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Life After Motorcycle: GR86/BRZ Worth a Look?

Subito

Subito

pfm Member
I dearly love my 2019 Triumph Street Triple R, but age (67 in a month) along with diminishing strength, eyesight and reflexes make me wonder if it’s time to sell the bike and switch to a fun (and affordable) sports car. I know my wife would be relieved, she thinks (with some justification) that motorcycles are dangerous. In the USA my choices (when buying new) are pretty much limited to the Toyota GR86/Subaru BRZ siblings and the Mazda MX-5 Miata, all with the manual transmission.

I’m not exactly petite (6’2”, 215 pounds) so the Miata may be unrealistic in terms of headroom/driver comfort. I’m basically looking for a four-wheel motorcycle for fair-weather use in the spring, summer and early fall—as such I would often have the Miata’s top down and that might make it feasible. Unfortunately no dealers in the area have any cars available for a test sit or test drive.

Any thoughts or opinions on transitioning from bike to auto in general—and to these sports cars specifically—would be greatly appreciated!
 
Seeker_UK said:
Buy a used 981 Boxster / Cayman.

/Thread.

ETA ;)
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Lovely cars indeed, but even high-mileage examples are over my $30-$35k budget according to Autotrader.com. A surprising number of them have automatic trans/PDK too, wasn’t expecting that.
 
If that's your budget, go for a 987.2, the facelift of the previous model. You're going to be more likely to find a 2.9 manual.
 
It is common belief that the MX-5 is the best cheap sports car, especially in the USA. A soft-top would also be closer to your 'four-wheel motorcycle'. Surely there is a secondhand one somewhere for you to see ? There must be thousands of them in the USA.
The Fiat 124 Spider is a similar car if you can find one of those to check comfort.
 
Seeker_UK said:
If that's your budget, go for a 987.2, the facelift of the previous model. You're going to be more likely to find a 2.9 manual.
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Hmm…the 2009-2012 models are definitely closer to my price range, and they have no IMS bearing hassles to worry about. If I was going to go used, there are lots of inexpensive Miatas floating around too. Frankly I would prefer to buy new, but I may need to rethink that…
 
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Boxster/Cayman are quite slimfit seating.
Lots of info on Miata forums. ie like tall drivers taking out the sun visors for better visibility.
Since you ask for opinions mine is that you do not buy anything without checking the Miata. If it doesn't fit you there are other smallish open-top cars like BMW Z3 and Merc SLK to look at.
 
My dad is 83 and still skis. Your bike is light and easy to ride. If you give yourself a good talking to you will soon realise you have loads of biking years left in you.

Or have you had enough? If so, I am 6'2" also and have had an MX5. No problem with fit. The latest 180bhp version is more engaging than all the other versions and I have owned a mk1 Turbo, which was great.

I also found the MX5 more engaging than some lower powered Boxsters. Not driven a 3.4, 3.2 or even a 2.9. But I have driven a 2.5 and 2.7 and they were a bit boring. I prefer small sports cars though. Currently got an MR2 Spyder. But they are a bit expensive in USA right now, most of them are over 10,000 whilst in IK, most are under 5,000
 
I bought an MX5 on a whim, the nice thing about it compared to a motorcycle is you can just jump in it without getting all your gear on and drive off, i had a Mk2 and it fit me fine although seat was all the way back on the rails and you sit a bit high in it compared to a sports car.
It sounds like your in the US, in the UK where the roads are tight and a bit crap the MX5 is great compared to other sporting cars as the suspension is soft and you can reach the limits of it's handling/grip on the road which makes it interesting at more sane speeds, brilliant for driving on bumpy B roads etc, it's also very cheap to run, common and not very difficult to work on, it gets out of its depth on Alpine roads though where the handling isn't as composed, where are you in the world may i ask.
 
Space is the Place said:
I bought an MX5 on a whim, the nice thing about it compared to a motorcycle is you can just jump in it without getting all your gear on and drive off, i had a Mk2 and it fit me fine although seat was all the way back on the rails and you sit a bit high in it compared to a sports car.
It sounds like your in the US, in the UK where the roads are tight and a bit crap the MX5 is great compared to other sporting cars as the suspension is soft and you can reach the limits of it's handling/grip on the road which makes it interesting at more sane speeds, brilliant for driving on bumpy B roads etc, it's also very cheap to run, common and not very difficult to work on, it gets out of its depth on Alpine roads though where the handling isn't as composed, where are you in the world may i ask.
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Wisconsin, USA. The Midwest winters here ensure the roads are crappy like yours, so the compliant MX-5 suspension sounds quite appealing. Thanks for the very helpful feedback!
 
On my 8th MX5 now and have loved every one

at 6’2” and 17 stone I look like I’m sitting on it rather than in it

and when the mk4 came out I baulked at the reduced room in the tunnel for my size 13s and bought an SLK

then spent 3 years looking longingly at every MX5 I saw

MX5s are fun

you can drive and feel like Sterling Moss and still come out of a corner only doing 40

do the same in a Merc or Porsche and you will lose your license or worse

and so now I have a Mk4 GT

and love it more each day

Dave
 
Richard's and Dave's posts above hit the nail on the head.
You can buy much better sports cars, but the MX5 is such a joy because unlike a fancier cars you don't spend all your time worrying about it getting damaged or how much it's going to cost to serviced. It's nice to have an open top instead of a coupe too as it makes you feel like your doing 100mph at slower speeds, despite the car being so slow it still feels visceral, you can drive it all year round with the roof down because the heater is so good inside the cabin too.
 
I'm 6' 3", when I had an MX5/Miata I had to throw out the original seat and put in a glass fiber racing seat. Otherwise it was my first sports car and great fun plus Japanese quality. I once tried getting into a GR86 but had to give up midway!

Since some years I have a 987 Boxster, even more fun with great sound, but not very high quality (I've had 26 cars, German ones are a long way down on the high quality list).
 
Space is the Place said:
Richard's and Dave's posts above hit the nail on the head.
You can buy much better sports cars, but the MX5 is such a joy because unlike a fancier cars you don't spend all your time worrying about it getting damaged or how much it's going to cost to serviced. It's nice to have an open top instead of a coupe too as it makes you feel like your doing 100mph at slower speeds, despite the car being so slow it still feels visceral, you can drive it all year round with the roof down because the heater is so good inside the cabin too.
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This matches my experience. You can drive an mx all year round of you want, park it anywhere, and it will cost no more than a similar aged hatch. It means that the thing gets more use. Try one first, I liked mine but it never really grabbed me so after a year when I only used it a few times and covered only 1000 miles I got rid. Lots of my driving is long trips in a straight line, and an me isn't great at that.
 
I have read the Toyota handles well but is a bit gutless. The MX5 or Fiat spider are fairly quick but neither can be described as out and out performance machines, I have owned the Spider Abarth which was great fun around the bends but just lacked the grunt. Also the sports exhaust is very loud and gets a bit wearing.
 
The new MX5 is an instant winner for me. And then its reveals further charms as you go along. For example, the engine bay.
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You can even do you own servicing without having to take off layers of plastic shite and you can get to places easily.

Boxster engine bay is much less appealing and how long does it take to change the spark plugs?
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