I Want A Second Motorcycle But Have No Money Pile.

Well, that is relative. I have no money lying around for a second motorcycle, but I have access to money like many of us: I can save over time, pull out of a savings account or even borrow money. However, I do not have a pile of cash lying around to allow my impulsive nature to win and get another motorcycle.

My TaoTao TBR7 is a tremendous first motorcycle, relatively. I have dropped it, broken the handguards( My TBR7 Plastic Handguards Are Trash) without crying, made numerous upgrades(My TBR7 Upgrades post: My TaoTao TBR7 Upgrades To Do List.), and, more importantly, learned to ride.  

A Second Motorcycle With No Money, But Lots Of Over-Thinking.

If you’ve followed my blog, I had a difficult time coming up with purchasing my first motorcycle. ( Best First-Time Motorcycle To Buy? ). Now I want to buy a second motorcycle, but the same thing now as was before, I’m not flushed with cash.

My first motorcycle was a lower-priced TaoTao TBR7 motorcycle. Everything about the price should have scared me off, this motorcycle was very low priced, and stories of poor craftsmanship were familiar complaints. I saw similar problems (TaoTao TBR7 Review & Specs: Out Of The Box. ).

However, I didn’t hear about the TBR7 motorcycle ‘breaking down’ to the point the owners got rid of them as scrap.

The TaoTao TBR7 motorcycles that became scrap were from owners that crashed them.

The point is that my first motorcycle was a good choice in hindsight ( TaoTao TBR7 One Year Motorcycle Review! ), but this might be because I spent so much time trying to buy a first-time motorcycle with very little money.

I now want to replicate this success by buying my second motorcycle with very little money. The new motorcycle prices are off the chart as the new car prices.

If you have suggestions about a great second motorcycle for very little money, please comment below.

When To Get A Second Motorcycle?

There is no tech on my TBR7(no abs, no slipper clutch, sometimes no lights, etc.), and this requires me to learn proper shifting, progressive braking, and strong accident avoidance skills.

I believe I learned the most from the mechanical tweaks and upgrades to my TBR7, although there are more upgrades I can do.  

That is the point: I feel I have spent more time wrenching rather than riding. I want a more advanced, or at least a more reliable motorcycle. 

I like wrenching, but sometimes I want to start a bike and go for a ride without going through a routine.

How Do I Choose A Good Second Motorcycle?

Well, I think I hit the nail on the head; I want a more reliable, rider-friendly bike. I want one that starts every time, without tweaking a choke and waiting for a long warm-up process. I want a bike that doesn’t easily skid the rear tire in a panic stop. A couple of the brake skids were done while not fully upright, and I don’t know how I didn’t go down.

Side note, people need to SEE motorcycles more often and stop trying to beat us to a turn. Geez…

My Goal: I want a low-maintenance motorcycle.

Side Note: I was told the Royal Enfield Himalayan is an excellent DIY bike; with low compression and simple maintenance procedures, it might be a great next bike. Already been looking at it: The Royal Enfield Himalayan A Good Beginner Motorcycle For Me?

What Is The Best Second Motorcycle To Buy?

When I think about this being my second motorcycle goal is, I automatically think about buying a Honda Motorcycle. Excellent reputation, and many of their motorcycles come with long maintenance cycles.

Now I hear great things about the DRZ’s and the DR motorcycles by Suzuki, but I am not interested in fighting with another carburetor. So will stick with fuel injection models only.

Again, New vs. Used Second Motorcycle Question.

I covered my thinking about going with a new or used first motorcycle ( Should I Buy New Or Used For My First Motorcycle?) and settled on buying new. Now with a Chinese “250” Dual-Sport motorcycle, there isn’t much of a price difference between new and used, so that wasn’t a significant factor. I did want something new to experience building the bike and later modifying it from scratch.

Also, I was interested in buying a used first motorcycle because I figured I would drop it several times, learning to ride on the street. The motorcycle safety classes( My Motorcycle Safety Class Information.) were on a closed circuit and figured street riding would add a level of complexity.

I am a better rider today then, simply by riding. Experience has made a better rider and less likely to drop a motorcycle today. Well, compared to the beginning of the year. I feel a newer, more expensive bike is safer in my hands now than then.  

I am strongly interested in getting a new motorcycle, one with a warranty, in leaning on my decision to pick a low-maintenance motorcycle.

FYI, I am interested in the Honda CRF300L Rally and can’t find one locally. So I’ve never seen one in person. If you are an owner or have ridden one, please comment below about your opinions about that motorcycle. 

So How Do I Afford To Get A Second Motorcycle?

My scatterbrain thinking has the typical thoughts come to mind:

Can you finance a new motorcycle?

Buy from one of those “buy here pay here motorcycle dealers” near me?

I have a credit rating that is higher than average since I subscribe to the no-debt style of living. It took me a while to get to this point, and still not complete. Still have a mortgage. To continue this process, I guess borrowing is not an option.

The nice thing about not having much debt is that in the last couple of years, I could save away money. Much of it has plans, retirement, house repair, car maintenance, but some of the money has not been designated for a specific goal. It’s there, earning interest, but free for me to use for impulsive plans.

However, it’s not a lot of money. I am trying to figure out what my second bike will be, giving me more time to save more money. In the meantime, I will count my blessings that I have a working first motorcycle, my TBR7, and daydream about my next bike.

How Many Motorcycles Should You Own?

This is a good question. I have friends who have their forever-bike; others with a Pokemon approach to motorcycle ownership must collect them all. Also, another friend has a motorcycle for each style of riding.  

At the moment I only have one motorcycle, my TBR7: My TBR7 Unboxing Event!

How many motorcycles should you own? Please comment below.

Ride Safe, Ride Fun!