Yet another post dreaming about two-wheels good

[annoying_salman]

I had mentioned several times in Oppo of my desire owning a(nother) motorcycle — like a Yamaha Fazzio for example. But I'm thinking it to replace my wife's Honda Beat. The bike that I don't have and I want for my own is the Kawasaki W175, mostly because of its retro look:

The price for used ones hover around 19 million Rupiahs (~$1276), which I think it's quite expensive for someone who doesn't really need a motorcycle in the first place? I'm thinking of riding around the city in Sunday morning, when the traffic is still somewhat sparse.

It also might be small, but I'm an even smaller person — probably around 160cm-ish and weigh only 46 kilograms — with negligible upper body strength. This made me to rethink about modern yet retro-looking motorcycles that interest me.

Then it dawned on me last Monday during my commute to the office, when the bus drove past a Honda dealership that displayed an orange Honda Monkey: Why didn't I check the price of Honda CB series? Probably it'd weigh less than today's motorcycles. I remember my father told me he used to ride a red and white Honda CB 100 for commuting in the 80s. A cursory Google image search further confirmed that I love its retro look:

I guess it's time for me to trawl the only online classifieds that I know: OLX.

Right off the bat, most of the listings are located around Jakarta and to an extent West Java. Like these:

~$1142

~$1008

~$739

These are the listings where the bike looks complete — either stock or post-restoration. Other listings show cheaper but modified CB 100s that I don't like. I can imagine how the owners treat their vehicles based on their, uh, tastes reflected on their "modifications".

Filtering the classifieds to only those located in Surabaya yields even more disappointing result. There's one listing located next to my office's complex! But this morning I didn't find the listing anymore — sad.

This one is the most affordable at ~$437 and near to where I live. If I'm so inclined, I could buy it with my next paycheck. However, the condition leave much to be desired. It's also not a CB 100, but GL 100 that's modified to look like a CB? I don't know man, I don't follow the history of Honda motorcycles.

The second — and the last plausible — listing is this good looking (compared with the listing above) legitimate CB 100. Also located not far from where I live, but damn ~$840 is still rather tough to swallow. But at least I don't have to spend more money to transport the bike from other city?

Of course I shared my, let's say concern, to the group chat of my enablers close friends:

The conclusion as always is: I don't know ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Maybe the Universe will show me the correct path.

[SilentbutnotreallyDeadly]

@annoying_salman
Good bad decisions are universal...and it pleases me no end to see this reinforced. I think you should buy... something

[AdverseMartyr]

@annoying_salman I'm not sure the users of this website have ever told anyone (besides David Tracy when he already had way too many dead projects) not to buy a vehicle they are interested in. Sure recommendations to skip a specific vehicle due to red flags. But if you want a motorcycle and can afford to get one then why not?

[Vondon302]

@annoying_salman I don't know anything about these. We don't get them in the states but they sure look cool.

[MisterButtercup]

@annoying_salman I say go for it. Less wear and tear on the Taft, so it'll last longer. Feeling the cool breezes as you putter around finding the best spots for photography. Taking the Mrs. out to dinner, or going to husband and wife rides while she's on her scooter. Sounds like a winning proposition all around.

[HFV_Junkyardin]

@annoying_salman If I could buy that 175 here for 1300 USD I'd jump on it.

[Peter_Black]

I'm sorry, but why are you waiting? just full commit.

[Bloody-the-resident-LandRover-apologist]

@AdverseMartyr said in Yet another post dreaming about two-wheels good:

@annoying_salman I'm not sure the users of this website have ever told anyone (besides David Tracy when he already had way too many dead projects) not to buy a vehicle they are interested in. Sure recommendations to skip a specific vehicle due to red flags. But if you want a motorcycle and can afford to get one then why not?

[davesaddiction]

@annoying_salman

¯_(ツ)_/¯

How'd you do that?

The Hyphen gets angry with me if I use slashes and underscores.

[annoying_salman]

@SilentbutnotreallyDeadly *Proceeds to buy yet another film camera*

[ScoutingForZen]

@annoying_salman
As someone who dreamed for years of learning how to ride, I say, if you have the money to spare and time to properly learn, go for it.
I've made so many friends and memories from riding, and gained a new perspective about driving as well as myself from it.
As they say, if you never try, you'll never know.

[annoying_salman]

@AdverseMartyr @MisterButtercup @Peter_Black I think my biggest worry is that I still don't really need a motorcycle right now, as my wise wife told me: "You could always use my Beat to ride around". She's 100% correct like almost always, but her scooter is shit — it's bland and doesn't stir up emotion like a W175 or CB 100. But the CB 100 ads in Surabaya aren't really clicked with me, and buying from out-of-town is too much of a hassle.

Having to go to the equivalent of the DMV here to take care of the documents is tiring too. Of course bribing the officials could smoothen the path, but that means shelling out more money again.

Lastly, my experience riding motorcycles are strictly scooters or underbones. I haven't tried riding fully manual bikes, which is why I'm interested to learn it using low-power, older motorcycle like the CB. But if I regret it, then I have to devote my time trying to sell it.

With that said, vintage motorcycles are cool and I really wish to own one I had conversed with my father about buying a CB and showed him the classifieds. He thought the prices are too high. I don't know if he's correct or not. The prices of bikes from the 70s and 80s are finally on the rise, as more people started to appreciate them, like me. But maybe trying to find one via word of mouth instead of online marketplace could yield better options?

My birthday is on the next week. I could talk to him again, and maaaaybe convince him to subsidize the cost to buy one? I don't know. Still need to convince my wife too.

[annoying_salman]

@Vondon302 They do look cool! I tried to find more information about the CB 100 from western sources, but found none. Maybe Honda offered the CB series with larger engine in the US?

[annoying_salman]

@HFV_Junkyardin Is the W175 on sale in the US? What's the price range of the cheapest vintage-looking new motorcycles there?

[annoying_salman]

@davesaddiction I use two \ after the hand on the left, like this:

¯\\\_(ツ)_/¯ 

so the emoji is shown correctly:
¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[annoying_salman]

@ScoutingForZen My friends in the group chat all use motorcycles as their daily drivers, and have been pushing me to finally own one so that we can ride together.

[davesaddiction]

@annoying_salman

[glemon]

@annoying_salman The small displacement Honda CB line was sold here in the States in various displacements. The have a good reputation here as reliable little bikes and are becoming collectible. I wouldn't mind having one. There were a lot of other sizes sold too. 90, 125, 175, maybe available there as well. You have my blessing to buy one. Though keep the in mind you don't have to go to bed with me at night or wake up with me in the morning, so others opinions might be more relevant. Also you would probably pay 2-3x the price for a nice stock one here.

P.S. Your wife has a Honda Beat!?!?. That is awesome.

[I love KTM's and Puch's and Audis]

@annoying_salman said in Yet another post dreaming about two-wheels good:

@ScoutingForZen My friends in the group chat all use motorcycles as their daily drivers, and have been pushing me to finally own one so that we can ride together.

you already have a gang!?

that pretty much settles it.

[annoying_salman]

@glemon Whoa, I didn't expect that those small engines were offered in the US — I thought the displacement would be too small there.

Also, the Honda Beat that I'm talking about is sadly not the excellent kei car, but a scooter. Notoriously known as the cheapest scooter you could buy made by a reputable Japanese corporation. Hers looks like this, though shabbier thanks to graying black plastics.

[annoying_salman]

@I-love-KTM-s-and-Puch-s-and-Audis We've known each other for a rather long time One person I know because we're in the kindergarten, elementary, and junior high school together, and this person and I are friends with the rest of the two (we're a 4-person gang) because we're classmates in junior high school.

However you might already know that motorcycles are the primary mode of transportation here, hence it doesn't hold the same novelty like it is in the US. This is a picture of one of the main roads in Surabaya — I had to drive through this route during my previous job. I'm grateful that I don't have to do it anymore.

[AdverseMartyr]

@annoying_salman Greying plastics can be given some life with moderate application of a torch or liberal application of Back-To-Black plastic restorers
But it sounds like a perfect reason to go with a motorcycle. And you won't regret going to a manual over an automatic. If you can drive a manual car then a motorcycle isn't too different. Going back to a scooter might be a bit harder due to the mind remapping to a clutch instead of a brake lever.