Street bikes with low displacement motors i.e. 250cc or less are widely available overseas. Do any of our members have any info as to the introduction of these smaller motorcycles to the U.S. market? When I try to Google for info I get scooters galore but excepting a single 250cc for three of the big four Japanese manufacturers and a 125cc Kaw, I get a blank. Anybody hear anything?

I just Googled motor scooters and got this
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Gas+Motor+Scooter+250cc&btnG=Search

Norm

Thanks w9kcj. I'm hoping that there may be some smaller commuter bikes brought into our market. Machines that look like and handle like the bigger bikes. My Triumph will get 45 mpg on a good day but I'd like something for in town runs that is more miserly. Honda has a 125cc bike sold in Asia that gets around 120 mpg.

You need to practice your Googling. Honda has the Nighthawk and Rebel in 250cc, Suzuki has the GZ250, Kawasaki has the Ninja. These are just the 250cc models; there may be some smaller ones like the Kawasaki Eliminator. If you look at the dual-purpose models, which are every bit as street-worthy, the list grows.

If you look at some of the Korean and Chinese models, the list gets bigger.

In other than the USA market, where gas prices have been high for decades, there are
many offerings, in the 125cc-400cc that are
built full size looking with handling and brakes.

Problem with the Honda 250 Nighthawk and Rebel si the drum front brake -and- two weeks
after you start riding it you want more power.

Ninja 250 can be fun, screaming redline 14?K
makes you stay in the power band.

Problem with the chinese imports, one example is a 175cc dual-purpose bike that's great - China bought the design from HOnda
- the engine is 25 yrs old desgn. BUt Beware
of unobtanium parts and the places that sell
them don't work on them.

Find a decent late 80s Honda CBR400 or an
early 1990s Suzuki DSX400F Bandit. BOth very
agile as a solo commuter and on a twisty road
you could embarass the guys on bigger bikes.

Here's an idea as well look for one of the
bikes that looks to be a dual purpose bike but it has 17" wheels and road st tires, 610cc xingle KTM Duke rocks., Commando Commuter.

There's also a more mundane but truly Dual Purpose Kawasaki KLR250 that may be my best suggestion. Depends on your style

WHat model Triumph yah got?

DId you know they're coming out with the 675cc Triple in a Baby "Tiger" model?

Randall

She's a 2000 Legend and I enjoy riding it to no end. I found a Indian { the country } web site of a motorcycle dealer. Honda alone has a mutitude of models that we do not have available here. My objective is to find a gas sipper for in town use and that my wife might ride if we take a short day trip on back roads. 50-55 MPH is sufficient. As to the " Baby Tiger ", I just was on Triumph's web site. I want a Baby Rocket III. The current Rocket ever tips over on me and wherever it happens, there I stay

My first street bike was a 1982 Suzuki GS 300 that I bought when I was 16 in 1982. It was a fine first bike, but I would not have minded a little more power.

My next bike was a new 1982 Yamaha 750 Maxim that I bought in 1985 when I was in college. After the Maxim, I then had a 1991 Honda CBR 600, 1994 Honda CBR 900, 1998 Honda CBR 1100 XX, and 2003 Kawasaki ZZR 1200.

Depending on what kind of riding you do, a 250cc motorcycle may be okay. I would avoid anything under 250cc. If you will be strictly riding in a city, a small motorcycle is okay. However, you will be risking your life if you ride on the freeways and highways.

A good friend of mine got back into riding in 2006 and, against my advice, bought a Yamaha 750 Virago (750cc v-twin). After two near fatal incidents on the highway (he was trying to pass other vehicals), he sold it and got a Yamaha FZR 1000. Power is safety.

For strictly citing riding, a 250cc Kawasaki Ninja would make a great bike. However, I would recommend the 650cc Kawasaki Ninja that uses a twin cylinder engine or the Suzuki SV 650.

The " crotch rocket " won't quite fit me. In fact I'd send a few down to Guantanomo for prisoner interogation. Sing like a canary or we tie you to the seat of the darn thing for, oh say about 8 hours.

Your point about power and city driving and freeways is valid. Of course here in Fargo N.D. our rush hour is more like most urban areas 6 A.M. Sunday drive for milk and a newspaper.

On one of the legal blogs after Heller was announced, the point came up that cars are involved in more deaths than firearms. An anti-gunner responded with, " yeah, well I've never seen anyone wearing a car on his hip in a holster". One of our guys replied with, " obviously you've never driven a motorcycle in heavy traffic ".

Your making me miss my old Honda CB 350. In the 70's that was everyones first "real" bike.

a buddy of mine just picked up a Yamaha Majesty, it gets 65mpg and he says he likes riding it. This guy has owned a beautiful HD Heritage Softail and a couple of screaming fast Kawasakis in his stable, so I guess it must be a good ride or he would not get on it. He said it has a huge storage under the seat and he can get enough groceries in there for a week if he packs it right.

If I regulate my throttle twisting....I can get 40+ mph EASILY on my R1200GS Beemer. Forty+ mpg is enough for me.

FN in MT

quote:

Originally posted by armadillo66:
a buddy of mine just picked up a Yamaha Majesty, it gets 65mpg and he says he likes riding it.

Hmmm, very interesting...

Lower displacement motorcycles
WAZZ THE POINT???????

quote:

Originally posted by animalmother: A good friend of mine got back into riding in 2006 and, against my advice, bought a Yamaha 750 Virago (750cc v-twin). After two near fatal incidents on the highway (he was trying to pass other vehicals), he sold it and got a Yamaha FZR 1000. Power is safety.

Granted, a Virago 750 is not an FZR 1000, but it would still have more than enough power for the average person. I had an early Virago 750, I could pass anybody I needed to.

Power is safety only in the hands of people who respect it and know how to use it. For others, it's a death sentence.

As far as the Majesty posts go, I'll give you my input. I've been a motorcycle rider (street) for 30 years and I've been a Yamaha Parts and Service manager for the past 18 years. The Yamaha Majesty (400cc) is the best bike I've ever ridden. I sold my V-Max after buying the Majesty. After gas went to $3.00/gal after Katrina I was prompted to buy the Majesty. I get 64mpg on my 81 mile roundtrip commute to work (and I weigh 275). I drive 65-70 MPH (top speed is around 100). Next week I'll turn 30,000 miles on the clock and it's never had a single problem - just done routine maintenance.
As for storage, although probably not politically correct, you could store a midget under the seat. Even the Harley guys return my wave occasionally.