Daily commuter... Boulevard M50 or Sportster 883 Superlow?

[rhollandphoto]

Re the M50 availability / price - guess its different up there but in Florida there are dealers with 09 and sometimes even 07 models. An area dealer is selling 2009 M 50 and C50 for $3995 but just over $5000 out the door. Also found a new at dealer 07 Honda VTX 1300 just over $6000 out the door which seems like a good option. Thinking that these situations are around other areas too.

And to those more experienced on a variety of bikes: seems like the smaller more narrow front tire like on an S50 and Sportster would make manuvering in town easier but maybe not as nice on the highway(?)

[40MILERUN]

I think frempath makes a good point. There are quite a few very good bikes out there in the power and size range you're addressing. You can usually find video reviews of them to help you weed out the ones that don't appeal to you.

For instance: I just checked out a used '09 Yamaha V Star 650 at a dealer w/2500 miles for $4100.00. It's a low, powerful and nice looking commuter at 580lbs. Had I been in the market, I'd have snatched that one up.

You can go cross-eyed trying to find just the right bike, but I have found it's easiest to get down to two or three models and years you like and when one of those shows up, you make your decision to buy that specific one or not.

Meaning no disregard for your riding skills, but you probably haven't ridden enough (or been on enough bikes) to have a well-developed feel for what's just right for you. You're still maturing as a highly discriminating rider. For that reason, it doesn’t serve you well to be narrowly selective. If you set your criteria for low rise, adequate power, good handling manners, personal appeal and a good reliability reputation, it’s pretty hard to go wrong at this stage of your riding experience.

It’s an adventure… best of luck with it.

40MR

40MR

[Water Warrior 2]

Canadian pricing will always be higher due to the brilliance and greed of government taxes and tariffs. If I was seriously in the market and didn't mind the paperwork I would look just south of the border in Washington.

[Water Warrior 2]

Frempath..............Nice upgrades you have in mind. Do look at the Weestroms closely. If you don't mind a taller bike they are more than capable of hauling you around the planet. Lots and lots of aftermarket support and very few factory warts to contend with. I load mine like a mule when travelling and it doesn't seem to care. Also a lot of fun in the mountains and twisties. Not perfect for anything but darn good for most things.

[mrlmd1]

Just remember, when you buy a "new" 2009 or 2007 bike, the tires are 2-3 or 4-5 years old already. The tires on the 2007 bike may look new but they are almost due to be replaced, Also the battery is either 2 or 4 years old, and that should be replaced by the dealer if you were to buy that bike. It should also probably have an oil change, and if it has been run once in a while over the past few years, it may need a carb cleaning. While it may be shiny, remember, it is not new and that has to be seriously considered when bargaining for a fair price. There is a reason that the dealer still has the bike after 2 years,or 4 years, so you make a reasonable (low) offer, If it's not accepted, walk out the door, tell him to keep his bike another year or two, and I bet he calls you back inside to further negotiate. In my mind, if you have now a GZ250 and are thinking of moving up to a VTX1300, that to me is a gigantic leap of faith and I would say you are out of your mind to make a jump that big after only riding for 3 months as of now. You should move up to 500, 650, 750, 800 cc range. You can always upgrade again later if you really think you need something bigger (and MUCH heavier).
The GZ will ride forever, all day, at least until you run out of gas, at 55-65 mph, it's not going to explode. And it does get 60+mpg, which those other bikes don't.

[mole2]

Originally Posted by frempath

Not to make things more difficult for you, but I am anyway....
You seem to have something very specific in mind. Have you considered options to the M50 or the HD?
In the cruiser format you appear to prefer, Honda Shadow, Yamaha V-Star, Kawasaki Vulcan, Triumph America, or similar may give you what you want at a better price or be available.

I'm starting to look at a larger commuter/utility bike myself.
I don't think the cruiser format will work best for me.
I'm looking at used though. Probably UJM/Standard/Naked or Duel Sport/Adventure.
I'm thinking for me a Honda Nighthawk, Suzuki "WeeStrom", or Triumph Bonneville.

Oh, well. Enjoy what you find.

I'm going to second the Yamaha V-Star. I purchased a V-Star 650 Classic and I'm in love with this bike. Has all the power I need and Yamaha is know for making reliable bikes. You can still get the V-Star 650 Classic or Silverado in Canada as they stopped importing them here this year. The Custom is still available here. My Classic is upgraded to a Silverado (plus extras) - see below. If you feel you want more power check out the V-Star 950 or 950T. Go to a show room and sit them to see how they fit you. I was on my toes on the 950 but the 650 fit me like a glove.

Before upgrades:



After upgrades:

[alanmcorcoran]

I don't know much about the bikes mechanically, but you're soon going to discover that, among many Great Divides in motorcycling (including dirt/road, sport/cruiser, gear vs no-gear, etc.) there is Harley and Everyone Else. What this used to mean in practical terms is you paid a little more for a Harley to begin with (and, in some cases/models, got a little less), you were instantly (sort of) part of the Harley "brotherhood", and probably could resell your bike more easily, than, say, a GZ. Like Steinway pianos, Harley is the strongest brand in the business and there are benefits to that when re-selling.

Leading up to the Great Meltdown of '08 and '09 Harley sold a LOT of bikes - many to people of marginal creditworthiness. In '09 they repo-d tens of thousands of them and for a while there, you could get a lightly used Harley very cheaply. The company went through very hard times in '09 and threatened to shut down the factory in Milwaukee and move production to Mexico or China (although this was probably just a union busting bluff) and at this stage I'm not sure if Harley pricing or the company have sufficiently recovered - but I'd read up on your dealer and so on before taking the Harley plunge. I have heard the 883 is one of their better selling models.

Also, I "upgraded" from a GZ250 to a Yamaha 1850cc bike. I fell off it twice in low speed situations, so I guess the guys can claim I should stepped up slower, but, in reality, I got used to (and LOVE) the extra power almost immediately. So, if you want a more powerful bike - I say go for it. I will warn you that my first insurance quote was a shock compared to what I was paying for the GZ - but it turned out they misquoted me, the true amount has turned out to be a lot lower after shopping around. Check your insurance costs BEFORE you buy the bike - not the other way around like I did.

[Water Warrior 2]

Really good looking V-Star with all the touring garb. Yamaha specifically states this bike was geared and tuned to run best at 55-60 mph. What more could you ask for really ? It still has reserve power for hills/passing and gets good gas mileage in it's sweet spot. The introduction of the 950 will eventually lead to the demise of a sweet entry level cruiser that can do most everything.

[rhollandphoto]

Excellent input all - and mrlmd1 your thought are especially important to consider. Florida is a tough riding state in my opinion. Few "country roads" Its either in town, occasional A1A riding options or I-95 type highways which with our drivers are scary even in a car.

[mrlmd1]

Thanks for that. We're all here just trying to keep each other happy, and safe.