I really would like to know...

madmax-im

Yamaha...Go your own way...
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I had a question in the Ride thread about having an XS650 as my only ride..it was not a rhetorical question..i really would like to hear from you all and your opinions. I have owned many modern bikes. i have friends who think i should have a Concours C14 or a FJR1300 or eveen..having another bandit 1250 that was my last ride...Wrecked last Oct..So here we are..I only get to own One bike...If it is an XS650 it will be a running bike close to turnkey as i can find ...
I have to point out that i am not patient or mechanically inclined beyond simple maintnence issues.. I will have to seek out help in any real mechanical work.but i think i can find some local friends who are certainly capable. the big attraction to a bike like a Bandit 1250 is that it needs only gas tires and oil..for someone like me that is ideal..
For me to choose an old school classic bike (which I love) as my only ride will be a drastic change and departure from what i had been doing since 1990..riding modern bikes..Appreciate all your thoughts and points of view..lets have it...
 
Mad Max. Love the name. Here’s my take on this. You can spend a bunch of money o a new bike that loses value and keeps losing value. Or...Spend the same or almost for a vintage bike that gets attention everywhere you go. Goes up in value. And is a absolute pleasure to ride. And very simple to work on. For whatever reason I recently heard that vintage Jap bikes are in huge demand. Maybe why bike manufacturers are scurrying to come up with retro bikes.The architecture and looks of these old bikes cannot be duplicated. It would cost them a fortune. That being said. Yamaha makes BEAUTIFUL!!! bikes. Reliability? Good. Bulletproof? No. Resale? 77 RD400 is your best bet. This bike is NOT for a novice rider. The 1969 or 1970 CB750KO is bulletproof and VERY reliable. Silky smooth ride. Motorcycle Magazine bike of the century. Turnkey bike will cost you around 12K. And I’m guessing in 10 years you’ll double your money. Good luck.
 
Kawasaki is also an option. Excellent investment. The 73 KZ900 was the beginning of the end for the CB750. That’s also a 12K bike. The Honda seat is soft and comfortable. The KZ is like sitting on a concrete block.
 
I'm 66 in good health ,,done sport touring and LD riding for many years..Done with heavy bikes too.. so the mission is dayrides..250 miles maximum..2 laners no slabs..i loathe the superslabs... i may need to find a way to have 2 bikes because i'm not mechanically inclined as i stated earlier. My Bandit was the perfect machine for me..so that is going to be hard to let go...
 
What's your riding profile? miles per year, length of rides, kind of roads taken?
Few of us older guys have an XS650 as our ONLY bike. The XS650's are NOT insert key and ride bikes, nothing more than 10 or 15 years old is.
Those bandits are nice machines one locally has been going begging at $3500
I have seen that ad as I am looking nationwide for another bandit...its hard to go from that to an XS650.....
 
This was my 2007 Bandit 1250S..non ABS..ugh..I'm missing this one...
20180802-160541.jpg
 
All your friends who don't work on bikes either will harass you for your bike being in the garage all the time.
 
Mad Max. Love the name. Here’s my take on this. You can spend a bunch of money o a new bike that loses value and keeps losing value. Or...Spend the same or almost for a vintage bike that gets attention everywhere you go. Goes up in value. And is a absolute pleasure to ride. And very simple to work on. For whatever reason I recently heard that vintage Jap bikes are in huge demand. Maybe why bike manufacturers are scurrying to come up with retro bikes.The architecture and looks of these old bikes cannot be duplicated. It would cost them a fortune. That being said. Yamaha makes BEAUTIFUL!!! bikes. Reliability? Good. Bulletproof? No. Resale? 77 RD400 is your best bet. This bike is NOT for a novice rider. The 1969 or 1970 CB750KO is bulletproof and VERY reliable. Silky smooth ride. Motorcycle Magazine bike of the century. Turnkey bike will cost you around 12K. And I’m guessing in 10 years you’ll double your money. Good luck.
Thanks..MadMax-im was from my 1982 Yamaha XJ1100 maxim that i bought brand new in early 1983 and kept for 30 yrs as the original owner...sold in 2013 and regretted it ever since...I love the vintage yamahas primarily..they have my passion..but are they a realistic choice for me given my stated set of life's circumstances?...That is the question..it isnt about resale values either..its about everyday riding ...
 
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I think Yamaha started building pianos in like 1880. Then started doing other things. But I can kinda recollect reading that whatever they did it had to be beautiful. The XS1 and XS2 are prime examples. They’re beautiful! The 73 TX kinda got a disco look. I hated disco. And so on and so forth. Then came the Specials. No wonder guys are cutting them up for choppers or bobbers.
 
Max, if you don't like turning wrenches, old bikes in general (and the XS650 in particular) will be a PITA for you.The Kawasaki Ninja 650 and Suzuki SV650 have long service intervals and motors that can go 100,000 miles if they're not abused. Don't let the Ninja label put you off; it's a parallel twin with a relaxed upright riding position, not a laydown sport bike. Good low mileage machines can be had for $2500 to $3500.
 
I think Yamaha started building pianos in like 1880. Then started doing other things. But I can kinda recollect reading that whatever they did it had to be beautiful. The XS1 and XS2 are prime examples. They’re beautiful! The 73 TX kinda got a disco look. I hated disco. And so on and so forth. Then came the Specials. No wonder guys are cutting them up for choppers or bobbers.

The reason they (used to) cut up Specials is because they were plentiful and cheap kinda sorta looked like Triumphs. If some hacker stumbled into a deal on an older one it got cut up too. Watched them progress many times on the old 650rider.
 
The reason they (used to) cut up Specials is because they were plentiful and cheap kinda sorta looked like Triumphs. If some hacker stumbled into a deal on an older one it got cut up too. Watched them progress many times on the old 650rider.

Yeah. I get it. I heard that the xs650 was the first 4 stroke motorcycle motor that Yamaha made. Probably trying to duplicate Triumph.
 
This was my 2007 Bandit 1250S..non ABS..ugh..I'm missing this one...
20180802-160541.jpg

That is one helluva nice bike! I think you made your decision....search for another bandit. These old bikes need attention and care. It may cost you plenty if you need to get someone to fix and maybe they dont fix it if they dont know these bikes. Good luck with your search. JC
 
Triumph is the only one that came close to succeeding in the retro market. I’ll pull up and say ‘ Damn, that’s an old Bonnie ‘ But no. It’s a retro. And then... a 79 CB750F perfectly restored. No it’s a 2014 retro. Do you guys see where I’m going? There is no substitute. I’m sorry. Call me a crotchety old goat. I am.
 
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