# So i've been thinking about going to the dark side.. **URL:** \ **Category:** Shift518 Automotive\ **Created:** [May 30, 2008, 12:06am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/so-ive-been-thinking-about-going-to-the-dark-side/237091 "2008-05-30T00:06:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Swifty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@Swifty](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Swifty)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 8:49am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/so-ive-been-thinking-about-going-to-the-dark-side/237091/41 "2008-05-30T08:49:57Z")
> [@n!cole](#): > > The bike or the girl? :confused both? ---
**Author:** ![Swifty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@Swifty](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Swifty)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 8:53am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/so-ive-been-thinking-about-going-to-the-dark-side/237091/42 "2008-05-30T08:53:06Z")
> [@GranMassaX](#): > > I’m a little lost. How is buying a 13K bike and only driving it once a week or so… cost effective? rather than take my car, which gets hot, wastes fuel, and isn’t comfortable on trips, i could take the bike. Fill the tank for 20bucks, and be ballin. The price of the bike wasn’t what i was talking about, its the upkeep. If i ride it once a weekend, for the summer i will do maintenance once. maybe cost effective was the wrong term for, uses less gas and goes fast. ---
**Author:** ![n\_cole](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/n_cole/32/6382_2.png) [@n\_cole](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/n_cole)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 8:55am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/so-ive-been-thinking-about-going-to-the-dark-side/237091/43 "2008-05-30T08:55:52Z")
> [@Swifty](#): > > both? :lol > [@Swifty](#): > > **rather than take my car, which gets hot, wastes fuel, and isn’t comfortable on trips, i could take the bike**. Fill the tank for 20bucks, and be ballin. The price of the bike wasn’t what i was talking about, its the upkeep. If i ride it once a weekend, for the summer i will do maintenance once. > > maybe cost effective was the wrong term for, uses less gas and goes fast. How long of a trip? A bike isn’t the most comfortable thing either after a while… ---
**Author:** ![Vovchandr](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/vovchandr/32/6275_2.png) [@Vovchandr](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Vovchandr)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 8:56am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/so-ive-been-thinking-about-going-to-the-dark-side/237091/44 "2008-05-30T08:56:45Z")
I love it when people say “I fill the tank on my car it’s 60 bucks, but I fill the bike up for just 20$!” Well I sure hope so when your bike holds 3 or 4 times less gas then the car. If you think that bike will be comfortable on long trips you’re kidding yourself. The less you ride the bike you buy the worse of a decision it is. If your reasoning for not riding it as much as to “avoid maintenance” (which is very high on a Duc) then you shouldn’t be buying it. ---
**Author:** ![Swifty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@Swifty](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Swifty)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 8:59am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/so-ive-been-thinking-about-going-to-the-dark-side/237091/45 "2008-05-30T08:59:50Z")
i wouldn’t take it on too long of a trip, believe it or not I’m not as dumb as i look. My camp on Sacandaga away, Lake George, Palisades Parkway Mall, Woodbury Commons, random cruises? Most of my time would be spent waxing my car/bike and taking pics though. So i could sit home and tell people i have a ducati. :lol ---
**Author:** ![Swifty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@Swifty](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Swifty)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 9:01am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/so-ive-been-thinking-about-going-to-the-dark-side/237091/46 "2008-05-30T09:01:46Z")
my reason for riding it not as often, would be because i still have my car, and i work 6 days a week? so i’m not gonna go out on cold nights/rain/cloudy days. It would be for when i had free time and wanted to go somewhere. if that just happens to fall into good luck with low miles, good resale, and low maintainence… it works for me ---
**Author:** ![n\_cole](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/n_cole/32/6382_2.png) [@n\_cole](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/n_cole)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 9:04am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/so-ive-been-thinking-about-going-to-the-dark-side/237091/47 "2008-05-30T09:04:13Z")
Palisades mall… FTMFL. No stores there that Crossgates, Crossgates Commons, and Colonie Center don’t have. I would however be willing to make some outlet trips with you. ;D ---
**Author:** ![Swifty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@Swifty](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Swifty)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 9:05am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/so-ive-been-thinking-about-going-to-the-dark-side/237091/48 "2008-05-30T09:05:15Z")
see thats what i’m talking about. the Ducati would be a good converstaion starter. Oh yeah… ive been down that way, i like to take my Ducati for trips to the outlets. BOOM! vagina! ---
**Author:** ![n\_cole](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/n_cole/32/6382_2.png) [@n\_cole](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/n_cole)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 9:06am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/so-ive-been-thinking-about-going-to-the-dark-side/237091/49 "2008-05-30T09:06:15Z")
You are impossible. :lol You can’t carry half the Coach store on a Ducati! \<3 ;D ---
**Author:** ![Swifty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@Swifty](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Swifty)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 9:16am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/so-ive-been-thinking-about-going-to-the-dark-side/237091/50 "2008-05-30T09:16:15Z")
looks like she’ll have to shop light… :lol ---
**Author:** ![Mike3](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/mike3/32/6350_2.png) [@Mike3](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Mike3)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 9:16am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/so-ive-been-thinking-about-going-to-the-dark-side/237091/51 "2008-05-30T09:16:59Z")
Jewelry store? ---
**Author:** ![Swifty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@Swifty](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Swifty)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 9:17am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/so-ive-been-thinking-about-going-to-the-dark-side/237091/52 "2008-05-30T09:17:41Z")
no way! the next girl will be loaded w/ Tiffany’s before we get to the outlets. i think ahead. :headbang ---
**Author:** ![n\_cole](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/n_cole/32/6382_2.png) [@n\_cole](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/n_cole)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 9:18am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/so-ive-been-thinking-about-going-to-the-dark-side/237091/53 "2008-05-30T09:18:50Z")
WOO! I’m down for a Tiffany’s cruise! :mwahaha ---
**Author:** ![99FRC](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/99frc/32/6335_2.png) [@99FRC](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/99FRC)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 9:31am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/so-ive-been-thinking-about-going-to-the-dark-side/237091/54 "2008-05-30T09:31:54Z")
Here is a little fact for thought: I just bought my 2008 Ninja 250. Awesome bike, very light, handles like you can’t even imagine and it is not so much bike that it scares me. I am VERY comfortable riding this bike and I have learned a LOT. Will I have a different bike next season? Yes. But I learned/am learning on an awesome bike and this new model still turns heads and believe it or not gets a lot of props. Secondly, as far as savings go I have to agree to disagree. The total purchase price of my bike was $3900. I DD it to work and run errands which does in fact save me a fuckload of gas money. My VR4 gets about 20MPG and before I had the bike I was putting miles on a car I didn’t want to put miles on and spending about $50/wk in gas, or $200/month! Thats like having another car payment. I have put 20 in the VR4 since i’ve owned the bike and $40 into the bike for gas. It now has 600 miles on it. I have owned it for a month or so. Thats a savings of $120-160/month in gasoline!! So far this bike has been paying for itself. So yes. Financially getting a cheap bike that gets great MPG is a smart financial decision. But buying a $13K bike, for your first bike or not, is not. ---
**Author:** ![Oleg](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/oleg/32/6276_2.png) [@Oleg](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Oleg)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 9:33am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/so-ive-been-thinking-about-going-to-the-dark-side/237091/55 "2008-05-30T09:33:05Z")
hey swifty, here’s an idea; go buy yourself an augusta and **never** ride, that way you won’t have to spend any money on gas at all (= extremely cost-effective) and it looks a lot better. ---
**Author:** ![Vovchandr](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/vovchandr/32/6275_2.png) [@Vovchandr](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Vovchandr)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 9:34am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/so-ive-been-thinking-about-going-to-the-dark-side/237091/56 "2008-05-30T09:34:54Z")
> [@Swifty](#): > > my reason for riding it not as often, would be because i still have my car, and i work 6 days a week? so i’m not gonna go out on cold nights/rain/cloudy days. It would be for when i had free time and wanted to go somewhere. > > if that just happens to fall into good luck with low miles, good resale, and low maintainence… it works for me So you’re going to be making payments on the bike, preventive care for it sitting, paying the interest on the loan, paying insurance for a year just as your bike sits and depreciates? Might as well buy a poster and stare at that. ---
**Author:** ![Swifty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@Swifty](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Swifty)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 9:36am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/so-ive-been-thinking-about-going-to-the-dark-side/237091/57 "2008-05-30T09:36:02Z")
the price of the bike isnt really the concern, i only want a bike if it has the features i really want. Status… Vtwin… Sexy… thats about it. If i dropped it, i’d have it repainted, i’m not to concerned about it right now… i was just looking for opinions on the bike itself, which no one has posted yet. Next time i’ll make the thread called, tell me over and over why not to buy the bike i like. ---
**Author:** ![Swifty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@Swifty](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Swifty)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 9:36am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/so-ive-been-thinking-about-going-to-the-dark-side/237091/58 "2008-05-30T09:36:57Z")
> [@Vovchandr](#): > > So you’re going to be making payments on the bike, preventive care for it sitting, paying the interest on the loan, paying insurance for a year just as your bike sits and depreciates? Might as well buy a poster and stare at that. no, i’ve saved 4g in the last 3 months? i’m pretty sure by next spring i could buy it cash upfront since i’m not in debt up to my eyeballs. i pay for things cash. ---
**Author:** ![Vovchandr](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/vovchandr/32/6275_2.png) [@Vovchandr](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Vovchandr)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 9:43am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/so-ive-been-thinking-about-going-to-the-dark-side/237091/59 "2008-05-30T09:43:29Z")
> [@Hooked on 3S](#): > > Secondly, as far as savings go I have to agree to disagree. The total purchase price of my bike was $3900. I DD it to work and run errands which does in fact save me a fuckload of gas money. My VR4 gets about 20MPG and before I had the bike I was putting miles on a car I didn’t want to put miles on and spending about $50/wk in gas, or $200/month! Thats like having another car payment. I have put 20 in the VR4 since i’ve owned the bike and $40 into the bike for gas. It now has 600 miles on it. I have owned it for a month or so. Thats a savings of $120-160/month in gasoline!! So far this bike has been paying for itself. 3900$ bike, 500$ gear, lets say 300$ a year prepaid insurance = 4700$ fixed cost. Lets say you put on 6000 miles a year on the bike which you would have put on the Vr4. Let’s also say the Vr4 averaged 15mpg and your bike averages 80mpg. So that makes 400 gallons in the Vr4, vs 75 gallons on the 250. 4$ a gallon would make it 1600$ for those miles on Vr4 vs, 300$, thats savings of 1300$ a year. Now even with those Very optimistic numbers and not counting the extra miles you will put on or the cost of tires (6000 miles a year would probably be a 2 backs and one front every two years), and wear and tare and replacement of gear (helmets are good for only 5 years since man. date.), you’re looking at 4 years just to break even with those crude numbers on the most fuel efficient motorcycle available. ---
**Author:** ![Vovchandr](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/vovchandr/32/6275_2.png) [@Vovchandr](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Vovchandr)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 9:46am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/so-ive-been-thinking-about-going-to-the-dark-side/237091/60 "2008-05-30T09:46:43Z")
> [@Swifty](#): > > the price of the bike isnt really the concern, i only want a bike if it has the features i really want. Status… Vtwin… Sexy… thats about it. If i dropped it, i’d have it repainted, i’m not to concerned about it right now… i was just looking for opinions on the bike itself, which no one has posted yet. Next time i’ll make the thread called, tell me over and over why not to buy the bike i like. Oh the bike is absolutely amazing, there is no need to discuss that. But there won’t be much status when you can’t keep up with the guy who rides a 250 in corners. So you’re obviously not looking to impress other riders. If you want to impress chicks, you would get more play on any other bike because at least they would know what the name is. [Previous page](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/so-ive-been-thinking-about-going-to-the-dark-side/237091.md?page=2) [Next page](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/so-ive-been-thinking-about-going-to-the-dark-side/237091.md?page=4)