JunkyardDog

I just read an article in a motorcycle magazine that said the IIHS (insurance institute for highway safety) a long time enemy of both riders and drivers,(anybody remember Joan Claybrook?) is lobbying congress to pass legislation to require anti-lock brakes be installed on all new motorcycles. We've already been hit with plastic motorcycles, electronic fuel injection and other electronic crap, emissions crap, the loss of things like tubeless tires and centerstands, and now this. It is expected that it would raise the price of new motorcycles about $1,000. Prices are already through the roof. That would effectively eliminate small less expensive bikes like the Rebel, and prevent a lot of people from buying new motorcycles. That '60s vintage British bike is looking better and better all the time, even if it did cost $10,000. Jerry.

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DeeG

???

Last three of my new bikes came with both tubeless tires and centerstands.

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JunkyardDog

I also own 2 bikes with tubeless tires and centerstands, an EX500, and a Vulcan 750. Both were bought new. I would not have bought either one of these bikes if they had not had these things. The EX500 is an '09, the Vulcan 750 is an '02, but they are both '85 designs.

Go to all the Japanese manufacturers sites, and look at the cruisers. Almost all of them have wire spoke wheels, tube type tires, and no centerstands. Many also have EFI, along with those antiquated tires and wheels. Jerry.

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that7guy

Don't most newer bikes already have ABS as an option?

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JunkyardDog

Only the expensive ones. Jerry.

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DeeG

Ahhh. OK. I get it now. I thought you meant that they had been legislated away.

They need to follow the German and Italian mfg's.....Two of my Guzzis and one of my BMW's have spoke wheels, but they are tubeless spoked wheels.

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Fridgitator

Does not bode well for small displacement bikes. At about a grand a copy, that's quite a price hike. Throw in fuel injection, and the Rebel and a bunch of other bikes might be 'Classics' ahead of their time.

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JunkyardDog

Yep, BMW and Guzzi got it right. But then they build bikes to ride instead of look at. I am still considering a vintage BMW or Guzzi, as well as a Harley, but I'm not sure I want to be a part of the Harley scene. I can't afford a vintage British bike, which is really what I want, and the old BMWs and Guzzis are easy to work on, I'm not sure what the parts situation. Vintage Japanese bikes are out, because there are no parts.


I seriously doubt that bikes like the Rebel 250 will become classics in my lifetime, there were simply too many of them made. In fact, parts for the '96 and up Rebel should be available till 2019. Suzuki's fuel injected TU250 has the same MSRP as the '09 Rebel, but while you can get an '09 Rebel brand new OTD for $3500, most places that have them want close to $5000 OTD for the TU250. For some reason they cannot be sold in CA. With the FI, I have no idea why.


But yeah, I would say that the new safety and emissions standards will pretty much spell the end of affordable motorcycles. Thank goodness for Craigslist. Jerry.

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bB2NER

Rebels are already classics seeing how 09' was the last year for them.

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Current Rides: Drive less Ride more!!!
09' Rebel 250 Bobber (General Lee Tribute)
86' Rebel 250 Limited (black/gold)
79' Hawk CB400T (black)
92' Shadow 1100C (red/silver panels and frame)

kjohnson

I have a 1986 Rebel.
Still in great condition.
It doesn't need any new electronic crap.
(And coming from a computer programmer, that probably means a lot.)
I'm all for technology, but a classic no-computerized something is always great to have!

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Kyle Johnson
"So, I'm new at this. Feel free to correct me. "
In my Garage (er... Parking Spot):
1986 Honda Rebel CMX250 *SOLD*
2004 Honda Shadow VLX 600