I want a motorcycle!
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steingar
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I would be surprised if the guys at the Iron Pony didn't know about this, they are very knowledgeable about gear. If not I can get ahold of the specs there. The advantage of having the largest biker gear store anywhere right in town.
steingar
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I was told by a bike mechanic that if you take your Duke in to be fixed, they ask you what you did to it. Apparently they are very well built, and outrageously attractive bikes. Enjoy.
Anthony
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Every Spring I cruise the bike shops and drool. Then I put the equivalent of the cost of one and more into my Tiger and thank God I have it. But, they are cool and I miss the early Saturday or Sunday morning runs through the twisties on my old British cafe racers.
dmccormack
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Dan Mc
That's ridiculous.
Isn't there some way to stop this sort of porn from being displayed??
My bike WAS great..then I had to see that!
I wonder how that one would feel....
Anthony
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Anthony
Can you imagine leaning that sucker over and letting it drift a bit in a nice curve with a canpoy of trees above you and the sunlight just peaking through?
Now that's pron!
Trapper John
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Unlike most of the big 4 sellers, Ducati dealers offer test rides.
Just thought you'd like to know...:wink2:
Trapper John
steingar
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Imagine doing that leaned all the way over going wickedly fast. That's my bike!
flyersfan31
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What a timely thread. I've got a hankering myself. I said to my wife, "Hey, you let me ride the roads on my bike, that's a lot more dangerous than a motorcycle." She (amazingly) agreed.
Please - do not contradict my claim. A motorcycle is safer than a bicycle on the road. that's my story and I'm sticking to it.
I'm also checking out the Suzuki GS500, thanks to you kids.
Please - do not contradict my claim. A motorcycle is safer than a bicycle on the road. that's my story and I'm sticking to it.
I'm also checking out the Suzuki GS500, thanks to you kids.
Anthony
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steingar
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One of these...
Anthony
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dmccormack
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Believe it or not, that's most of my commute -- there's not a straight road within 50 miles of this place!
My bike is:
dmccormack
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Nooo......
Don't do that!
There are better choices -- you must learn the ways of the Force, youngling!
steingar
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Nothing at all wrong with the Suzi. Wouldn't be my first choice, but that's me. Ride on!
steingar
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Me too, but still nothing wrong with the 550.
Ted
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iFlyNothing
I've always been able to talk myself into test riding motorcycles at dealerships. It's usually not that hard, you just have to know what to say. It also helps when you've owned and ridden a bunch of different bikes so it gives them a good warm fuzzy that you aren't a complete idiot. Most of the bikes I've test ridden were brand new with under 100 miles on them, and would sell for well over $10k. Two of them were liter plus sport bikes, although one was a Buell Firebolt XB12R. Despite being a 1200, it doesn't accelerate very well.
I'm in the market for a V-twin liter sport bike. The list is Ducati, Aprilia, Suzuki TL1000R, Honda Superhawk, or Honda RC51. I'm kinda leaning towards the TL1000R, mainly because I'm cheap, really like it, and can get one for not much money.
Nothing wrong with the GS500 if Andrew is looking for a starter bike to get learning on. Learner bikes are good things!
Ghery
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Are you suggesting that my Snell approved Hondaline Hawk is a little long in the tooth? Gee, I only got it new in 1974 after totalling my first helmet.
steingar
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I've been told that a helmet should only be used for 5 years, though I don't know the reason why. Could be the styrofoam gets packed down, which I have seen. But my helmet is in perfect shape, so I don't want to get rid of it.
steingar
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Why the V-twin? The in-line 4s are a lot faster, and about the same amount of money.
SkyHog
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Everything Offends Me
I've never been denied a test ride at a dealership.
And I've test driven about all of 'em.
And I've test driven about all of 'em.
Anthony
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Mid range tourque and power. I really don't like to wind it out at high revs that the in-line fours require. Different strokes. Plus I just like the sound of the sport V twins. Your philosophy is shared by many others as Suzuki dropped the SV1000S and now just offers the 650. I think a lot of kids by the in line fours, but they are just too buzzy for some of us. Great performance bikes, yes, but I'll tak a smidgeon less acceleration and top end for the V-twin flexibility.
dmccormack
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Dan Mc
True, and I'm guessing dirt bike trails aren't handy....
But my experience with Suzukis has been bulletproof engines, with everything else second rate (I replaced my clutch twice in my DR350).
I'm very impressed with Yamaha build quality, but my next bike will likely be a Honda BlackBird:
flyersfan31
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Freiburgfan31
True, and I'm guessing dirt bike trails aren't handy....
But my experience with Suzukis has been bulletproof engines, with everything else second rate (I replaced my clutch twice in my DR350).
I'm very impressed with Yamaha build quality, but my next bike will likely be a Honda BlackBird:
Yup. this would live on back country roads. I would just get it for goofing around locally, no Interstate touring. By all means keep the suggestions coming. It sounded like the Suzi was the consensus best "starter" bike. Frankly, I probably would not climb the owner ladder in the same way I have with planes. If I could get a good basic bike that I could live with for a long time, that would be best.
steingar
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True, and I'm guessing dirt bike trails aren't handy....
But my experience with Suzukis has been bulletproof engines, with everything else second rate (I replaced my clutch twice in my DR350).
I'm very impressed with Yamaha build quality, but my next bike will likely be a Honda BlackBird:
You'll be buying an older bike, the CBR1100XX hasn't been imported since 2003. Then again, my bike is an '03 and it rocks.
Bill
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Nice, but the Duc I'd like is this:
http://www.ducati.com/en/bikes/my2009/ModelPage.jhtml?family=Hypermotard&model=HM1100S-09
If only I got to the mountains more often, but I can't justify such a single purpose bike right now.
steingar
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Go for it dude. That way I can totally blow you away on my bike! Never noticed a lack of mid range power on the Fireblade, and I never much rev the thing. It is ungodly fast, and I can blow through any speed limit in the continental US in 2nd gear. The 600's probably lack some uumph, and I'm told lots of guys remap the engine to get smoother power. Like I said, I never noticed, although even with my recent lack of horizontal control I'm still a light shrimpy little guy. Most of the guys I hear complaining about slow bikes are a bit on the plus size.
Still, to each their own. I highly recommend the RC51, if you can find one.
Bill
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hotmidgetbabes.com ???
Bill
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My god, you must have a well padded azz. The RC-51 is the single most uncomfortable bike I've ever had the unpleasure of riding.
steingar
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You haven't tried riding mine, the stock seat was a plank. That's what Corbin seats are there for.
Bill
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Even so, my days of riding bikes with clipons below the triple are looong gone.
Ted
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iFlyNothing
Anthony pretty much got it on the nose. I like the characteristics (and sound) of V-twin sportbikes. Additionally, I like the lower revs (10-11k for redline, generally). It just makes for a bike that's more what I want. After all, that's what matters when picking out a bike, right?
But my experience with Suzukis has been bulletproof engines, with everything else second rate (I replaced my clutch twice in my DR350).
I'm very impressed with Yamaha build quality, but my next bike will likely be a Honda BlackBird:
I love the Blackbird. It's something I've thought about, but doesn't meet the current list. I've had good luck with my Suzuki and Yamaha products. The Bandit 1200 I had fouled the plugs one winter, but that was it. Otherwise, it was trouble-free, as was the V-Max I had. However, I'll admit that the Hondas I've owned have been the best motorcycles. I may go for a Superhawk or RC51 for my V-twin sport bike. The Suzuki TL1000R is a good option, too. My friend at work has one that he's put a ton of abuse on, and it's still going.
You may very well decide once you start riding you want to change bikes. There are lots of different types of bikes out there for different types of riding. The real question is what kind of riding do you want, and that dictates ultimately what kind of bike you want to buy. My Honda VTX 1800 (big cruiser thing) is a whole lot different than the v-twin sportbike I want to buy.
For starters bikes, it's hard to go wrong in anything that's under 600ccs (unless it has lots of "R"s in the name) and made in Japan. For some reason, the Ninja 500 has been considered the classic starter bike these days, but anything will do. I tend to tell people to buy something cheap for their first bike because they will most likely drop it within the first 6 months of riding it. My first bike was an '84 Kawasaki KZ700 with 100,000 miles on it, and cost me $400. I then sold it 6 months later (dropped it once) and bought a Bandit 1200, which I was much happier with. However, starting on the Bandit 1200 would have been a bad idea. These days, I personally don't like riding bikes with under 1000 ccs just because of the lack of power and torque at lower (<5000) RPMs.
fgcason
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The discussion is that in order for the helmet to take the the two strike snell qualifying hits at the same location on the helmet, it essentially is a harder helmet and padding thus it transmits more energy to the head that's inside it.
That said, after my DOT rated KBC sacrified itself honorably in the line of duty, I bought a snell helmet because I'm of the opinion that a bad fitting helmet would cause more head injury than a properly fitting harder helmet. The RF1000 was the best fit of the bazillion helmets I tried on.
Some light reading on the subject:
http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/gearbox/motorcycle_helmet_review/index.html
Portugal has the best test demonstration I've run across yet on the subject that makes the point as absolutely clear as can possibly be:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9P-1a_e_Yz8
I don't think a full face is a must. I know it's mandatory. I'm not a noob by any stretch of the imagination however that didn't keep me from sliding nose down on the 4-grit belt sander. I'd highly recommend tight cheek pads also. When the Earth slammed into me, the old softer cheekpads allowed the chin bar to punch me hard in the nose. It would have probably happened anyway however a little less whamo in the nose would have been nice at the time.
ATGATT
I agree, but learner bikes have knobby tires and run on dirt....My learner bike was a Yamaha Mini Enduro, I rode the balls off of that poor thing. Then when I was 11 I got a step up bike... A Maico 500 LOL. Good thing I could ride by then because I couldn't stop without getting off. Outside of brief forays on back streets of suburbia cutting through neighborhoods to get to work, friends, and the woods nearby, I didn't ride on the street until I was 21 and bought a Yamaha XS Eleven Midnight Special in San Diego for $500 from an impound yard. There is a major transition to riding on the street, people are actively and inattentively trying to kill and maim you. There were quite a few occasions where the only thing that saved me was the ability to twist the throttle and instantly accelerate from 45 or 55 in high gear to 80+. The brute torque of the 1100cc engine allowed me to accelerate hard as without down shifting and there were times when the car was within inches of hitting me and had speed on me. 750 is the minimum I consider safe on the street, if you can't handle a 750, you shouldn't be on the street yet. I currently own a 600 sport bike that's a bit souped up, and I consider it to be underpowered for the street. I've said it before and I'll say it again. The street is no place to learn to ride. You should be an expert rider and understand that the throttle is your best friend and how to use it with no fear of what it will do to you before you get on urban roadways or major thuroughfares.
Dirt also teaches you how to deal with suboptimal traction conditions. An example, Av Shilo and I were on Grand Cayman on scooters, he was behind me. We came through a roundabout where someone had spilled oil. I started to slide, turned on the throttle and rode out of it sideways. In my rear view mirror I watched Av lay it down. He ended up with some pretty good road rash. The turning on the throttle was instinctive to me from a lot of time riding sideways in the dirt. I was spooling up my gyro. Av didn't have that experience base. His experience base was from a car where if you start to slide, you get out of the throttle to regain traction. Problem is, bikes and cars are different animals. A car is intrinsically stable, a bike is intrinsically unstable. It gains it's stability dynamically from the wheels spinning.
This does all come from a guy whose riding apparel is typically shorts, t-shirt, flip flops and sunglasses, so take it for what you think it's worth, but in a lot of years of riding (10 years in SoCal all I had was bikes) I've never had a crash on the street. A hell of a lot of that is attributable to my time in the dirt, where I had a hell of lot of crashes, and some time on road tracks and a season of campaigning a flat tracker for an injured friend so he wouldn't lose hes sponsor. These are environments where you can really pour it on and ride balls to the wall and concentrate on the riding and the motorcycle and learn how they act and react. On the street, you don't have that luxury. You need to put every bit of your attention into what is going on around you. You have to be looking at the cars at the curb on the horizon, because they're the ones that are going to pull out on you or open their doors. You have to pay attention to who's coming down the on ramp, because they're the ones that are going to have speed on you and be heading for the left lane. You have to be looking at the surface conditions of where you are going. Here's a major tip, NEVER look at what you're avoiding, always look at where you need to be to avoid it. That means you really need to know to the Nth degree exactly where a bike will fit. Blasting through woodland trails teaches you that in an environment where you can really slow it down without getting hit from behind.
Learning to ride on the street is suboptimal and is the direct cause of many accidents. Remember, every accident you have on a bike is your fault because you should have seen it coming and avoided it. You can't dedicate that much attention to the street if you're paying attention to the bike.
Trapper John
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I've had both the Superhawk and the RC51. For regular street riding, the Superhawk is good and has a saner riding position. The RC51 has much better suspension and brakes and some more power, but the Superhawk isn't really lacking power-wise. You could get a Superhawk cheap, put a few bucks into the suspension and have a really nice balanced setup. Superhawks tend to have a couple of bugs, one is the throttle position sensor which tends not to be calibrated and causes stalling problems, but that is easily fixed with a DVM, the specs and a screwdriver. Also need to make sure the cam chain tensioners are good, that can be expensive to fix if they fail.
I'd do some research before going for the TL1000R, I seem to remember some stories about that one having a real tankslapper tendency.
Trapper John
steingar
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My bike has a real tankslapper tendency. I can be corrected with a steering dampener or just reasonable throttle control in the turns.
steingar
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Might be, very sweet bikes. Spendy though, and still slow compared to the Fireblade. Then again, most of the stuff we're discussing is utterly academic. Any of these bikes will outperform any road condition anywhere. The only place you'll use more than 10% of the bike's potential is the track, unless you really are a daredevil. The thought of doing that kind of riding where there are pedestrians and cars and deer and stuff just gives me the willies.
dmccormack
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Dan Mc
Agreed.
Ideally, a new rider should spend his/her first few hundred miles on trails with a lightweight 2-stroke.