$100 a week in gas..I useta not worry about it

I'd ride one of these but the price was $35K. Can run a lot of fuel through the jalopy for that.

 

What about a VW bug? (pre 66 please)

Great on gas. Easy to find. Easy to maintain. Respectably cool enough. Can be a comfortable ride.

Make it a volksrod if you want.

 

OK OK its all just a BS excuse to get back on a bike(Sallys buyin it!).I have an MGA and a Nash Metro that get decent mileage, but they are just crampy. That little VW with the chopped convertable top, flip-out windshield and Speedway front axle is cool lookin, isn't it!..what is an r.u.b.? I was thinking yuppie urban biker?....

 

Your '89 Civic was probably made in Ohio.
Our '86 was.
That's as American as that Yamaharley.
Our '06 Civic is "imported" from Canada, just like Chevys are.
Just drive what you can afford to drive and cruise your rod for your special fun times.

I put a 262"SBC in my '40 GMC in 2000.
I get close to 20 mpg, I think.
That's half the 39.26 mpg the '06 Civic gets on the road.

 

I've ridden my Sporty for 10 years and over 70k miles. I catch hell for it (I'm 6'4, 250) about riding a woman's bike but I can do anything on it that the big bikes do except for distance between fill ups...i only get 135 a tank. But, most folk are ready for a break after 2 hours anyway. Don't believe the 54 mpg...48ish is more like it but it's still better than 15.

 

While I'm a dedicated cager at this point in history (might change) I have a freind / former coworker that bought a 02/03 Sportster, his was an 883 though (all he could afford with his '****py' credit). He rode it everywhere he could, figured it was gettin' his money's worth. He would ride it as soon as his driveway thawed out, till it froze over again (unless he had to haul something). He would ride it so much the other harley riders gave him greif about 'abusing' it (12K+ a year, in approxiamtely 6 Mo, look at a road map of Alaska sometime).

His had the factory 2 into 1 exh. and a K&N filter kit he put on. I forget what he claimed he was averaging for milage, but I seem to remember it was 50 something (highway). I don't know if HD still sells the 883 but, as suggested you could find one used.

BTW this friend of mine has a duaghter that is graduating HS next year and a son that did 3 years ago, so if age figures in to what kind of ride you will tollerate, take that FWIW. It had the factory seat and suspension. He's 6'2" or 6'3".

 

I own a Ford Excursion that gets me a cool 11 mpg. My sister just gave me here 97 Civic and I have been driving it for 3 months. I get 3x better gas milage and it saves me about $250 per month. I tell my wife that I am using the "savings" to get my 5 window on the road this summer.

So far the stretegy is working. Am I a genius or what????

BC

 

A R.U.B. is a term that came around in the mid 90's it stood for Rich Urban Bikers..it was back when all the doctors and lawyers wanted to try and fit into the Biker Scene..it drove the market price of the H.D. and just about any other bike to a rediculous level of cost.

Go a head and run a sporty 3000 miles in 7 days..than come talk to me about how you would have felt if you did it on a HOG...thats all im saying about the distance issue

 

If you are thinking about a bike...buy a used bike.

Example... I was thinking I'll drop $4000 on a new Kawasaki Ninja 250 ( I don't have the my bike is bigger than your bike mentality...also known as my **** is bigger because I have a litre bike) or I could by the bike I really want used for the same or less. A '99-'02 SV650 (v-twin). Which is better? The new bike or the better bike, slightly used?

If you do get a Sporty...make sure it's new enough to have the rubber mounted engine. They say the old ones vibrate like paint mixers.

 

i can agree with the buy Used thinking..but i cant get with the wal-mart thinking of Buy anything but AMERICAN!..Now there are tons of great deals on H.D.'s
and you can still support your Country and feel patriotic when you Ride it and Own it.
or you can follow the m***es and buy a jap bike..and wait until it effects your job too..choice is yours

 

remember Pearl Harbor?
what ever....

 

Agreed Tingler.. it just makes the journey that much more plesant i guess.
The sporty is a great bike..im not knocking it.
but there is great bang for the buck going on now and if i dint have enough dam bikes, I'd be grabbing up a Bagger right now. My Heritage S.T. is great but im getting older and would love to have the radio and all that nice stuff, sure my rider would love it too..