A new beginning...
 

Hello Everyone, this is my first post.

Last August I bought my first bike, an Enfield Electra 500. Now a year later I'm selling the Enfield (for many reasons) and I am looking for something else.

I live in Athens, Greece and I haven't yet been outside of Athens on my bike. Still I dream of starting going on holidays on my motorcycle. I am thinking that If I buy a new bike next month, I will be able to start short trips on weekends and next summer go on holiday with my motorcycle.

And from there the sky is the limit, the whole of Europe stretches before my wheels :) Turkey is also a very interesting thought. I always wanted to visit but the airplane - guided tours option never really thrilled me...

So now I am quite confused, as I am still new to all this. I need a motorcycle that I can use everyday to go to work but will also be confy enough to use on a long trip. One other problem is that in Greece spare parts are quite expensive for european brands and in the past whenever I took my enfield for a service the bill was quite hefty!

So I am thinking of buying a japanese brand which are know to be reliable and not that expensive.

I am currently leaning towards the Kawasaki VN 900, or the Yamaha XVS 590 Midnight Star.

Any thoughts? are these models appropriate for my needs?

The bikes will do the job for sure. One issue may be luggage, these style of bikes only look right with leather saddle bags. If you are touring in far away places you may wish to get off the bike and investigate sites of interest you come across. If this is the case then perhaps the extra peace of mind gained from lockable hard luggage would be of benefit. Just a thought......

If you are looking to stay away from the EU brands and need a adv bike you may want to look at a DL650, DR650, or a KLR650. There a bit taller than the bikes you are looking at but that is not a bad thing. I have a DL650 and use most days it dose not snow or there is ice on the road. bit over 24,000miles in 3 years with 2 week trips hear and there none over 6,000 I have had new brakes put on and oil and air filters changed new rubber and that is all. All and all a good buy for me.

Of them the DL650 is quite nice on the road and can do 1000mile days with a modifed seat. Well if you are in to riding that long 200 to 300 is more my speed. But still have done near that one day. Once out of the city camping on a bike will open up to you and you can see just what looking at in long range bike travil. A good set of throw over bags and/or a dry bag or 2 on the back and Europe will be under your bike in no time.
Problim with the crusers are there realy short and I do not like them for long trips. Wach out for your spine. With any bike if you are siting up and down any bump your bike takes rides right up your back. Leaning back is just as bad you are holding your body with your back just not for me. But if you sitting forword your arms and chest can hold you up there better and biger. You rest on the tank and if you tank bag all the better. But there are some that road all the way around the world on them.

Oh and :welcome:!

Oddly I have recently sold my BMW and bought an Enfield. so far done 2k miles on it, 900 of which was a trip back to visit the uk (500 miles of that in heavy rain). So far so good.