Postie motorbike capacity

[land864]

Hi all

I am looking to buy a postie bike to use up the farm.

I'd buy a 150-200cc Ag bike but I want to teach my 2 teenage girls to ride and feel that a step through postie bike would be a good way to get them started.
It's been a long time since I rode and that was as a farm hand.
No MX stuff for me.

I am part of a property co-op and some members have commented that they don't want noisy 2 strokes bangin' around the place.
A postie bike is relatively quiet I think.
I'd also want to use it to poke around the farm and maybe dink the GLW (Good Lady Wife) up to the ridge on the place.
It has spectacular sunsets :) (The ridge that is)
Would a postie bike take both of us up a relatively steep hill.
It is easily drivable in Hi Range 1.
Hell i used to drive up there in a Subura Outback wagon :)

Pete

[Scouse]

Capacity? As in cc?
Old ones are 90cc (CT90). I think newish are 110cc (CT110).

[Chucaro]

The 110 it is very good little bike but she will be have a hard life 2 up.
My choice will be a Honda 250 single cyl chookie if you do not like to invest large amount of money.

[Redback]

They were not really designed with a passenger in mind, saddle bags maybe, but not people;)
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/06/1563.jpg

Your probably better off getting an AG Bike

[subasurf]

Weld up some brackets, mount a seat and she'll be right :p

[Chucaro]

They were not really designed with a passenger in mind, saddle bags maybe, but not people;)


Well..........:D

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/06/1562.jpg

[vnx205]

Yes. Use to be 90, now 110 cc.

Apparently they are pretty quick too. :D

Ex-postie bike breaks land-speed record - Local News - News | Redcliffe & Bayside Herald (http://redcliffe-and-bayside-herald.whereilive.com.au/news/story/ex-postie-bike-breaks-land-speed-record/)

And the University of Tasmania got one to run on hydrogen. How green is that? :D

Google Image Result for http://i.treehugger.com/files/Postie-hydrogen-bike.jpg (http://www.google.com.au/imgres?imgurl=http://i.treehugger.com/files/Postie-hydrogen-bike.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.treehugger.com/files/2004/12/hydrogen_postma.php&usg=__nrxDyBjs-ZAwGxfzqk6T1QkSWsI=&h=182&w=300&sz=9&hl=en&start=1&sig2=GJYyWlfXGxMJzSfFOnWBsw&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=F6eTZspKcsg9QM:&tbnh=70&tbnw=116&prev=/images%3Fq%3Ddiscovery%2Bchannel%2Bmagazine%2Bpost ie%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26tbs%3Disch:1&ei=J2oQTLa8F8qIkAWNu5CNDQ)

[howdy]

if you are going to use a postie bike for farm use allow for 2 new sprockets and a chain to gear done the bike as std gearing is way to high for off road use
been there done that
cheers
howdy

[Pedro_The_Swift]

old postie bikes are worth their weight in gold these days,,,

much cheaper to buy an old ag or even an old trials bike,,

[Aussie]

I spent many years on the CT110, has a high and low range Gearbox. They are a fantastic little machine, When I was a boy me and the Dad spent a week touring around Dargo high plains on them. We went through river crossings galore on them and then at night we would change the oil at camp. Awesome bikes!!

[Bigbjorn]

I tried to ride one up a steep street in Bronte once. It stopped climbing the hill and climbed the chain sliding me backwards off the seat and leaving me standing behind it hanging on and wondering what to do with it. I weighed about 95-100 kilos then, roaring fit playing Rugby League and rowing surf boats.

[pohm66]

My sister was a Postie for a few years... and she reckons that fully loaded with all the Xmas deliveries it would weight almost the same as a person on the back...

On steep hills she'd have to leave a panier at the bottom of the hill and collect it on the way back down... On the flat the CT110 no problem though... good gearing.:D

[land864]

Thanks Guys

Yes an Ag bike is my preference but probs not so good for teaching the girls to ride and use.

Chucaro , WTH is a Honda 250 Single Cylinder Chookie :confused:

Aussie , A Hi/Lo gearbox ? Are you sure ;)

I'm watching a Chinese ( Kazuma Cheetah) 200cc Ag bike on Ebay currently.
I know , I know , parts problems and service etc etc etc.

I just remember back to 1982 when I was a farm hand and the boss and I used to ride home at night on the Honda Aggie 125 , 2 up ,with a flagon of milk each up our jumpers and no helmets;)

We did have our hats on though :D

I also used to ride around the paddocks and scrub first up in the morning during lambing and check for sheep that were down and needed a hand up.

It seemed to do okay.

[Pedro_The_Swift]

oh I dunno,,
theres nothing as docile as an ag bike,,,

and its already got racks and knobby tyres and a proper chain guard,,,:cool:

[robzilla]

i reckon a postie bike has been harder to ride than the few proper style motorikes i've ridden.

easier to get onto, being step through, but they handle like crap!

[richard4u2]

rode one for many years at aust post , dont waste your money on one they are not bullet proof and the mech was always working on them, at the depo i was at the mech would be in attendance 3 days a week the tyers are way to small for what you want and dont underestimate the girls ability in learning to ride a 150 or 200

[buddha D2]

I spent many years on the CT110, has a high and low range Gearbox. They are a fantastic little machine, When I was a boy me and the Dad spent a week touring around Dargo high plains on them. We went through river crossings galore on them and then at night we would change the oil at camp. Awesome bikes!!

That would have been a cool trip.........I thought only the 90's had high/low box, but I may be wrong!!!:angel:

[Chucaro]

Chucaro , WTH is a Honda 250 Single Cylinder Chookie :confused:




have a look HERE

The XL model will be OK the R is for competition.

[flagg]

By the time you have the CT110, the nobblies etc its going to cost a fair bit...

Gears arn't that hard to master, and an old XR200 or 250 will be better in the medium and long term.

A CT110 will be 'friendlier' for the first week but will actually end up being harder to ride as an ag bike has much better suspension. A CT110 just doens't have the wheel travel to handle grass tuffets, bumps, rocks, roots, rabbit holes etc.. these are things that can cause you to loose your balance and come off.

This would be my pick:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_XR_series#XR_200R

quiet, light, small, docile, reliable, cheap and friendly. Heaps of torque, and if you want to you can also wind it up and have a lot of fun.

[Jeff]

I spent many years on the CT110, has a high and low range Gearbox.

The early ones had a high/low gearbox, but it was dropped around the time they went from 6 to 12 volt electrics.

Jeff

:rocket:

[MickS]

Long way away and not sure if it's still for sale but....http://www.aulro.com/apc/showproduct.php/product/2497/cat/4 (http://www.aulro.com/afvb/apc/showproduct.php/product/2497/cat/4)

[gromit]

Brian,

The VOC crankcases are 2,750 pounds for a pair. That's about 3 times what I paid for the Rapide ! Mind you that was nearly 30years ago........

VOC Spares - the online Vincent parts shop (http://www.vincentspares.co.uk/acatalog/crankcase.html)

Colin

[lotsmaw]

I got one in the shed - love it. They are brilliant for running around the vineyard doing odd jobs. I can stay on the bike and reach down to change valves on the irrigation system without getting off. No hi/lo gear ranges and no way we could travel 2 up on any sort of incline (but then I am a fat bas%$#d).

But - as a toy they soon become outgrown for all the reasons already stated. Something like a CT200 (same clutchless system as the postie bike but on a 200cc ag bike) or an XR 200 (another Honda) are both easy to learn on but have sufficient power, suspension travel etc to do what you want.

I have even seen an XR200 raced with some distinction in novice classes of long distance enduro races.

Bill

[rovercare]

TT125, perfect bike for the girls, XR is a heavy thing, get a leter one with lecky leg;)

[land864]

Hey , thanks guys:)

All good food for thought and in your case Bill , fluid for thought;)

May have to pop up to the Grange and check out your postie bike. Oh and maybe a few wines also;)

Will check out all those model suggestions.

As it happens someone on another forum may have a CT 200 postie/ag available.

Will keep you posted :lol2:

[land864]

Sorry Mick S.

That link didn't work:(

Pete

[spudboy]

This bloke drove his postie bike all the way from Sydney to London:
Sydney to London on a moped called Dot - ADVrider


Long thread, but pretty interesting. He did it with almost zero money and zero pre-trip organisation. What a legend (or perhaps what an idiot) :D

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/06/1535.jpg

[El Duderino]

CT110...the most reliable bike ever, what's to ask about it really? Single-up it's the supreme machine, for 2-up for the purposes the OP considers, then it's an instant choice of Suzuki DR-250. Pretty cut n shut choice...he's not planning any o/s missions or ground-breaking plans, just ideal for teaching his daughters to ride n the odd occasion to dink his missus on the back.

Buy a used n early DR-250 n you're set mate....best machine I can think of for your needs, capable in most scenarios n not scary for newbies. Will do any terrain, can go 2-up if needed (nothing flash in that mode), but is a family-friendly bike which will do everything you ask with little in return. ;)

[123rover50]

I bought a CT 110 on ebay for $650. Goes well. The advantage is they have ADR and you can ride them on the road, whereas most ag bikes you cant. We put ours on the back of the 6x6 camper, handy to go shopping if you are in a van park etc.

[MickS]

Sorry Mick S.

That link didn't work:(

Pete

It's a link to an ag bike in AULRO markets...

[flagg]

This bloke drove his postie bike all the way from Sydney to London:
Sydney to London on a moped called Dot - ADVrider (http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php't=460631)


Long thread, but pretty interesting. He did it with almost zero money and zero pre-trip organisation. What a legend (or perhaps what an idiot) :D

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/06/1535.jpg

Hmmm all the gear all the time? People on bikes who don't wear proper gear annoy me no end :mad:

[Safari]

Hi Pete,
I have all three, A property, A postie bike and a honda CT200 AG bike
bought in that order. The postie bike and AG bike are easy to ride and quiet, both clutch less. From what you have said I would skip the postie and go for the ag bike, very low geared so hills won't be a problem with a passenger. Or buy 2 postie bikes. ( I bought my wife one as a surprise present! she said to stick with jewellery.)
Cheers Rob

[spudboy]

Hmmm all the gear all the time? People on bikes who don't wear proper gear annoy me no end :mad:

He did most of Asia in shorts, thongs and a T-Shirt. Made it back to UK in one piece, so he was lucky.

Me - I prefer ATGATT, as I've had a few offs in the last year or two :(