Perfect easy to maintain bike?

[retiredgentleman]

Originally Posted by Sidecar Jockey

You are correct, the rectifier and regulator are cheap and easy to replace.

I guess I was unfortunate enough to buy a bike with a shot stator and rotor. The stator was about $120 and the rotor was about $100. I also have a new solid state regulator and rectifier. My bike only reads 12v under 1,500 rpm, and charges about 13v from 1,500 to 2,500 rpm. I dont get 14v charging until 2,500+ rpms. I agree, it is 'normal' for these bikes to not charge at idle.

The xs650 is an awesome bike. You just cant sit in stop and go traffic with your lights on or any electrical accessories running...

Yes the alternator on the XS650 does not produce large amounts of power. You can really improve the bikes electrical properties if you reduce the size of some of the loads. If you are using the stock #1157 bulb in the tail light, replace the tail light with an LED tail light. If you have two of the #1157 bulbs, then the LED will save even more wattage. If you use a 55 watt low beam, change over to a 40 watt and save some more watts.

[Prmurat]

I installed this one on my XS2:
http://www.650central.com/electrical.htm

[NJ-Brett]

I had a 1986 883 sportster in 1986, and even with the 4 speed, I thought it was fun and it did fine on the interstate.
Those were my hooligan days of running down 95 at 100 mph on it.
In my book, they were much better bikes then, not as small and low as the new ones, loads lighter, better suspension, but more vibration.
The vibration never bothered me...
The bike was $3995.00 new.
They had a trade in special back then, giving you the full price within a year, so I got a 1987 low rider custom.

[F_Sahms]

Nothing with diaphragm carbs!

An XS650 with VM mikunis..

[NJ-Brett]

I always wanted to try dual sporting an old 883 sportster.
I thought they were light for a street bike of that size, and you could remove lots of extra weight.
I read a magazine where they took a stock 1986 883 motor and put it in a different frame and came in 6th place in Baja. No motor problems.

I am a little too old to be riding such a heavy bike in the dirt now, plus the old 883's seem to be kind of rare for some reason, I know they sold a lot of them in the day, but base model 883's seem rare, even more rare if you want a stock one.

Also, an older Triumph Bonneville can be quite reliable, but they are all old now.
I had a number of 1979's and had very few problems with them.
When new, the problems were the key switch wore out from lots of use, and the speedo drive on the rear wheel would fail (it was very wimpy).

The motors were great, modern carbs, electronic ignition, easy valve adjustments (really easy), not prone to oil leaks, the frame held plenty of oil, easy to add an oil cooler.

You can still get parts, but the bikes are old.

Originally Posted by Sidecar Jockey

The Harley Sportster is a truely great bike.

Get one from 1986-1994. 1986 was the first year for the Evo motor and after 1994 the electronics get exponentially more complicated every year newer. Ones in that year range sell fora bout $2000 in my area, which is pretty cheap but about 2x as much as a 1980s UJM...

Pre-1992 will be a 4 speed and post-1992 will be a 5 speed. Personally, I prefer the 4 speed since the final drive ratio in top gear is the same... so your highway RPMs are the same with a 4 or 5 speed. It has plenty of torque, so I prefer the less shifting and simpler tranny mechanics of the 4 speed. Its bullet proof.

Its a Harley, so cheap parts are everywhere. It only has one carb, which hangs off the side for easy access. It also has hydraulic lifters, so younever have to adjusta valve. Older ones are chain drive, which I prefer, and easy to maintain.

They have very reliable alternators, solid state regulators, and electrinic ignitions that last forever. Did I mention how cheap and easy parts are to get? I have seen centerstand kits for the Evo Sportster, but the factory only offered a centerstand on sportsters from 1957-1978.

The early Evo sportsters are as simple, bullet proof, and easy to maintain as it gets. Plus, they are a ton of fun.

Get some taller shocks and knobby tires and they do ok off road too!

.

[Rango]

It has not been mentioned yet (unless I missed it). You wished for a good exhaust note...
Perhaps the most important requirement. When the heart is happy, life is easy.

The sound of a Guzzi V50 is heavenly. It would keep your ticker ticking.
Sad to hear they are rare over there, perhaps have a look at one of the local guzzisti fora?
Enjoy the hunt

[PhilB]

No one has yet mentioned an early Ducati Monster. An M900 or M750 would fit your requirements very well, except for lack of centerstand.

PhilB

[sjc56]

Buell, most grins for the dollar!

[jordan325ic]

Do M750s and Buell's (aside from the Blast) get 50+mpg ? Seems like those psuedo-sportsbike thingies wouldn't do very good on the MPG.

But man, those are some beautiful bikes. The Ducati anyway.... the Buell's look a bit weird but I love the quirkiness. Too bad it would be impossible for either to have a centerstand...




If I were looking for a sportsbike a tube-frame Buell or a carbed Ducati would be top of the list. As an all-rounder standard with a centerstand and easily-accessible mechanicals... they're a little bit off base. But I like the suggestions anyway.

[Rango]

Aprilia Pegaso 650?
Rotax engine, 40hp at the rear, 115mph top.

And if you like it adventurous, Starck made a exuberant special version of the Pegaso.


Always heard good comments.

[PhilB]

Originally Posted by jordan325ic

Do M750s and Buell's (aside from the Blast) get 50+mpg ? Seems like those psuedo-sportsbike thingies wouldn't do very good on the MPG.

But man, those are some beautiful bikes. The Ducati anyway.... the Buell's look a bit weird but I love the quirkiness. Too bad it would be impossible for either to have a centerstand...




If I were looking for a sportsbike a tube-frame Buell or a carbed Ducati would be top of the list. As an all-rounder standard with a centerstand and easily-accessible mechanicals... they're a little bit off base. But I like the suggestions anyway.

Monsters aren't hard to work on. The valve adjustment takes a little practice, but there are instructional videos and all that. My M900 gets between 46 and 50 mpg consistently, and with a 4.2 gallon tank, it does fine for range. I usually start looking for gas at 180 miles, but can safely go 200 unless I'm riding unusually hard, or into a strong headwind.

PhilB

[LasseNC]

Yamaha TR1

[jordan325ic]

Wow. I looked up that TR1 (or XV920R).

Minimal electronics
Straightforward and pleasurable to maintain (frequently is fine),
No plastic fairings.
40+hp at the rear wheel
45+ mpg
Air cooled
No more than 2 carbs
Cheap, available parts
Durable (50k+ miles) engine
I know this is subjective, but a decent exhaust note.

I can't believe it, but it's a bike that actually ticks all the boxes. And it has a 5.2 gallon tank, and it has a centerstand... May have just "found" my bike. Now to actually find it...

Looks great too IMO.

[Tim McKittrick]

Originally Posted by jordan325ic

Do M750s and Buell's (aside from the Blast) get 50+mpg ? Seems like those psuedo-sportsbike thingies wouldn't do very good on the MPG.

But man, those are some beautiful bikes. The Ducati anyway.... the Buell's look a bit weird but I love the quirkiness. Too bad it would be impossible for either to have a centerstand...




If I were looking for a sportsbike a tube-frame Buell or a carbed Ducati would be top of the list. As an all-rounder standard with a centerstand and easily-accessible mechanicals... they're a little bit off base. But I like the suggestions anyway.

I can only speak for the last of the tuber Buell bikes- I have a 01 s3- but these do indeed get terrific mileage. I average 55 or so with mine, and with the closed loop injection it'll do even better at altitude. With abuse and scofflaw hooliganism I can drop it into the high 30s... where my st2 Ducati seems to always be. I know you were looking for carbs to have easy maintenance, but frankly the injected bikes I have owned have been far less trouble than the carbed ones. All I have ever had to do was replace fuel filters and balance the throttle bodies on those machines with more than one. The Buell system is robust and works well.

The Buells worst feature maintenance wise is the lack of a center stand, as you've noted. Rear tire replacement requires using a pit stand. Beyond that, they are dead simple- only oil and filter changes, sparkplugs, and a drive belt every 40k. Later ones are indeed better. I find I am using my S3 Buell more than any of my other bikes, and I wouldn't hesitate to utilize it as a daily all-rounder.

[scootertrash]

Originally Posted by Tudelum48

DR650
Enough said.

I love simple, easy to maintain bikes which is why I too have a Dr650, a 2003 and a previous 1993 DR 650. I'm getting worried about the 2003 and the stories of grenading 3rd gears.. Been reading about it over on the DR650 thread..am I unduly worried, or should I plan to go through the expense and hassle of replacing it with the updated Suzuki gear?