Forum

[Jack the Lad]

With this sort of mileage the benefits of a small car begin to take over. Cheap to buy, similar fuel consumption and enough tank range to do the journey in one hit. Cheap once a year servicing, cheap tyres, no need to buy and replace overpriced special clothing. Heater, radio, weather protection. Even if the journey involves traffic queues and slow roads, the time you spend in fuel stations, putting on and taking off all the gear and on regular maintenance will cancel out the potential time saving from overtaking and filtering. It's about getting the right tool for the job. Bikes are great, but in the right circumstances.

[Jack the Lad]

With this sort of mileage the benefits of a small car begin to take over. Cheap to buy, similar fuel consumption and enough tank range to do the journey in one hit. Cheap once a year servicing, cheap tyres, no need to buy and replace overpriced special clothing. Heater, radio, weather protection. Even if the journey involves traffic queues and slow roads, the time you spend in fuel stations, putting on and taking off all the gear and on regular maintenance will cancel out the potential time saving from overtaking and filtering. It's about getting the right tool for the job. Bikes are great, but in the right circumstances.

[Jack the Lad]

With this sort of mileage the benefits of a small car begin to take over. Cheap to buy, similar fuel consumption and enough tank range to do the journey in one hit. Cheap once a year servicing, cheap tyres, no need to buy and replace overpriced special clothing. Heater, radio, weather protection. Even if the journey involves traffic queues and slow roads, the time you spend in fuel stations, putting on and taking off all the gear and on regular maintenance will cancel out the potential time saving from overtaking and filtering. It's about getting the right tool for the job. Bikes are great, but in the right circumstances.

[binary]

A harley is not the answer to a RE. Get a Honda if you can. Cheaper and more reliable than a harley.

[Iain]

Thanks for the advice.

I have been looking at alternatives like the Bandits and Zephyrs. I need something with a lowish seat height due to being vertically challenged. I can see a second car could be an answer but parking would be a problem plus I have no love of cars.

[2cvandy]

Sorry binary, I can't let that pass without comment. I bought my first Harley in 1989, never been without one since and covered many thousands of miles on them including dozens of continental trips. My current one sits in my garage now with 30,000 miles on the clock. I have yet to experience a single reliability problem. I've had a few Hondas too, just as good perhaps, but certainly no better.

[Revband]

In my experience you either love Harley's or you don't, personally I have never ridden one I liked and couldn't wait to give them back.

[2cvandy]

Revband -- "In my experience you either love Harley's or you don't, personally I have never ridden one I liked and couldn't wait to give them back."

That's fair enough, we won't all like every bike. Personally I could never get on with BMW, my Dad had a few of the twins, starting with a 750 in 1977. I tried em all but never found one I liked, I even tried a roadtest on a K1100LT once, hated that too. None of which makes BMW bad bikes, just not my cup of tea. But I wouldn't comment on their reliability of otherwise because I've never ridden one far enough to know.

I just sometimes wish the many HD knockers out there would extend the same courtesy,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[Mark B]

To digress slightly: with a name like 2cvAndy you must share my love of 2CVs - another love'em or hate'em machine. Derided by most people, but the most fun I've had driving in modern England, and you learn all about momentum, cornering speed and late braking. I'd often look out of the living room window and think -ooh good, it's raining: I must take the 2CV out for a drive.

[2cvandy]

Mark B, bloody good in snow too !

I bought my 2CV 25 years ago, sort of by accident. Like Iain, I found myself in need of cheap transport, in this case for a 12 month work contract. I couldn't find a decent bike at the time for my budget and bought a 2CV for £800. Obviously at the end of the 12 months I no longer needed it, and yet somehow it's still here,,,,,,,,,,,

It was my daily run around and used and abused until it got to the point about 10 years ago when I had to decide whether to scrap or restore, I think I made the right choice,,,,,,,,,,,