Deciding if you want to get into motorcycles?

[TundraWookiee]

TW - This may not be your style of riding, but just try to watch this without leaning in your chair a little:

Freakin awesome video...brought a big grin to my face.

Luckily as far as the course is concerned I already have a couple nice helmets, boots, hell...I have a full flame retardant race suit...not that I'd wear that. I've read some good things about the V-Stroms poking around and also had a good experience with the gsxr 1100 motor I had so Suzukis are high on my list of potential bikes. I'm not looking to drop $20,000 right off the bat but after the MSF course I would be looking somewhere in the $3000-7000 range most likely. I'm trying to decide where to take the class at though...so many locations listed...

Flash, the only reason I kept addressing safety is cuz everyone mentioned it. I'm also not an idiot though and am not going to bury my head in the sand and act like nothing could ever hurt me. I've been banged up enough in my life to know I'm not bulletproof.

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[ROGER4314]

People get in their cars, mow the lawn and take showers without a second thought that those are the most dangerous things the average citizen does. Yes, the danger exists but is more than compensated for by increased visibility, better hearing, superior performance, outstanding brakes and steering response. If you snooze, you lose. Ride like you mean business and your survival odds are vastly improved.

Flash

 

[M. Sage]

I don't see a burning desire in you to ride. It's OK NOT to ride if that's your choice. As for me, my friend used to ride me around on his Cushman scooter at age 13 and from that point on, I was totally hooked! No one could talk me out of it, I heard every friggin horror story ever told, saw wrecks, but nothing worked. You couldn't run me away from motorcycles with a whip! I bought my first ride at 17 and have been riding ever since. There were howls of protest from my parents, friends and neighbors but I just plain didn't give a shit what they thought! This year marks my 50th year riding motorcycles.

What bothers me about your posts is that they keep circling back to the danger. I figured "F it!" If you read my signature line, that says it all. "You gotta die of something, it may as well be something that you like!"

OK....here it is: Nothing in my life has brought me more joy, excitement, adventure or pure pleasure than riding motorcycles. I've owned 30 motorcycles, rode over 1/4 million miles, been all over the US especially the western 1/2, hill climbed, did motocross, trials and still I ride. I enjoyed riding women, too (snicker) but given a choice of women or motorcycles, the bikes would win.

My Harley Sportster is economical, fun as Hell to ride, fast, beautiful and fairly trouble free. I can't say that polishing chrome is my bag and I'd prefer to paint the whole bike flat black but I love the thing! It has a 1200cc V twin, high performance cam and runs like a scalded cat. There's a picture of it in my profile album. Check it out.

Sure, I might die on the thing tomorrow but I'm still gonna ride!

That's my 2 cents.

Flash

People get in their cars, mow the lawn and take showers without a second thought that those are the most dangerous things the average citizen does. Yes, the danger exists but is more than compensated for by increased visibility, better hearing, superior performance, outstanding brakes and steering response. If you snooze, you lose. Ride like you mean business and your survival odds are vastly improved.

Flash

Haha, I can tell you've been riding a long time.

I came down on the same side you did on the danger thing. I did have one time when two people damn near ran me over within a couple minutes of each other when I parked the bike, stared at the ocean and seriously considered putting the key in the ignition and walking home. Then I got over it, got on and used my bike as a commuter for another year.

My comfort zone may not include dragging a knee, but I've done crazy shit like chasing a friend down a road that went under redwoods... in the rain. Redwoods drop oil on the road, it was slick as snot with the water on that oil. Going through those curves, my front and rear tire kept squirming all over the place, I was expecting to hit the ground any second, but made it somehow. Couldn't go fast, but even at however fast we were going (maybe 40?), I was pushing myself real hard to try keeping him in sight, and failing.

Riding in SA was fun. The roads here get REALLY slick, even when they're dry. Getting used to wheel spin pulling into traffic was a fun experience. My ex didn't enjoy it (scared the piss out of her, actually), but as long as you don't back out of the throttle suddenly, you won't high-side...

Come to think of it, some of the most fun times were close calls, LOL. There were good ones that weren't white-knuckle terror rides. Stuff like just riding through the trees to a nice cafe/bike hangout on the coast, hitting a nice coastal road and just enjoying the scenery, or parking literally two feet outside the door at work so I know nobody's going to mess with my ride instead of parking four blocks away and letting random bums break into my car.

 

[macshooter]

Been in two bike wrecks. The second one messed up my back pretty good, something I'll have to deal with for the rest of my life probably. I've had lots of fun riding. Have some great memories. Owned the fastest sport bike in the world and made it faster with aftermarket parts. Owned huge 1800cc V-Twin cruisers. It was all great. But two wrecks was enough. I just don't trust the other people on the roads. I have had people try to cause me to wreck by stopping short or cutting me off. And there's the people who are busy texting while they drive. No matter who's fault it is, on a bike you lose. These days I'll take my AWD turbo air-conditioned car over a bike. But I loved riding. Just got to a point where I wasn't willing to pay anymore for other poeple's mistakes with my body.

If you are going to ride, do it now while you are young with no kids. Take the MSF course and then go get the biggest bike you can afford or think you will want someday. (they are all easy to learn how to control if you take it easy and are not STUPID about it.) A Busa or ZX14 is not hard to learn to ride. You won't get into trouble unless you ask for it. (grab a big handful of throttle before you know what you are doing like a retard) A little fear is healthy and will keep you on your toes while learning a big bike. But don't go drop 70% of the cost of your dream bike on something smaller to "learn on" that you will outgrow and be bored with in 6 months. Get a bike with the power you want, and just go easy till you learn it, then you will never out grow it. You will probably drop your first bike, so it's best if you have one that won't make you sick if you scuff it up a bit. Plastic panels are easy to replace, expensive chrome, not so much. Good luck whatever you decide.

 

[benenglish]

A few questions...

Excellent questions that are evidence of a wealth of experience.

Here's me and motorcycles, short version.

I came home from college on a Suzuki GR650; it was an excellent beginner bike with plenty of flywheel effect and very easy to ride. Mom cried. I mean she literally shed tears. "Son, if we had known you were serious about riding, we would have found a way to get you a Harley!" Mom learned to ride on a first-year Hydra-Glide and spent most of her youth with a club that rode around near the Gulf Coast, basically between the Texas border and the Florida panhandle. She rode her own bike and never parked her butt on a p-pad behind any man. Still, when I came home with that bike she relented and was willing to jump on the back of the thing. A few other ladies in whom I had different interests did the same. I had my wreck and it wasn't so bad, a slow-speed low-sider in a gravelly turn. I was confident that my superior situational awareness, acceleration, and braking could keep me out of any trouble. Times were good and I loved to ride.

One day I was driving my sister's 1977 Lincoln Continental on a nearly empty freeway when two cars three lanes to my right tagged each other in a botched lane change. One of the cars shot straight to the left, spinning, and instantly put the passenger door of that Lincoln up against the center console. I saw it start to happen, I saw it happen, and there was nothing I could do about it. It was literally impossible for me to have reacted quickly enough to get out of the way, no matter how much acceleration or braking was available to me. If I had been on my bike, even though I was doing everything right, I would have been dead. Period.

Never rode again. Sold the bike for a pittance at a garage sale.

Feel free to call me a wuss. I don't mind.

 

[Greg_TX]

I've read some good things about the V-Stroms poking around and also had a good experience with the gsxr 1100 motor I had so Suzukis are high on my list of potential bikes. I'm not looking to drop $20,000 right off the bat but after the MSF course I would be looking somewhere in the $3000-7000 range most likely. I'm trying to decide where to take the class at though...so many locations listed...

3-7k will get you a nice used bike, especially in the 5-7k range. Give some thought to what you want to start out on in terms of performance; something like a Gixxer 1k wouldn't be a good choice for a new rider. You probably don't want to start on something that has front brakes capable of flipping the bike over the front, or acceleration that will flip you over the back, a high center of gravity and twitchy handling. You might say you'll take it easy and be careful, and no doubt you will for a while, but what gets you is how you react when something unexpected happens, and what the bike does when you grab a big handful of brakes, whack the throttle open, kick down a gear while swerving to avoid something, etc. Some bikes are very unforgiving. A cruiser is definitely a more sedate way to start if that's the kind of bike you want. Just remember that your first bike doesn't have to be your only bike.

 

[matefrio]

I second getting the biggest bike you can afford. You don't want to be looking at the next bike in two or three months.

 

[ROGER4314]

I sold my last bike, a Kawasaki Concours 1000 cc 4 to my neighbor. It was a fast ride with the 1 liter Ninja engine and slightly milder cams. The new owner took it to Detroit and back twice.

Their son (age 25) took the bike, picked up several thousand dollars worth of illegal drugs and was being chased by the cops. He wrecked it, totaled out the bike which then burned. He screwed up both legs with a head injury. The Mom, started in on me about how dangerous motorcycles were.

Sorry, I just don't see it. David (Dad) topped out that bike at around 130 MPH and the son had to be running the biggest part of that when he wrecked.......in hot pursuit by the law. How the Hell do we then put the blame for this misadventure on the motorcycle? The son wrecked the bike. The bike did not wreck the son.

Regarding the other fools on the road...... Two of the most common problems are when a car facing your path turns in front of you and when a car on a side street pulls out in front of your motorcycle. With an oncoming car, they will look right at you, wait until you get close then turn into your path. The bastards do it every time! When I come upon one of those situations, I automatically prepare for the worst and accept that the idiot is going to do the worst possible thing. I am covering front and rear brakes and looking for a path of escape....every time!

With a car coming out of a side street into your path, watch the front wheel of the car/truck. Vehicle movement is hard to determine but if that front wheel moves one inch, you'll see it rotate and............... he's coming out!

Flash

 

[Glockster69]

Jared, since you raced quads I can't imagine you wouldn't like a bike.

TW - This may not be your style of riding, but just try to watch this without leaning in your chair a little:

LOL! I was watching GP @ Daytona yesterday and leaning in - do the same when watching skateboarding.

I passed the local MC shop and something in the lot made me go back. It was a bobbed rice burner (never seen one a dem). 1983 Yamie shaft drive - I think an XS. Speedo only (no odometer), busted up controls, no mirrors, poorly made seat, etc., etc. It was on consignment and the owner wanted .................. 2700 friggin dollars!!! LMAO Dealer said 'I think I can get him to agree to $2500'. KBB says @ $850 in good condition.

It's a struggle but I'll keep looking

 

[M. Sage]

I came home from college on a Suzuki GR650; it was an excellent beginner bike with plenty of flywheel effect and very easy to ride.

Dude, no way. I have a Tempter! Like you said, great learner bike. I just had to put a smaller rear sprocket on the thing so I could use it on modern freeways. It's not in running condition right now, though... Good for around town, not very good for long trips. I rode mine to Houston, started regretting my decision a couple hours in...

But like you say, it's up to everybody to decide for themselves if the rewards outweigh the risks. That GR650 is the one that I almost gave away after being run over.

 

[M. Sage]

I sold my last bike, a Kawasaki Concours 1000 cc 4 to my neighbor. It was a fast ride with the 1 liter Ninja engine and slightly milder cams. The new owner took it to Detroit and back twice.

Their son (age 25) took the bike, picked up several thousand dollars worth of illegal drugs and was being chased by the cops. He wrecked it, totaled out the bike which then burned. He screwed up both legs with a head injury. The Mom, started in on me about how dangerous motorcycles were.

Sorry, I just don't see it. David (Dad) topped out that bike at around 130 MPH and the son had to be running the biggest part of that when he wrecked.......in hot pursuit by the law. How the Hell do we then put the blame for this misadventure on the motorcycle? The son wrecked the bike. The bike did not wreck the son.

Regarding the other fools on the road...... Two of the most common problems are when a car facing your path turns in front of you and when a car on a side street pulls out in front of your motorcycle. With an oncoming car, they will look right at you, wait until you get close then turn into your path. The bastards do it every time! When I come upon one of those situations, I automatically prepare for the worst and accept that the idiot is going to do the worst possible thing. I am covering front and rear brakes and looking for a path of escape....every time!

With a car coming out of a side street into your path, watch the front wheel of the car/truck. Vehicle movement is hard to determine but if that front wheel moves one inch, you'll see it rotate and............... he's coming out!

Flash

Most of the people I know who've been hit, it's been a car turning/pulling out right in front of them (came real close to that once, myself) or getting hit from behind at a stop sign or red light.

You can always tell a driver who also rides, because when traffic slows and he gets on the brakes, he automatically starts looking at his mirror to make sure the people behind him are stopping, too.

 

[ROGER4314]

I'm going to exercise my choice in a few minutes. The weather is wonderful and the Harley awaits. If you don't hear from me again, I made my last ride. Don't mourn, though. I've done things my way all of my life and I couldn't think of a better way to go out. Die in bed or a rocking chair? F that!

Flash

 

[ZX9RCAM]

I am not sure how big you are (body size) but a used SV650 would be a great learners bike.

I sold all my bikes 8 years ago (sport bike, cruiser & track bike)....I just get too crazy when I ride, can't seem to help myself.
Miss them every day.

 

[TundraWookiee]

I am not sure how big you are (body size) but a used SV650 would be a great learners bike.

I sold all my bikes 8 years ago (sport bike, cruiser & track bike)....I just get too crazy when I ride, can't seem to help myself.
Miss them every day.

Cam, what do you mean you don't know how big I am? I've seen you enough times that you should have a pretty good idea by now.

I went by the cycle center today and sat on a few different things. I really like the feel of the sport bikes as well as the V-Strom. I didn't get a full test drive since I'm not licensed but they did let me start it up and turn around in the parking lot. I think a 2012 V-Strom 650 in fox orange is in my future.

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[ZX9RCAM]

My bad, i'm lucky to recognize the person in the mirror some times, lol......

 

[ROGER4314]

I had a great ride, found a shotgun that I liked and I made an offer on it, then brought chicken home for Jake and I from Church's. I guess I beat the odds today, huh?

Flash

 

[TundraWookiee]

I had a great ride, found a shotgun that I liked and I made an offer on it, then brought chicken home for Jake and I from Church's. I guess I beat the odds today, huh?

Flash

More than beat them....came home with chicken!

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[Greg_TX]

Went to Mom's today to do some stuff around the house - nothing like 30 miles of I-45 traffic to sharpen up your survival skills. It doesn't matter what day or time it is, the North Freeway is always f*cked up...

I'm hoping to get out for a fun ride tomorrow - maybe Fayetteville or La Grange, or maybe the Forest/3090 lap.

 

[ZX9RCAM]

Went to Mom's today to do some stuff around the house - nothing like 30 miles of I-45 traffic to sharpen up your survival skills. It doesn't matter what day or time it is, the North Freeway is always f*cked up...

I'm hoping to get out for a fun ride tomorrow - maybe Fayetteville or La Grange, or maybe the Forest/3090 lap.

This was my regular run every weekend, along with other roads thrown in.

 

[Designated]

The MSF is great, I went straight from my course to picking up a used GSXR 600 back in '06. Rode it a year and a half before I got the itch to upgrade.

Got a great deal on a Demo '07 Hayabusa and I was in love, slid out on some gravel on the crest of a hill a month later. Totalled and I was out for 2 weeks. (45 mph)

Took a 2 year break, got a custom chopper that broke down all the time. Fixed it, sold it. took a 6 month break.

Then in fairly rapid succession- 05 SV1000(sold) 07 GSXR 750(sold), 04 Yamaha R1 (sold) 08 Hayabusa (stolen) 01 CBR 929(sold) Currently bikeless.

It stays with you, I bet even the guys who quit feel the pull. It's very emotional. Let me also be a lesson in economics, if you like a bike a lot- that's your bike. Don't go through a ton just to figure out you liked the first or second one the most. (Hayabusa for me)