Van Van

I'm toying with the idea of buying a VanVan to go with the SV for using round town, has anyone any experience of owning one? is it a dumb idea?! and can you get a bit more power out of the 125 engine? Thanks for any tips.

[yorkie_chris]

Whats the point?

The van van's quite new, so you'll be paying good money for it, if it were me then I'd find some old shed of a thing, anything cheap.
Also 125's seem expensive as there's more demand for them from learners, IMO much better to get a proper bike, more for your money and can actually be used as serious transport.

Also, theres not a lot of tuning can be done, no idea what the previous owner did to my CG, but it involved a lot of compression, and a bit of a pair of tights over the carb intake, more than likely a dremel down the main jet.
It went well, but didn't last very long! Basically a pointless exercise. (I was lucky to get another engine for £20 )

[the_lone_wolf]

personally i'd get a DRZ...

oh wait, i did

Better off with a CB500, ER5, GS500. Piles of rusty crap, but then you pay nothing for them. No bigger than a Van Van but over 3 times the power. Low seat, u turn them on a sixpence and filter all day long. If your on a full license with some no claims then insurance wouldn't be more than a 125 either. Cheap for everything for home servicing to tyres, chains, sprockets, etc. A million couriers and riding schools can't be wrong.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2002-KAWASAKI-...QQcmdZViewItem

dont get a 125, you wil get annyoed with the lack of go...

i'm still toying with teh idea of getting a supermoto, but its money thats the prob, been looking at GS500's recently, seen good examples at around £1500 thats 125 money!
they go ok, as said last forever, and they are easy to work on.

tho suzukis 0% finance on a DRZ sounds soooooo tempting, as thanks to some theiving little..beep..i no longer have my scoot, i need a runaround/work/wheelie bike!

mmmmmm..... general consensus, dumb idea. I've just sold my XT660X so not too keen on another supamoto. I'll keep my eyes open for an older, bigger bike for sale locally (N.Yorks) if anyone sees a Hornet etc please give me a shout. Thanks for your thoughts.

[yorkie_chris]

Originally Posted by -Ralph-

Better off with a CB500, ER5, GS500. Piles of rusty crap, but then you pay nothing for them

My criteria would be:
2 wheels, running engine, cheap, would pass an MOT or at least enough left to be worth using untill breaking for bits.

i did my direct access & my test on a vanvan & at the risk of soundling like a right gayer i really like them. its perfect for pottering around town.

Originally Posted by maultin

i did my direct access & my test on a vanvan & at the risk of soundling like a right gayer i really like them. its perfect for pottering around town.

How did you manage that then?? as its ony a 125, so are you restricted ??

exactly right neio79. restricted until august '09 unless i decide to retake the test on a bigger bike.