60's 70's bike Suggestions
 

I'm planning on going south and exploring the Americas beginning mid-summer 2006. I'm trying to find a mid-sized bike from the 60's 70's era to do it with, and I don't want to spend more than $2000. If anyone has any suggestions on bikes or input on reliability I would appreciate it.

Thanks
Dustin

G'day Dustin,
whilst I don't have experience of the kind of trip you're planning I do have 32 years of riding predominantly 50's, 60's & 70's brit iron. However rather than offer my considered opinion of suitable motorcycles there are several issues you should (if you have not already) consider.

Why a 60' or 70's bike? If it's a cash thing, then you will probably get something in better condition & more reliable if you look at at newer machinery. 60's & 70's bikes generally carry a 'collectable' price tag these days. 2 grand isn't going to get you a bike you can feel confident to take you the distance (at least not without spending the same amount again on a rebuild), whereas 2 grand for a 90's trail bike (for example) is probably a better bet.

If its because you are totally committed to doing the trip on a 40+ year old bike, then I guess you must already have experience of old bikes, but I think you'll need to revise your budget upwards for bike purchase . Even then *I'd* want to give it a full strip down & rebuild before considering a long trip. If you don't have the mechanical skills to keep an old bike running, be advised that learning 'on the road' through necessity, especially when it's cold wet & windy (which it always is when a breakdown occurs) aint a barrel of laughs.

If all you want is a cheap, suitable bike (not necessarily 60's or 70's) then I'm sure there are others here can advise you better than I.
regards
Cuppa

I had a XT500 years ago, had all the long distance stuff, big fuel tank etc.
Great bike, wish I still had it, single cylindet torque was great.
Only thing was the chain was a bear to keep propperly ajuisted, but I am shure modren chains would be better.

I'm not dead set on an older bike. It is more about the money than anything. I will not have a passenger for most of the trip but definately need to have the option at different times. i would like a bike that can handle the dirt. not being stuck to the pavement the entire time would be nice. But i also wanted something bigger and less sporty than a dirt bike. Is there a reliable middle ground?

Yamaha XT500, or SR500 would be a good choice. Single cylinder, and still made (though not sold in the US). Super reliable. I've had 2 or 3 SR500s (still have one).

They sold them in the US around 1978 through 1981. I was planning on riding my SR to Creel, but I had an epileptic seizure which means an automatic license suspension in the US. You'd probably want a bigger tank though.

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Random attempts have
been made at RTW on
a '65 Ducati 250cc

If you wanted something with old school character I saw a Kawasaki W650 (its a retro designed bike produced now) in a bike shop the other day. It looked fantastic. I confess I don't know how long they have been making them so wether or not you'd get one for 2 grand I don't know. Perhaps worth looking into though?
matt

Oh yeah, another bike with retro appeal is of course the Royal Enfield Bullet. I believe they are imported into the US in small numbers. They have virtually no second hand value here in the UK. Perhaps you could get one for peanuts in the US too. However, there are undoubted reliability issues with them.
Having said that, I used to have one and they are incredibly simple to work on. They also cope with rough roads and gravel tracks with surprising ability given the 50 year old design. Theres a guy who posts on here with a website called something like "ipercolate.com" whos riding one round the world and many people have ridden them from India to Europe. They also generate far more interest from the locals than the fanciest BMW.
I'd probably go with the Kawa for reliability if you could afford it though. A suggestion for you there anyway.
matt

Get thee an R65 BMW. They were made from the late 70's to the late 80's, are generally cheap, ultra-reliable and the original engine should be ok to do a lot more kilometres. I set out from Australia with 180,000km on my '86 R65 and put another 40,000 hard km's on it without missing a beat.
It's shiite for off-road though.
Sean

Gotta agree with Sean there,any of the flat twins of that era will very comfortably do the job.I've got an R65 myself,1979 vintage,and taken me just about anywhere i've wanted to go in the last 10 years.
Plus points...
Excellent paniers and frame.
Reliable to the point of being boring(!)
If it does stop,they're dead easy to fix and there's a shed load of guys breaking them up/specialising in them.
Comfortable.
Economical(R65 is anyway,i get between 65-75mpg out of mine).
No chain and sprockets to wear out/oil every day.
They don't wear odd/expensive sized tyres and seem to be quite easy on the ones they've got.
Cylinders keep your feet lovely and warm.

Bad points...
Cylinders make your feet sweat like a rotten fish in hot weather.
Not everyone likes the look of them.
As has been pointed out previously,it won't draw much of a crowd at the cafe.


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Just going for a short ride on my bike....

Look at the IBMWR site-
http://www.ibmwr.org/market/adlist.php?cat=abs
There are some R65's , R80'S for sale for under $3,000. I saw an 86 R80 that was close to you.

Thanks for all the advice and suggestions. i looked at most of the bikes suggested and fortunately or unfortunately like all of them. Thanks again.

Good Travels
Dustin