Now that the roads are truly slippy and the gixxer has developed a penchant for trying to kill me at every junction(1), my thoughts have turned towards buying a second bike(2) and I quite like the idea of an off road/on road whatsamit, a 250 or a 500 quite appeals. The only thing is that I seem to be strangely drawn towards early eighties type traily things like the Yam XT and DTs and Hondas XR, am I quite mad or would this type of thing be a reasonable buy? Also, anyone hear any stories about all the italian imports that seem to be about - good or bad? Has the venerable TOG (or anyone else, obviously) any advice, or general prices to pay? 1. Ham fisted? how dare you! 2. Slippery slope approaching -- MRO# - cant remember TDM850 - Gone GSXR750 - Waaaaaaah, flash flash, bugger, burble burble
Do it, YKIMS - I have a Daytona that has an equal disposition as the roads get greasier, and the back tyre gets slicker, so I have opted for a late 80's Rotax engined ex 'crosser, that is about to become road legal, every bit as precarious but will bounce/slide/slither with less disasterous consequences.
Get one. I bought my XT and got it back on the road for the very reasons you're stating (except I don't have a Gixxer). It's great for commuting and I've never had so much fun doing it. Better still it's even more fun out on unclassified & B roads at the weekend.
Had an '84 XL600 for years, great bike for (also winter) commuting. Loved the low weight, 140 kgs wet - not bad for a road legal 600. But by now the XL's would need a close check of the camshafts . . .