04-10-2015, 04:07 PM
An update:
The adoption...failed. The Kaw was just not meeting expectations. So it went back to the motorcycle adoption agency....
Thing just wouldn't keep up with traffic; very buzzy...and worst sin of all, didn't want to start when cold. The gummed-up carb. Ten minutes with ether starter spray EVERY cold-start.
Having the carb repaired would have been a $300 job. That's hard to justify on a bike this price...
What tripped it, was I accidentially discovered a dual-sport model, highly-recommended as an urban machine. The Yamaha TW200...and a very-local dealer had two 2013 TWs, that were used in the MSF courses...up for sale. $3000; with 250 miles on them.
He gave me $600 for the Kaw - which was warmed up and starting easily. He thought he could sell it easy to some young customer's lady-companion...of course she'll never check the oil and will trade it in after 200 miles...but some people and some bikes are born under a bad sign.
First he'll have to rebuild the carburetor - something a bike with 2400 miles should never need.
Anyway...the TW200 is three times the bike. Does legal speeds with ease, and not that slowly. Seems to top out at 65. I sit in a more-comfortable position. And, best of all...this opens me up to something that's new to me - all these extensive ORV trails in Forest Service land around here, in my new (one year) home.
Didn't even lose that much money on it.
The adoption...failed. The Kaw was just not meeting expectations. So it went back to the motorcycle adoption agency....
Thing just wouldn't keep up with traffic; very buzzy...and worst sin of all, didn't want to start when cold. The gummed-up carb. Ten minutes with ether starter spray EVERY cold-start.
Having the carb repaired would have been a $300 job. That's hard to justify on a bike this price...
What tripped it, was I accidentially discovered a dual-sport model, highly-recommended as an urban machine. The Yamaha TW200...and a very-local dealer had two 2013 TWs, that were used in the MSF courses...up for sale. $3000; with 250 miles on them.
He gave me $600 for the Kaw - which was warmed up and starting easily. He thought he could sell it easy to some young customer's lady-companion...of course she'll never check the oil and will trade it in after 200 miles...but some people and some bikes are born under a bad sign.
First he'll have to rebuild the carburetor - something a bike with 2400 miles should never need.
Anyway...the TW200 is three times the bike. Does legal speeds with ease, and not that slowly. Seems to top out at 65. I sit in a more-comfortable position. And, best of all...this opens me up to something that's new to me - all these extensive ORV trails in Forest Service land around here, in my new (one year) home.
Didn't even lose that much money on it.