Looking for long term motorcycle recommendations
Hello all,
Currently riding a 2023 Honda XR150L. I got it because my car crapped out (2011 Ford Edge), and I’ve very much outgrown it. I’m looking for my next long-term bike, would like to avoid continually buying up as I see a lot of people recommend with lower cc bikes (i.e, 150 -> 300 -> 750, etc). I’d like a bike I can grow into.
What I like about my Honda: Good gas mileage, lightweight, easy maintenance.
What I don’t like: Top speed of 65, limits where I can drive. Not heavy or big, I get pushed around by wind and am essentially invisible to vehicles. I need a bike that can go faster and accelerate quickly for safety purposes (not a sports bike, but merging on 55+ roads and getting away from unsafe vehicles is very difficult or outright unsafe right now)
I’m also not the biggest fan of how the bike looks. I like cruisers, choppers, bobbers. Not a sports bike guy. These are all aesthetic though but everybody wants a bike they like looking at lol.
Fuel economy is the most important thing to me. I’ve been looking at Harley sportsters (love the look, hp/torque is great, has storage capabilities) but the fuel economy isn’t really what I want at 50ish. Honda rebel 300 would be awesome if it were highway capable.
What are some recommendations if anyone can point me in a good direction? Maybe I need some reality facing- I got into riding because I thought the fuel efficiency and price overall couldn’t be beat. Now there are hybrid vehicles that get like 70 mpg lmao. In need of some tips!
Edit: Customization is also very important to me. Maybe the bike isn’t exactly what I want off the lot or from a seller, but I want the option to change what I can. The Honda XR150L OEM community isn’t massive, but Harley sportsters look very customizable. I could care less about voiding a warranty. I want a bike I can work on, I’m not a fan of a lot of the modern electronic stuff. Oh, and the option to occasionally pull a small trailer would be nice lmao. Like I said, daily ride.