard]

I was avoiding the thread for lack of interest, but then Just A Car Guy posted this:


Just A Car Guy: Honda Karisma 125cc mini Chopper build in Indonesia by Siskal Kustom Garage Batam.

This is pretty mild in Extrim Vespa country.

[Hersbird]

I can't put it on the back of the teardrop because it would interfere with the kitchen door and mess up the weight balance bad. So unless I get a Maverick or Gladiator it needs to be small enough to lift onto the rack on the front, or maybe add a little motorcycle rack that has the ramp. I don't mind having "too much" tongue weight, I don't think that's actually possible assuming you stay under the limits of the tow vehicle, but found it's pretty easy to have too little weight on the hitch loading up a cargo box on the back of a camper.

The US Navi does seem to have a couple of adds like the cargo box and a better display with gas gauge not on the original India version. Of course importing something adds a ton to anything "inexpensive". A few hundred on a $20,000 purchase is peanuts, on a $1,800 purchase it seems like a lot.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by freebeard

I'm not sure if it would be legal in my country to fit a side-car to a Honda Cub, but a mini Chopper like that would be OK.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

I usually say a 250cc motorcycle has a good balance of fuel economy and overall performance. What about this Honda XLX 250 which had its RFVC engine swapped for a DOHC one out of a CBF250 or a Brazilian XR 250 Tornado?

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

[hayden55]

I would've murdered somebody to have a 1990s Suzuki DR 125 growing up

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...f1/Dr125_1.JPG

I see these quite a bit even now and I think about getting one, but I'm afraid to go look because I'm 6'4" and fit perfectly on a KLR 650 that a lot of people are too short to get on flat footed. lol
Off road on the OHV trails they would be sweet. 55mph to the trails, and having a lightweight low maintenance bike is nice! The KLR can be a handful if you need to man handle the bike or get it un-stuck and on the trails i don't need much power.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

At least, when it comes to trail motorcycles, even a 125 would be comfortable for tall folks.

[Daschicken]

On the subject of trail bikes... I have been heavily entertaining the idea of taking a virago 250 / V-star 250 engine and putting it in a dirt bike / dual sport frame. The engine is very light for a V-twin, something like 68 pounds, well within what an actual dirtbike engine would weigh. It would be a great chance to improve my fabrication skills and create something truly unique, but also practical.

Just need to find appropriate donor bikes now.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

V-Twins were not so common on trail bikes, and the only ones I can remember were at least 450.