let's argue about obsolete old motorcycles

[PowerDubs_imp]

The sv650 have a huge following and after market as well.

Never rode one, but hear they are great fun and sound nice.

got to ride and almost bought a Suzuki RE5 in the day but went with my 2nd CB750 instead. it was smooth and needed revved to take off.

That's about as trial by fire as the cbx- talk about a learning curve and throwing wrenches around the garage!!

...and with what I would guess would be much less community support, knowledge and parts availability.

[misterprofessionality]

good advice. some notes:

I had seen the TZR250 and thought it was quite sexy as well. I had also seen the RZ350 on your post and researched it fairly extensively, but just couldn't figure out where in the heck you're supposed to be able to buy one. it's the rarity of these bikes that is making me stumble. any advice on shopping for one? is it the kind of situation where you're just going to have to import it if you really want one?

as far as a bike being "blase" or what-have-you, my only goal is to be able to get a good deal more pep and acceleration out of it than I can get out of my big CB. i've grown so used to its power and weight that i think i'd want my second bike to be totally different, ultra light weight and a firecracker, able to totally dust the CB in the twisties. I know, there's a very wide range of bikes that fit into that category.

The SV650 is definitely still on the list, I was just directing this most recent question at 2 strokes because i find i'm attracted to the idea of such an exceptionally light and small displacement bike being able to produce so much acceleration.

[PowerDubs_imp]

Aprilia 250.


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[use2b_imp]

RD 400

[LongRanger_imp]

Bimota V-Due 500. Good luck finding one!

[PowerDubs_imp]

Aprilia 250.


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cool...i didn't know aprillia made one! the price doesn't seem to be too far removed from some of the others i've looked at. i have to ask since it's italian: reliability?

RD 400

Bimota V-Due 500. Good luck finding one!

the RD400 and the V-due both do seem to be really really hard to find. One of the caveats of this proposal was to get something that would be relatively obtainable. I don't want to end up on some wild goose chase.

vdue makes an rg look like a bargain basement bike. lol. 400 is a good option as well. rs 250's are in the same range as rzs and much, much pricier to maintain. god forbid you hurt the cosmetics. $$$$$$

my advice.. join an rz discussion group (or whatever you want) and lurk around. i dug all over this forum a week before i decided to purchase. the FB groups are hit and miss.

i'll have to look for one. it'll be a good long while before i'm putting down cash for one, but if the RZ is really the best suggestion, then it's the one i'll focus on for now and gather as much info as I can.

Ummm- you did say 2-stroke right?

Honestly- pretty much any of the bikes you are talking about whether age, Italian, parts availability, prior owner, etc- reliability is a huge roll of the dice, honestly shouldn't be a concern or else you are misguided and shopping wrong.

What you are looking for should be thought of as a Sunday morning rider- close enough to home if it breaks you can call the wife/friend to pick you up and come back with a pickup or trailer.

Which- is a *very* large reason many of us own the CB.

We get the old school bike looks, feel, vibe- whatever, with modern Honda Accord mannerism.

If you want to ride a little further, or wrench less often- go newer like a SuperHawk...or as mentioned the SV. The SV650 is the Mazda Miata of motorcycles. Huge support in knowledge and parts. Readily available to buy local, cheap.

Personally I would look for a 73 and later RD 350. Easier to find. Much cheaper. Reed valve, so easier to work on, air cooled so simple. Yet has the 6 speed trans, electronic ign, auto lube injection.

First thing we blocked off when kids. Of course at that point we were in the woods, and not pulling into a gas station- but another point of possible failure. Especially 45 years later,..

[misterprofessionality]

Personally I would look for a 73 and later RD 350. Easier to find. Much cheaper. Reed valve, so easier to work on, air cooled so simple. Yet has the 6 speed trans, electronic ign, auto lube injection.

The RD is definitely on my radar, and you're right, it is very easy to find. heck, i found 3 in good running condition for a very good price right off the line. However, i'm worried that, while I can use it to learn the mechanics, I may be disappointed when it comes to actually riding the thing on the weekends. I can pleasure cruise on my CB. If the RD is just a slower, smaller version of that, i'll need to keep my options open. That said, I did see that M in SC has a fairly awesome cafe'd up RD350 with 70rwhp that i don't doubt would dust a stock CB11 anywhere under 80mph. Whether or not I could ever learn enough about mechanics to match such an awesome bike is up in the air. it may take many years to get there, which is why i didn't just jump on an RD350 immediately for simplicity's sake.

Aprilia 250.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

cool...i didn't know aprillia made one! the price doesn't seem to be too far removed from some of the others i've looked at. i have to ask since it's italian: reliability?

RD 400

Bimota V-Due 500. Good luck finding one!

the RD400 and the V-due both do seem to be really really hard to find. One of the caveats of this proposal was to get something that would be relatively obtainable. I don't want to end up on some wild goose chase.

vdue makes an rg look like a bargain basement bike. lol. 400 is a good option as well. rs 250's are in the same range as rzs and much, much pricier to maintain. god forbid you hurt the cosmetics. $$$$$$

my advice.. join an rz discussion group (or whatever you want) and lurk around. i dug all over this forum a week before i decided to purchase. the FB groups are hit and miss.

i'll have to look for one. it'll be a good long while before i'm putting down cash for one, but if the RZ is really the best suggestion, then it's the one i'll focus on for now and gather as much info as I can.

Ummm- you did say 2-stroke right?

Honestly- pretty much any of the bikes you are talking about whether age, Italian, parts availability, prior owner, etc- reliability is a huge roll of the dice, honestly shouldn't be a concern or else you are misguided and shopping wrong.

What you are looking for should be thought of as a Sunday morning rider- close enough to home if it breaks you can call the wife/friend to pick you up and come back with a pickup or trailer.

Which- is a *very* large reason many of us own the CB.

We get the old school bike looks, feel, vibe- whatever, with modern Honda Accord mannerism.

If you want to ride a little further, or wrench less often- go newer like a SuperHawk...or as mentioned the SV. The SV650 is the Mazda Miata of motorcycles. Huge support in knowledge and parts. Readily available to buy local, cheap.

Personally I would look for a 73 and later RD 350. Easier to find. Much cheaper. Reed valve, so easier to work on, air cooled so simple. Yet has the 6 speed trans, electronic ign, auto lube injection.

First thing we blocked off when kids. Of course at that point we were in the woods, and not pulling into a gas station- but another point of possible failure. Especially 45 years later,..

Ummm- you did say 2-stroke right?
heh, yea, i did. i'm sorry for being non-specific. this is most definitely a weekend rider that gets work done during the week. in fact, the minor repair and maintenance is primarily what i'm in it for. i want something that will give me an opportunity to work on it and troubleshoot. However, when i asked about reliability as it relates to an italian bike, i was referring to *catastrophic* failures. developing an oil leak, or refusing to start, or losing horsepower is all well and good. when i think of an Aprilia, i'm wondering if it's going to burst into flames or some such. I was just asking if the RS250 is likely to develop an issue so catastrophic that I would be unable to reasonably repair it.

[PowerDubs_imp]

Personally I would look for a 73 and later RD 350. Easier to find. Much cheaper. Reed valve, so easier to work on, air cooled so simple. Yet has the 6 speed trans, electronic ign, auto lube injection.

The RD is definitely on my radar, and you're right, it is very easy to find. heck, i found 3 in good running condition for a very good price right off the line. However, i'm worried that, while I can use it to learn the mechanics, I may be disappointed when it comes to actually riding the thing on the weekends. I can pleasure cruise on my CB. If the RD is just a slower, smaller version of that, i'll need to keep my options open. That said, I did see that M in SC has a fairly awesome cafe'd up RD350 with 70rwhp that i don't doubt would dust a stock CB11 anywhere under 80mph. Whether or not I could ever learn enough about mechanics to match such an awesome bike is up in the air. it may take many years to get there, which is why i didn't just jump on an RD350 immediately for simplicity's sake.

Aprilia 250.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

cool...i didn't know aprillia made one! the price doesn't seem to be too far removed from some of the others i've looked at. i have to ask since it's italian: reliability?

RD 400

Bimota V-Due 500. Good luck finding one!

the RD400 and the V-due both do seem to be really really hard to find. One of the caveats of this proposal was to get something that would be relatively obtainable. I don't want to end up on some wild goose chase.

vdue makes an rg look like a bargain basement bike. lol. 400 is a good option as well. rs 250's are in the same range as rzs and much, much pricier to maintain. god forbid you hurt the cosmetics. $$$$$$

my advice.. join an rz discussion group (or whatever you want) and lurk around. i dug all over this forum a week before i decided to purchase. the FB groups are hit and miss.

i'll have to look for one. it'll be a good long while before i'm putting down cash for one, but if the RZ is really the best suggestion, then it's the one i'll focus on for now and gather as much info as I can.

Ummm- you did say 2-stroke right?

Honestly- pretty much any of the bikes you are talking about whether age, Italian, parts availability, prior owner, etc- reliability is a huge roll of the dice, honestly shouldn't be a concern or else you are misguided and shopping wrong.

What you are looking for should be thought of as a Sunday morning rider- close enough to home if it breaks you can call the wife/friend to pick you up and come back with a pickup or trailer.

Which- is a *very* large reason many of us own the CB.

We get the old school bike looks, feel, vibe- whatever, with modern Honda Accord mannerism.

If you want to ride a little further, or wrench less often- go newer like a SuperHawk...or as mentioned the SV. The SV650 is the Mazda Miata of motorcycles. Huge support in knowledge and parts. Readily available to buy local, cheap.

Personally I would look for a 73 and later RD 350. Easier to find. Much cheaper. Reed valve, so easier to work on, air cooled so simple. Yet has the 6 speed trans, electronic ign, auto lube injection.

First thing we blocked off when kids. Of course at that point we were in the woods, and not pulling into a gas station- but another point of possible failure. Especially 45 years later,..

Ummm- you did say 2-stroke right?
heh, yea, i did. i'm sorry for being non-specific. this is most definitely a weekend rider that gets work done during the week. in fact, the minor repair and maintenance is primarily what i'm in it for. i want something that will give me an opportunity to work on it and troubleshoot. However, when i asked about reliability as it relates to an italian bike, i was referring to *catastrophic* failures. developing an oil leak, or refusing to start, or losing horsepower is all well and good. when i think of an Aprilia, i'm wondering if it's going to burst into flames or some such. I was just asking if the RS250 is likely to develop an issue so catastrophic that I would be unable to reasonably repair it.

Well- there is a reason Honda made the NSX, and VW the R8 & Gallardo.