let's argue about obsolete old motorcycles

[misterprofessionality]

Kawasaki KDX200. Two stroke that's easy and relatively inexpensive to work on. They're an absolute blast to ride. There's nothing quite like the power delivery of 2 smoker. They're a bit hard to find, because people hang on to them for a long time. If you're patient, you'll find one.

Edit: Just saw that you can't get to the dirt. Well, that sucks. So maybe a motard will work...

sadly, the busybodies in my subdivision would have a fit if i went tear-assing around everybody's yard. a Dirt bike does have a truly separate use from my CB, and a built in excuse to own an extra bike, but sadly i'll never get to use it. it's a fools errand.

Well Mr. P, I know you have 6 cylinders on your mind, but I will humbly and respectfully submit the Evo-powered Harley-Davidson from 1985 - 2000. Not as collectible or as expensive as the previous Shovel, Pan and Knuckle bikes, but rideable, reliable and entertaining with their quirks and foibles. The Evo was used in the rubber mount FLH dressers, rubber mount FXRs and later FXDs, and Softail models, so you have a variety of riding styles to choose from.

Your challenge will be to find one is stock condition, instead of one modified by someone who evidently was smarter than the H-D engineers. And ironically goaded on by Harley-Davidson's own Parts and Accessories catalog!

you know something? i could get behind that. I've owned low cruisers so I know an old harley is a very different machine and a very different experience compared to my CB. More than that, an old harley is going to need a lot of care, and thus gives me an excuse to work on it. what's the lightest, most "nimble" model from that era you can think of? i know Harley Davidson isn't known for making nimble bikes, but you get my meaning. The big baggers are more of a pain to ride than anything else.

Lay down and take a nap until the feeling goes away. You really don't want 6 carbs in your fleet - even if, maybe especially because; they are on one bike.

As the former owner of a 1983 Goldwing, buddy, I don't even want 4 carbs. i'm traumatized by carbs. If i'm going to learn anything, though I need to get over that.

MrP, there’s a whole symposium in this proposition. Two quick thoughts though:

First, if you really don’t know much about working on bikes why would you start learning on something as hideously complicated as a 6-cylinder? Go with something with one or two cylinders and, when you nail it, move up.

Secondly, why would you risk trashing something as exquisite as a CBX?

Just sayin’.

well, in the CB, I already have my permanent machine. It will serve my needs for, presumably, decades. That said, I'm just really really trying to avoid the rat race of endlessly buying and selling bikes. I don't want to do that. Ideally, this second bike would be the last bike i ever purchase. I'm really a BIFL guy.

As for the CBX, the idea was that such an exquisite masterpiece would motivate me to turn to and put out all my strength of arm and heart and brain and "make the Mary Ellen Carter rise again," so to speak. it's such a beautiful thing. I think i would focus all my considerable potential on *not* trashing it. Also, it's kind of the "if you can dodge a wrench..." principle. If i can give life to a CBX there's nothing i can't fix.

not saying that's a smart plan, it's just the excuse I came up with in my head.

you know something? i could get behind that. I've owned low cruisers so I know an old harley is a very different machine and a very different experience compared to my CB. More than that, an old harley is going to need a lot of care, and thus gives me an excuse to work on it. what's the lightest, most "nimble" model from that era you can think of? i know Harley Davidson isn't known for making nimble bikes, but you get my meaning. The big baggers are more of a pain to ride than anything else.
You want something you can ride a little bit too, no? I would suggest any post 1994 Evolution powered bike. I say post '94 as that is when Harley's metallurgy technology finally reached the point where they for the most part eliminated the infamous Harley oil leak by properly mating metals and alloys together at seams allowing for the expansion/contraction of heating/cooling metals. TLDR - they stopped leaking.

If it were me (and coincidentally it is as I am keeping an eye out for one) I would look for a late '90s/early '00s Sportster 1200 Sport or Roadster. They come stock with higher rear shocks, usually mid controls and a bit of a power advantage. They are easy to work on, parts are cheap and plentiful and they are getting to be dirt cheap to buy.

What's not to like?

https://www.cycletrader.com/listing/2002...5002308307

bingo

not that it matters if i find one now, i'm not buying anything at all until Buster is paid off. But this is what I was researching, how much will i spend, where will i get it, how available is it, ect ect.

edit: it's worth mentioning that i wouldn't call this issue "closed" per se, i just think this is good advice and a very good candidate. new and different suggestions are still welcome.

Lets narrow it down a bit.

When you say learn- do you actually mean 'learn' or just something to wrench on, and experience?

Example- an old 2-stroke such as an RZ350 is a cool fun play bike, but learning the top end of a 2-stroke is different and simpler than a 4-stroke. But you still have the same basic of a clutch, throttle, carb, wheels, chain, forks...

Are you ok with water cooled?

If you have your heart set on something exotic, while I'd never own a CBX I have owned a few VFR- a 700 and a 750. Both V-four engines with gear driven cams. They sound fantastic with a set of mufflers. The level of complexity increases though. You can get the same basic engine design in a cruiser- Honda Magna.

There are a ton of bikes with character and oddities back in the 80's from all the manufacturers.

yea, the first one. I need to learn with real world circumstances. I find that i do best with things like this when i go to task, solve a problem, and move on to the next real world problem. I can't tolerate something like that on my main bike, because i need to rely on it so much. I'm not entirely opposed to a 2-stroke, I would just have to be very careful to be sure it's actually going to teach me what I need to know about working on 4-stroke motorcycles.

i'm fine with water-cooled stuff...i suppose most modern stuff is water-cooled, so it's the right direction to be going in. i just don't hold out hope that there are going to be too many water-cooled bikes ancient enough to be cheap enough for me to purchase for this project, though i may be over-stressing that.

Exotic as a concept isn't really the key, I was more interested in the CBX because...well..it's a CBX, and they're a hell of a lot cheaper than i thought they were.