I told the wife that I would never get a motorcycle...

Dont cross off Harley so quick. The Sportster line is a good beginners bike if you like the looks. the 883 might fit your bill.
 
Morgan3820 said:
I see that ABS is an option on some of these bikes. Opinions?
Click to expand...

Since no one has addressed the ABS question: TL;DR? Yes, if ABS is available, get it.

Long answer: I've been riding since 1985, have had 17 bikes, spent 15+ years as an all weather commuter, and stopped counting after I passed 700k miles on two wheels. I will never own another street bike without ABS as I believe it's a fantastic safety feature. In the early days of ABS on bikes, the systems were crude, and a good rider on good surfaces could out-brake an ABS equipped bike. But these days, the ABS systems are fantastic, I think BMW must be on their 6th gen ABS system? Something like that.

Modern ABS systems can brake as well as an experienced rider on good dry surfaces and far surpass one in an emergency when the road conditions are wet and nasty. Many new bikes now also include an IMU (inertial measurement unit) that can tell if the bike is on a corner or leaned over, and modulate the ABS accordingly. It's fantastic to know that if you do brake a bit too hard in bad conditions the bike and computer have your back, and you don't end up on your head.

I"ll never forget one morning I was out on a motorcycle vacation ('03 BMW R1200RT with ABS), on the road early in bad conditions. Still dark, **** pouring rain, and I come over a rise and someone pulls out from a side road. I brake hard, but not knowing the road, see a man hole cover right in front of the bike. I'll never forget feeling of the ABS releasing the front wheel as it goes over the man hole cover, and then grabbing hold again when it hit pavement, and then the back wheel doing the same thing. I came to a stop about 1.5ft from the car. Would I have had enough skill that morning to have gotten off the brake over the manhole cover and then back on in time to stop? I'll never know, but at that time I decided ABS would be on my bikes from then on.

Some of the old phartes will poo poo ABS, but screw 'em, I'll take it.
 
charheep said:
Dont cross off Harley so quick. The Sportster line is a good beginners bike if you like the looks. the 883 might fit your bill.
Click to expand...
I am truly sorry to do this, but this is a matter of motorcycle safety. A Sportster makes a horrible first bike. The front end is heavy as can be, and the thing has huge acceleration from a standing stop. Really good way to get into a crash, especially for someone inexperienced. Moreover, they're expensive, so any cosmetic damage can really cost you.

I'll say it again. Everyone (but Harley) makes low displacement bikes. Some look like sport bikes, like the Honda CBR300 or the Ninja300. Some look like cruisers, like the bike the OP mentioned. The store down the street form me has these little 150cc one cylinder bikes that look like something out of the 70's they even have a kick starter. Check Craigslist, at any given time there will be lots of these bikes available for cheap. Get bike. Don't worry what it looks like, they all do the same thing. Ride bike for a year or so. Sell bike for about what you paid. Great bike you want. Harleys are fine for experienced riders, go for it. Lots of nice naked standards, enjoy.

You can cheap out but good on the bike, but not on the gear. Snell rated full face helmet. Leather jacket with armor. Leather gloves with gauntlets, with armor is better. Dress for the crash. All the gear all the time.
 
steingar said:
I'd not suggest a new rider get a 650cc bike either, at least not an in line 4 bike.
Click to expand...


Judge by HP and weight, not cc. Something like an SV650 can make a fine starter bike. 60 to 75 hp, depending on the model year, upright riding position, naked, ABS, etc. Bonnies have 865cc engines, but around 80hp, and can be decent first bikes.
 
Bill Jennings said:
Some of the old phartes will poo poo ABS, but screw 'em, I'll take it.
Click to expand...

I'm not a fan of ABS on cars, but I would like it on a motorcycle. None of my bikes have it, but I would go for it.

steingar said:
I am truly sorry to do this, but this is a matter of motorcycle safety. A Sportster makes a horrible first bike. The front end is heavy as can be, and the thing has huge acceleration from a standing stop. Really good way to get into a crash, especially for someone inexperienced. Moreover, they're expensive, so any cosmetic damage can really cost you.
Click to expand...

Have you ridden a Sporster 1200 or just read about them? I ask because Laurie's first bike was a Sportster 1200 with drag pipes. Excellent throttle to loud ratio.

I agree with you that it's not as good of a first bike as some of the metric bikes discussed on this thread, but it's not a horrible first bike. The front end is heavy and its handling is not ideal. Brakes are bad, but it's a Harley so that's expected. She had no problems with it other than the expected drop once or twice that effectively all new riders have.

It does NOT have huge acceleration from a standing stop. Its acceleration is better than other Harleys, but it is not too much for most new riders. It's very easy to modulate, too.
 
steingar said:
You can cheap out but good on the bike, but not on the gear. Snell rated full face helmet. Leather jacket with armor. Leather gloves with gauntlets, with armor is better. Dress for the crash. All the gear all the time.
Click to expand...


Agreed but with a comment. Some years ago there was a study by one of the bike magazines that demonstrated Snell rated helmets to be less safe than cheaper helmets with only a DOT rating. The Snell criteria forced the helmet to survive multiple impacts, which resulted in it being excessively hard and transmitting more g's to the riders head. DOT criteria were more realistic and the slightly softer helmets did a better job of reducing trauma to the brain.

It's a personal decision, but I prefer helmets with DOT-only ratings, not Snell.

Anyone who thinks their brain is not worth protecting with a helmet is absolutely correct.
 
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Bill Jennings said:
Since no one has addressed the ABS question: TL;DR? Yes, if ABS is available, get it.

Long answer: I've been riding since 1985, have had 17 bikes, spent 15+ years as an all weather commuter, and stopped counting after I passed 700k miles on two wheels. I will never own another street bike without ABS as I believe it's a fantastic safety feature. In the early days of ABS on bikes, the systems were crude, and a good rider on good surfaces could out-brake an ABS equipped bike. But these days, the ABS systems are fantastic, I think BMW must be on their 6th gen ABS system? Something like that.

Modern ABS systems can brake as well as an experienced rider on good dry surfaces and far surpass one in an emergency when the road conditions are wet and nasty. Many new bikes now also include an IMU (inertial measurement unit) that can tell if the bike is on a corner or leaned over, and modulate the ABS accordingly. It's fantastic to know that if you do brake a bit too hard in bad conditions the bike and computer have your back, and you don't end up on your head.

I"ll never forget one morning I was out on a motorcycle vacation ('03 BMW R1200RT with ABS), on the road early in bad conditions. Still dark, **** pouring rain, and I come over a rise and someone pulls out from a side road. I brake hard, but not knowing the road, see a man hole cover right in front of the bike. I'll never forget feeling of the ABS releasing the front wheel as it goes over the man hole cover, and then grabbing hold again when it hit pavement, and then the back wheel doing the same thing. I came to a stop about 1.5ft from the car. Would I have had enough skill that morning to have gotten off the brake over the manhole cover and then back on in time to stop? I'll never know, but at that time I decided ABS would be on my bikes from then on.

Some of the old phartes will poo poo ABS, but screw 'em, I'll take it.
Click to expand...

:yeahthat:

AGREED!

The one bad crash I've had so far probably wouldn't have happened if the bike had been equipped with ABS. I was riding home from the bike shop after getting new tires, which are a bit slippery for the first hundred miles or so. A bicycle turned in front of a truck I was following, causing the truck to slam on the brakes. I wasn't following closely and had plenty of room to stop, but in my haste I forgot about the new tires, stomped the rear brake too hard, locked up the rear and went down at about 50mph. ABS would have forgiven my mistake.
 
Fiveslide said:
Would the wife object to a trail bike, or a dual sport? Cars, generally, don't hit you off-road. You can crash on a trail many times a day and it still be fun, you can't do that on the road. I think hauling butt through the woods beats a street ride any day.

Just bringing that option to the table. Do you have trail riding options where you live? Around here, we have a lot. My home county, you could just about ride across the whole county without actually riding on a road except for crossing it.
Click to expand...

To clarify, the Wife has not made her thoughts known. But I did get a look. It may be about the money, not the risk. After all she is fine flying and boating with me. It may be that she thinks we need new carpet, not a new toy for Hubby.
 
Morgan3820 said:
To clarify, the Wife has not made her thoughts known. But I did get a look. It may be about the money, not the risk. After all she is fine flying and boating with me. It may be that she thinks we need new carpet, not a new toy for Hubby.
Click to expand...

Buy the new carpet, then you will be more likely to have approval for the new toy.

It works both ways. Not that my wife has ever told me "No, you can't buy that toy" (other than saying I can't have another semi... which she then backed off of to "Well I suppose if you really want another one"). But a few weeks ago she was really wanting to buy a new (overpriced) swing set for the kids. I really did not want to buy it for a lot of reasons. But she was very encouraging of me getting the Moto Guzzi, and suddenly we bought the swing set too.
 
Morgan3820 said:
To clarify, the Wife has not made her thoughts known. But I did get a look. It may be about the money, not the risk. After all she is fine flying and boating with me. It may be that she thinks we need new carpet, not a new toy for Hubby.
Click to expand...


That's silly. What good is new living room carpet when you'll be parking a beautiful new motorcycle in the middle of the living room anyway?
 
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Ted DuPuis said:
Buy the new carpet, then you will be more likely to have approval for the new toy.

It works both ways. Not that my wife has ever told me "No, you can't buy that toy" (other than saying I can't have another semi... which she then backed off of to "Well I suppose if you really want another one"). But a few weeks ago she was really wanting to buy a new (overpriced) swing set for the kids. I really did not want to buy it for a lot of reasons. But she was very encouraging of me getting the Moto Guzzi, and suddenly we bought the swing set too.
Click to expand...

Marriage: The art of negotiation and compromise
 
Half Fast said:
That's silly. What good is new living room carpet when you'll be parking a beautiful new motorcycle in the middle of the living room anyway?
Click to expand...

Allegedly my mom came home one day early in my parents marriage to find a disassembled car engine on the kitchen table.
 
Morgan3820 said:
To clarify, the Wife has not made her thoughts known. But I did get a look. It may be about the money, not the risk. After all she is fine flying and boating with me. It may be that she thinks we need new carpet, not a new toy for Hubby.
Click to expand...

With my n=2 experience on buying aircraft, I can tell you that it works better to have the discussion prior to bringing home your purchase ;-) Also reference the ad cited further up.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
I'm not a fan of ABS on cars, but I would like it on a motorcycle. None of my bikes have it, but I would go for it.



Have you ridden a Sporster 1200 or just read about them? I ask because Laurie's first bike was a Sportster 1200 with drag pipes. Excellent throttle to loud ratio.
Click to expand...

I most certainly have. I think it would be horrid for a new rider. Heavy, and very powerful. The absolute wrong thing for a new rider. You want light and tame. You can do the big powerful bike when you get your feet under you. Yes, you can learn on a Harley, I know guys who have. But it could be a very expensive lesson.
 
Half Fast said:
Agreed but with a comment. Some years ago there was a study by one of the bike magazines that demonstrated Snell rated helmets to be less safe than cheaper helmets with only a DOT rating.
Click to expand...
Go to a motorcycle store. Pick up the DOT helmet. Then pick up the same style SNELL helmet (compare full face to full face, for example) and feel. The SNELL will be far more substantial. I'd rather have that much more stuff between my head and whatever is hitting my head. You do you.
 
Half Fast said:
Judge by HP and weight, not cc. Something like an SV650 can make a fine starter bike. 60 to 75 hp, depending on the model year, upright riding position, naked, ABS, etc. Bonnies have 865cc engines, but around 80hp, and can be decent first bikes.
Click to expand...
Yeah, they can. The in line 4s are more powerful Thant he V twins and quite a bit faster. Also, the power hits in at high rev, so it can really sneak up on you. An SV650 will work OK. I'd still buy the low displacement bike and ride it awhile. Figure out what kind bike you want form a riding perspective.
 
pigpenracing said:
I have been on bikes for more than 40 years. Crotch rockets, Motocross, Harleys, Adventure bikes, Enduro's, just about everything made. If you want something good to go to the airport and toot around scooters are awesome! I have had several differnt ones fron the Honda PCX 150 to the BMW 650. They are fully automatic, just twist the throttle and go. The best thing is scooters have a big storage under the seat. I really enjoy scooters.
Click to expand...

I was going to post something similar.

Scooters seem to get ignored (scorned?) by the MC crowd, but they are a legit segment of bikes to consider, especially for an older, newbie rider. Yamaha, Honda, BMW, Piaggio/Vespa, and Suzuki make scooters across many size and price ranges. Scooters are easy to ride and handle, and the larger ones (300cc and more) offer motorcycle performance.

After I took the Texas motorcycle safety course and gained my MC endorsement in 2016 (at age 53), I looked at motorcycles and scooters, then settled on a Vespa GTV 300 ABS. My Vespa fits my mission quite well: Running local errands, trips to the airport and, with a top speed of over 75 mph, suitable for longer rides in the boonies. I'm not suggesting the GTV 300 for a larger guy like the OP (higher cc scoots would be better); I'm just saying I'm glad I gave scooters a look.

My Vespa offers great utility, and it's so much fun to ride. And I'm not compelled to dress like a mid-life crisis Harley rider. :D
 
An 883 sportster is 49hp, a 1200 66hp. Its more than a moped, but those are Harleys beginner bikes. Not my cup of tea as they are so low to the ground, but if I think 'powerful, 49hp in a 550lb bike is not what comes to mind.
 
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steingar said:
Go to a motorcycle store. Pick up the DOT helmet. Then pick up the same style SNELL helmet (compare full face to full face, for example) and feel. The SNELL will be far more substantial. I'd rather have that much more stuff between my head and whatever is hitting my head. You do you.
Click to expand...
Well we seem to be touching on the motorcycle safety gear topic which is great. One of the reasons why I don’t ride a bicycle seriously is because I look horrible in spandex. I don’t wanna look like that caricatures of a bicycle rider. Likewise while I believe in all the safety gear and everything, does it have to look like I’m a 58-year-old trying to look like a 20-year-old sport bike rider. Or is there quality gear that looks more casual? Like armored pants that are camouflaged to look like jeans.
 
steingar said:
Go to a motorcycle store. Pick up the DOT helmet. Then pick up the same style SNELL helmet (compare full face to full face, for example) and feel. The SNELL will be far more substantial. I'd rather have that much more stuff between my head and whatever is hitting my head. You do you.
Click to expand...


"Far more substantial" is exactly the problem. The Snell helmets don't crush as well, thereby imparting more g's to the head rather than absorbing them. Your head, your choice.
 
Morgan3820 said:
Well we seem to be touching on the motorcycle safety gear topic which is great. One of the reasons why I don’t ride a bicycle seriously is because I look horrible in spandex. I don’t wanna look like that caricatures of a bicycle rider. Likewise while I believe in all the safety gear and everything, does it have to look like I’m a 58-year-old trying to look like a 20-year-old sport bike rider. Or is there quality gear that looks more casual? Like armored pants that are camouflaged to look like jeans.
Click to expand...

I go with the middle ground of jeans, supportive riding boots (just look like normal boots - most of my boots are actually Harley brand), and then I've got quality jackets that are comfortable, look good, and have padding/protection. Don't forget gloves, too.
 
The acronym among BMW riders (mostly) is A.T.G.A.T.T. - All The Gear All The Time.

For me, always helmet, jacket, gloves and boots. I have Aerostich riding pants for a real "ride" (Part of a 2-piece RoadCrafter suit):

5886243276_b68205a3a8_z.jpg


Bohn also sells armored "tights" you can wear under street clothes:

https://www.bohnarmor.com/bohn-body...4j8fAc1xMXPd4OXXbDbps-OamytF1S3oaAkwyEALw_wcB
 
Morgan3820 said:
Well we seem to be touching on the motorcycle safety gear topic which is great. One of the reasons why I don’t ride a bicycle seriously is because I look horrible in spandex. I don’t wanna look like that caricatures of a bicycle rider. Likewise while I believe in all the safety gear and everything, does it have to look like I’m a 58-year-old trying to look like a 20-year-old sport bike rider. Or is there quality gear that looks more casual? Like armored pants that are camouflaged to look like jeans.
Click to expand...


Yes, there are armored jeans, and there's armor you can wear under jeans. Wearing armor under normal jeans is often my option for casual rides, with jacket + helmet + gloves. Also look at the one-piece coveralls from Aerostich https://www.aerostich.com/ .

I was in a riding gear discussion on a sport bike forum a few years ago when one of the guys told this story. He was out riding in full gear - dark blue leathers plus a dark blue helmet with a mirrored face shield. He made a gas stop, and then went into the store to pay. A little boy, about 4 years old, walked over to him, looked up, and asked, "Mister, are you a Power Ranger?" Well, of course there's only one answer in that situation. The rider looked down at the boy, stood with his feet apart and placed his fists on his hips, and said "Yes, son. Yes I am." The boy's mouth fell open, his eyes went wide as saucers, and he ran toward his dad shouting "Dad Dad Dad Dad! There's a Power Ranger in the store!!!"

So don't knock the sport bike look. It can have some great up sides. :)
 
ETres said:
I was going to post something similar.

Scooters seem to get ignored (scorned?) by the MC crowd, but they are a legit segment of bikes to consider, especially for an older, newbie rider. Yamaha, Honda, BMW, Piaggio/Vespa, and Suzuki make scooters across many size and price ranges. Scooters are easy to ride and handle, and the larger ones (300cc and more) offer motorcycle performance.

After I took the Texas motorcycle safety course and gained my MC endorsement in 2016 (at age 53), I looked at motorcycles and scooters, then settled on a Vespa GTV 300 ABS. My Vespa fits my mission quite well: Running local errands, trips to the airport and, with a top speed of over 75 mph, suitable for longer rides in the boonies. I'm not suggesting the GTV 300 for a larger guy like the OP (higher cc scoots would be better); I'm just saying I'm glad I gave scooters a look.

My Vespa offers great utility, and it's so much fun to ride. And I'm not compelled to dress like a mid-life crisis Harley rider. :D
Click to expand...

I've had a couple of scooters as well. Last was Yamaha 125 Zuma. Great for around town stuff. Would cruise easily at 55 mph. Just stay away from the Chinese stuff. Some shops won't even work on those.
 
I've ridden scooters. Nothing wrong with them; they're good utilitarian vehicles. They can even have a bit of a cool factor.
upload_2020-5-28_13-20-19.png

They just don't make my heart sing.

I was headed for Daytona Bike Week one time and on I-4 there was a group of Harley guys. Typical leather vests, loud pipes, no helmets,... And in the middle of the pack was one guy riding a Vespa and wearing dockers and a button down. I would have loved to get a picture.
 
Morgan3820 said:
Well we seem to be touching on the motorcycle safety gear topic which is great.
Click to expand...

Gear, interesting topic. It really boils down to how much riding you're going to be doing. Me, when I head out on a 3-4 day ride, I'm going to be riding 1400-1600mi in all kinds of weather. Over the years, I've found that high quality gear, although expensive, ends up being the best value. Good gear is safer, more comfortable, and lasts far longer than cheap gear. I presently have two sets of jackets and pants, depending on the season.

Late fall, winter, and early spring I'm in my Aerostich Darien gear.

https://www.aerostich.com/suits/jackets-pants/darien/darien-jacket.html
https://www.aerostich.com/suits/jackets-pants/darien/darien-pants.html

Yes, you're going to spend an AMU on them, but they're American made, very safe, versatile, comfortable, waterproof, and durable. I have 12 years on my Dariens, and they look almost new. A little dirty from years of road grime, and a little sun faded, but still 100% as far as functionality. Good stuff, made in Duluth MN.

Late spring thru early fall it's hot here, so I prefer mesh gear. Not as safe, but at least you're not baking to death. I presently am using Olympia:

https://olympiamotosports.com/en-US/products/men/jackets/dakar-2-s-neon-yellow
https://olympiamotosports.com/en-US/products/men/pants/airglide-4-30-pewter

$650 for this set, but again good quality, safe (but not as safe as the Dariens due to mesh construction, but that's a risk I'll take to remain cooler), and durable. My Olympias have 10 riding seasons on them and are still 100% safe and functional.

Many riding friends also like Klim gear, but it is even more expensive than the Darien, but has other technical features that make the gear worth the price. I've not owned any, but would try them if I needed new gear.

Gloves: I personally like two brands, Held and

https://shop.held.de/en/gloves/touring-gloves/666/steve-classic?c=441&number=002215-00-1-6

I've been riding in the Held 273/Steve gloves since the mid-90's. Expensive, but each set lasts about 8 years on average, and very comfortable and safe.

https://leeparksdesign.com/deersports-pci/

For cooler weather I like these Lee Parks Deersports PCI, with phase change material. I've had these since ~2008, so more quality gear that goes the distance.
-----------------
This all may seem expensive, and it is, and I've built up my set of gear over many years and lots of riding experience. But, as you can see above, the good stuff costs more but lasts a long time, making a better value in the long run.

Good luck, and as @FastEddieB above says, ATGATT.
 
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Morgan3820 said:
Well we seem to be touching on the motorcycle safety gear topic which is great. One of the reasons why I don’t ride a bicycle seriously is because I look horrible in spandex. I don’t wanna look like that caricatures of a bicycle rider. Likewise while I believe in all the safety gear and everything, does it have to look like I’m a 58-year-old trying to look like a 20-year-old sport bike rider. Or is there quality gear that looks more casual? Like armored pants that are camouflaged to look like jeans.
Click to expand...
I really don't care what others think about what I wear. Safety trumps fashion when it comes to bikes. I should wear riding pants, but most of my rides are local and they are cumbersome. I have an old pair of leather chaps I bought decades ago. When the temps come down they go on though. I may not like them but they're easy on and off, which again trumps everything. And remember, sweat wipes off. Road rash doesn't.
 
Half Fast said:
That's silly. What good is new living room carpet when you'll be parking a beautiful new motorcycle in the middle of the living room anyway?
Click to expand...

We used to keep two dirt bikes in the house, one in the kitchen, one in a spare bedroom. We didn't have any other sheltered storage at that home.

My cousin probably wishes he parked his CBR in his apartment after it got stolen.
 
Half Fast said:
That's silly. What good is new living room carpet when you'll be parking a beautiful new motorcycle in the middle of the living room anyway?
Click to expand...

In my YouTube video I made on the Moto Guzzi I said "I wish I had a living room I could park this in, because I would."
 
FastEddieB said:
The acronym among BMW riders (mostly) is A.T.G.A.T.T. - All The Gear All The Time.

For me, always helmet, jacket, gloves and boots. I have Aerostich riding pants for a real "ride" (Part of a 2-piece RoadCrafter suit):

5886243276_b68205a3a8_z.jpg


Bohn also sells armored "tights" you can wear under street clothes:

https://www.bohnarmor.com/bohn-body...4j8fAc1xMXPd4OXXbDbps-OamytF1S3oaAkwyEALw_wcB
Click to expand...


Do you have a different suit for each bike? :)

upload_2020-5-28_16-28-33.png


That's @FastEddieB in the foreground and me in the background, somewhere along the Foothills Pkwy in Tennessee, I believe. Our buddy Russ (who took the pic) owns the Aprilia in the middle.

Nobody riding Jap crap - that's the European moto-trifecta: German, Italian, and British.
 
Half Fast said:
Do you have a different suit for each bike? :)
Click to expand...

Sort of.

The grey with black was my first Aerostich Roadcrafter suit. The grey with blue is a newer one, bought in 2006. They're pricey, but very practical and wear well. I still wear the old suit when I'm back in Georgia.

49945844828_deed146b3a_z.jpg


I think my first one was about $800, and I thought that was a lot back then.

As an aside, I've visited their factory/store in Duluth, MN. It's nice that some things can still be made here. And if you've never seen their catalog, lots of interesting stuff and clever ideas within.
 
Last edited:
FastEddieB said:
Sort of.

The grey with black was my first Aerostich Roadcrafter suit. The grey with blue is a newer one, bought in 2006. They're pricey, but very practical and wear well. I still wear the old suit when I'm back in Georgia.

49945844828_deed146b3a_z.jpg


I think my first one was about $800, and I thought that was a lot back then.

As an aside, I've visited their factory/store in Duluth. It's nice that some things can still be made here. And if you've never seen their catalog, lots of interesting stuff and clever ideas within.
Click to expand...


A dapper gent such as yourself should have one color-coordinated for each bike! :)
 
Morgan3820 said:
I agree, I do not want a Harley or big cruiser. I had to look up 'naked' bike. That is what I am looking for. Something simple. Something that I sit upright on. I like how the Triumph looks but the nearest dealer is 2+ hrs away. My local dealers are Yamaha and Honda. Makes sense to me to look at those brands for local support. Looked at the CB500. Again I like how the Triumph looks. Shame that Honda, Yamaha don't have anything similar.

I see that ABS is an option on some of these bikes. Opinions?
Click to expand...

I'd definitely take a look at the Yamaha MT-07 and MT-09. The Ninja 650 is a good choice. I rode one and I just never jived with it, but one of my friends girlfriends has one and she is quite a bit shorter than me and she is super comfy on it. So a lot of is comes down to how comfortable you are in the cockpit of the bike. My buddy (whose girlfriend is in question) has a Kawi Z900 and loves it. I've ridden that bike and it's fantastic. You also can't go wrong with a Honda like the CB650R or CB650F. I've never had a Yamaha. When I was younger we had a Kawasaki jet ski with the 900 engine and it was a feed it and go machine. My first bike was a Honda and they have a break-in valve adjustment that is kind of pricey (and on mine it an engine out service) and comes 600 miles after you get the bike, but after that you're gas/tires/oil for 10k at least on most of their bikes. My Triumph I've done a lot more of my own work on, but it's a Thruxton so it's a vintage style twin and is fairly simple compared to more modern style bikes. Definitely go and sit on any bike you are considering and ask the salesperson if they will hold it upright so you can get in the riding position on it. They are all different and a bike that someone else (like me) may say "Oh yeah best motorcycle EVER" you may get on and say "this sucks." And a lot of that you can tell just by sitting on them. I'd recommend something between the 500 and 800 range as a first bike. Without the highly strung tuning of a supersport engine most people can handle something larger as a first bike, but the problem with any big bore four cylinder is if you panic and get throttle happy they will power wheelie by accident pretty easy. The older Yamaha FZ1's were 1000cc fours and they were kind of famous/infamous (depending on how much you like saving your front tread) as wheelie machines. If you have any bike questions, feel free to PM me. I commute on mine a lot and last summer rode it almost as a daily.
 
Half Fast said:
Do you have a different suit for each bike? :)

View attachment 86219


That's @FastEddieB in the foreground and me in the background, somewhere along the Foothills Pkwy in Tennessee, I believe. Our buddy Russ (who took the pic) owns the Aprilia in the middle.

Nobody riding Jap crap - that's the European moto-trifecta: German, Italian, and British.
Click to expand...

I need to meet up and ride with you gents sometime as I'm just down the road...
 
Teresa rides a BMW F650GS twin, with ABS that she loves.
Considering another bike for her to keep in VA, and looking seriously at the CSC 310 singles....get very good reviews and can purchase new for 4-5 AMUs. A lot for the money, including ABS and luggage. Unfortunately no dealers to actually lay eyes on one x in CA.
 
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