I would still trust a *NEW* (c)honda over this

[Skyteamst90]

So here is one of those 30+ year old $3,000 motorcycles the naysayers always talk about. "Oh I would take a used Honda over a new chinese..." blah blah blah.

However, the parts are still 30 years old and good luck finding that one part that just happens to break that tje beloved dealer can't get. And for those that have bad knees, good luck.kick starting em as well.

Don't get me wrong the big-4 all have a place and have made some great stuff along the way, but new is still new, and I would still take a slower less refined chinese bike over a 30 year old enduro.

Commence mud slinging.

[Wild Dog]

Old vehicles are for troubles, yes a lot of people restore them and keep them pristine for another 30 years. That's fine but if you want to use them, you need something that's somewhat new and still made somewhere in the world.

Most of those 30 years old motorcycle are indeed amazing, they were made when mfg didn't worry about the enviroment.

[Megadan]

The issue with old bikes isn't really the reliability. I daily rode several old Hondas. The real issue is parts availability when they do eventually break. It is no fun shelling out $200 for a part that should cost $30.

[Jpman3]

I'm with you. That's why I bought a new Tbr7 instead of using my 78 Yamaha dt250 to ride back and forth to work. It's only got 6600 miles on it and parts are still available, but I prefer to keep it in the condition it's in.

[Wild Dog]

Originally Posted by Megadan

The issue with old bikes isn't really the reliability. I daily rode several old Hondas. The real issue is parts availability when they do eventually break. It is no fun shelling out $200 for a part that should cost $30.

IF you find the part that's broken. Sure piston, tubes, rings, connecting rod, those are easy to find for most motorcycle, but then you have parts that can be a nightmare and let's not even talk about fairing.
Plus you need to be somewhat lucky to find an old motorcycle that is just ready to roll.

Originally Posted by Jpman3

I'm with you. That's why I bought a new Tbr7 instead of using my 78 Yamaha dt250 to ride back and forth to work. It's only got 6600 miles on it and parts are still available, but I prefer to keep it in the condition it's in.

You are quite lucky because that's a fairly simple 2 smoker. I have an 80s Kawasaki, that i'm still looking for it, some kips parts

[Megadan]

Originally Posted by Wild Dog

IF you find the part that's broken. Sure piston, tubes, rings, connecting rod, those are easy to find for most motorcycle, but then you have parts that can be a nightmare and let's not even talk about fairing.
Plus you need to be somewhat lucky to find an old motorcycle that is just ready to roll.

That was kind of the point I was making...

[Wild Dog]

Originally Posted by Megadan

That was kind of the point I was making...

Maybe we have a different definition of reliability. If parts are not something i can't find easily for me at least then is not really reliable.

[Megadan]

Originally Posted by Wild Dog

Maybe we have a different definition of reliability. If parts are not something i can't find easily for me at least then is not really reliable.

Reliability: long intervals of operation without fault.

Reliability has zero to do with parts availability. That would fall under more of am ease of service and repair.

Example My 1975 Goldwing was dead reliable (it was over 32 years old when I bought it). I could and did ride it almost every single day for years without any real problems, putting over 60,000 miles on it. Then one day the swing arm bushing on the right side fell apart, and I could not get a new one. I ended up paying a guy in Scotland $80 for a bearing kit he adapted from the GL1200 swing arm, I had to wait 5 weeks for it to arrive, and then had to spend the better part of a full day replacing both bushings with the new bearings.

After that, the bike was back on the road as if nothing happened.

Just because I couldn't get the bushing I needed didn't mean that the bike itself was unreliable.

[Mudflap]

My 52 year old Trail 90 was a pretty reliable little bike but it did have it's issues. The ancient 6 volt electrical system was a problem from time to time. After I swapped out the original engine with a Lifan 140 about 10 years ago it has had zero problems. It may well go another 50 years.

[Goob]

Originally Posted by Mudflap

My 52 year old Trail 90 was a pretty reliable little bike but it did have it's issues. The ancient 6 volt electrical system was a problem from time to time. After I swapped out the original engine with a Lifan 140 about 10 years ago it has had zero problems. It may well go another 50 years.

I loved by Trail 90. Wish I hadn't sold it. When I bought it 17 years ago it was $1K for a bike with less than 2000 miles on it and the aux gas tank. Now $2K+ for the same bike.

Thinking of finding a C70 (Passport) and putting a Lifan or other 140 or 150 engine in it. I would just do a 90, but want electric start and those seem to be hard to find. I have been looking at Tbolt USA, as they provide all wiring, carb, etc. Any other good source that provides in almost kit form like they do?

[culcune]

Originally Posted by Goob

I loved by Trail 90. Wish I hadn't sold it. When I bought it 17 years ago it was $1K for a bike with less than 2000 miles on it and the aux gas tank. Now $2K+ for the same bike.

Thinking of finding a C70 (Passport) and putting a Lifan or other 140 or 150 engine in it. I would just do a 90, but want electric start and those seem to be hard to find. I have been looking at Tbolt USA, as they provide all wiring, carb, etc. Any other good source that provides in almost kit form like they do?

Contact Pete at Kronik Racing. www.kronikracing.com

[Mudflap]

I hate to see any of the old Honda underbone bikes end up in the scrap yard when they can be saved with a modern engine transplant. Last time I looked there were lots of places selling engine kits, and I think that's the best way to go. I bought a couple Lifan 110 kits from Larry in Washington but he's out of business. Got the Lifan 140 from DRATV but the intake tube was wrong and the supplied oil cooler was defective. DRATV would not replace the defective parts so I stopped ordering from them.

[RedCrowRides]

....there actually WAS a time when Hondas, and the other Big 3 from Japan, really were affordable ,we weren't always at where we are now with a Honda 450 dirt bike being $10k. , etc.

[2LZ]

Originally Posted by RedCrowRides

....there actually WAS a time when Hondas, and the other Big 3 from Japan, really were affordable ,we weren't always at where we are now with a Honda 450 dirt bike being $10k. , etc.

Zakkly. I was riding local motocross back then. You could strip an enduro or get a Penton, Husky, CZ, etc...if you could afford one, and be in front of the pack for multiple years. Then the Elsinore, TM's YZ's, RM's and KX's came out and started changing so dramatically annually, that unless you bought a new bike every years, you were eating dust.
Then prices soared.... I blamed it on rich parents who would spare no expense, getting their spoiled brats into the sport. Priced me right out of the game.

[Skyteamst90]

Originally Posted by Goob

I loved by Trail 90. Wish I hadn't sold it. When I bought it 17 years ago it was $1K for a bike with less than 2000 miles on it and the aux gas tank. Now $2K+ for the same bike.

Thinking of finding a C70 (Passport) and putting a Lifan or other 140 or 150 engine in it. I would just do a 90, but want electric start and those seem to be hard to find. I have been looking at Tbolt USA, as they provide all wiring, carb, etc. Any other good source that provides in almost kit form like they do?

i have a 90cc engine, would u be interested? it has electric start. DM me.