I have a friend who went to college in western New York. It was just east of the Great Lakes and received tons of snow from the "Lake Effect". With the extreme snow, road crews put down tons of rock salt. If you have ever been to Buffalo, NY, you will see cars with large rusty holes all over them. I don't mean rust spots, I mean rust holes where you can see the ground through the floorboards. That's their winter or beater car. In the spring, they bring out their nice car.

Does anyone have a beater bike? Here in Colorado, they put down rock salt, mag-chloride, and sand. I put the CBR in the garage and take out my beater bike. Actually, it's my pride and joy, a 1979 Suzuki GS1000. I'm the original owner; my first four-stroke and my first liter bike.

Not really a "beater bike" because it has premium tires (Avon Roadrider), premium rear shocks (Works Performance), and premium forks (Telefix brace and Progressive springs). I don't worry about the sand kicked up by cars hitting the fairing because there is none. I've crashed it once (on ice) and it's been knocked over in the garage at least five times because I'm on the sixth set of handlebars (K&N Superbike). When it gets warmer, I'm doing the damper on my CBR, but for now I'm riding the Suzuki.

 

The CBR is kinda my beater for now. I got it because it had obviously been "used". Not abused, but I know if I dropped it it wouldn't have been the first time. It's straight but I'm pretty sure the plastics aren't original. Also I'm riding it on the salt today!

I came from a mint '95 that has never been wrecked or even dropped. It's just too stressful. I like to look at perfect bikes but I don't wanna ride one. I like beaters. They should just be called "riders".

 

While not exactly a beater, can you say rode hard and put away wet? My bike has not seen soap since last summer. Covered parking in 6 months. It's my sole mode of transpo and is ridden nearly every day and night in all weathers and hasn't let me down.

 

i use an old 1981 xs 250 custom as my hack, it gets used all year round, i have had it 6 years only paid £225 for it and its only cost me that over the years to keep her on the road, she`s rusty and rough but reliable.

 

Hey:

I call em riders too. I had a CBR600F4 just for going back and forth to work 1000+ miles a week, it was fantastic for that. I got it used with real low miles on it, that had been knocked over a couple of times by the first owner and he wanted a HD. I got it real cheap as he could not get it running after the last fall, (broke the main fuse holder) it was winter, and he did not want to claim it on his insurance as he was already a high risk case. I got it for what he owed for taxes on it, barely more than scrap prices, drove it for more than a few years and sold it for more than I paid. One of the few vehicles I have ever broke even or made money on, after owning and driving them. They get major props from me as nothing major went wrong with it . It always started right up even in the colder nights. Tires, brake pads, chain/spkts, fork seals, oil and fuel is all I put in it in the 4-5 yrs I had it. The battery and R/R even lasted the whole time I owned it. I now have a CX650 for back up if one of my liter bikes needs looking after. It is ok but if I find a good deal on a CBR600F4i I would probably get it, they are great bikes for just riding alot. Thank goodness they rarely use salt brine on the roads this far South, unless the Climate change phenomena keeps us getting colder and colder winters. Not really a global warming trend now is it.

Dub

 

I would have to say my 900rr is my beater bike. It is in pretty good shape tho.