I'm in a tough spot here folks.

I've got some choices to make in the next week or two. I have to act quick and am looking for some input!

As some of you may know a little while back I sold my 2012 CBR250R and my 1994 CBR600F2. Lucky for me they got taken away on the same truck to two friends of a buddy of mine. Anyways that means right now I'm without a motorcycle in my garage.

I've been going back and forth from every end of the spectrum of what to do next. So far I've considered buying a new car and skipping the bike for now, getting two bikes, getting a bike and a car or upgrading my car...pretty much all the options.

Right now I think I know what I want to do, but I'm really not sure as people keep telling me about new bikes and I have no idea what I'd be happiest on...

Right now my current idea is that I'd buy a 2013 Ducati Hypermotard (SP) and do an STi motor and transmission swap on my 2000 Subaru Forester. So basically I would end up with a really fun bike and a 300HP grocery getter/sleeper.

I've also been thinking about picking up a sportbike like a Triumph Daytona 675R and a motor swap on my Forester.

Or picking up a new or used DRZ and just buying a used WRX.

OR, just buy some other bike I haven't looked at, because I've put this on another forum and everybody lists bikes I've never heard of before!!

I just don't know what route to go, and I don't even know what bikes to start looking at! There are dealers for most bikes near me, I have a KTM/Ducati/Honda/Yamaha/Kawasaki dealer up the road, and from google searches I have a Triumph and Suzuki in the area too. So whatever bike I go with I can get good support for. All the dealers are really good too.

I just can't narrow down my search...I have no idea where to look for a bike that fits what I want. I just want something reliable, fun, comfortable for 5 hour rides, and something that I can carry a passenger on from time to time.

What would you guys do? How did you all decide?

 

If your looking for more of confortable ride for long periods of time i recomend going with the 2013 Ducati Hypermotard or the KTM 990 Supermoto T 2013... Both great bikes and comfortable to ride for you and a passenger for long periods of time... Buddy rode from Toronto to SD, California on the KTM 990 and wasnt walking weird or had any weird kinks... Both the Ducati and KTM are great bikes

 

In reality, I would absolutely love to pick up a KTM 690SMC. However they aren't available in the US this year, and no word on next year...

The SM-T looks nice, but a bit too much of a touring bike for me...I've also been looking at the Hyperstrada, but it only comes in white...and they aren't here for like another month or two...

 

Worth the wait man... No rush when your getting exactly what you want

 

Well, like I said...there's no word that they'll be available next year. I've talked with the KTM rep about it and I'm fairly certain he said they wouldn't be since he hadn't heard about them yet.

The Ducati is just as nice, if not a bike nicer with all it's safety stuff, extra power, and (supposed) reliability. The only downside is...it's not really an offroad machine. So I think I'd end up getting a used DRZ down the road that I can beat on

Not sure though!

 

a forester with an sti motor would be sweet.
but about the bikes, just make a list of which ones youre interested in and go check each out and take a test ride if you can and go with whichever you like most. and really with any newer bike youre not gonna make a bad choice.

 

Yeah, I love my Forester to death, and it's still pretty clean for being a 2000. It would have the full swap down to the hubs, no drive line components left from the Forester, pure STi It definitely wouldn't be your parents grocery getter hehe

As for the bikes...there's just a massive list, and so many others I don't even know about. Plus, the Ducati Hyper isn't even in dealers until later this month, and they're going to go QUICK. I also won't be able to test ride one most likely since they're in demand and I'm only 18.

Right now the four main options for bikes are...

Ducati Hypermotard
Triumph Daytona 675R
Suzuki DRZ400SM
Honda CBR600RR

Help.

 

well, if you want an unbiased opinion, you're probably on the wrong forum....


one of the girls at my work - her b/f has a drz400- he likes it. but it's not my cup of tea...


i would pick either the 675 or the rr.

you can have a ducati later in life when you have a bit more money. (not to sound like an old fart) at 18, you don't need a NEW ducati...




and my buddy in college did a full STI swap into an older WRX that he had - it was awesome. that thing used to set off car alarms driving through the parking garage. he had the stock can on it with cut-outs. total sleeper! i think the sti's are a little too flashy for me. so a plain WRX or a forester like you have would be sweet with an STI swap

 

IMO the sti swap would be sick. That being said there are a ton of nice bikes new and used. So I can't help there buy if it was me I would find a nice newer used bike for an ok price and sink a little more into the sti for the upgrades they are known for. But I love the sti's. also on the bike it depends on what you want to spend.

 

Well, the thing about the Ducati is...I think it's a better value than the Daytona or RR. Here's why...

The Duc has the safety pack, riding modes, etc...all nice things to have. I am fairly certain the Daytona has ABS, but I don't think the RR does. Now, don't take this the wrong way, I'm not grabbing a bike because of this stuff, I'll end up without it on most the time...but I'm looking for a bike I can take out whenever. The ABS and TCS will REALLY help in the rain. In "wet" mode it doesn't let you lift either wheel, no wheel lockup, and no sliding. Plus it reduces throttle response a bit to smooth things out. I would lean towards the SP version of the Hyper, but the base is nice as well and is $400 more than the 600rr...it's the same price range as the Jap bikes, and supposedly just reliable, makes the same power, and it has the safety pack.

The DRZ though is quite a bit cheaper.