Three Bikes - become two?

[craigs23]

Owning three bikes now is a bit silly, I'm considering breaking the family up to two - one for sunny Sunday thrashing, the other for commuting and bimbling about on.

I'm a bit concerned that my new best friend, my CG125, has a dangerously poor headlamp, and as it runs off the engine (or something like that) won't be safe enough to continue commuting on throughout winter. Unfortunately, I'd considered a classic bike as well, but based upon these criteria, and the thought that I need a bike I can just jump on and ride without too much tinkering, that option might be out too.

My CBR's been somewhat unused for the past couple of months, as described in my other thread. It does have its uses, and I appreciate its capabilities - it's the most all round bike I own, maybe have ever owned, which is great when I want a hoon or want to ride with my mates and it doesn't matter what size machinery they're riding on. It'll also be good for when I decide to go touring, trackdays, etc.

My NC30. Heart and soul of my collection, but I'm forever getting annoyed by the thing. I'm not sure whether I have the patience or the time to keep fiddling around trying to perfect it. Currently has no exhaust or MOT, and I'm pretty fed up with it. Spent too much on it too, and would probably spend more and more, and to be honest, I don't see the point. I haven't got the patience or the time to faff around in a garage when quite honestly, I'd rather be out riding. Even if it gets finished, I think the days I'd actually ride it will be few and far between. An absolutely love/absolutely hate relationship - but makes an interesting road tool - nice blend of performance and thrashability - but I doubt I'd ride it in anger ever again.

So then, what would you do?

Selling the 125 is also certain unfortunately...

A). Sell the 125 for a crosser/scrambler to tackle through winter and continue enjoying bimbling about on. That leaves the NC30 to be finished and then enjoyed on sunny Sundays, but that also leaves the CBR as a Sunday bike, or dry weather commuter.

B). Sell the 125 and the CBR. Bit more of a budget to play with and leaves the NC30 free for those sunny days. Might miss the odd blast of the 600's speed though. Bikes considered to change to: MT03, SV650 unfaired, KTM Duke, etc.

C). Sell the 125 and the NC30. The CBR becomes my dry weather bike and gets treated as such. It will be ridden and used with a less 'cautious' nature than my NC30, and has scope for different biking opportunities (touring, pillion work, continued commuting, etc). Will loose the time, money, blood, sweat and tears it took to get the NC30 up to how it is now.

D). Quit my whining and ride in blind fear through winter on the 125. Finish the NC30 and wait until I have my own place so I can exhibit it properly in my living room. Use the CBR as described earlier.

[hornetmike]

what about a E) one bike that does all like a kawisaki versys not a flat out racer but does everything else pretty much
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87 Honda CG 125 - 97 ER5 - SR 50 -81 Z250- 96 CBR 600 F- 94 GPX600R 88- GPX 400R- 87 GS 125 - 2006 Honda CB600F- 2003 ER5 - Honda CBF 1000 2009 - Honda CBR 600 RR 2011
Current BMW R1200GS 2010

[carlnicholson...]

F). Do a deal with me on the CBR for my DR!!!
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"THOSE WHO RISK NOTHING, DO NOTHING, ACHIEVE NOTHING, BECOME NOTHING."

[Kickstart]

Hi

Personally I would keep them all and buy a 4th bike.

All the best

Keith
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[instigator]

C - You need to do some touring.

[Charlie]

Hmm I agree with Keith, buy another bike and then decide which you should/shouldn't keep at a later date.

Or sell the cbr, keep the NC&CG and buy something like a KTM 690 enduro, with two sets of wheels, on-road set and a off-road set.

What ever I think the CG should be kept until you are sure you have found a replacement for it. As you might sell it for something and then realise its not quite what you thought.
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Past: Honda x8rs, Honda City fly, Honda Hornet 250, Honda VFR750, Yamaha xt600e.
Current: Honda CBR929RR & Yamaha XT660Z Tenere

[chris-red]

For a year I rode around on my RXS100 with 6V electrics pretty much through all conditions including pitch black shitty little lanes. It wasn't perfect buit it worked....sort of.
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[neatbik]

I voted d - You have put way too much effort and money into the nc30 to sell it, and i'd hate for you to regret selling it after a while.
Just use the cg for the commute, the cbr for highdays and holidays and take out the nc30 on very very sunny, very very dry days

[Spit-Fire]

your not allowed to sell that vfr! i dont think you can find any one who looks after and cleans a bike a well/often as you, there for it is illegal for you to sell that bike

back on topic, +2 for the 4th bike (you can never have to many )
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they say the good die young... i say we just live faster

[craigs23]

Hmm, results are pretty even....dang. Hoping this would make my mind up. I guess the best thing to do is to get the exhaust system fitted to my NC30, then see how I feel after riding it.

[Endless Nameless]

Must be able to upgrade the headlight on the CG somehow surely? Is yours a 6v or a 12v one?
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[Kal]

Sell me your NC30...

Headlamps on the CG are pretty bloody poor even at 12v, I developed a whole range of coping techniques - the good news is that the darker it gets the better the light works.

It also gets brighter if you rev the tits off of it - feathering the clutch can help here if you are keeping the speed down.

If memory serves Craig has said that it is a Brasilian CG and I am sure that one of the first thigns they did in Brasil was ditch the 6v electrics.
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Kal...
I Like To Hoon It Hoon It I Like To Hoon It Hoon It I Like To Hoon It Hoon It Ya Like To (HOON IT!).
1984 GB250 Clubman,1983 CB250N Superdream, 1999 GPZ500S

[Grav]

[MarJay]

Craig, Personally what I would do is make sure I had the smallest number of bikes I could possibly get away with that would cover all of my biking requirements.

For me, I've got a Speed four that can do long rides, sunny sunday fun, trackdays, touring etc.

I've got a RD350 YPVS for fettling and two stroke madness. Hopefully I can use it for stuff like boxhill visits as well.

I've got a Gas Gas Pampera for off roadness, although when the RD is fixed I can see it becoming my least used bike - but I suppose with winter almost here it could become my most used bike!

What I don't have is a bike I totally don't care about that I can use to commute. I suppose I ought to really combine the off roader with the commuter, but the Gas Gas is great fun off road and the tyres aren't suited to road use. It doesn't have an ignition key or a sidestand and so I don't think I could commute on it.

I'm actually thinking of buying an MZ or something to fill in the gap... Which is kind of bad really... I suppose in an ideal world I'd sell the GasGas and buy an XR250 and two sets of wheels...

Dunno. I'm sure that me going through my dilemmas doesn't help you all that much, but of course it highlights the point that we cannot really advise you, as biking isn't a rational activity, its much more personal.

One thing I will say is: I can't really see the point of you keeping the NC30. You'll probably lose less money on that than you will on the CBR, and the CBR is a better bike. If you want to fettle, then a classic is ideal. Plus the CG isn't the best shit bike you can get. There are other bikes that are better at being shit, whilst also better bikes. Like an Enfield for example!
Sounds kinda like you need to keep the CBR, Sell the NC30, and CG, buy an enfield and an XR250.
But what do I know? I'm not you!!

(this post was brought to you by the council for making self indulgence look like an attempt at advice, but not achieving it! )
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F; Cheap project: CBR900RR FireBlade
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.