Thinking of downgrading from 650 to a varadero 125

[StumpyFingers]

The difference in consumption would not be sufficient.
For short commutes think about a small twist and go scooter. 100 MPG but not very fast. Keep the Transalp for those days you need to let your hair down.

[ogriofa]

The difference in consumption would not be sufficient.
For short commutes think about a small twist and go scooter. 100 MPG but not very fast. Keep the Transalp for those days you need to let your hair down.

Great, so now I'm walking away from this with an extra bike! You guys!

Thats actually not a bad idea. I'll have a look and see if there's anything super cheap (short of junk)
Ta

[cbrpaddy]

I'm with the guys here, I don't think you'd be making any significant savings in fuel over a year, certainly not in the hundreds of euro mark unless you're doing big distances, and if you're doing big distances I still think you'd be far better off on the big bike, that's where the extra grunt counts, like overtaking and getting out of potentially dangerous situations.

[steveR]

thanks Steve,
Yeah, of course your right!

Thanks Steve, I'll just stop my moaning now

Can I pass on your kind words to my Good Lady Wife please.....?

[Baggy]

I have a 5 mile commute to work along mostly rural A roads. I used to cycle but the road past my place of work was re-designated as a main trunk route and the traffic levels rose to the point of not if, but when, someone hit me in the 'don't brake just overtake and squeeze past manoeuvre'... I changed to a CG125 for my year round commute - mainly so that I could at least stay with the traffic flow.

Downsides: It doesn't have the presence of a bigger bike. With a top speed of 60ish mph, more people are going to be catching you up - may lead to dodgy overtakes on single carriageway roads and you have to hope they see you on dual carriageway / motorways. About the only things you'll confidently overtake are tractors and 50cc mopeds - unless you've got a good run up with a reasonable speed advantage.

Upsides ( for me ): It's cheap to run ( approx £10/month in fuel + £15/year tax + £15/year insurance + servicing costs ), it's far easier to wheel in and out of the garden, it's very easy to keep clean in the season of salted roads, it keeps my big bike ( 700 TA ) in the shed in horrible weather.

So I would say by all means buy a cheap 2nd bike for your short commute - but whilst you can live with a small bike and travel anywhere on it, for longer journeys you would be safer on a bigger bike.

I do enjoy riding the CG though - it's more of a challenge to make good progress.. it's the art of maximising every advantage you can grab. And it somehow seems far more satisfying when you get past a line of slow moving traffic on your little bike and leave the fuming cagers behind you

[FatFergie]

Hi Ogriofa.

• You wont notice the lack of power at take off unless you're drag racing at the lights. The 125 Varadero as you know is a great bike and we're lucky enough to have the full power versions over here.
• If your main purpose is to save money it depends on how old your alp is. If it's newish ie: less than five years old then you're never going to save the amount you lose by selling it.
• Getting a second bike makes a lot of sense if you can get one cheap enough but if you have to outlay €1000 then you'll never get that back from your reduced running costs on a five mile commute. BTW insurance shouldn't be a big deal for a second bike; I've got a 250 as an add on for €50.

Weigh up how much it'll actually cost. Get the quotes from the insurance companies and the bike prices and you'll see for yourself what makes financial sense for you. I'd bet on it being cheapest to stick with what you've got.

[davedixon]

Take a look at my post 'Super Varadero 125 unrestricted' in the Varadero section of this forum. Dave.

[afk40]

Mando bear... ye said changing to cycling rather than the bike fur a 5 commute.......what happens when the suns shinin an ye want tae go a run tae the coast... are ye gonna pedal there. ???