Need a new ride.

[93hatchDX]

I need a long distance vehicle. I plan (hope) to ride 3000 miles a month.

Going to work is very close, but I want to travel.

I'm stuck between a motorcycle which costs 5-6 grand and gets 70MPG.

or trying to find a year 2000 honda insight, I see them go for about 6-7 grand.

I thought about a metro, but around here they want 2000 grand for automatics.
I would need the 3/5speed ofcourse.

I live near Fresno Ca so its sunny 98% of the year.

My worry with the basic motorcycle is the ride, I've talked to some people and they say it wears them out on short trips. I'm also looking at the honda forza, hopefully a ride I can live with.

Could use some advice.

[Insight for life]

so much are you wanting to spend? we need more info. I am in fresno too. I have an insight I am going to be selling.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

If you don't have too much experience with motorcycles, I should advice you that getting one with ABS brakes when available as option does worth the extra money you'd put on it. And if you don't have to haul too much stuff in your commutting or grocery-getting, the motorcycle would still provide a lower running cost than the Insight due to the lesser amount of tyres, lube oil/grease, brake pads, among other stuff...

[93hatchDX]

Picked up a brand new aprilia sportcity 250cc scooter today.
Its an Italian brand, so the speedometer is in kilometers. Italians are know for quality right? Lmao.

Top speed 90
Real world mpg 75

Purchased for 3500, monthly payment 100. Insurance 100/ year. Gieco.
California yearly registration is 118 a year. Wisconsin, where I'm from is 23 a year. Lol. California tax.

It will allow me to get out of the central valley in comfort with almost no cost

I did see zero-x (?) Company is selling a full electric bike top speed 70 mph and range of 35 I think. That's the base model and 100 a month payment.

There is a video of jay Leno riding it on YouTube.

The scooter I picked up was described like riding a couch down the freeway,... fits my style...


My next ride will be a 1948 Pontiac torpedo..

[Frank Lee]

Originally Posted by cRiPpLe_rOoStEr

If you don't have too much experience with motorcycles, I should advice you that getting one with ABS brakes when available as option does worth the extra money you'd put on it. And if you don't have to haul too much stuff in your commutting or grocery-getting, the motorcycle would still provide a lower running cost than the Insight due to the lesser amount of tyres, lube oil/grease, brake pads, among other stuff...

ABS? Seriously? Just learn how to ride the dang thing- the rest of us did.

Don't forget about the extreme rape prices for motorsports parts vs auto parts.

[YukonCornelius]

driving 3k a month on a bike puts on the short statistics list for having an accident.

[freebeard]

My next ride will be a 1948 Pontiac torpedo..

The sedanette?

[RedDevil]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

ABS? Seriously? Just learn how to ride the dang thing- the rest of us did.

Originally Posted by Lbar

driving 3k a month on a bike puts on the short statistics list for having an accident.

In 2006 I attended the European Pan European Club Meeting, and at the closing evening party one of my tablemates - a brittle looking pensioner - told me that he was going to exchange his second ST1300 for a new one.
I was amazed, because the ST1300 had only been avaliable for just under 5 years.
"Well, you know the 1300, like your 1100, can handle a lot of miles before they get problematic, but I can afford a new one so I just do that when the old one has passed 200.000 km (125.000 miles)".
That man drove 7000 km a month, summer and winter. Just not when the roads were iced over, but then he just made sure he was in Spain or Greece or so.

He very rarely had accidents. He had a few in almost a million kilometers (he had 2 ST1100s before the 1300s) but claimed that he knew when to expect danger, sense which other drivers were paying attention or not, etc. And most of the time he knew the road he was on and what to expect from that. He meant all roads in Europe that were worth travelling on.

Needless to say, I felt like an absolute infant compared to him, with less than 50.000 km of non-commute biking in my entire life.

All his Pans had ABS. He claimed it gave him great confidence and had probably saved his life.
Mine has no ABS. And now it has no fairing. It would still have its fairing if it had ABS.

Accidents are not caused by experience but by the lack of it.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

ABS? Seriously? Just learn how to ride the dang thing- the rest of us did.

Even if you're a skilled motorcycle rider, nothing prevents a drunken guy to hit you with a truck and run it over your legs, as happened with my dad once. OK, even if the motorcycle had ABS, it would be useless in that situation, but in many others it can be the difference between life and death.

[Frank Lee]

If one is that worried about safety, they belong in a cage.