cheap as economical bike
 

Hello!

I'm having fun with my good old kle500 but, well this may sound weard. It's quite big!

I'm a dutch guy so i'm not small but when I look at story's like lois on the loose i'm thinking "thats my bike!"

So I'm looking for a really cheap bike that I can pull apart in my shead and get ready for a RTW trip in lets say 2 years (no hurry, I'm still not a engineer, 2 years of college to go)

I've ridden a gs 500 to Irak border and had a great time. Next trip I have much more time but stil a smal budget (out of choice)

My point of interest:
simpele
Reliable
economical (I'm obsesed with this :helpsmilie:)
cheap

I't doesn;t need to be ofroad like xt 250 xl or dr. but something like 250 is the plan.

What roadgoing bikes are good for me? Let stick to single cilinders (or twins with a good reason)

Who's got a idea?

Thanks!

If you really want cheap try an Enfield diesel. less than 2 litres per 100Km.
simple. and a whole new engine is about £300 although they seem good for about 100K Miles (160,000 Km).

get a bicycle. you'll do the same monthly milage as a 250cc overall, but a fraction of the cost.

The enfield,

I'm working on that but info is hard to find on the web!

I'ts quite cheap, can run on old deep fry fat enz.

Does somebody got info for me or a nice link?


Thanks!

You could look here DieselBike.net The Original Diesel Motorcycle website.

Look through the bikes to buy bit, Priceparts do a refurbished new one at reasonable prices, using the Yanmar y100 clone engine.
You can get diesel fuel pretty much anywhere, as rural areas usually have stock of tractor fuel.

Hi Travelcrazy,

I think your idea is sound. A 250 is all you need for third world travel. It will get good fuel ecomomy and cruise at 100 kph. I recently rode a Kawasaki KL250 Super Sherpa ll,000 miles to Panama and back and had a GREAT time. There are plenty of great, reliable 250s out there. Suzuki DR 250, Honda XR250, Yamaha WR250R, etc. The key is traveling light. Less is more

Kindest Regards,
John Downs

_______________
Panama and back on a 250 Super Sherpa Minimalist Adventure - ADVrider

Okay, re-reading your post I see that economical is your main concern. If that is the case then I would look at a Honda CG 125 or Suzuki en 125. 100 mpg if you cruise at 80-90 kph. You will appreciate this in Turkey especially where gas is currently 2 euros/litre.

Cheers,
John Downs
__________________
Panama and back on a 250 Super Sherpa Minimalist Adventure - ADVrider

I agree with your fuel use figures but you are NOT going to be able to cruise at 90kmh on a 125. I travelled 8,000km in China in one month in 2008 on a local 125 (Suzuki GS125 clone purchased new). Top speed (measured by a GPS NOT the speedo was 90kmh) and cruising speed was more like 60-70kmh. I was easily able to average 35-40km per litre though.

Hi Garry,

I was tootling along in the mountains of Mexico 2 months ago at 90 kph and a high school kid with a backpack full of books blew by me on a CG 125. It was all I could do to catch up to him on my little 250. He was flying through the hairpins and pulling away. That kid could ride! I only caught up to him on the straightaway and followed along at over 100 kph until he tooted his horn and waved as he turned off at the rancho where he lived.

Both the Honda CG125 and the Suzuki EN 125 will easily cruise at 90kph in the flats with stock sprockets. But you are comparing apples to oranges. And I can see that if your 125 Chinese clone, as is often the case, came geared down from the factory with a large rear sprocket, or you are a big fella carrying a lot of stuff, then your cruising speed would diminish.

Kindest regards,
John Downs

This is the bike you need....
http://i396.photobucket.com/albums/p...9/IMG_1174.jpg

These bikes are built strong and will go anywhere at a moderate pace and you'll look good doing it.

My personal choice would be one of the Ural's, Russan built on WW2 era technology, boxer twin motor, its pretty much a BMW clone, and absolutely simple, everythin I've read says they're dependable as gravity, and well worth it. cant say on fuel economy, but I know theres so little to go wrong, or need repair.

Urals get 30-40 mpg gas mileage and require a lot of fettling. Not my first choice for RTW trip.

Although the Urals have some strange sort of charisma, I have to agree with John on this one, Blacktiger's Triumph looks the 'Mutz Nutz', not too sure about weight and economy though.

I LL THROW this in
 

honda ct110 get s 85 mpg does 45 miles per hour. More then one of them have travel from england to india etc. on road and off. parts cheap still in production. People add a second gas tank to them etc and they are good to go. simple bike that can be fixed anywere . One couple did a tour 2 up with all thier stuff. If speed isn't an issue then go for one of them. :funmeterno:

I have 'parked up' the larger machines for awhile and using a YBR 125 Yamaha, 100 plus mpg and running speeds a comfortable 45-55 loaded!


btw, trying59, I think you will find you have used the 'wrong' fun meter!!

:funmeteryes: sorry it was just a bad day yesterday .
It's kind of wild to see 100 years ago they used bikes that were under 10 horse power to do the same thing we do today. Cheap doesn't always equal saving cash. it's better to spend a grand or 2 more now instead of latter in the middle of nowhere shipping stuff to you from eupore etc.

I completely get the point of goiing cheap, light and economical - it makes a lot of sense every way you look at it, especially if you have a bike that the locals ride e.g. a chinese 125 clone or similar. You won't draw attention you yourself and spares will be available etc etc

But, ask yourself if you could really cope with travelling on a 125cc for several months and be content to chug away at 50mph behing all the wagons and buses and not be able to overtake with any degree of speed in reserve. Also, isnt going a bit fast part of the thrill of riding a bike? :mchappy:

I have virtually no travel experience, so you can quite rightly ask 'what the hell does he know?' But I want to be able to cruise at 50mph, take in the sights when the road is good and have plenty in reserve on a boring stretch of road or if an overtaking gap suddenly closes up on me.

I aint preaching at all, just contributing what my thought process was when I was choosing a bike for travelling. The HUBB helped me through a lot of these quandries, so I feel like I should contribute back, even if no one agrees with me :biggrin3:

The whole world moves at 35-45 mph (check your GPS after a run in the UK, your peak might be 90 the average will be 40 unless you hit the M-1 at 4 am on a sunny Sunday), it's just a case of how the average relates to the extremes. Riders in the UK and US often tell me they "need" 1000 cc and 100 mph performance to "get into the gaps" and "safely overtake" and "not be intimidated" by trucks. I'd totally agree that on many western roads the traffic does run at 55 mph and having OVLOV or KCAM the only thing you can see in your mirrors isn't nice when the thing behind the badge weighs 40 tonnes.

The trick is simply to get your head round not spending hours on these roads, go through the city centre or on the smaller road, you'll see more. Overtaking is not required, just drop back and enjoy the view. Don't feel you need to do 400 miles a day, 100 is great if the rides better. Getting used to this is the hard part, it's comforting and easy to just hop on your large bike and knock off 500 miles, but where's the challenge? If the thrill was going fast, wouldn't it be easier (and safer, less anti-social) to do it on a race track? If the aim is to get from A to B as quickly as possible trains and planes are very efficient?

There is nothing wrong with any solution, but it is just a case of getting used to the one you choose. For me, 20-30 HP is just fine on a solo bike and I'll take a 12HP 125 over some of the behemoth tourers out there. It's like choosing an old bi-plane over a 747.

Andy

Threewheelbonnie,
You make a lot of very good points that I totally agree with.

I do intend to go off the beaten track and will happily cruise at 40mph all day on gravel backroads and passes - that's one of the attractions of travel for me. I dont have a GPS and within reason I will follow my nose and see where the roads take me. I dont intend on ragging it around doing >60mph everywhere. I dont intend on doing more than 150 miles a day (6 months booked off to ride TDF - Yellowstone). I just 'need' to have options and where it's safe and responsible to do so, I want to be able to open the taps and ride - I love riding bikes! Not too quick mind, because I'm not that good a rider!

I dont know much, but I have enough experience to know that it isnt the bike, it's the rider. I think I have the right attitude to travel and so the rest is down to personal preference.

Also..Part of my thinking was that we'll be 2up and I will be responsible for my better halfs' well being for 6 months on our upcoming trip. 2up changes things compared to solo travel I know, so perhaps I should've mentioned that in my earlier post....

This was a thread about economy and I just wanted to make the point that some people might get a bit frustrated by being restricted on the speed side of things on a 125cc machine. That done, I'll shut up :smiliex:

FWIW, 150 miles per day is not "slow;" it's moving along at a pretty good clip. Once you factor in activities off the bike, down time for personal recovery, predictable and unpredictable repairs, waiting for parts, wandering backroads and tracks, or whatever else befalls you, you'll be glad to have the option of moving more quickly through, say, Texas. Not that I've got anything against Texas.

You are perfectly correct about the two-up aspect. In fact, whatever you decide you'd do very well to test it out--fully laden and with pillion--long before departure. A week-long trial trip might provide valuable insight into what lies ahead between Ushuaia and Wyoming.

Hope that helps.

Mark

(now on the return leg from Ushuaia, a 7-month/20,000 mile trip in itself)

"you'll be glad to have the option of moving more quickly through, say, Texas. Not that I've got anything against Texas"

That's what I thought too! Not bashing Texas or anything...

Hey Mark, thanks for all your posts over the past few months. I've been looking out for your posts and they really help with planning our trip.

Happy riding

Glad to hear it! Sometimes it's tough to tell what's useful and what's not, and I do strive to be useful (even when it doesn't seem that way, on the evidence, to some people).

Safe journeys!

Mark

Please don't shut up, it's all good stuff and you are totally right IMHO about riders rather than bikes. :thumbup1:

Two up is a different kettle of fish that again there seems to be different solutions to. As you'll see from the name I'm a sidecarist, (which isn't efficient although I'd love to build a Diesel outfit that might be) . Two-Three up (usually two plus the dog) I'm happy with anything from 30 Hp (Ural) to 80 Hp (R1100R). You are right that my 23HP MZ would require serious reconsideration of (my wife's :eek3:) plans regarding the amount of luggage etc. That said, I really can't see me ever wanting to hit the Riviera 24 hours after leaving home by Goldwing or Hayabusa. I'd be more interested in trying to get say an Enfield or Ural outfit somewhere good, but maybe that's just my personal interest (the Enfield would be no use, if the music isn't audible we have to stop every 20 miles for coffee :helpsmilie:).

For an efficient two up ride (solo) I think it'd be a tough decision. ER-5/CB500/Deauville? ?c?

Andy

Well I made it to Ripley and back! on the YBR125, it took me 4hrs 45mins to get up there with a couple of stops which, in total was for no more than 20 minutes, not the leisurely pace I would have liked but the 'target was the HU meet.
It was an even less enjoyable run back to London as I was rushing back home for the England/Germany game:censored:. I did the 180 miles in 4hrs 5mins with a fuel stop and a brief stop on the motorway to retrieve one of my mirrors.:oops2:.

I was getting about 100mpg and speeds up to 60 mph, it was a bit tiresome as it was all a rush, but hopefully I will do 'some distance' in a more relaxed manor.

I ve got only an old elite 250 scooter. 13 horses gets me to 126 K flat out. It take me 4 or 5 hours to go 350 K . ( Lots of hills) I m really considering taking a helix scooter for a long term tour. I love to get a smaller 250 duel sport but I m to big. I would rather go 55 all day and save some money on gas. :scooter: If you ve got time then speed doesn't matter. Whom knows what pretty woman you might meet by going a little bit slower. :Beach:

for real budget biking, there are only 2 choices in my opinion,
honda cub90, or for those in a "hurry", the cg125 (cdi version).

both are solid workhorses.
I found that on the cub, I averaged 30mph, 90mpg loaded, with barndoor fairing, on good roads.

You get to see the scenery too, not fly down the road.

I second Joe.

The C90 is awesome, but a bit overladen two up. I managed to get a good 30-40 mph, and around 90mpg down to Senegal on the C90, but that was on my own.

But, like the man said, if you want 'fast' and economical, the Cg125cdi is perfect. It will cruise at about 50mph fully laden two up, and still make up to 80mpg. Our 1982 model made it from UK to Cape Town with barely a hiccup.

Go slow, enjoy the scenery.

It's also cheap to repair or replace anything. A set of tyres in Nairobbery cost $12, and a set of sprockets $20, and they were the only consumables we changed in 22000k.

Plus you can buy them for way less than 500 Euros. Which gives you a whole lot more money for travelling.
http://vne-resource.iol.co.za/30/pic...le2/7/9/125534

Birdy:scooter:

I recently cycled a road up North in Scotland that I had only previously ridden on my motorbike and realised I'd seen much, much more on the bicycle and it was a much more memorable trip.

I'm very intrigued by the idea of low-powered bike touring. I've had enough of cycling after about 3 or 4 days, but a low powered motorbike might be a great way to see the world.

I've currently got a XT600 and, to be honest, it just makes everything too easy! If ever I get the chance for another big trip I think I'd take something like a CG125. Low, slow and very reliable. I have an enfield which I love, but I'm not sure its reliable enough for a big trip for me personally. (Plenty of more robust characters have done enormous trips on them though).

An alternative would be the kind of small dirt bike farmers use. Low powered plodding four-strokes. I think Honda do a 175 which would be good.

And any bike that makes motorway riding a trial is a good thing IMHO, keeps you from being tempted to just blast along to the next destination.

Matt :)

Now that to me is the dilema. Sat here in a office dreaming about where I'd rather be, the XT600 route is indeed such a known quantity I'd sign up for a Batley to Beijing by BSA Bantam. I do recall from my last trip a small episode in the Eifel (Blizzard conditions, not on top form health wise, had about three hours sleep in the last 48 hours) where the daily prayer was along the lines of "Thank Goodness I have the sidecar, where do I sign up to replace the Triumph with a brand new Goldwing".

Andy

:clap:

Funnily enough I was just looking at Bantams! £1000 seems to get you a decent one - and I was wondering how they'd go as a travel bike! Yop'd have to travel pretty light though!

Matt :)

I met a guy in March had been to scotland & back all for £30. he did say he found that the bike engine was not as reliable, i understand there is a desail
enfiled club
& u tume have a few on show sounds like a old trackter

You would be much better off with a cub ( Triumph tiger cub) any will do but the best years are 1959 to 1966 Once the engine oil is warm they will run all day at 45mph+ and return 100mpg. I toured all overthe UK on one back in the early sixties. It was equipped wit a full Avonaire touring fairing.

I would suggest that you stay away from Bantams for touring! as oldbmw says, a better choice would be the Tiger cub, but only just! if you read the blog from this link you will realise why, 20kms ridden, half hour or more to let it cool down :eek3:. The journey could be very nearly measured in seizures to the mile. http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...gypt-bsa-49984




For diesel bikes try DieselBike.net The Original Diesel Motorcycle website.

Which would logically suggest (at least to me) another branch of the family tree, MZ's. Rat bike rather than classic (although people I don't understand are doing hideous over chromed ES and RT model "restorations" now). I'd guess I've done something like 150,000 KM on MZ two strokes and had one siezure (the bike, not me). I made it home after pouring a can of coke down the bore and ran the same barrel and piston for another month :nono:. These 250/290's will run all day at 60+ mph. Efficient they are not, 40-60 MPG plus you are burning smoke oil at hideous prices. However, are we looking at the big picture:

MZ301, cost me £520 last September (only 7000 Km since new in 1995 :D), has run to about £30 in spares (e-bay value if I'd sold rather than hoared) and in 7000 miles used say £800 worth of petrol and £75 worth of smoke oil. I could sell it tomorrow for £250, probably more. That's 17p a mile.

I looked at a Diesel Bullet. £3500 to buy and then does 90 mpg on a mixture of Diesel and cooking oil. Parts I guessed at the same as my petrol Bullet and £1000 less if I decided to e-bay it. Over 7000 miles that's 20p a mile but falling fast.

The break even is somewhere about the three year mark at the rate I'd use one, but obviously the distance would clock up sooner on a long trip. Diesel of course is universally available while smoke oil isn't. I think I'll be going Diesel about five years after a manufacturer introduces one as a production model. :mchappy:

Andy

The diesel bullets do considerably more mpg than your figures. you should be getting between 120mpg to 170mpg on a single cylinder bike.
I get 96mpg from my petrol lean burn 500 cruising at 50-65mph.

The bike:

A Royal enfield! Price: 850 euro

only a nice diesel engine and I wil be driving allong with 10 hp but cheap simple and reliable!

Me is happy ;)

The Yanmar chinese clones are quite good. You can get all the parts you need for a conversion from PricePart Motorcycles | Royal Enfield Motorcycles | Tel: 01454 261 941 | Email: henry@pricepartmotor

Just to respond to the original post..... and sorry to hijack this thread.......

I'm not a big guy - 180cm /70kg and I am looking to own a more off road oriented bike again (I currently own 2.5 Burgmen, CT110, RD350 and am restoring another mid 80s bike), so based on travelcrazy's original post I went looking to buy a KLE500 thinking it may be a reasonable size offroader - not too big and not too small.

I found a very nice one - 2007, 15k Kms and AUD$4k - but sadly the KLE500 is way too small a bike for me.

To sit comfortably I need to sit on the passenger seat. The rider seat is scalloped out far too much and pushs you forward on to the tank, whilst the footpegs are too high and back forcing your knees and ankles to be bent at an uncomfortable angle and preventing you from using them to support your upper body.

In recent months I have also tested a GS1100 (too tall), Versys (I like it but it needs a 19" front wheel minimum), KLE650 (too tall and vibey). I prefer a twin cylinder as a single is too hard work for the long distances on the highway here in Australia - I am next going to try a wee strom, does anyone have other suggestions for a used 3+ year old offroad tourer?

The DL650 is an excellent bike. Stone reliable, versatile, comfortable ... lots of leg room. I owned two DL1000's and have swapped with buddies on DL650 several times, off road included. So I know the Wee Strom very well.

With upgraded suspension and TKC80 tires the Wee Strom is really transformed. Quite capable off road. But once loaded up it is still a bit of a handful off road. I prefer a single when the going gets sandy or muddy or rocky, rutted or steep. Still, it may surprise you where you can get to on a Wee Strom ... if you have some skills and confidence.

But for road work the Wee Strom is very hard to top ... at any price, by any bike. I've ridden a brand new R1200GS back to back with a well set up Wee Strom and I honestly liked the Vstrom better. Feels smaller, lighter, I felt more in control. I would highly recommend using the DL1000 seat or a custom seat on the Wee Strom. This will raise you up a bit, allowing even more leg room. Did you know the Vstrom has equal leg room to a R1200GS BMW ? It's true, we measured them both.

I loved my Vstroms on the highway but I have been very impressed with my DR650's too (I've owned three) They are fine at 80 mph all day long. With a good seat (a must on the DR650) it's surprising the miles you can pull down.
With suspension up grades the bike handles off road conditions quite well ... much easier and safer than a Wee Strom ... even carrying a fair load.

Both are great bikes. Do try out the Wee, see what you think.

Steal the bike, is cheaper than buying anything else. Or do something better, swap your wife and get the bike. Then, ride as far away as you can, the new owner could soon realize how bad bussiness he made.

lifetime motorbike trip (by segments)

Is this a modified Bonneville? Would like to know more of this beautiful bike. :thumbup1:

it's a Triumph Scrambler, i guess.


On the original topic, one could consider one of the new Indian bikes, the Bajaj for instance. or TVS .
Brandnew, very cheap, very fuel efficient +/-2L/100km, very strong suspension (designed for carrying at least 3 adults, or idontknowhowmany bags of cement) and faster than that Enfield diesel.

These manufacturers have taken over the (booming) motorcycle taxi market in E.Africa in just a few years.

l am also interested in this topic but I would like to add a twist to the question :

what is an economical bike suited for 2up riding? Speed is not an issue ( don't mind if I under 100kmph most of the time) but confort it is.
Going both slow and cramped is not a good combination.

So between a pillion and some luggage+camping gear... do I have any change to get a 60-70 mpg ?

On my current SV I get between 50-55 mpg 2 up + luggage. Now I am pondering to change it either to a more roomy bike but I am horrified to see bikes with regular consumption less then 50 mpg. In my book this should not happen. I might be cheap I know...

The key to elevated mileage is limiting your speed. Loading actually has little affect (IMHO) unless you like to go fast.

I own 2 650's--a f.i. twin and a carburated single. Either will get 60 mpg US (100 km/gall, about 25 km/liter) with any sort of ridiculous load on any sort of terrain...as long as I limit myself to 55 mph/90 kph. Actually, either will routinely hit 70 mpg US if riding sedately. Increase speed and mileage will plummet rapidly. That's your cue.

Mark

Blacktiger:Thats a nice bike, what model is it? tiger 500?