Cheap reliable hacks.
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Cheap reliable hacks.
Does such a thing exist in the 21st century. The Cub was, always at the top of the list, and MZ's were always available (and free) so were early Indian Enfields. Cubs were/are always reliable, and MZ and Enfield can be made super reliable as well, but what is there out there today? The last TS 250 I owned, the previous owner boasted it had never been cleaned in 18 years, I got another 6 out of it, and the guy I sold it to 5 years ago, recently phoned me to see if I wanted it back, still running and roadworthy. What's out there now ? Anything Chinese ?
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Re: Cheap reliable hacks.
Depends what you class as cheap?
Sadly with the rising cost of new machines folk have jumped on the band wagon and the 'hack' is rare.
Try using a grand on eBay or gumtree and very little other than scrap or donor parts appear (IMO only) inc' ubiquitous bandits & SVs
Moped is always a giggle on searches.
I would say at present (other than the Address & Innova) the Suzuki Inazuma & soon the DL250 (neither big sellers)
Any Honda/Kwak 250 seems fair money as the 300cc killed their residue values
Sadly with the rising cost of new machines folk have jumped on the band wagon and the 'hack' is rare.
Try using a grand on eBay or gumtree and very little other than scrap or donor parts appear (IMO only) inc' ubiquitous bandits & SVs
Moped is always a giggle on searches.
I would say at present (other than the Address & Innova) the Suzuki Inazuma & soon the DL250 (neither big sellers)
Any Honda/Kwak 250 seems fair money as the 300cc killed their residue values
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Re: Cheap reliable hacks.
The reason that Cubs, MZs et al were classed as reliable, cheap hacks is not because they needed no maintenance. It was because they were easy and cheap to maintain. Folks have forgotten (me included) how getting the socket set out was at least a weekly event, and gapping points, changing plugs, oiling non-nylon-lined cables etc. were staple Sunday morning tasks.
30 years ago, cheap bikes that made good hacks needed frequent maintenance, but:
- It was easy to do
- Folks accepted it as necessary (or broke down frequently until they learned that lesson)
- Folks were more mechanically minded because bikes needed some maintenance on a regular basis
What's happened over the last 30 years is:
- Bikes in general have got less reliant on regular, simple maintenance
- Folks are forgetting how to do simple maintenance tasks, and newer riders are not learning to do it
Which is one reason why Chinese bikes haven't become "the new MZs." Cheap, Chinese bikes require a bit of simple maintenance, but:
- Typical buyers aren't able or wiling to do it
- The bikes are relatively cheap, and hence seen as rather throwaway/disposable
The hacks are still out there (and 125er crazy has identified some decent ones above) and include some of the more recent Chinese offerings, particularly certain Sinnis and Lexmoto models IF they have had some basic maintenance in the first place.
I regularly see a few 10+ year old Sinnis Matrix scooters and Lexmoto Gladiators, now with decent mileages on them and surviving a 4-season coastal environment. Also the Suzuki GS-clone engined bikes (eg Sinnis Apache, Lexmoto Adrenaline) seem robust enough to survive as hacks again with the same maintenance proviso.The long running thread on the Riders Cubs also shows that fears of them not surviving their first MOT were completely unfounded.
30 years ago, cheap bikes that made good hacks needed frequent maintenance, but:
- It was easy to do
- Folks accepted it as necessary (or broke down frequently until they learned that lesson)
- Folks were more mechanically minded because bikes needed some maintenance on a regular basis
What's happened over the last 30 years is:
- Bikes in general have got less reliant on regular, simple maintenance
- Folks are forgetting how to do simple maintenance tasks, and newer riders are not learning to do it
Which is one reason why Chinese bikes haven't become "the new MZs." Cheap, Chinese bikes require a bit of simple maintenance, but:
- Typical buyers aren't able or wiling to do it
- The bikes are relatively cheap, and hence seen as rather throwaway/disposable
The hacks are still out there (and 125er crazy has identified some decent ones above) and include some of the more recent Chinese offerings, particularly certain Sinnis and Lexmoto models IF they have had some basic maintenance in the first place.
I regularly see a few 10+ year old Sinnis Matrix scooters and Lexmoto Gladiators, now with decent mileages on them and surviving a 4-season coastal environment. Also the Suzuki GS-clone engined bikes (eg Sinnis Apache, Lexmoto Adrenaline) seem robust enough to survive as hacks again with the same maintenance proviso.The long running thread on the Riders Cubs also shows that fears of them not surviving their first MOT were completely unfounded.
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Re: Cheap reliable hacks.
Stick a set of decent mains/gearbox bearings, modded Suzuki crankpin, and bearing, stellite faced gear selectors and modified Volva electronic ignition on a MZ, and they were as reliable and maintenance friendly as "the best". And not for much outlay either, (If you have the skill) same with the old Indian Enfields. Some simple mods make them very easy to live with.
What I do see, because where I live road salt is applied by the ton, most Chinese bikes seem to fail not mechanically, but from exhausts, forks, shocks etc,rotting. I found a couple of eBay shops last night that seem to supply most of the required stuff reasonably cheap, so maybe I'll have a go. I don't mind spanner work.
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Re: Cheap reliable hacks.
My Virago 535 is a cracking ride, but worth naff all.
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Re: Cheap reliable hacks.
I have a mate (and we've probably all had a mate like this) who destroyed every bike he ever got his hands on. No matter how big or small, he turned it into a pile of cr@p within a year. He used to do long comutes into London all year, so that didn't help, but his mechanical ineptitude, and non-sympathetic riding style didn't either.
That all stopped when his Dad got a new 535 Virago and gave him his old one that had done around 15000 miles.
Paul put another 45000+ on it over the next three years, and despite it looking like it was dumped, it just kept on going.
It got stolen (presumably by someone blind and deaf) from Canary Wharf. If I got told I could only ever have one bike ever again and it had to last me the rest of my life, I'd search out a Virago 535.
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Re: Cheap reliable hacks.
I had one in '97, I also went through ( in about 7 years), an 883 sporty, shadow 600, en500 vulcan, and a savage 650. The 535 was the best, just pipped the shadow.. Just my opinion.
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Re: Cheap reliable hacks.
I bought a new one in '89 and traded it in for a Harley D 883 Sportster after a year. If I'm honest, the 535 was a better bike all round. The Sportster did kickstart 19 years of riding HDs though.
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Re: Cheap reliable hacks.
Cafe racers too