POLL: keep e30 or Sport touring bike?

[Stanley Rockafella]

Option 1:

Sure. I love my e30 just as much as anyone on this site, but I feel bored with it. I know I could try tracking it and lowering it etc. but that's just a waste of time and $$ in the long run.

Currently I have done a whole shopping list of repairs and maintenance on my e30. She's 95% stock and always owned by adults.

I have decided recently to address the small amounts of rust on the car with a budget of about 6g's.

I have two options for the body work

A. take the car to a shop and get them to do all the prep work and just fix only the rust and pay them about 3-4g's (everything below the rub strip, incl the "surface" strut tower rust as well as a little by the batter box).

B. rent a garage space, strip down the car as much as possible and then get the repair shop to do the repairs as possibly repaint the rest of the car. I'm thinking this could cost a good 6g's..maybe more for a "good" paint job. Obviously there's my added time to do the pre work as well as put the car back together, as well as the cost of monthly renting a garage to do the work (300ish over 3-4months to do the project)

I love my e30, but I'm not driving it nearly enough to justify this project. I mean I have a good layer of dust on it whenever I put daily plates on it.

Not to mention I'm going to start paying for storage on it of an additional $45/month in January.

Downside: never getting my money or time investment back, paying monthly storage costs starting January.

Upside: I get to keep my e30, I FINALLY get to the upgrades and repairs I've always wanted, the e30 MAY appreciate in value gaining back some of my "investment" in the repairs

Then there's option 2.

Get a Kawasaki Concourse (maybe a BMW bike?) or some other sport touring bike and start utilizing my bike license. I really wanna take a trip to Washington and Oregon and northern Cali in the summer. A bike is a great way to enjoy this. Some of these bikes are really comfy and durable.

Considering I'm the only one driving either car or bike, I really dont' see the need for the e30 anymore. I'd have to dump easily 10g's into it by the time I'm done everything I wanna do to make it nice, and even then I doubt I'd wanna drive it as I'd be too afraid of stone chips, accidents etc.

Downsides:
have to buy all new (or some used) gear, distracted drivers scare me!, driving in the wet/cold sucks.

Upside:
bikes are cool, I've heard that when your younger is the best time to do bike trips(easier on the body physically), I get to learn about a whole new machine and it's required maint., I get to save the $45 in storage I'd be paying for the e30

In either situation, the car or bike will strictly be a pleasure-use only machine. I really do not need nor want to use either as a daily means of transportation

What say you R3V?

sorry for long post

[Todd Black 88]

Stan, in this city you will get killed riding a bike. I have ridden for 24 years, and sold mine and my wife's bikes 10 years back.

This city has to have the worst drivers in the world, after all, it's officially the most Asian city outside of an Asian city, in the world.


That said, if you don't drive your e30 why own it? Its not a classic car that will be worth 50g in your lifetime.

[Stanley Rockafella]

Thanks Todd,

I totally agree with you.

I mainly want the bike for traveling outside of the city. places where there's less change of getting smoked by an 18 year old Asian who's rolling in a Ferrari with an N and L on the back

but I totally agree, the e30 is really not worth that much. Just nice to keep something around after all those years. Sure is a hell of a lot cheaper than buying a newer car and watching it depreciate!

[Todd Black 88]

I really enjoyed the road trips on my bikes, so I can see the draw for sure.

If your not riding in the lower mainland consistently, and road trips are on the table, I cannot vote against a bike.

[Stanley Rockafella]

what kind of bikes did you have?

I was initially looking into the Versys as well as the V-strom, but decided I wanted something comfier against the wind and with more features.

I initially wanted a smaller displacement bike, but a buddy of mine recommended the larger liter bikes for the torque as well as the less RPM on the highway

[Todd Black 88]

I started with a couple cbr600's, zx-6, gsxr750, yzf1000, and my wife's sv650s.

The litre bikes are nice for the torque, that's for sure, but not overly so. Remember, they are all big hp/tq for what little they weight. Although, if you are doing any two up road trips, a litre bike IS the cats ass. It makes a huge difference.

[roguetoaster]

Well, if you're not using it, and don't plan to in the near future you should probably move it on.

Consider a VFR800, it's a silky smooth compromise between 600s and liters without ruining your spine, but it's not a dedicated tourer either. I'd have one if I didn't already have a naked forty something hp thumper. How tall are you anyway?

[ST1G]

Yeah, I would get an fz1, Fz-09 both very reliable, plenty of usable power, not a high cost to entry and you can get "saddle bags" for both.

No sense keeping something around you're not using.

[Stanley Rockafella]

wow Todd, that's a nice selection of bikes. I'd go with any of those for a fun bike!

I would mostly be doing trips by myself as I really wouldnt' feel comfortable at first with my gf with me. She's cool wht me taking trips by myself. Not happy about it, but understands it's what I wanna do

I'm 150lbs and 5 foot 8. I know a liter bike is substancial for my needs, but maybe an 800 bike (if i can find a decent one) might be more my size. I just like the idea of a quieter ride when on the road

thanks for the other options guys! really nice bikes I've never even considered or knew about! Hell, the closest "bike" I've owned was a 125CC Yamaha Vino lol

Honestly, considering the two options again....the e30 idea really isn't exciting me like the idea of the bike. I mean sure a nice e30 is always awesome, but not when I'm not using it and blowing cash on it

[Todd Black 88]

Thanks! Thats starting in 89 up to around 2004-2005, and around 450,000kms.
I still get to ride my brother in laws gsxr750.

Yeah a VFR800 would be a great bike. They are a nice mix between a big twin and a large inline four. Very smooth Vfour, and they are available with lots of bells and whistles.They are not the lightest bike in the world, but that extra weight also helps with stability on the highway when passing big rigs, or any cross winds.


My wife is a nurse, and when I met her she called my bikes "murdercycles". For the first year we dated she refused to get on it and go for a ride. When I finally got her on it she refused to get off. That was the reason I bought the yzf1000, as it's a better 2 up bike for someone my size. 5'10 205#. The suspension can take it stock.

After a couple years of that, we got her a bike....the sv650s, that I ended up putting the majority of the mileage on. Heavily underdamped upfront when you are 200#.

Basically, give her time, she will come around.:)

[TheTacoMan]

I worked at a yamaha suzuki shop for about 4 months this year, to me the vstrom seems like a decent choice as well as the yamaha tenere. Although I will agree there are alot of idiots on the road that will kill you on a motorcycle. Having owned a super sport, I do not recommend those as a long distance bike haha.

[nando]

sell it. you turned in your man card when you got an automatic corolla or whatever. :p

I wouldn't want to ride a bike in VC either, but it would probably be nice if you headed north/east.

[lti_57]

Do the bike thing
I am on the opposite path sort of speak. I rode for 40years then decided, I have had a nice run. Time to put some metal around me.
In those 40 years of riding never wrecked.
I think the Connie is nice. The Honda ST is a nice platform.
me personally rode Moto Guzzi's for years. dead reliable, simple to maintain.
I know you already ride but never trust any cager.
if you are passing thru Spokane,WA. give me a ping.
be careful out there

[Kevinl]

Buy a crown vic since you like them so much

[BLACKCHARM88]

Buy a crown vic since you like them so much

Lol, they are fun cars though.