Hey Lemmy!
I bought a new 2015 street 750 and I have ridden it all these years. Recently I have been thinking that I want to switch it up and get something else. I mostly use my street 750 to commute to university, but now work; with an occasional day trip to visit family on the other side of Texas. I am thinking of getting a Yamaha MT-03. I know it is an entry level bike but it seems to have good reviews. It has a passenger seat for dates and a sixth gear for the occasional road trip. Since I am mostly commuting I don’t see why 300cc will be too small, so I should save some money with it. I mostly want to ask if there is a reason I should consider the 600cc version or something I also really like the XSR700 but feel it might be hard to find around me.
Any other advice?
You’re used to the torque of a V-twin 750. A 300 will feel quite lumbering comparitively.
Also, having a passenger on that 300 isn’t the most fun, your Harley would handle a pillion better (though not much better in stock form), since the seating position isn’t so high. Neither bike in stock form is really meant for a passenger, but the combination of far less low rpm torque, the high center of mass from the seating position, and the higher rake angle of the Yamaha will make controlling it a lot harder (I know, I’ve had both types of bikes, my sport-tour has more power and a lower center of mass than this Yamaha, and the rake angle alone makes having a passenger challenging, this with 40 years of riding behind me).
But, the Harley would be more comfortable for a passenger with little more than a new saddle (a more pronounced king/queen) and a small back brace - Harley even sells one, about 8" tall (so kind of unobtrusive).
The back brace will give a pillion a bit of security, an improved saddle will make it less cramped by lifting them away from the foot pegs.
(I’m not even a Harley rider, never owned one, don’t like them, but I’ve ridden them and understand why new riders and people who ride two-up go for them, the torque and low center of mass are ideal for both groups).
That us a good paragraph to consider. How bad do you think the 300 will be on a 8 hour trip on the highway? On the HD I average 45-55mph once i factor in the breaks I take for my legs and getting sunscreen on, despite being 70+mph (and the 750 is very comfortable doing that). I don’t go on trips often enough for it to be critical, and most highway trips will be 2hrs tops.
Maybe OK, really depends on the footpeg placement and handlebars.
If your knees are really bent, or the bars pull you forward, it gets uncomfortable fast. Which is why I added risers to my clip-ons to get a more comfortable position (less weight on my arms), which also reduces tingling/numbness due to vibration and pressure on the nerve in your wrist.
Edit: 300 on the highway will be tiring. I had a bike that size once, and it’s just small, engine has to Rev for power, so you get higher frequency vibration through the bars that you just don’t get with a lower-rpm Harley V-twin.
The Honda Rebel 500cc would be more similar to the Harley you have now.
The MT-03 will feel sluggish for sure, go for the MT-07 instead. You can (and should) find aftermarket seats, all new bikes come with crap seats that give you a 10m grace period to get to a motel before s/he quits.
If you’re into switching to nakeds, you can’t go wrong with a Honda Hornet (CB 750), Suzuki GSX or Yamaha FZ6 (the latter is my bike), all 600cc/100hp. Most other nakeds are 60hp. All accessible in the used market.
I have an 80s 450cc, daily commute on the highways. She can do more than 80mph, but kinda struggles to get there past 75mph.
I mention this because I observed my former buddy with an mt-03 having similar limits when we rode from San Francisco back to LA on the I-5, and of note is that I run 87, he had to run with 93 to get that performance.
I’d hesitate to get something that small. There’s a 400 ninja and some other options out there, but I’m considering a Diavel, an xsr900 or a 900rs cafe.
Keep the Harley.
This is a common discussion for folks who have decided on a Honda Rebel, but can’t decide 300, 500, or 1100. 300 is no or very low highway riding, it can do it but it’s not enjoyable. 500 is for some highway riding, still a bit light and you can feel windswept, but good economy. 1100 much more planted and powerful and very capable of long trips, but a lot more expensive.
Any particular reason you want to change? If it’s just to ride a different style of bike, is it in your finances to get a used mt03 to putt around in, then sell once you’ve had your fun?
I have had the Street 750 for 9yrs and want to try something different. Looking at the MT03’s spec sheet it looks like it covers my bases 90% of the time while not breaking the bank. I took a stroll at the HD and they just price themselves out (If i had $25k for a bike id get a new car) and don’t really care for the aesthetic all that much. I like the idea of an XSR 700, but there aren’t any around here. There is a dealer that has some 900s, but they are just more than I want to pay. There is nothing wrong with my 750, so if I am paying more than $10k its better to just hang on to it.
Take a look at the used bike market near where you live. You will be able to find better deals on something you might be interested in.
If you want another cruiser, you should go for something with at least 650cc for adequate highway power. Note that many cruisers, especially Harleys, can be modded extensively.
If you’re looking for a naked bike, pay attention to the 2nd seat, as many have tiny uncomfortable passenger seats. I’d also advise you to get at least 400cc for adequate highway power.
Another category of suggest if cruisers aren’t your thing is a sport touring motorcycle. They have lots of power, are fairly comfortable (even for passengers), known to be very reliable, but can be a bit heavy. When new they are pricey, but in the used market you can find them for under $5k.
Yeah I think I won’t be going 300cc after all, thanks for the advice!
If you really want a 300cc, go for it, but if you’re using the passenger seat you should get a bike with an adequate passenger seat. Happy riding!
300cc was more about the price point while feeling it handled 90% of my needs.
Yeah if you are okay with being stuck in the slow lane then a 300cc, especially one with 40hp, is fine, even going 2up. I just keep comparing it to my 20hp 250cc bike that would have to resort to the truck lane on the highway lol
I’m actually eyeing the xsr 700 now
The CP2 engine is really nice with that bike, and it looks good too. Not sure how the passenger would feel though, you should definitely test that.
