I bought my first bike just over a year ago purely for commuting to work and back, its a 200cc scrambler, (I call it the hog, but my colleagues call it the hoglet).

Its really great fun, but I still have a fear for bikes. I love bigger bikes, but just to look at them and appreciate how they look, sound and go. But I have no urge to own or ride one.

At work here there are guys whos bikes engine capacity's are bigger than my bike and car combined ? That's crazy, but awesome at the same time!

I do fear motorbike accidents but more due to the fact that any accident is a lot more dangerous on a bike than in a car but my thinking would be to avoid main routes and try and leave earlier if I do use it as a work commute. I shall keep you all updated on any progress ?

Bikeless bike enthusiast here. ? Sold my last bike 2 years ago (KLE500) and have been too busy buying guitars and related paraphernalia to fund another. ? The other problem is I tend to aim rather high...I really want a Ducati Multistrada, but that's way over the budget. Doesn't look like I'll get another bike anytime soon.

I had my fair share of accidents while commuting. Protective gear these days is very good...as long as you don't slide into anything immobile after you come off. I don't miss the constant danger or the regular afternoon showers in JHB. When I get another bike it will be for touring and weekend riding. No more commuting for me. I content myself with watching Moto GP and World SBK and admiring bikes from afar. I do miss riding.

Banditman on the forum was/ is a riding instructor. Maybe he'll chime in.

Good luck with your rebuild refuogee. ?

i dont even own a car , today bought a R 600 , had a cbr 600 and also a motomia 150 (mostly just for work and back) . love bikes .

Had a dozen bikes or more in my garage over 30 years of riding, road and track, on & off road, 2 strokes and four. Singles, twins and four cylinders.
The one that matters next will have three cylinders. 8)

I've got a 1981/2 Suzuki GSX 550 but it doesnt go. But it's quite big for what it is. And I dont know who can make it go. I used to ride a Katana 11 way back but not well because I came off quite a bit. I dont think I pay enough attention. If there is a bike I'd like now it's probably an old Triumph Bonneville or something like that to restore and look at and go round the block with.

if i didn't have a medical need to be surrounded by at least six airbags and a crumple zone, you'd never get me off a bike.

that, and i have no balance. not since i gained all this michelin man...
dh

Thanks for the input guys and Dom ?

I do ride quite a bit, been riding most of my life and since I turned 16 I've always owned at least one bike. Currently I own a KTM250 EXC (just some weekend dirt riding), a 2011 Aprilia Tuono Factory RSV1000, and my race / Track bike is my trusty old Aprilia RSV1000 Mille. I must admit that I am much much better at riding bikes than I am at playing guitar.

Restoring an old bike will be very very expensive, even though its a japanese bike like your XT and not anything exotic like a europian bike, so the question you have to ask yourself is how much are you willing to spend on the bike and in what kind of state of restoration do you want it? I take that you will pay someone to do the job for you, which adds a lot to the costs but gives peace of mind that you at least know the job is done well. Using the bike daily to save petrol will help a bit, but mainting a proper bike is quite expensive, consumables dont last all that long, and taking the age of the XT brings in another factor, it's a classic that needs to be kept running.

all things considered riding and mainting a bike is (to me at least) on of the most rewarding and satisfing past times in life, and almost every penny spent on it is worth it!! ?

Had a string of bikes. In 2009 i was on gsxr750 and sold it after my girl was born. Evil machine that, and my run in with the law also helped me to sell.
But...
The itch never goes away.
So 3 weeks ago i sourced a bandit

To rebuil look for a place called dg's just off xavier stt