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Honda fx650 vigor?

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PostPosted: 19:54 - 23 Sep 2008    Post subject: Honda fx650 vigor? Reply with quote

Has anyone ever owned one?

I'm looking for something that i can use on and off road.I did have my heart set on a ccm604,but i stumbled on this bike locally.

It's a 2003 model with loads of tax & test.
Up for £1295.

https://i6.ebayimg.com/08/i/001/0e/9e/d8ba_1.JPG

Yes i know it's ugly as fuck Laughing but i reckon a change of headlight,remove the top box and get a jack up kit it might be an ok bike?

Just looking for some opinions really.?
Should i hold out for a ccm?
Also a few cheap suzuki dr350 for sale aswell,what they like?

(i did google the fx650 but not a lot of info come up for it really.

Thanks
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eddyh
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PostPosted: 20:00 - 23 Sep 2008    Post subject: Reply with quote

How many miles on the clock?
Been in any accidents?

1300 quid isn't a bad price i would be tempted to buy it.
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MarJay
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PostPosted: 20:01 - 23 Sep 2008    Post subject: Reply with quote

the vigor is very much a 'soft roader' and as such isn't all that for riding off road. Its heavy, has poor suspension travel and is basically a road/commuter bike.

The DR350 on the other hand is about the best bike out there for doing road and off road stuff. Its light enough to do a little rough stuff, but its powerful and refined enough to ride on the road. Its a better choice than the vigor.
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PostPosted: 20:11 - 23 Sep 2008    Post subject: Reply with quote

eddyh wrote:
How many miles on the clock?
Been in any accidents?

1300 quid isn't a bad price i would be tempted to buy it.


No accidents as far as i know,and 7,400 miles on the clock! nothing really.
It's the price that tempted me Very Happy


MarJay wrote:
the vigor is very much a 'soft roader' and as such isn't all that for riding off road. Its heavy, has poor suspension travel and is basically a road/commuter bike.

The DR350 on the other hand is about the best bike out there for doing road and off road stuff. Its light enough to do a little rough stuff, but its powerful and refined enough to ride on the road. Its a better choice than the vigor.


Cheers marjay,I was hoping either you or G would reply Laughing

Shame really cos it's pretty cheap for it's age.
I'm not looking to do major off road things just a bit of greenlaning e.t.c...

Theres quite a few dr350's for sale,but non locally and their usually quite old for this sort of price range.Will keep looking.

What would this one be like in comparison to a ccm604 for on and off-road capability?

Thanks for the reply's

Dave
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Itchy
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PostPosted: 20:18 - 23 Sep 2008    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bah Honda Dominator with some new bits like the front end ,
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MaybeGuy
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PostPosted: 20:22 - 23 Sep 2008    Post subject: Reply with quote

looks like a slightly squashed anorexic hornet.
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PostPosted: 20:29 - 23 Sep 2008    Post subject: Reply with quote

https://i15.ebayimg.com/02/i/001/0e/9e/e333_1.JPG

https://i10.ebayimg.com/03/i/001/0e/9f/16b8_1.JPG

https://i2.ebayimg.com/07/i/001/0e/9f/0ba4_1.JPG

It is quite funny looking Laughing
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G
The Voice of Reason



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PostPosted: 21:57 - 23 Sep 2008    Post subject: Re: Honda fx650 vigor? Reply with quote

I'd stay away if you want to do off-roading, especially if you haven't done much before. Yes you can do green-laning on it, but then mr tattoo was doing some lanes on a hornet apparently - doesn't mean it's easy for us mortals Smile

I'm not sure I'd describe the DR350 as a seminal dual sport, but it is a decent choice.
For that sort of money, you could probably find a DRZ400, which'll do everything a little better.

The CCM604 uses a rotax engine; questionable reliability, though some claim they're fine if looked after; others say they just haven't had it go wrong yet. The more expensive 644 uses a more proven Suzuki engine, though less powerful.

The Honda would be a fair bit up on comfort compared to the CCM, but a fair bit down on off-road ability.
The vigor is 90% commuter and 10% off road at most, I'd say.

I saw a CRM250 MK3 with supermoto and enduro wheels on offer for £1300 recently. A 'trail' 2 stroke which should make an ok commuter and a decently fun bike off-road with out being too over the top.
Other bikes worth considering are the DR600 and KLR600 if you can kickstart them; a bit lighter than the lardier 650cc models. The XT350, XR400 and similar 250s if you don't need massive amounts of speed (which you won't get from the vigor either, really).
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PostPosted: 22:20 - 23 Sep 2008    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the reply G Thumbs Up

I'm quite put-off by the vigor now.
Thing is i'm struggling to find anything in my price range.I have about £1400 absolute max atm.

Been offered a 98 ccm604 for £1500 quid which has had lots of work done to the engine aswell as having r30 headers and a quill t3 can.It also has enduro and sm wheels(and plenty tax & test).
I like the idea of the ccm because it's an engine i can work on;having a timing belt and easily adjustable tappets rather than shimms.
I'm completely put off the kwaks now after owning the klr650 so dont wanna go their Laughing .


My riding will be about 70% road and 30% off road which puts me off getting a 350cc bike as i need the ability of going motorway cruising speeds when i want to.I'm thinking the bigger 600cc+ engines will cope better with that.

I'm a big bloke so i dont think the weight of the bike will be too much trouble off road.

The problem i have is i'm really impatient Laughing and this cash is seriously burning a hole im my pocket,so i have to find something fast,but as usual when i have the cash theres nothing for sale Crying or Very sad .

I waffled on a shitload there Laughing
Anyway,thanks. I'll keep on searching for now and see what i can do...Thanks again for the reply Thumbs Up
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G
The Voice of Reason



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PostPosted: 22:58 - 23 Sep 2008    Post subject: Reply with quote

Your weight added to the bikes may just make it worse Smile - picking the bike up and getting knackered from fighting it is one thing, but the other is trying to make 200+kgs of combined rider/bike turn sharply (or stay in a straight line) when there's only some sloshing mud to offer you traction.

If you are actually intending 30% off road, I'd be looking at something a bit off-road biased personally, though when I bought my KTM I looked at it that it'd probably only get used off-road 10% of the time, but as that was the most fun bit, I'd be willing to put 90% of the bike's abilities towards that 10% fun bit Smile.

The bigger bikes often don't go much faster (can probably hit 80-90 on an XR250 with the right gearing), but they do get there a bit easier.

DR600 is definitely worth a look; one on ebay for £600 BIN.
Hardly weigh more than the 350, but more grunt.

Had you considered two bikes?
Could probably get something like a GPZ500 for commuting and maybe a 250cc trail bike of some kind with your budget. Any problems with one and you've got a spare bike too.
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PostPosted: 23:17 - 23 Sep 2008    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just had a look at that dr600 on ebay.
Tbh it looks a bit rough for me Laughing and being a D reg a bit too old aswell.(although i'm sure it'll have a few years left in it yet)

The 2 bikes thing is a possibility,although i very much doubt i'd get 2 bikes for my budget.
Thing is i'm just riding for fun now so dont actually need a commuter bike.Just gonna be a fun bike,which again is why the ccm is soooooo tempting with it having sm wheels aswell Cool .

I think the ccm is gonna be my number 1 choice,unless something else comes up that i cant resist...

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G
The Voice of Reason



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PostPosted: 07:30 - 24 Sep 2008    Post subject: Reply with quote

Remember bikes will start to look 'rougher' as you take them through greenlanes etc.

Oops, thought you mentioned commuting - can't see any other reason to buy a vigor, I suppose Razz.

On that, have a look XR650R, or one of the KTM LC4s might be a good choice, but may be pushing budget a bit too much for an ok one.
Basically, you've got a compromise of:
Weight / Reliability / Power.
Generally you can have any two of those, but got the 'holy trinity' of all three is going to be much harder.

The CCM604 still isn't that light a bike, but should be a fair bit better than the FX.
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PostPosted: 07:32 - 24 Sep 2008    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'd love an xr650,but they just hold their price too well for my budget Crying or Very sad .Maybe one day.
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