Convertible or Motorcycle ? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Angel · #1 12-22-2005, 08:57 AM

Hey y'all, figured this was a good question for the Mshop crowd =)

I've had a motorcycle or 2 since 1998, I enjoy them very much as does my wife - she used to ride on the back before winter/pregnancy.
My Brother has a '73 450SL, which I think is cool and my wife enjoys also (rarely does she say "Why dont you have a car like that ?")

With a coming house and baby #1, I'm debating what to do with my current fleet -
82 240D
97 Suzi Katana
81 Honda GL500 Silverwing

Wife has a 2005 Impreza - its not going anywhere.

It'll be tough for me to get rid of the 240D - 5cyl swap visions are dancing in my heads. That'd make the 240D much nicer to me =)

and I dont want to give up all motorcycles (even if you can't do it year round in cincinnati... Wife and I rode away from our wedding on the Katana, so if I try to get rid of it, I might get resistance...

And there are a stack of 100k mile Miata's if I'd like, or cheaper VW cabrios that need work (but I learned wrenching on VW's no its no biggie.)

The Miata has an "it wont break as often" quality that no other machine I own can match (tell me if I'm wrong here) but it might not have the charachter as my first love - a watercooled VW (scirocco for those wondering...) having a cabby to dink with would be cool.

I'm just taking ideas what to do- I could liquidate everything I own and have about $10k to spend on a machine, but having one machine is no fun, so I was thinking lose the honda (and maybe the 240D) and get a Miata, or just lose the honda, buy a cabrio that needs work... thoughts ?

(Or maybe I have a family now, so I need to lose those dangerous murder-cycles and get an SD =)

-John

TheDon · #2 12-22-2005, 09:50 AM

no ditch the honda.. you've gotta keep something that you can speed with and feel young again.. but thats just me

89-300ce · #3 12-22-2005, 10:12 AM

You won't have time for the bikes for a while. Consider something fun with a small back seat like a TR6 or a small sports coupe. The family that plays together ....

Jorg

G-Benz · #4 12-22-2005, 11:30 AM

Don't change ANY of your hobbies or loves because of new family roles!!!

Kids grow to integrate the same loves into their lifestyles!

My daughter embraces many of the same hobbies I've exposed her to ever since she had a pacifier stuck in her mouth!

Along with her love for music, this is her OTHER hobby!

Angel · #5 12-22-2005, 12:48 PM

I LOVE the pic G-benz, I have a motorcycle forum that would dig it too...
( www.twowheeltouring.net if you need another forum =)

Thats what kills me. I enjoy working on the bike as much as I enjoy riding it. Same would be the case with a convertible I'd imagine (Father in law has a '68 MGB-GT 5-speed thats waiting for love in his garage...okay, the GT isnt a convertible but...)

if I gave up on bike for a convertible, I'd just put the same time into the convertible - clean up things, small modifications (more time than money...) they are both machines which do roughtly the same function (but I can commute year round in a Miata)

Softtops fit into a cateogry of other things I'd like to get into - RC cars/airplanes, making electronic music, PLC's/small uP projects, RF junk/Ham radio... - all of these could conume all my free time/money if I wanted, but I forgo them so that I dont have mountains of crap around my house- right now the interests are a 240D and 2 bikes.

Found a '73 450SL on craigslist (phialdelphia - where my brother lives) for $6700 the otherday. and got me thinking... I wouldnt give up any of my fun machines for my family, but if I can shift some around...(swap a 5cyl into the 240D and still have something to commute with...

-John

Jim H · #6 12-22-2005, 12:53 PM

If you are not making payments on any of them, don't sell them just yet. You may not be able to get as much $$ for them as you would like, and then you would have $$ but no toys...

The Katana probably has the best chance of selling, being more of a 'rocket' and therefore more exiting to a younger, more impulsive buyer with some spending money burning a hole in his pocket.

The Silver Wing is a lot like the 240D in philosophy if you think about it, both are 'basic' and simple while accomplishing their core mission.

Pete Geither · #7 12-22-2005, 07:43 PM

I rode bikes for over 30 years, both dirt and street and positively LIVED bikes. One day the fastination went away, I sold everything and bought the SL. Have never looked back and love the SL with the top down. Come to think of it, I even love the SL with the top up.

TTaM · #8 12-22-2005, 08:49 PM

I was big into bikes, and had a Katana. Well, had a scary run in with an idiot driving a BMW and talking on the cell phone. I walked away with a few scars, my bike didn't. I really had the urge to get another bike. Then I bought a TT roadster. I don't see the reason for a bike again. Convertables are just as fun as bikes, in my opinion. Plus, I have a Kawi Dual Sport to play around with if I need a fix...

G-Benz · #9 12-22-2005, 09:16 PM

Note picture above...a pocket bike. The thrill ends when she is of driving age! Texas is the land of monster pickups, and I'm not sending her out there defenseless...I'm hunting for a decent W126 so that she can stand a fighting chance!!!

Ara T. · #10 12-23-2005, 01:07 AM

Id suggest you narrow down your choices for convertibles... the R107's are way different than any Miata... they're heavy touring cars where the Miatas are lightweight sportcars... different ride and handling characteristics.

Larry Delor · #11 12-23-2005, 08:39 AM

If would like to suggest that if you are going to get an SL, that you get one a few years newer than the '75. Something in the 80's perhaps. There are plenty of them in FL for around $10k.

What does your other half have to say about all this anyway? Have you two spoken about it yet? Although she might not have an answer, she might bring up some points you haven't considered yet.

Angel · #12 12-23-2005, 09:21 AM

I agree that an SL (any...) and a Miata are different cars - but the wife has already expressed a like for the looks of a '73 SL (and there is NO question whether or not either of us fit in it comfortably. If she likes a car, the chances of it helping our marraige (instead of hurting it) go up - and since my commute is 45 minutes of pure highway, having an old SL over a new sporty droptop isnt all bad...(I do enjoy sporty, good handling cars though...)

Volkl42 - I would LOVE to have a dual sport (KLR or similar) to play with. I've thought about losing the honda and getting a concours or a KLR650 (honduh and suzi make similar models) - big enough motor to commute with, dirty enough to leave the pavement if I feel so inclined - I dont have a lot of off-road experience, so I'm not gonna attack the places where a 650 would be too heavy a bike)

My other half: She has her own car so she just wants me to have the car(s) that make me happy. As I said before, she likes the Katana (stock bodywork, she likes the way it looks, and the memories...). I bought the silverwing for her to ride on more comfortably, but it has issues-
1) Its frame is REALLY loose comapared to...well..anything, a newer anything would be more enjoyable to ride. I could throw money at it to make it better, but see #3 =)
2) She's gonna be a mom in 4 months, so she doesnt want to ride any motorcycle with me (lest our child be orphaned...) any more

3) The silverwing IS the motorcycle equivalent of the 240D, make me an offer, but y'know, I'm sick of low-power old stuff, and one low-power old machine is enough =) If I'm gonna get another underpowered old bike, it'll be my father's R65 (at least that can have 900cc jugs bolted on =)

But she's said (more than a few times, despite my desire to get it in writing =) that I can have any car I want - and I dont want a car (or cars =) =) =) that are gonna bankrupt us...

No, I'm not making payments on anything right now (save her car) and I like that, but I'm still paying insurance and $50/yr to register each machine, and that adds up. I might not reduce the net stable size, but if I can get more fun out of the machines I have...

Ra_ · #13 12-23-2005, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PJG56

I rode bikes for over 30 years, both dirt and street and positively LIVED bikes. One day the fastination went away, I sold everything and bought the SL. Have never looked back and love the SL ...

I'm going through the same thing.
Gonna sell my bike ($3900) and a couple guitars ($5000 each)
and get me an SL. Thinking of getting a '90.

Mr.Kenny · #14 12-23-2005, 11:02 AM

We own a 1991 Miata.
This is the most rewarding car we have ever owned period.

I have owned over 150 cars & some motorcycles. Triumphs, MGs, Jaguars, Porsches, Nortons, BMWs Etc...
The Miata is refined, fun & economical. Just check out the owner reviews at
www.carsurvey.org & www.miata.net
It starts & runs & runs & runs & runs.
Our car is a commuter for my wife & has 170,000 miles on it, runs like a champ. Timing belt with water pump @ 120,000 miles. & sparkplug wires every 30k. That's it. + 30MPG combined. ( of course Mobil 1 every 6000k & tires)
Our car is Red & shiny, people ask us if it is new!
You can modify these motors any which way you want; they are very strong & forgiving.
We are going to sell our Miata this Spring though. & buy a newer one!

p.s. Don't even consider an automatic Miata; this would be totally pointless. I drove an automatic; you might as well get a corolla.