Sprockets: What's the miata equivalent in the sprockets world

I've never ridden before but I'm intrigued after reading a few adventure stories on advrider.com

I'm 33, 5-11 and love to tinker/DIY. I was thinking of starting with an adventure type bike that I could initially use off-road to practice riding then take it on the streets. Something that's:

1. cheap in case I lose interest ($1k or so)
2. DIY friendly, abundant parts and reliable at the same time
3. from what I've gathered a 4 stroke is what I want, about 125cc?

I don't know enough to relate the models with manufacturers so when you say XR500 I don't know if that's a Kawasaki or a Suzuki etc.

Kawa KLR250/650 (watercooled)

Suzuki DR250/650 (aircooled)

Although the 250s are a bit small for farkled-out adventure riding on the road, and the 650s are a bit heavy for dirtbike style adventures offroad.

I almost bought a KLR650, and I still want one.

a Miata would be a 250, fun, but not overpowering

DL250 gets my vote.

"Although the 250s are a bit small" -exactly, so is the miata!

Well I ride and would say any used 4 stroke that meets emmissions standards can be ridden on the road and off, buy the simple addition of a head light, brake light and turn signals. so yuo have almost limitless options.

Nope to all the above. A 125 four stroke is just way too small. The '70's and '80's 4 stroke 125's were way underpowered and had horrible suspension. In the '90's, those motors pretty much got relegated to the small bikes made for the girlfriend to ride around the back yard. The 250's from that era were pretty much full sized bikes but way heavy for their power output.

The current crop of 250 4 strokes have decent performance but are going to be out of your price range. For that matter, anything but a complete junker anything is going to be more than $1k. I'm going to save you a lot of aggravation: when you get down around $1k you will need: new chain and sprockets, brakes and probably a top end rebuild. That can easily hit $1k, meaning your $1k bike is now a $2k bike. I suggest you try to stretch your starting budget to at least $1750. That will have you doing more riding and less wrenching.

The 'universal dirt bike with decent performance and huge aftermaket' would be the Honda XR 600 or XR400. Of the two, I'd go with the 400, much newer suspension engineering etc. and it's a lot lighter. Dualsport kits are readily available for both, to make them street legal.

XR400R, this one is an '01 but anything from '96 up is the same except for the plastic colors. Enough oomph to be a lot of fun, but docile enough that it won't try to kill a beginner. I had a '96, great bike. Its drawback: the seat/tank junction shape keeps you from getting as far forward as you'd really like for high speed cornering. Not a big deal for the beginner. XR600, again this is an '01. On 600's, I'd not go older than 1996. Even though the motor is basically the same the suspension picked up some improvements (mainly cartridge type forks instead of damper rod) in that year. I had a '92, it was a good but not great bike. Its one real drawback: that big mutha is hell to start if you get it good and hot and then drop it on its side. The automatic compression release is a joke. The 400's had a two way automatic and manual compression release which helped a LOT.

Thanks for the sggestions, keep 'em coming.

If I can find a $800 running volvo (sure it won't win any speed records) and $1200 miata I should be able to find a bike equivalent for less, no? I don't mind wrenching, it'll be a fun project.

My inspiration:

Cross country trip on a $50 bike: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=366117

I would say that the SV650 is the Miata of the motorcycle world. Compared to a car, it's fast, but among motorcycles in its displacement, it's pretty average. However, it's super easy to track, reliable, and it has a huge support base.

It's funny how motorcycle pricing works; regardless of what it stickered for when it was new, a regular used 600 cc sportbike between 7-15 years old is $1500-2200, or $500-800 for broken/parts bike, "old" standards are $1/CC for ratty to $2.50/cc for decent condition. Prices seem a lot less model-dependent than with cars.

MitchellC wrote: I would say that the SV650 is the Miata of the motorcycle world. Compared to a car, it's fast, but among motorcycles in its displacement, it's pretty average. However, it's super easy to track, reliable, and it has a huge support base. It's funny how motorcycle pricing works; regardless of what it stickered for when it was new, a regular used 600 cc sportbike between 7-15 years old is $1500-2200, or $500-800 for broken/parts bike, "old" standards are $1/CC for ratty to $2.50/cc for decent condition. Prices seem a lot less model-dependent than with cars.

Priced out a Hawk GT recently?

You theory holds water, though, I think because sportbikes of similar cc are roughly the same size/speed/reliability/etc. Not like a 92 Caviler vs a 92 Miata...

Hawk GT FTW!

Nah... It's kinda culty, so about the same money gets you an OK SV650 these days. Bear in mind, this is from a diehard Hawk GT owner/fanboi, who's planning to put waaaaay too much money into his obsolete bike this winter.

That's likely your best Miata analogue. It's a great bike, capable of anything you want it to do, and more of bike than you need for the street. But, like a Miata, you'll reailze that it's capable of more than it offers out of the box, and you'll want to make it do more. Such is the disease we have.

Have fun!

The OP does want a little offroad thrown in there. There is this, however:

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=283894

I'll have mine like this, though:

As for me, if you can find a SV650 for the money the OP's thinking about... hook a brotha up!

So far I love my DRZ400 except that I haven't been able to ride it as much as I want with work and school. It isn't going to scare anyone power wise, but its highway capable if you're butt is up to it and can pretty much go anywhere. The supermoto version of my bike might fit the bill if you're looking for something for on-road riding only. Here's a pic of mine at a local park.

actually, IIRC, in street terms the GS 500 was a miata. The SV650 was something with a V8, and the litter bikes are ferraris(SP)

it was on the old board, but I cant find the list

Osterkraut wrote: Priced out a Hawk GT recently? You theory holds water, though, I think because sportbikes of similar cc are roughly the same size/speed/reliability/etc. Not like a 92 Caviler vs a 92 Miata...

Yes, which made me sad when I didn't have the cash for one listed for $800 on Craigslist a while back... all there but something broken.

Older street bikes around 1k are common as dirt and it's hard to go wrong with any of them. The problem (and I go back to one of the OP's criteria) is that they are worse than useless off road. In fact trying to take, say, a Honda Rebel anywhere off pavement is a recipe for disaster. A true street bike is just all wrong for dirt riding, even dirt roads. BTDT.

Early 90's Nighthawk 750. Solid bike. It won't break as the engine has been in production since the 70's. The sub-systems like chain, trans, brakes, suspension aren't going to wow you but they'll do the job for hundreds of thousands of miles.

Older Nighthawks are actually better bikes but will be beaten more and quite possibly less reliable as they have more gadgets and fancy engineering tricks to break.

+1 on the XR400

The XR series bikes are tanks, you can't kill them.

Throw a big fuel tank on one and a set of bark busters and you're set.

While I'd agree that a GS500 is a good Miata equivalent and beginner friendly, I'd also agree with the comments about how it is not all that good off road. (Speaking as someone who both owns one and has ridden it on dirt.) I'd look for just about any Japanese dual sport in the 250 to 650 cc, one cylinder range - the larger ones are a bit more street oriented, smaller ones would be better for trails.

My buddy has a Hawk GT and compared to my TL1000 it is uninspiring. The single sided swingarm is neat though.

I would think a CBR600 is the Miata of the bike world. Cheap Can be had in girly colors (pink/white/blue models) Gigantic aftermarket Sporty, but not super duper fast.

Best of both worlds, though if you want to tinker get a regular drz400 an supermoto it!!! or any dirt bike for that matter, that's my next bike right there.

Hyosung gt250 comet. 70mpg city 77mpg hwy and tons of fun too!!! Daily ride FTW!!! (gs500 frame, 250 twincam V-twin) Hyosung has made engines for suzuki for 30+ years, and their own bikes for I don't know how long been in the states for about 8-10 years going to kia, hyundai the motorcycle market some day. oh yeah I paid 2900 for it and got almost 800 in rebates!!!

How's this DRZ 110?

http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/mcy/886794581.html

A little bit over my range but not too high for a 2005.

Maybe I should've said the Volvo 240 equivalent i.e. uninspiring but reliable, easy to work on - a decent first bike.

I think that might be a little small, more like a kids bike, some one correct me if I'm wrong. Nope it's a small bike, that would not be good for the street at all!!!

http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/mcy/924294067.html

http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/mcy/923721211.html

http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/mcy/923633025.html

http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/mcy/923157191.html is this you?

Awesome, thanks for those links. Love that 70s bike :)

What are the pros and cons of those, which one would be better than the other two?

No that last post is not me, I saw it too. I've never ridden bikes before.

the honda will need scrounging of parts, though I bet that's part of the fun for you. I'm pretty sure the klr650 is a tank with regular maintnance. The 91 honda should pretty easy to fix too, parts being easily available.