Help - Freewind or Pegaso?

I've got the choice of either a showroom new 2002 Suzuki Freewind or a showroom new 2003 Aprilia Pegaso. Showroom new means both bikes are brand new, but have been sitting in a showroom for a while as nobody wants them.

Both bikes are the same price (about £3500) and they're both 650 singles. I want a bike for a cross continental touring journey (from the Middle East to the UK). The Aprilia & the Suzuki look the same and are roughly the same bike in terms of weight shape, performance etc.

I learned to ride on a Freewind so that sort of swings me towards the Suzuki, but the Aprilia looks good too (although looking at it in the showroom, the build quality looked a bit suspect). Also the Aprilia doesn't have a fuel gauge, only a warning light which is a turn off. The Aprilia though is injected, and the Suzuki is carbed.

The question is - which bike is the best bet? Reliability and durability come at the top of my list.

Stay safe.

 

Reliability & durability = Freewind.
Desirability = Pegaso.

Of the two, I'd choose the Pegaso without a doubt. But I understand why
others might not.

 

Rob emerged from their own little world to say

Firstly, can you set your line length to 74 characters. The locals will get
upset if you don't.

I really like 650 single trail bikes. I owned a Honda Dominator for a
number of years.

For my useage, I would choose the Aprilia. It is a more recent design,
looks and rides better.

However, for your use I would probably go for the Suzuki. The older
technology is less likely to play up and you will probably be able to find
someone to fix it more readily if it does.

Which countries are you travelling in? Are you likely to be the owner of
the bike for long enough to worry about reliability?

 

come at the top of my list.

Suzuki, then, but the Pegaso's the better bike.

 

Me too.

 

Rob wrote

Leaving the line length where it is or doing it fucking properly.