I bought a bike from the enemy!

[bill14224]

Yeah, I plunked-down for a new Honda trail bike this week, a 2009 CRF230L.  Too cheap to pass-up and 80mpg.  $4,200+ DMV out the door.  I wanted a new four-stroke trail bike ever since I sold my 1975 XL350 in 1983.  I loved that bike other than the fact it was a pig in the dirt.  It was utterly reliable.  Too heavy for tight trail work or (gasp!) jumping over anything.  It wanted very badly to land on the front wheel.  I learned very quickly it wasn't made for Evel Knievel.  Then this bike appears on clearance, another red Honda no less.  Tight trail work or the occasional jump is not a problem with the CRF.  It's light as a feather (267lbs) and properly balanced, with way more suspension than I'm used to.  Its only problem is low power, which is fine with me.  Six gears on a trail bike is nice and makes-up for that low power! 

No matter what bikes you buy, remember six gears is better than five in every way.  No downside.  Even Harley got the message!

[adidasguy]

[bill14224]

Agreed, but it's brand new so the pics on motorcyclespecs.co.za or anywhere else are identical.  Didn't take pics yet!

[yamahonkawazuki]

Yeah, I plunked-down for a new Honda trail bike this week, a 2009 CRF230L.  Too cheap to pass-up and 80mpg.  $4,200+ DMV out the door.  I wanted a new four-stroke trail bike ever since I sold my 1975 XL350 in 1983.  I loved that bike other than the fact it was a pig in the dirt.  It was utterly reliable.  Too heavy for tight trail work or (gasp!) jumping over anything.  It wanted very badly to land on the front wheel.  I learned very quickly it wasn't made for Evel Knievel.  Then this bike appears on clearance, another red Honda no less.  Tight trail work or the occasional jump is not a problem with the CRF.  It's light as a feather (267lbs) and properly balanced, with way more suspension than I'm used to.  Its only problem is low power, which is fine with me.  Six gears on a trail bike is nice and makes-up for that low power! 

No matter what bikes you buy, remember six gears is better than five in every way.  No downside.  Even Harley got the message!

hmm i had a 6spd on my sportster in 2003. if not a factory option, the cluster was available and can be installed in less than an hour.

[adidasguy]

Agreed, but it's brand new so the pics on motorcyclespecs.co.za or anywhere else are identical.  Didn't take pics yet!

Trying to pass off stock advertising photos?    They must be YOUR photos 

[bill14224]

I just figured out this website isn't showing pics (and yes I know how to do it) so you can have the links instead:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/14960830@N06/7032032167/in/photostream

and here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/14960830@N06/7032048611/

and here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/14960830@N06/6885951904/in/photostream/

Don't tell me you don't like cats.  Rascal doesn't want to hear it.

And here is who Rascal wants to eat:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/14960830@N06/6885961988/

[5thAve]

I will always remember my first bike, an '84 XL185S. Could barely do 90km/h (56mph) flat out, and flexy forks made it kind of sketchy off-road, but at 17-yrs old it was MINE and brought me a freedom that I never had imagined before. My best friend had a nearly identical '83 model and we bought matching helmets, jackets and gear. We were the terror of the high-school parking lot! That bike taught me a lot and I will always miss it. Sold it and used the cash to buy my GS500E from the dealership where I was working one summer. GS came damaged in shipping and sat in the back for a year and a half while the insurance claim was sorted out. I couldn't pass up the bargain, and I love the GS but I still miss that XL. 

[bill14224]

hmm i had a 6spd on my sportster in 2003. if not a factory option, the cluster was available and can be installed in less than an hour.
[/quote]

And it's a heluva lot better with 6 gears, isn't it?  Like I said, even Harley got the message!

[adidasguy]

Yea - pictures

Bought my can his own iPad




I like cats

Even though cats steal Kawasaki's