What kind of bike do you ride?

[vkhosid]

Yup, buy a used one, ride it for a year, and sell it for what you paid. THEN go buy that shiny new bike of your dreams.

A couple of other good used beginner bikes are the Kawasaki EX/Ninja 500 and the Suzuki GS500. Or, if dirt oriented bikes strike your fancy, the Suzuki DR 400 series of dualsports.

Many years ago a buddy of mine wrote an outstanding used bike buyers guide:

http://www.clarity.net/adam/buying-bike.html

Lastly, before you even go looking for a bike take the MSF BRC: http://www.msf-usa.org/brc.aspx

The skills taught in the BRC will be enough to get you out on the streets and start filling your bucket of experience before the bucket of luck runs out. IOW, a license to learn.

The SV is a wonderful ride.....but I've never had more fun on two wheels than when I was wringing the **** out of a ninja 250 on the track. I'm not a small guy, and that thing was just an absolute pleasure to ride. Did exactly what i wanted it to do, given the relatively small size of the engine, I didn't have to worry (too much) about winding up the rear tire and having it high-side or low-side on me.

 

[Bill]

The SV is a wonderful ride.....but I've never had more fun on two wheels than when I was wringing the **** out of a ninja 250 on the track. I'm not a small guy, and that thing was just an absolute pleasure to ride. Did exactly what i wanted it to do, given the relatively small size of the engine, I didn't have to worry (too much) about winding up the rear tire and having it high-side or low-side on me.

No doubt the Ninja 250 is a blast to ride, but even a newbie is going to want something with more poke if they intend to ride freeways and highways. Yeah, the 250 will do it, but you're winding it pretty tight to keep up with 70-80mph traffic.

 

[gdeekhoff]

1999 Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 Classic

 

[Shepherd]

My last bike was an SV650. I miss that thing, it was so easy to throw around.

Did you see they are re-releasing the SV?

I saw that. It's a really good, reliable, bulletproof bike. It's also a lot of fun to ride. I hope they don't mess it up.

 

[Sac Arrow]

I would second (or third or fourth or whatever) the BRC. I actually took it later, after I had been riding for years. I never bothered to carry my previous endorsement on my California licence, so I had to start at square one to get it, and I decided to go the BRC route. I felt I benefited from it even though it is oriented towards new riders.

I also think an SV 650 is a great starter bike. Actually it's on the high end of what I would recommend as a starter, but it's not overly heavy, not overly powerful, and it's just a great all around bike, even for the track. I think some years could be had with inverted forks, or at least people were retrofitting them with GSXR inverted forks.

 

[Cajun_Flyer]

Don't. Roads have become far too dangerous. Everyone is staring at their frakking screens all the time now, its really bad. You don't notice as much in a cage, but boy do you ever on a bike. I won't give up my sport bike because I have to be able to get out of the way. I just can't recommend bikes with a clear conscience anymore.

That's why I decided not to buy a new bike after I sold my last one to relocate. Too many near misses due to people on their phones or just not paying attention. I was a safe rider, but I didn't trust anyone else on the roads. The skies feel safer.

 

[Blindrage]

I wish I had taken a Sexy road picture of at least one of these guys, but I thought I would go ahead and post a pic of some kind.

On the left is my Wife's Honda Shadow 650, the middle is the 09 HD Heritage Softail, and the right is the Kawi KLR-650. In the background in my Specialized Tri-Cross for when I feel like working for a ride.

 

[Blueangel]

I have a Brompton bike and love it. Here's a video of how cool it is to fold and use:

For rides under 20 miles, it is fantastic and fits easy in any plane! I do want a bigger road bike for longer rides. Love motorcycles but California drivers
are terrible and don't want to risk becoming road kill.

 

[steingar]

That's why I decided not to buy a new bike after I sold my last one to relocate. Too many near misses due to people on their phones or just not paying attention. I was a safe rider, but I didn't trust anyone else on the roads. The skies feel safer.

I can't say blame you even the slightest. I am actually quite concerned about myself. When in season I develop a sort of "radar sense", I can usually tell when someone is going to do something to get in my way. It is usually really weak at the beginning of the riding season, but gets better as the warm weather continues.

This season I have barely ridden my bike, less than I ever have. I doubt I've yet developed my radar sense, and with the paucity of riding I don't know that I will. And without it I am certain I'll die. My Steiney-sense has delivered me from too many potential debacles. Pilots here worry about collisions in mid-air. They know nothing.

 

[SoonerAviator]

My father just got back into riding as he's been out of the game since I was a kid (late 1980's). He was gifted (for free) a nice mid-2000's Star Stratoliner. I rode it a short distance and man is that thing heavy. Almost 800lbs is a far cry from the YZ125's I was riding growing up, and even his old Yamaha 650, but it does smooth out the bumps in the road. I just don't think I could own something that heavy and enjoy it. I also don't enjoy crotch rockets when having to ride on the highway for more than 10 miles. I'm always torn between going the SV650/FZ1 sport touring route, or going towards the cruiser end with a Ducati Diavel or Yamaha Vmax.

 

[Sac Arrow]

Depending on your needs, I wouldn't discount scooters entirely. I'm not talking about those massive Burgman types, but the smaller ones like a Honda PCX. For non-freeway, just around town riding you can't beat them. Light, easy to park anywhere, and practical. I tool around on a 115 cc Honda Wave when I'm in Southeast Asia, and I've done some fairly long distance riding on it, and in all states of sobriety. I was thinking about picking up a PCX or something like that for riding around town.

 

[genna]

Depending on your needs, I wouldn't discount scooters entirely. I'm not talking about those massive Burgman types, but the smaller ones like a Honda PCX. For non-freeway, just around town riding you can't beat them. Light, easy to park anywhere, and practical. I tool around on a 115 cc Honda Wave when I'm in Southeast Asia, and I've done some fairly long distance riding on it, and in all states of sobriety. I was thinking about picking up a PCX or something like that for riding around town.

I take my 150 PCX on a highway to work. Just a few miles. Not ideal bike for it, but it will go 65. Half the time I'm faster than cars around me ... i'll probably look into changing its variator to get a little more speed out of it. It tops out at a rev limiter

 

[superdave032]

Current bike - 03' Yamaha R6 - This was taken at Talladega Gran Prix

 

[SoCal RV Flyer]

Depending on your needs, I wouldn't discount scooters entirely. I'm not talking about those massive Burgman types, but the smaller ones like a Honda PCX. For non-freeway, just around town riding you can't beat them. Light, easy to park anywhere, and practical. I tool around on a 115 cc Honda Wave when I'm in Southeast Asia, and I've done some fairly long distance riding on it, and in all states of sobriety. I was thinking about picking up a PCX or something like that for riding around town.

For my purposes, the less-is-more approach works really well. I'm always amazed that the furiously fibrillating, half dollar-sized piston on my 49-cc scoot will, given enough pavement, haul my 200-lb butt along at 35 mph...10 mph higher than the airport's speed limit. I didn't even register it for road use; if I ever sell it, it'll be to another pilot for airport-only duty.

 

[flyingriki]

1996 ZX-11. 12,000 miles.
About 145 hp. Lotta fun, fast ride to the hangar! Only bike I've never topped out....

 

[ActiveAir]

Yamaha Roadliner "S", 1854CC

Beautiful bike! Looking to pick up a cruiser soon. I currently ride desert on a Yamaha WR450F. Love it. As for street, I have had a Ninja and a Katana that I used to ride very aggressively. Sold both many years ago. So ready for a cruiser.

 

[Bill]

I have a Brompton bike and love it.

I want a Brompton but have no need for one. Too bad, the geek in me loves good folders like this and Bike Friday. Since we're showing push bikes, this is my daily ride to/from work:

 

[scottfromboston]

Funny how the SV and the EX250 always seem to show up in these sorts of conversations. I had an SV track bike for a few years, and my wife owns a Ninja 250 that I also did a few track days on. Also owned a DR-Z 400 SM for a while, which was entertaining. I think that the Ninjette (ha ha) is a great beginners machine and really doesn't give up much to the SV unless you're big and plan on a lot of highway.

For the tall people, the Versys works well, and the DL650 is fantastic albeit ugly (IMO).

Best track bike? It's the SV, 100%. Beginner race machine? Whatever spec class is available to you; here in New England it had been the Ninja 250, then for a while it was the SV, then the motards, now it's all about the Ninja 300's.

The SV is a wonderful ride.....but I've never had more fun on two wheels than when I was wringing the **** out of a ninja 250 on the track. I'm not a small guy, and that thing was just an absolute pleasure to ride. Did exactly what i wanted it to do, given the relatively small size of the engine, I didn't have to worry (too much) about winding up the rear tire and having it high-side or low-side on me.

No doubt the Ninja 250 is a blast to ride, but even a newbie is going to want something with more poke if they intend to ride freeways and highways. Yeah, the 250 will do it, but you're winding it pretty tight to keep up with 70-80mph traffic.

 

[RJLFlyingGuy]

I can't say blame you even the slightest. I am actually quite concerned about myself. When in season I develop a sort of "radar sense", I can usually tell when someone is going to do something to get in my way. It is usually really weak at the beginning of the riding season, but gets better as the warm weather continues.

This season I have barely ridden my bike, less than I ever have. I doubt I've yet developed my radar sense, and with the paucity of riding I don't know that I will. And without it I am certain I'll die. My Steiney-sense has delivered me from too many potential debacles. Pilots here worry about collisions in mid-air. They know nothing.

I totally get that! Beginning to ride a motorcycle has made me far less anxious about flying (where nearly everything that can kill me is my own fault) and far more anxious about ground-bound vehicles where every moment is threat prioritization. Additionally, I feel lane-crowded in my car now, and I feel totally naked on my bicycle (which is my usual fair-Wx commuting vehicle). Such is the price of enlightenment I suppose...


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[steingar]

I totally get that! Beginning to ride a motorcycle has made me far less anxious about flying (where nearly everything that can kill me is my own fault) and far more anxious about ground-bound vehicles where every moment is threat prioritization. Additionally, I feel lane-crowded in my car now, and I feel totally naked on my bicycle (which is my usual fair-Wx commuting vehicle). Such is the price of enlightenment I suppose...

A motorcycle is a world better than your bicycle (with apologies to the resident bicyclists). Cagers don't look for bicyclists either. Difference is bicyclists don't have the grunt to get out of the way, motorcycles do in abundance. Everyone I know who has commuted on a bicycle has been crashed into and hurt.

Cager tried to kill me Saturday, in point of fact. I'm at 100% for this season. Every time I've had the bike out someone has done something stupid that would have gotten me killed had I not initiated escape maneuvers.

 

[azure]

A motorcycle is a world better than your bicycle (with apologies to the resident bicyclists). Cagers don't look for bicyclists either. Difference is bicyclists don't have the grunt to get out of the way, motorcycles do in abundance. Everyone I know who has commuted on a bicycle has been crashed into and hurt.

Cager tried to kill me Saturday, in point of fact. I'm at 100% for this season. Every time I've had the bike out someone has done something stupid that would have gotten me killed had I not initiated escape maneuvers.

And this is why I don't ride much anymore. Here in VT it's all 2-lane highways, and as you put it, a bicycle doesn't have the "grunt" for effective evasive maneuvers. They have rides of silence here to commemorate cyclists killed on the road, and although I don't recall the exact figure anymore the number isn't small, something like 11 in the state in 2014 alone (I think it was).

Also, just like in Michigan and many other northern states, many highways are in poor condition. My favorite ride has gotten very dangerous due to deep cracks and holes; I only did it twice last year and not even once so far this year. They are repaving the highways but it's a slow process, and it seems it has to get pretty bad here before a road is even patched, much less repaved.

 

[FastEddieB]

Friday I rode from my home in N GA to the High Country Motorcycle Camp near Boone, NC for an Airhead rally:

Arriving:

The homestead:

Bike still running like clockwork - what a ride! Love sport touring to a simple camping destination.

 

[PaulS]

And this is why I don't ride much anymore. Here in VT it's all 2-lane highways, and as you put it, a bicycle doesn't have the "grunt" for effective evasive maneuvers. They have rides of silence here to commemorate cyclists killed on the road, and although I don't recall the exact figure anymore the number isn't small, something like 11 in the state in 2014 alone (I think it was).

Also, just like in Michigan and many other northern states, many highways are in poor condition. My favorite ride has gotten very dangerous due to deep cracks and holes; I only did it twice last year and not even once so far this year. They are repaving the highways but it's a slow process, and it seems it has to get pretty bad here before a road is even patched, much less repaved.

I rode my bicycle from Bedford, MA to Okemo on Saturday. Road varied from great to not so great, but it was fun, except when it rained and got cold for the last 50 miles.

 

[Rock]

I think back over the years and I realized just how many toys I have owned on a worker bee's budget. I have had horses, bicycles, motorcycles, a sports car and now a freakin' airplane. The last of three bikes, the motorized version, was a 2002 Yamaha Roadstar. I put about 20,000 miles on it over 5 years. My wife just never was into roughing it on the road. She did ride the "Dragon's Tail" and Cherohala Skyway with me on a 2,000 mile trip around the southern US. Let's see if I still have a pic...

It may take a minute computer crashing and all.

 

[azure]

I rode my bicycle from Bedford, MA to Okemo on Saturday. Road varied from great to not so great, but it was fun, except when it rained and got cold for the last 50 miles.

That's an ambitious ride, better than a century, good on you. I had planned to go on a GMC hike in the Jay Peak area on Saturday, but canceled out because of the rain.

As for the roads, maybe they're a little better down in MA and southern VT. Up here, in the Montpelier area, they're just horrible unless they've been freshly paved. They recently repaved large parts of route 12 between Northfield and Montpelier, but there's just too much traffic. Or maybe I'm just chickening out in my old age. Too, too many drivers fiddling with their cellphones and whatnot, as far as I'm concerned.

 

[mirage00]

My new fatboy lo

 

[radsam]

1973 CB350

 

[Bill]

Friday I rode from my home in N GA to the High Country Motorcycle Camp near Boone, NC for an Airhead rally:

Arriving:

The homestead:

Bike still running like clockwork - what a ride! Love sport touring to a simple camping destination.

Ever been up to BRCC? Great place to camp, always cool at night, great roads in the area.

 

[SToL]

06 Harley Road King and 05 Kaw 1000

 

[steingar]

1973 CB350

View attachment 46087

Respect. Love the old school.