Best Bargain Buys

Sometimes old warhorses survive against all expectation - the GS550 Suzuki, famed for its toughness must make it as the number one buy in the category of serious, as opposed to desperate, budget riding. Its tough DOHC four cylinder engine and worthy chassis combine to produce an effective solution to modern motorcycling needs. The vast majority will have already had the electrics updated and there are lots of rat examples around for spares. Around £500 buys something interesting if faded.

The XJ550, though not so long lived, is another useful hack, tending to be in a much more worn. state than the GS at similar mileages. Used spares are becoming rare now but as little as £300 will buy a runner.

Spares are no problem for Kawasaki GT550s as they are still made and have been around for aeons, or it seems like that, anyway. The top end starts to rattle around 50k but it's an easy engine to tear apart and doesn't need a great deal of care in reassembly. Some examples have done 100000 miles, a couple double that. The major problem is that it's a bit boring and you may fall asleep at the controls. Working rats start at £250, but £750 is needed for something serious.

Honda’s rather troublesome CBX550 actually goes well on the road until the cam chain tensioner gives up the ghost. Take this as a good bargaining point, pay silly money for one and bodge the tensioner. Hundreds rather than thousands, please.

Cheaper still are the old eighties twins, things like 250/400 Superdreams, XSs, GSs and the odd Z or KZ. Superdreams run OK for about 50000 miles when the whole plot's completely worn out. GS400/450s last longer but by 60000 miles the cylinder heads are about ready to dissolve. The GSX250 is in trouble in as little as 35000 miles, occasionally goes to 50000 miles but usually suffers from the eight valves trying to melt into the cylinder head.

The Z400, or the later Z440, varies tremendously, depending on how they've been thrashed. Hard used examples are in trouble after 25000 miles, mildly used ones can go for twice that. They have a nice grunty engine that encourages mild riding. Look for top end demise, crankshaft rumbles and the balancer disintegrating. As little as two hundred notes buys a runner.

Old Z250s and GPz305s should be avoided unless you have the money and inclination to hunt down a newer engine. High mileages and their top ends do not mix at all well. The chassis also rots horribly after ten years. Stick with something with less than 25k on the clock.

The smaller four stroke singles, such as the CG125 and GS125, can run to high mileages, with the proviso that their engine oil's changed every 1000 miles... sadly, a rarity in bikes owned by commuters with the results that 20000 miles can wreck the engines, especially when they are ridden in town for short distances - the oil emulsifies giving it the lubricating abilities of dish-water. On the upside, cheap, low mileage engines are available in breakers. Rats are available for under a hundred notes; ideal for the resurrection shuffle.

Those who are really desperate for cheap wheels (especially if they are going to buy insurance, something of a rarity, these days) need look no further than an old Honda step-thru. It may have the handling abilities of a shot shopping trolley and the style of an ancient pram but it grinds on with the inexorable aplomb of a Doberman on a child’s neck and the running costs would impress a Reliant Robin owner. The C90 has the best combination of fuel and speed, the C70 being less frugal but little faster than the C50.

Other step-thrus, mopeds and sub 100cc commuters should be avoided as old age and basic two stroke technology mix as well as oil and water. Of course, the RXS100, KH125 and A100 (or even B120) are useful in their way and relatively long-lived but have a disturbing tendency to seize when least expected once more than 30k has been achieved. Their major merit, at that kind of mileage, is cheapness, often under a hundred quid. More useful as a winter bike than main wheels.

The other Honda to emerge as surprisingly tough, given that the previous model, the CX500 was so naff, the VT500 has been thrashed and generally abused by any number of thoroughly mad DRs and often broke through the 100,000 mile barrier with surprising ease. £500 is more than enough to buy a worthy example.

Such engineering toughness was presaged in the now venerable and ancient Yamaha XS650 twin, given a new lease of life by an excess of relatively low mileage grey imports from the good old US of A. Expensive at a grand but worth it in terms of sheer funkiness and longevity.

Even the British bike scene has the odd bargain, as hard as that might be to believe. Anything original in nice condition’s fearsomely expensive whilst being not very useful. Non-standard bikes, including modified electrics, brakes and engine internals, both go better and stay together longer. And cost less dosh.

Fading examples of the Bantam and Tiger Cub can be found for around £500, with engines that won't immediately explode. There’s even a 125 version of the Bantam for those who need to learn. There’s always the possibility of doing a cosmetic upgrade and selling at a profit.

As well as a host of obscure British lightweights, such as the Francis Barnett and Ariel Arrow, available for similar money, there’s also the odd low end twin, such as the Triumph 350, that goes for around £750. The latter had the performance of a 250 Superdream and the handling of an NSU Quickly but vibes and reliability are less intrusive than bigger Triumph twins. The major advantage of British bikes being their relatively low running costs... tyres, chains and brake shoes last much longer.

Those with a desperate need to experience the Italian Way won't find many bargains. The odd rat Morini, Guzzi V50 and Benelli stroker turn up in the £350 to £750 price range, but are usually more trouble than they are worth. The V50 can rot at an incredible rate if neglected, often from the inside out so that what appears passable suddenly dissolves before your eyes. Not nice, though a carefully chosen example offers shaft drive, reasonable performance and passable looks.

MZ’s are available in a vast range of conditions, from really vile to nearly new all cheap! The 125/150 version lacks the build quality of the 250, but both have gearbox and electrical hassles at high mileages. Not that it really matters, spares and even engines or whole bikes are practically given away for free.

The MZs are better than CZ or other Eastern European cycles, though the CZ does have a reasonable chassis and can be updated on the cheap, bearing in mind that the electrics have to be sorted out if any kind of reliable running is needed.

It has often been said in this magazine that just about any old motorcycle, however dubious its reputation, can turn out to be a bargain buy if bought at the right price. Even in these relatively dire days (for practical motor cycles that are also good fun) it’s still possible to find the odd bike that’s useful at a reasonable price but the whole mad motorcycle industry is becoming stacked against it in favour of overpriced, impractical bikes that are totally removed from reality. Not that anyone cares any more.