voldigicam wrote on 08/10/09 at 08:58:03:srinath wrote on 08/10/09 at 06:57:32:Plenty of lower maintenance bikes. Plenty of easier to work on and lower maintanance as well. One thing though, they are not cruisers. Standards or sporty standards.
Cool.
Srinath.
Wish I knew more about them. The S40 doesn't feel nearly as cruiserish as most that I sit on.
What would be a few nice handling, low maintenance, easy to deal with bikes 500 to 750 cc? Or thereabouts. I keep finding my brainwashing with 1960s and 1970s bikes getting in the way of really seeing what's appropriate and effective. I describe where I go and where I'm likely to go and what I like to do - and three different people immediately came up with the KLR650. Hmm. I kind of like the low easy position. But maybe there's something to an adventure touring machine.
In no particular order -
GS500 - oddly there is plenty of complaints ... tires not wide enough (show off), the shocks is squishy (katana shock swap), the carbs are cold blooded (for which I sell a kit that fixes it) some more general BS, but, that bike usually does not break, rarely needs valve adjustment and overall runs about the same as the savage.
Virago 750/1100 and oddly 535 too - lower maintenence and in a way easier too, but you need to get the carbs out on the big virago's ... bring your lunch ... however my record for out is 9 mins and back in is 15 ... but that number on a saavge is likely to be in seconds ... They got starter issues but not the way savage does ...
I also seriously love the 80's maxim's and radians. 84 and later I4 maxims. 86-91 radian.
KZ 440 and air cooled belt driven kawi's of the 80's that were cousins of the KZ series. CSR, and spectre, etc.
Yes nighthawk's but I like 650 and 700 which were shafties.
450 rebels and 600 eliminators but buy post 96 on the 600 eli's. better valve material making it wear slower.
Long list ... but savage is great, its neither low maintenance nor is it easy ... its easier than many, but not the easiest.
Cool.
Srinath.
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