Gizzo,

The little bit that I remember of The Invasion was that their advertising stressed that they were not like our Harley and Indian riders. The mechanics in their shops wore uniforms, white shirts and blue trousers, and there was no leather to be found anywhere in the shop or showroom.

No one ever dreamed that their bikes would eventually set the world standard for manufacturing motorcycles.......

And the Germans gave us the Volkswagen......LOL

Kenny G

There are a lot of bikes that offer better performance - but you have to accept a bit more weight and a different riding style.  If you have the money the Indian Scout, Yamaha Bolt, 883 Sportster, Kawasaki Vulcan S are all possible choices...the Virago S might be the most nimble one of the bunch.  If money is a bit more of an obstacle, the Suzuki SV650 and other "naked" bikes are very affordable and are not very heavy, and they can be found used and are very affordable.  The older EX500 Kawasaki looks like a sport bike - but the seating position is not very aggressive and it sits low and is comfortable.  If you can get past the looks and the fact that it will be an older bike - the Honda Pacific Coast has a very loyal following, and it has a built in trunk (I considered one but I just didn't like the looks of the rear trunk).

With a bit of work and some money - you can increase the HP and change the gearing, and make the Savage perform a lot better on the highway.  A Wiseco piston, Stage 1 or 3 cam, a little work on the cylinder head exhaust port, a Kawasaki front pulley, and a 140/90-15 rear tire will make the bike much nicer to ride at highway speeds.

I wasn't around for the Japanese invasion but I've seen the adds
'you meet the nicest people on a Honda' etc
now they mostly make 'kill yourself' bikes and wannabe Harleys
I like the SR 400, but it needs more motor
the EX500 is indeed more comfy than it looks, and the PC is one of the best kept secrets of motorcycling, being a very good bike that gets no love due primarily to that bubble butt
I wish the true Standard would come back in a big way, but 'muricans are too obsessed with looking 'badass' while rolling on the boulevard

Gus wrote on 03/07/16 at 07:06:04:


The Pacific Coast is a much better fit for my 30" inseam than the Gold Wing or the ST1100.  I sat on one and it fit me really nicely.  The back just looked too much like a Scooter to me, and I couldn't see any good way to expand the luggage volume beyond what fit in the built in trunk.

You are probably right.....any form of hard tipover might break quite a bit of "Tupperwear" on that bike.  I don't know if you can still buy the body parts new from Honda.

badwolf wrote on 03/07/16 at 09:57:15:

Agree with each and every single point of this post, they are great practical bike that people dis because of the looks
I wanted one when they came out, and I still want one, depending on if I like the way they ride, do I ever get a chance to try one out

If I had the money to spend the Indian Scout or the Scout 66 are 2 bikes that I would surely consider. But, not having that kind of disposable income at this time, I would definitely consider the Kawasaki Ninja 500 or the Suzuki GS500 if I wanted a bit more power and highway cruising ability. The Honda Shadow Spirit 1100 also appeals to me, but that is a good 200 lbs. heavier. It is fun to dream!

MC prices must be higher in KY than TX, my 2007 cost me 2700, anmd was literally in mint condition, aside from needing carbs cleaned (seems to be common with EXs for sale) with only 1800 miles on it

Art Webb wrote on 03/08/16 at 07:09:35:


When I look at Craigslist prices...they do tend to be higher in the areas around a City, and the prices are lower in the rural areas.

And yes.....if I was going to buy an EX500.....I would want to get as new of one as I could.  Still....that one I posted is an awful nice motorcycle, and I betcha you could get it for $ 1,500 cash, and it would give you a whole lot of bang for your bucks!