Actually, that's quite effective actually. Even from the backseat of a rickshaw.
The trick is to get that rickshaw inside the AC-130 first.
Once again, don't ask me how I know... :-P
But seriously, I'd always upgrade the bike even if it actually happened to be the coolest ride in existence.
They're the cheapest little machines in game to buy with the money you earned there. An LTI is a total waste on them anyhow.
That being said, I vote for the Hornet Ghost. If nothing else it's got more style then the others. ^^
This bike was only $15 (IIRC) because it's built from a referral Merlin.
I thought, with all the time they are spending on ground vehicles, it might be a good idea to have one. Fast, agile and multi-use. My wife has a Yellow Jacket, which she loves the looks of.
Now, since it won't even protect me from small arms fire, I don't see the use.
The Cyclone is only 28K in game and the Ursa about 70k where the Dragonfly is around 275k.
In comparison, the Dragonfly was equally protected, better armed and more versatile than the Cyclone, though the Cyclone is about as fast and more stable.
To get the armament and versatility of the Dragonfly (except for the Snub role), you need an Ursa which is slower but was a little better protected.
The Dragonfly is easier to transport, even without the compact mode, and doesn't need a crewmember for full use.
I doubt I'll ever buy a Dragonfly, or any other bike, in game now, since it doesn't even protect from small arms fire.