local news story with my local dealer

[sonicspeed]

the commercial appeal just did a story on how popular motorcycles and scooters are becoming because of the high gas prices

clicky

 

[ARFJR]

Same on this side of the river. Scoots' seem to be everywhere!

I'm seeing many older bike being dusted off too.

 

[topanga]

I went to look at Triumphs and Suzukis the other day cause I am thinking about adding a Speed Triple or a Street Triple or maybe a V-Strom to the garage and the salesman said he sold 18 bikes in the last week alone. I said that's great for you, and he said yes, but he felt that he was putting a lot of people on bikes that had little business being on them.

I wonder, is my insurance gonna go up or down?

 

[Crash Cash]

he said yes, but he felt that he was putting a lot of people on bikes that had little business being on them.

That's pretty scary coming from a salesman!

FYI, don't get the 650 V-Strom, it's a rolling turd. It was so bad, I was looking at Harleys as an upgrade! I still love my SV-650 though.

 

[docsulivan]

the commercial appeal just did a story on how popular motorcycles and scooters are becoming because of the high gas pricesclicky

Interesting that in a pure numbers situation it doesn't save that much money.

If your car gets 25 mpg and you drive 300 miles a week that's 15 gallons

Motorcycle that gets 50 mpg over 300 miles a week = 6 gallons

9 gallons saved a week @ $4/gallon =$1872....looks good...except:

If you took a $7000 loan out at 6% over 36 mos to buy the bike= $212/mos; insurance at $500 a year=41/mos...that's $3044/yr. You are paying 1200/yr for the privlege of saving 1800. Throw in the initial tax, title, tage, helmet, boots, jacket, gloves, ect and the price of ownership increase.

Of course the addition of more biker to the population, more enjoyment out of life, meeting new friends = priceless(knew that was coming, didn't you)

Doc

 

[Old Michael]

FYI, don't get the 650 V-Strom, it's a rolling turd.

Well. That settles that I reckon. :huh:

 

[Feejer/Weejer man]

The Wee is one of the best all around bikes I have ever ridden. A custom seat and a little suspension work and this thing is a hoot to ride. And @ 50 mpg and one bullet proof motor this is a great commute bike. I talked with a Yamaha rep who has probably ridden more miles and bikes than most and he loves his Wee Strom. So don't dis my ride man

 

[Tenchi]

It takes a long, long time for a bike to pay itself off in fuel savings, especially with the higher maintainence thrown in. As my dad always put it, $7000 buys a lot of fuel. Motorbikes (and fuel) are more expensive in Australia so people try to pull this trick all the time, but bikes lose the financial race. Cars are cheaper to run in Australia. Even a 250cc, which is amongst the cheap of the cheap, or a Honda CT110 (Honda postie bike that runs forever in Australia or stock standard family transport vehicle in Thailand) will still cost you enough in maintainence to make it a lot of miles before you break even.

There's only one real reason to ride a motorbike: Because you love it

EDIT: And who buys a R6 because they want to "ride it gently"? Honestly... as a side note, spotted an old '78 Honda CX500 sitting in the car park the other day... they really are bringing out the relics now

 

[DailyCommuter]

Yeah that, and you look totally badass on one.

 

[twowheelnut]

FYI, don't get the 650 V-Strom, it's a rolling turd. It was so bad, I was looking at Harleys as an upgrade! I still love my SV-650 though.

Oh, yeah?! Well, yo mamma, too! :****:

DL650 is one of the best bangs-for-the-buck going. Bar none.

 

[airboss]

I'll agree with newspaper, after three days of shopping the three largest volume dealers in the area, the ones that carry the biggest inventory. I saw tons of liter bikes, many massive cruisers, lots of Gold wings. I saw no scooters, nothing half liter or under, and a very few 750's. Kinda scary lot of new riders out there, I see almost as many yellow plates (temporary) as regular plates.