"Decay buys too many beaters" (decay)
11/21/2019 at 13:07 • Filed to: Decay's Beaters
7
23|
"Decay buys too many beaters" (decay)
11/21/2019 at 13:07 • Filed to: Decay's Beaters | 7
| 23 |
I figured since my garage is in a constant state of change, it would be fun to do an update on where things stand, what’s new, and what’s left over the last year. !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!
Vehicles that made it through the year.
The Fancy Supermoto
It’s not very often that an overhyped platform actually lives up to the hype, but I’m happy to report that the 701 does. It’s everything I wanted a street bike to be.
Outlook: Very likely to stay through 2020
The $200 Miata.
Over this year I’ve done a fair bit of improvements to the $200 Miata. New rear subframe to replace the bent one the car came with, a real LSD instead of the broken VLSD I swapped in last year, coilovers. She’s begun burning quite a bit of oil so I’ll probably swap in the new motor in if it continues to get worse.
Outlook: Very likely to stay through 2020, likely with 1.8L swap.
The Ruckus
Not much has changed on the ruck in 2019, went back to a stock exhaust because the aftermarket one was pretty obnoxious. Lost a MPH or so, but gained headache free riding. Gave the CVT a complete refresh over the summer and got the top speed back with slightly less acceleration. It’s still my city vehicle of choice in most cases.
Outlook: Likely to stay though 2020
The Grom
The Grom still gets ridden a ton. Was my primary commuter all last winter during the wet season. Will probably be limited to warmer months going forward, I noticed that it tended to overcool when ridden in the wet. The front tire sprays water onto the cylinder head and stops the engine from getting to temp.
Outlook: Very likely to stay through 2020
The Stella
I’d be lying if I claimed I had spent much time on the Stella in 2019. I got the new motor in and got it running, but it’s been fouling plugs quickly and I need to troubleshoot why the new motor doesn’t seem to like the same setup as the old.
Outlook: Likely to stay through 2020, but may be on the chopping block if I find myself needing space.
Fleet Additions
ADVENTURE BIKE
Finally happened, I said in last year’s post that I was shopping for used tigers and such. Well, A local dealer had brand new 2017 Africa Twins for a pretty insane price. It’s everything I wanted it to be and more. What surprised me most was how well it takes corners, that’s the primary reason the triple may be on the chopping block.
Outlook: Very likely to stay through 2020
The JDM Camry
Picked up the Mark ii in March to work as a comfortable cruiser. Not much to complain about, it’s the perfect sleeper. Under the white camry exterior is a 1jz turbo rwd platform that weighs 500lb less than a supra, and has 4 doors. I love it. Had to do a clutch on it right off the boat, but aside from that I haven’t had any issues.
Outlook: Very likely to stay though 2020
Decay finally got a decent Miata
Impulse bought this a few months back. Wasn’t seriously shopping for another miata due to current market prices, but this one popped up in my favorite color, with a hardtop for a price I couldn’t turn down. I brought it to Laguna Seca for a track day and fell in love with the platform all over again. There aren’t many other cars I would trust to do a 2000 mile roadtrip with a track day in the middle.
Outlook: Very likely to stay through 2020
Fleet Reductions
The salvage(ish) title FR-S
After seeing just how good the Miata was on track, I put the FR-S up for sale. Guy came out pretty quick and we arrived at a deal for the car minus a few of the aftermarket parts. His plan is to use it as a track car, which is probably the best use for a car with no airbags or AC and with it’s... unique aesthetics. Sad to see this one go, it’s the longest I ever owned a vehicle (6 years), but I only put 2000 mils on it in 2019 and it was time for it to go.
The non-fancy supermoto
Wasn’t planning to get rid of this one so soon, but a friend of a friend offered me what I wanted for it, so I sold it to free up some space in the garage. Probably for the best, it’s role was taken over entirely by the 701, and I needed the space.
The Wrecked Ninja
Was fun to rip around on for a bit, but this was never going to last long in the garage. Sold it cheap to a new rider to learn on. Never really felt any emotions about it, honestly one of the least inspiring power plants I’ve ever experienced in a motorcycle.
Honda Aero
This thing was a trip. 15hp in a bike that made 3 stock feels downright scary. It was fun briefly, but was too loud and high strung to get used frequently without really pissing off my neighbors. Thought really hard about keeping, but realistically it wasn’t going to get ridden too much.
The Triple
The Triple really put me on the fence. It did the “one bike to rule them all” thing better than just about anything else out there, and I was able to do some fairly long touring on it this year. However, the 701 does aggressive riding better and one of the Africa does long distance better. Wasn’t planning on getting rid of it so soon, but a friend expressed interest in buying it and I know he’ll get more use out of it than I will.
What’s coming in 2020?
Unsure, no real plans to add anything, but will probably downsize the bike collection by a bit. anything else interesting that pops up (that I think I can flip) will probably get added briefly, but I think I have just about all my bases covered. I think I’m going to focus on sharpening the stuff I already have in the garage. Blue miata needs good wheels and coilovers. Mark ii needs wheels and a boost controller, and the $200 miata needs the 1.8 swapped in. I’ll also pick up an Ural if one pops up cheap enough.
Mercedes Streeter
> Decay buys too many beaters
11/21/2019 at 13:12 |
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You’re up to eight vehicles now? I swear you had far less...b ut I have been accidentally huffing gas fumes lately.
CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever
> Decay buys too many beaters
11/21/2019 at 13:13 |
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Picked up the Mark ii in March to work as a comfortable cruiser. Not much to complain about...
Except passing trucks on two lane roads.
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Decay buys too many beaters
> Mercedes Streeter
11/21/2019 at 13:17 |
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I prefer “down to 8" thank you very much!
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Decay buys too many beaters
> CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever
11/21/2019 at 13:18 |
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well yeah, besides that :P
Chuckles
> Decay buys too many beaters
11/21/2019 at 13:19 |
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Did the Aero go to a good home?
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Decay buys too many beaters
> Chuckles
11/21/2019 at 13:22 |
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I think so, it was just a little too impractical to stay in the garage (between how loud it was, requiring premix, and only having 40 miles of range)
CaptDale - is secretly British
> Decay buys too many beaters
11/21/2019 at 13:35 |
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Oh man I have been lusting after a 701 for a while. How do you like it? I still want a Speed Triple more (and can be had for much cheaper).
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Decay buys too many beaters
> CaptDale - is secretly British
11/21/2019 at 13:41 |
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I love it, my biggest complaint about big singles is usually vibration, but, through some clever engineering, the 701 doesn’t shake much at all. It all depends on use really. For me, and the area that I live, most of the canyon roads are really tight and technical. In this setting weight trumps all other specs, which is why the Husky was able to displace the Street Triple as my main entertainment machine. However, if my normal ragemade roads were mostly sweepers, I expect the triumph would have outlasted the 701.
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Mercedes Streeter
> Decay buys too many beaters
11/21/2019 at 13:46 |
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You’re like me, I give you a few months, max. :P
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CaptDale - is secretly British
> Decay buys too many beaters
11/21/2019 at 13:48 |
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Makes sense. How do you find the rear fuel tank?
I really wish I could get a combo of the 701 bikes so have the longer suspension travel of the dual sport and the big brakes of the Enduro so I could just swap wheels and tires and have fun etc.
I think for living where I do though the Speed Triple would make more sense since I would be using it to commute etc. But damn I love me an Enduro
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Decay buys too many beaters
> CaptDale - is secretly British
11/21/2019 at 13:54 |
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The rear fuel tank took some getting used to, front of bike is noticeably
lighter than on other bikes and you need to lean forward a bit to increase front end grip while going hard.
Yeah, that would be neat (did you mean Enduro and Supermoto?) I’d love to have the closer gearbox of the Enduro with everything else from the supermoto.
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Decay buys too many beaters
> Mercedes Streeter
11/21/2019 at 13:56 |
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Not sure, I’m in sell mode right now. I know that 6-8 vehicles is about the limit of what I can keep running given my use. Any more than that and they sit for months and rot away. This is especially true of carbed things (which is one of the main reasons I’m pushing for a 100% fuel injected fleet)
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CaptDale - is secretly British
> Decay buys too many beaters
11/21/2019 at 14:01 |
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Yeah the Supermoto. I couldn’t remember what they called it XD.
Captain of the Enterprise
> Decay buys too many beaters
11/21/2019 at 14:48 |
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I don’t ride but I love the Africa Twins! Also how did you acquire the JDM Toyota, that sounds sweet!
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Decay buys too many beaters
> Captain of the Enterprise
11/21/2019 at 14:53 |
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The A frica was a bit of an impulse buy, for some reason they were not on my radar, but I couldn’t turn up a new unsold 2017 for $9k. It’s everything I wanted it to be so far.
As for the Toyota, I bought it at auction in Japan and then went through an importer here in the US.
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Captain of the Enterprise
> Decay buys too many beaters
11/21/2019 at 15:47 |
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Nice! If you don’t mind how much did it cost to buy the Toyota and import it here?
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Decay buys too many beaters
> Captain of the Enterprise
11/21/2019 at 15:58 |
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The toyota as about $10k at auction, then another 2500-3000 to bring over here with shipping and customs and all that
shop-teacher
> Decay buys too many beaters
11/21/2019 at 16:06 |
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Can you tell me more about the non-fancy supermoto? I am very intrigued, but I have a decidedly non-fancy budget to work with. Well ... right now I have no budget to work with, but I could conceivably get to non-fancy levels in the next year or two.
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Decay buys too many beaters
> shop-teacher
11/21/2019 at 16:41 |
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The DRZ? It’s the miata of motorcycles. Slow and cheap, but in the right hands and the right setting can make some quick high dollar stuff sweat. Mine was ridden daily for about 2 years and didn’t have any issues at all. The only complaints I have about it are that the suspension is old, and the motor doesn’t make much power (~40 or so)
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shop-teacher
> Decay buys too many beaters
11/21/2019 at 17:26 |
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Yeah , the DRZ. Considering I’m used to 10 hp on my Zuma 125 , that will feel like a rocketship to me. Sounds perfect. Hopefully it isn’t too tall for my short legs.
davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
> Decay buys too many beaters
11/26/2019 at 14:43 |
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Hey man, just so you know, I’m going to change your colors back to the more generic form (green, camo, red, white) in the doc so that it will work nicely with the pie chart I’m going to make.
Also, I classed all CVTs as “auto”. Didn’t want to break that out as a separate category, especially since it’s so common now.
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Decay buys too many beaters
> davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/26/2019 at 14:49 |
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Sure! wasn’t sure how exactly you wanted to handle colors. Going with the “which color of the crayola box of 8 is this closest to?” makes sense if you’re going to do some data analysis
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davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
> Decay buys too many beaters
11/26/2019 at 15:05 |
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That’s the plan! I added some data validation to a couple columns, now with drop-downs (renamed that column to “color family”).