If Not For Distance ...

... I'd be strongly considering this 2006 Honda Rebel 250 or this 2001 Honda Reflex NSS 250. The former is really at the top of my price range, the latter well within it. But either one would require going to a distant location, evaluating the bike, and, at least in the case of the scooter (personal sale vs. dealer), likely riding it home without even temp tags.

If either one was within 50 miles, I might be all over it. But most of the stuff I'm seeing on e.g. Craigslist that's in my area has a big gap in the middle -- lots of 50cc scooters, lots of motorcycles that are either out of my price range, or quite a bit bigger than I'd like, or both.

OK, I'm Taking the Plunge ...

... although I'm basically in the air midway between the diving board and the water.

I'm scheduled to take the riding portions of the basic motorcycle safety class on Saturday and Sunday. There will be some online coursework between now and then. I paid $125 -- half the normal fee -- as a deposit just now, and will pay another $100 (because I'm a veteran, yay) on Saturday.

Which means that by Monday I should be street legal to drive any size bike instead of just 50cc and under.

Which means I can start shopping for a bike.

At the moment, I find myself leaning harder and harder toward this one (not an affiliate link). Hard enough, in fact, that I've got it on my Amazon Wish List just in case anyone wants to spend about $1,300, including shipping, on me.

It's a cheap Chinese 125cc "Cafe Cruiser" with a listed top speed of 55mph (and YouTube reviewers seem to be able to get that out of it, stock).

The reviews are VERY mixed, especially with respect to things like turn signals breaking off, etc. On the other hand, it looks like aftermarket stuff -- more on that in a minute -- is quite inexpensive. I'm already thinking of it as a "project" bike.

Of course, I was thinking of the 50cc scooter as a "project scooter," too, and never have gone ahead and installed a new carburetor and big bore kit in it.

This is different, for a couple of reasons.

One reason is that a 143cc or even 155 cc bore kit on this bike would make a real difference (in at least the 10-mile-per-hour range), while on the 50cc the videos I've watched seem to indicate you're really only looking at 3-5mph gain by going from 50cc to 80cc.

Another is that my "euro" style scooter requires a bunch of taking off of panels, etc. to get at anything, while this is a typical 125cc motorcycle where everything is just hanging out there for easy access. So if I want to get its speed up, I should be able to do that fairly cheaply and with a lot less time spent on the work.

Not that I'm planning to really start modifying it immediately. If I do anything, it will involve removing some power-reducing emissions stuff and replacing the air filter box with a "performance" cone type filter. Those both appear to be ten-minute jobs.

I'm not really worried about increased speed until I actually get used to the thing and have it well broken in. Until I reach that point, the modifications will likely consist of things like replacing the cheap, easily broken turn signals with cheap, not as easily broken LEDs, possibly looking at a different set of handlebars, and doing things with its appearance (the mandatory black X on the headlight, quite possibly painting the fenders and tank a different color, and just maybe having the seat upholstered in real leather if that's not wildly expensive). Oh, and finding a decent pannier and/or rear rack to be able to carry things.

I may find that I'm perfectly happy with the engine/speed/performance in "stock" configuration. Even if I could make reasonable freeway speeds, I'm not sure I want to cruise I-75 sandwiched between 18-wheelers; 55mph is plenty for the smaller highways, and would let me get in and out of town without holding up traffic.

Or, I may find something different, new or used, bigger and/or in scooter configuration rather than motorcycle with manual transmission. Especially if nobody wants to buy this one for me.

Speaking of which, one fairly early mod on this bike would be changing the gearing, which apparently amounts to buying and installing a single sprocket behind a single panel. This is a four-speed with, reviewers say, a very low first gear because lots of these bikes are sold in mountainous South American countries; I don't expect to have to ride over Pike's Peak or anything on it. Apparently there's also a kind of shifter that's cheap, easily installed, and easier to use than the one on this bike.

Update, 5:15pm: I went ahead and powered right through the required online course today (which means I'm behind on regular work -- but I'll get caught up even if it means a later than usual bedtime). I have to go do the physical riding parts on Saturday and Sunday in order to get the Florida driver's license motorcycle endorsement. Then it's just a matter of getting a bike.

Trump Should Stick With The Original Plan

Per AP:

Donald Trump says he is pulling out of a scheduled September debate with Vice President Kamala Harris on ABC and wants them to face off on Fox News, making it increasingly unlikely that the candidates will confront each other on stage before the November election.

Harris is calling Trump chicken, which is neither unexpected nor unfair.

On the other hand, instead of "pulling out" of the ABC debate, Trump should have simply announced (and should issue a correction announcing) that he will happily take part in the scheduled ABC event, if his agreed opponent -- Joe Biden -- shows up.

If I schedule a game of tennis with you, I'm not agreeing to play against your next-door neighbor's nephew's girlfriend's cousin if you back out. Your next-door-neighbor's nephew's girlfriend's cousin is going to have to come to a different scheduling/venue agreement with me if she wants a game (no, I don't actually play tennis).