guzzirider
Well-known member
It must really suck to live in Torana where your life revolves around riding 400 roads.
What size of bike for 2 up ?
- Thread starter wantsabike
- Start date
wantsabike
Well-known member
Yous don’t think a 2001 Honda shadow vlx600 be enough for the two of us either eh ??
I’ve got a line on one for 1000$ just needs carb work, I’ve heard it run and etc just bogs out
I’ve got a line on one for 1000$ just needs carb work, I’ve heard it run and etc just bogs out
wantsabike
Well-known member
Well it isn’t ALOT of two up riding, mostly when she down at my house which would be her day off on Friday when I’m off or weekends between my shifts possibly not very often would she be on the bike tho quite seldom honestly
You're going to pay insurance on a second similar bike that gets used once a week? I would stick with one bike. It will be far cheaper than keeping two on the road. Tbh, while not ideal, s40 is probably good enough based on what you have said.
wantsabike
Well-known member
Also I can choose which bike to drive one day here or there 
lol
Also likely a big difference between my s40 and the other bikes I’ve mentioned as mine is only a single cylinder and others are two
lolAlso likely a big difference between my s40 and the other bikes I’ve mentioned as mine is only a single cylinder and others are two
guzzirider
Well-known member
Remember GFs come and go but the passion of riding lives on.
On the plus side you will always have great memories of that little bike you let slip away.
see the post
Honda Nostalgia
wantsabike
Well-known member
Don’t think she’ll be going anywhere lol think we’re lifers lol
Glenn/RZ500
Well-known member
Said everyman, everywhere, at some point.
A friend had a 650 Savage, and road across Canada on it. It didn't like to be in a single gear at highway speeds.
It kept wanting to be shifted up, then down, then up, then down . . .
Bought a 750 Shadow and it seemed fine, even for the rare two up, which differs from Shane's experience.
My 650 Weestrom was fine two up, and was rated to carry more weight than the 1000.
I moved to a 900 Tiger to have a newer bike and cruise control.
If you're fairly new to bikes, then much of the issue could be you and the way you ride, rather than the size of the bike.
More experience will eventually cure that.
I know that I had a hell of a time getting anything out of my first bike - a 250cc cruiser, but my friend rode it like it was a rocket.
Make sure that your SO sits on any potential buy, as the comfort varies considerably.
It kept wanting to be shifted up, then down, then up, then down . . .
Bought a 750 Shadow and it seemed fine, even for the rare two up, which differs from Shane's experience.
My 650 Weestrom was fine two up, and was rated to carry more weight than the 1000.
I moved to a 900 Tiger to have a newer bike and cruise control.
If you're fairly new to bikes, then much of the issue could be you and the way you ride, rather than the size of the bike.
More experience will eventually cure that.
I know that I had a hell of a time getting anything out of my first bike - a 250cc cruiser, but my friend rode it like it was a rocket.
Make sure that your SO sits on any potential buy, as the comfort varies considerably.
Honda Gold Wing-if your Budget allows. Couch on Wheels.
That Savage was a Single even though its a large Cylinder. Not the Greatest Transmission.
Relax
Well-known member
I've never accounted for a passenger, but theoretically if you're happy with the S40 by yourself, then you can do a quick calculation of the difference in overall weight with and without your passenger to figure out how much HP/torque you need in the new bike to be equivalent ratio:
| S40 | New | |
| wet weight: | ||
| rider weight: | ||
| passenger weight: | ||
| HP: | ||
| Torque: | ||
| weight/HP: | ||
| weight/torque: |
[td]
381
[/td][td]381
[/td][td]
180
[/td][td]180
[/td][td]
180
[/td][td]
561
[/td][td]741
[/td][td]
31
[/td][td]41
[/td][td]
37
[/td][td]49
[/td][td]
18
[/td][td]18
[/td][td]
15
[/td][td]15
[/td]
Relax
Well-known member
So this assumes you and passenger weigh the same - you can edit to suit. Divide the total weight by the HP and torque to get the baselines in the bottom rows. Then do the same for whatever peaks your interest and redo the calc. This sheet assumes the same weight bike, and is just a paper exercise to give you an idea of how much more power an S40 would need to have to perform the same with more weight. It uses peak power numbers from Wikipedia, and doesn't account for the power curve. Or gearing. Also doesn't factor in suspension/handling.
You'd have to also take into consideration the GVWR.
Some big bikes can't hold much weight.
They have a passenger seat, but the passenger needs to weigh under 30 kilos.
Dirty Frank
Well-known member
You just might want to check out what insurance would cost before buying.
Don’t let mileage scare you on a metric.
I’d buy a high mileage 10-15 year old metric any day of the week so long as it showed care of ownership and maintenance.
It’s the 10-15 year old garage queens that sat and collected dust most of the time and rode to Tim Hortons and back a few times a month that will often suffer from far more gremlins.
A well maintained Vstar 1100 with 140k on it easily has another 100,000+K in it before I’d even get worried about anything. Metrics go forever.
I’d bet it has the oil filter relocation kit already on it as well as otherwise changing the oil on those is a PITA. Someone who racked those sorts of miles surely installed it already lol.
Everything in bikes is subjective. I know a 600-pound couple that rented a moped in the Caribbean without getting charged with mechanical cruelty.A shadow 600 won’t work for 2 up on any 400 series, you’ll be underpowered and undersized. Fine for the backroads potentially as long as the smaller overall size works for you both.
I’d be reluctant to go back as far as the 80’s unless you are handy and not afraid to wrench on things. And is it advertised as “just needs a battery”, or you’ve actually seen it running and riding and that’s legit? There are lots of older bikes like this that have been shoved in the corner of a garage for 10 or 20 years and end up being far bigger projects than they are advertised as.
“Just needs a battery” may turn out to be “I turned the key and pressed the start button after it sat for 10 years and it wouldn’t crank but I’m sure everything is perfectly fine, just needs a battery” only for the reality to be that the gas tank is full of rust, all of the carburetors are completely gummed up and seized, there’s mouse nests in the intake and exhaust, chewed wires, it needs new tires, etc. etc. etc.
An old metric that has seen at least semi regular use and has been taken care of and stored properly is worthy of consideration, but something that has sat for a decade or two can end up costing you way more money, time, and frustration than just buying a newer bike in the end.
With a $2k budget OP isn’t in Harley territory for sure.
If the pockets are deep enough, go for it but if not, accept the limitations with a smile.
I would recommend 750cc or bigger for two up riding but as someone has already said, make sure you sit on it with your partner. Comfort is just as important as engine size. As for having two bikes, I would try to get by with one. I tried that once and found that insurance companies don’t really give you much of a break on a second bike and it just wasn’t worth it.
