Look through the other end. . . NGC

[Sheepdog]

The Kawasaki Estrella is currently available in the US as the Suzuki TU-250x. It has been available for a number of years and is probably available on the used market. It's air-cooled, fuel-injected, traditionally styled, and dead-simple. It doesn't produce as much power as the Honda or Kawasaki 250s, but has tested well and has sort've a Brit-bike vibe. The 2016 is handsome in the orange livery...

http://www.suzukicycles.com/Product%20Lines/Cycles/Products/TU250X/2016/TU250X.aspx

[O]

The Kawasaki Estrella is currently available in the US as the Suzuki TU-250x. It has been available for a number of years and is probably available on the used market. It's air-cooled, fuel-injected, traditionally styled, and dead-simple. It doesn't produce as much power as the Honda or Kawasaki 250s, but has tested well and has sort've a Brit-bike vibe. The 2016 is handsome in the orange livery...

http://www.suzukicycles.com/Product%20Lines/Cycles/Products/TU250X/2016/TU250X.aspx

This would be my choice.  Love that little bike!

[HardAspie]

Okay then, I know of that bike. I read a comparo between the TU 250 and the Wolf. Surprisingly, the TU was not much faster in any way. Nut it does cost more and I truly want no EFI. Unless actual contact with the Wolf tells me no, I am sticking there.
Hey! Thanks for all the replies and ideas. Really. From the heart.

[O]

I totally get that, you need to get the bike you're most comfortable with.  Perhaps this is just prejudice and ignorance on my part, but I've heard nothing but good things about the Suzuki, and simply don't know anything about Sym.  It seems you're researching all of your options thoroughly, and will end up with what works for you.  Either way, as someone else previously requested, can't wait for a ride report! 

[HardAspie]

Yeah, I've done a lot of research I have found no bad reports of either the Suzuki TU 250 or the SYM Wolf. There's at least one other bike in this corner of the market that seems a bit dodgey; some people happy and others not, even the happy ones report issues. I think that the big issue is just deciding that a tiddler of siome sort is the right tool for the job, and that once that is done that either the Zook or the Wolf would do fine.

[oldbike54]

 One thing I don't think some of these guys are considering , Laura is , if memory serves ,is a waif of a thing , unlike some of our , er , well , more robust members 

 Dusty

[Daleroso]

My 1st touting bike was a CB450 w/a small suitcase secured by a section of close line hacked from Mom's clothes line. Wearing a garbage bag for the rain suit. FUN

[HardAspie]

Well, I may not be a total waif, but I am not too heavy and I pack light.

Ya kno, I am truly looking forward to tiddler touring!

The guy who taught me how to ride owned a CB 450. I thought that was about the most beautiful thing in the world. I still think they are beautiful things.

[pikipiki]

If your on a seriously tight budget you cant be too picky, you need to buy second hand.
 You probably shouldn't go too cheap on something old unless you know what you might need to spend on parts.
one to consider:
Suzuki GW250 - it is not the best bike but its economical, reliable and you may get a secondhand one with under 5000 miles on it for under $2500.
one negative - like most unfaired bikes these days its not easy to add a screen if you want extra wind protection for longer journeys
if you have more to spend than that then you might as well stretch to a bit more and get a second hand v7.

[jas67]

Okay then, I know of that bike. I read a comparo between the TU 250 and the Wolf. Surprisingly, the TU was not much faster in any way.

The TU250 only has 1 HP more than the Wolf, but, it does have a good bit more torque, though, keeping this in mind, along with the HP peak being at good bit higher RPM, shifting the Wolf at a higher RPM should yield similar performance.   The fact that it weights a good 50-60 lbs less doesn't hurt either.

Nut it does cost more and I truly want no EFI. Unless actual contact with the Wolf tells me no, I am sticking there.
Hey! Thanks for all the replies and ideas. Really. From the heart.

The Wolf definitely sounds like the right bike for you.    Since it is basically a refinement of a tried and true Honda design, and, given amount of praise, and lack of complaints, by owners on forum discussions about them, I would think that you can buy it and ride it on confidence.

I look forward to your ride reports as you take it on many adventures!

If your on a seriously tight budget you cant be too picky, you need to buy second hand.
 You probably shouldn't go too cheap on something old unless you know what you might need to spend on parts.
one to consider:
Suzuki GW250 - it is not the best bike but its economical, reliable and you may get a secondhand one with under 5000 miles on it for under $2500.

I'm sure that a pre-owned GW250 would do just fine, but, she doesn't want fuel injection, and doesn't want used.   

[rboe]

If the TU250 is in the running, and I think it's an excellent bike; consider the Yamaha SR400. Kickstart only though.

I've toured on a TS-125, CJ-360t and the KZ-550. I would not recommend the 125. 

[HardAspie]

That kick only kinda had me at a bummer. I think I love kick as a backup...but am older than I used to be.

[CalVin2007]

That kick only kinda had me at a bummer. I think I love kick as a backup...but am older than I used to be.

     ...and the new ones are EFI.

   Terry

[HardAspie]

That's right.

Unless real life vetoes the thing, I like the Wolf. It meets - I think - my needs. And I actually like it.

[jas67]

If the TU250 is in the running, and I think it's an excellent bike; consider the Yamaha SR400. Kickstart only though.

The SR400 is WAY out of the desired price range.  The Tu250 is a stretch, but, the SR400 is out of the park.

That kick only kinda had me at a bummer. I think I love kick as a backup...but am older than I used to be.

"I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now."
B. Dylan.

[thepittsburghguzzi]

That's right.

Unless real life vetoes the thing, I like the Wolf. It meets - I think - my needs. And I actually like it.

Forgive me if you've already seen this, but here's a great honest narrative on some first impressions with the Wolf. Now you've got me thinkin' about one, if the thing is so fun :P But where the heck are you going to find one? Availability seems to be tough.

http://www.twincitiesrider.com/symwolf012.htm

And another!

http://www.scooterfile.com/scooter-reviews/sf-first-ride-sym-wolf-classic-150/

[Chuck in Indiana]

Forgive me if you've already seen this, but here's a great honest narrative on some first impressions with the Wolf. Now you've got me thinkin' about one, if the thing is so fun :P But where the heck are you going to find one? Availability seems to be tough.

http://www.twincitiesrider.com/symwolf012.htm

And another!

http://www.scooterfile.com/scooter-reviews/sf-first-ride-sym-wolf-classic-150/

Sounds good, but

no fuel petcock,

is unacceptable on a carburated bike.. it's just a matter of time until the needle leaks and you end up with a crankcase full of fuel.

[thepittsburghguzzi]

Sounds good, but  is unacceptable on a carburated bike.. it's just a matter of time until the needle leaks and you end up with a crankcase full of fuel.

Solid point, Chuck. She could easily snip the fuel line and install a universal shutoff valve to cure this concern. Yay or nay?

[Triple Jim]

Is there really no petcock, or could it be there is only an automatic one with no handle on it?

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Sure looks like it has a petcock in this view:

[HardAspie]

Vacuum petcock.

[HardAspie]

Forgive me if you've already seen this, but here's a great honest narrative on some first impressions with the Wolf. Now you've got me thinkin' about one, if the thing is so fun :P But where the heck are you going to find one? Availability seems to be tough.

http://www.twincitiesrider.com/symwolf012.htm

And another!

http://www.scooterfile.com/scooter-reviews/sf-first-ride-sym-wolf-classic-150/

That is a thing I checked during my investigation process. ON the US SYM (Alliance Powersports) site is a dealer finder. Most states have at least one dealer. Aridzona has three, one of them is but forty miles distant and indeed the Prescott Guzzi dealer.

[jas67]

Sounds good, but  is unacceptable on a carburated bike.. it's just a matter of time until the needle leaks and you end up with a crankcase full of fuel.

If the carb is like other small Hondas (this is an evolution of the CB125S), then a leaky float valve shouldn't cause fuel to get into the crankcase, as all Honda carbs from the era this design is from have an overflow tube that exits the bottom of the float bowl.

That's not to say that a puddle of gasoline on the floor of your garage or shed isn't a problem.

That is a thing I checked during my investigation process. ON the US SYM (Alliance Powersports) site is a dealer finder. Most states have at least one dealer. Aridzona has three, one of them is but forty miles distant and indeed the Prescott Guzzi dealer.

So, no worse or better than Guzzi.

[Triple Jim]

If the carb is like other small Hondas (this is an evolution of the CB125S), then a leaky float valve shouldn't cause fuel to get into the crankcase, as all Honda carbs from the era this design is from have an overflow tube that exits the bottom of the float bowl.

That's not to say that a puddle of gasoline on the floor of your garage or shed isn't a problem.

Two posts above yours, HardAspie said that it has a vacuum petcock.

[HardAspie]

And the dealer situation looks pretty good. And then there is this: it is not an exotic design, nothing there at all strange too any fixer of Japanese bikes. If anything should go wrong far from home repairs should not be difficult. I have the factory service manual from 2012 and parts drawings downloaded to PDF and figure to load them to a thumb to keep on the bike. Just in case. But, I owned a few Japanese bikes of this design era and found that so long as I took reasonable care of them in terms of scheduled maintenance that nothing actually went wrong on the road.

Actually the worst on the road fail I had was that once I was just far enough from home (about 20 miles) that a push home was not going to suffice. I heard a loud clunk and then a strange metallic sound. A rock had found so much joy in the touch of the CB 350G's front tyre that it left into the air and severed the centre stand's spring! The stand then dropped and scraped the pavement. I had to look about for something on the road side to tie up the stand. Thereafter I kept some bailing wire and a few zip ties on my bikes, just in case.

[Triple Jim]

I had to look about for something on the road side to tie up the stand. Thereafter I kept some bailing wire and a few zip ties on my bikes, just in case.

That's good practice.  I used to carry a small roll of duck (duct) tape in the "trunk" of my H2, rolled from a large roll onto a small plastic tube, as well as what you mentioned.  And always a coat hanger in my '73 Dodge van, for making things like temporary exhaust system hangers.  Once a beer can, cut open with a knife, wrapped around a broken exhaust pipe, and held in place with two radiator hose clamps got me 120 miles to home without attracting the attention of the law.  You have to have basic materials on hand.   

[HardAspie]

Absolutely. When running a 4 wheeled paycheck eater I have liked to keep the items taken off during maintenance (like those I replace shortly after buying the rolling wreck) with the thing: hoses, clamps, belts, radiator cap, spark plugs, wires, cap and rotor, points and condenser. Then add fuses and bulbs and a few other items. Bikes carry the old plugs, zip ties, bailing wire, duct tape, fuel hose, clamps, chain lube, fuses, bulbs, JB Weld, some sort of flat remedy, and at least twenty dollars in cash.

[Triple Jim]

An embarrassing moment came when I got home from a long trip, and found the original bypass hose for the van, after having spent a couple hours limping to a parts store and waiting for one to be delivered from its warehouse.  You not only have to carry the stuff, but remember what you're carrying.   

[HardAspie]

Ain't that the truth.
When operating 4 wheeled vehicles, I would stick a cardboard box, with taped in compartments, in my trunk for larger parts, then carry small items and tools (usually including timing light and dwell tach) in a tool box.

[Triple Jim]

I had it in a nice plastic bowling ball case with other spare parts like ignition module, regulator, etc., right where it would have been easy to locate, but since I forgot I had it, I never looked for it.  I was somewhat younger, and less aware of my limitations.  (A man's got to know...)