SuzukiSavage.com - Bike suggestions....

babyhog

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Bike suggestions....
08/17/10 at 08:48:06

Ok, so my 17 yr old step-son was gonna buy mikelhsr1982's Savage, but Mike decided to keep it (I don't blame him one bit!) So now we are looking at other options. Hubby thinks something that can be ridden street and dirt would be a better option. Haven't asked the step-son yet, he wasn't home last night when we were discussing it. But if the dual purpose route is more to his liking, does anyone have any suggestions?

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bill67 Serious Thumper Offline old tired Posts: 8517 genoa city wisconsin Gender:	Re: Bike suggestions.... Reply #1 - 08/17/10 at 09:06:41 My son had a dual purpose bike when he was in high school he never rode it much,My self I didn't like it at all riding off rode,has he every ridin off road,If he likes riding off road it would be ok I guess.
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dinsdale Full Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 186 Ottawa, Canada Gender:	Re: Bike suggestions.... Reply #2 - 08/17/10 at 09:31:46 KLR 650 KLX250 or DR650 or DRZ400
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Re: Bike suggestions....
Reply #3 - 08/17/10 at 10:45:49

I had a Yamaha xt225 that I loved... It's been made for nearly 25 years, and it's bulletproof... 70+mpg, and top speed 70+mph...
If he's looking for bigger, and he's over 6ft,... a used Suzuki dr350 is a good choice... they've changed it to a water-cooled 400cc now...

Found an old pic... I'm posing at the place I crashed my Ninja... Too fast, and went airborne off that hill behind me... It hurt... Huh

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Ludicrous Speed !... ... Huh

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sjaskow - FSO

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Re: Bike suggestions....
Reply #4 - 08/17/10 at 10:49:18

Another possibility would be the Yamaha TW200. They're dual-purpose and reasonably peppy as long as you don't want to ride on the interstate. Yamaha says the new ones get 79! mpg: http://yamaha-motor.com/sport/products/modelhome/10/home.aspx.

I rode one when I took the OH BMC (Ohio's version of the MSF course) a couple of years ago and it was a hoot to ride.

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babyhog

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Re: Bike suggestions....
Reply #5 - 08/17/10 at 10:55:15

As the mom, speed isn't MY goal. Bulletproof is good.

He's only about 5'8, 5'9 maybe. 150 pounds, if that. Lean, strong kid. Those look like some great options. I just didn't really know where to start looking... well, except for here.

So if we find one in rough shape, you guys can help us fix it without me joining some other forum... Wink

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Boule’tard Serious Thumper ModSquad Offline Master of the Obvious Posts: 1620 Austin TX Gender:	Re: Bike suggestions.... Reply #6 - 08/17/10 at 11:31:01 The Honda CRF230L is the slowest, most bulletproof dualsport there is! And there's an excellent forum just for that bike. DRs are also very good, and can be had cheap.
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Wolfman

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Re: Bike suggestions....
Reply #7 - 08/17/10 at 12:51:27

KLRs are nice dependable bikes. The older KZ' 650s were pretty good to.
My problem with dual sports is your going to have to decide if your going to do more street or trail and pick a tread type. Knobbies are good off road but are'nt so great on the street. Street tires make a better ride but suck off road. I lived out west and did a lot of gravel and off road exploreing id consider one. Around here ill either go street bike or off road dirt bike.

You might want to see what HIS wants are. Then eyeball craigslist. There's some REALLY GOOD DEALS on there right now...if you got the extra cash. Ive considerd a few but i dont thnik the economy has hit rock bottom yet so im hanging onto all the cash i can right now.
And this winter there should be some "REALLY" good deals on bikes...lol

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babyhog

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Re: Bike suggestions....
Reply #8 - 08/17/10 at 13:14:01

I appreciate all the suggestions. I will look at all of them in detail later.

Have been looking at Craigslist (found a few I'd like to have!) but as I said, without any recommendations, I didn't really know what I was looking at! haha He worked hard this summer (and better be getting an after-school job soon!) and made some good money, so he's gonna buy something.

I'm sure we will talk about it tonight, will let you all know...

Thanks again for some starting ideas.

Hey Bot, I just noticed the pink and purple on that bike. Sweet! Wink

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~ 2006 Black, Big Crank battery, HD Softail muffler, engine guard/o-ring pegs, Spitfite windshield, custom mounted Saddlemen bags, Mustang seat! ~ oh, and Hairdo by Helmet! ~

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Boule’tard

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Re: Bike suggestions....
Reply #9 - 08/17/10 at 13:43:18

Anything but a GSXR. All teenage boys want them, and if they get one they will wreck it, it is an immutable law of nature! I had a secretary ask what would be a good bike for her son. I rode a Hawk 650 at the time and liked it, so I suggested the modern equivalent, an SV650. Kid got a GSXR and totalled it within a week.

Don't sweat the tire choices too much if you get a dualsport.. there are treads available for any ratio of street to dirt, and some of them last a good long time on the street (Kenda 761 comes to mind) especially if the bike isn't a heavy torque monster.

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verslagen1 YaBB Moderator ModSquad Online Where there's a will, I want to be in it. Posts: 28760 L.A. California Gender:	Re: Bike suggestions.... Reply #10 - 08/17/10 at 15:11:57 If his eye is on a squid bike, get a 250 at most.
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12Bravo Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 628 Mid-Missouri Gender:	Re: Bike suggestions.... Reply #11 - 08/17/10 at 19:17:33 I got my 17 year old son to compromise with me. He wanted a crotch rocket and there was no way I would let him get one. I ended up getting him a 83 Suzuki GS450 and we are going to turn it into a cafe racer. One thing to watch with the dual purpose bikes is the seat height, they are usually pretty high.
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Boule’tard

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Re: Bike suggestions....
Reply #12 - 08/17/10 at 19:53:53

12Bravo wrote on 08/17/10 at 19:17:33:

One thing to watch with the dual purpose bikes is the seat height, they are usually pretty high.

That is true of the big ones, but a kid 5'9" and 150 lbs. can handle any xt225, TW200, CRF230L or similar bike easily. The problem with those is that they won't hang with Dad and Stepmom very well on the highway. It is unfortunate that they don't make the DR350 anymore.

The DR650 is probably the best choice because it's got some motor to it, and can easily be lowered by factory-approved method.. just move some spacers around in the suspension and swap the kickstand for the short one.

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LostArtist Ex Member	Re: Bike suggestions.... Reply #13 - 08/17/10 at 22:03:17 suzuki tu 250????
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justin_o_guy2

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Re: Bike suggestions....
Reply #14 - 08/17/10 at 22:21:32

Iveheard,, HEARD,, okay? That people who start with dirt riding tend to have a "feel" for a slide that allows them to fall less often on asphalt than those who neverrode in dirt. I know I was able to recover a few times because I felt a slide about to start & was able to shift my butt over & stand the bike up & save it from sliding more than once or twice. A dual purpose bike would be areal winner, IMO./

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