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8ender posted:I just looked it up and realized the 1200cc Sportster engine only puts out 70hp. How can an engine so big put out so little power Air cooled, narrow angle. Also, the hilarious thing is how they're geared and because of the way they make power (harleys tend to fall on their faces after about 60% of the rev range), a ninja 250 will outpull one at over 70mph. When I was a wee nub on my 250, I had a great time walking all over a sportster on the freeway. He was PISSED. I laughed my rear end off. As I've said before: Harley Davidson, converting all of that gasoline to noise without the pesky side effect of horsepower. They're still fun though 
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Jan 26, 2009 19:38
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I have no real quams with the sportster. They're just a heavy standard, with a lawnmower engine in them. I really can't fault anyone for having one as a first bike. Or an only bike.
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Jan 26, 2009 21:24
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kdc67 posted:That sportster also has a DRY weight of 557 lbs.
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Jan 26, 2009 22:51
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Zadmaster: Sounds like you are heading down the right track, but I'd encourage you to look at a relatively cheap ~$1500 bike to start with. Cheap bikes are terribly easy to sell and chances are you won't be the first person putting a scratch on it. Spend a season riding a beater and then step into a bike that is nice and shiny. Your pocketbook will thank you.
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Jan 27, 2009 00:50
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What is a comfortable bike for medium rides, 8+ hours? For years I rode a sport bike every day until it was stolen but it sucked for more than a couple of hours. My wife owned a Nighthawk 750 that was comfortable but underpowered. I'm older now and would probably look silly on a sportbike plus I want something comfortable that I can spend a day riding and not need a day of recovery. It'll have to be used and not too expensive so Ducatis, Harleys, BMWs, stuff like that are out. I've been itching for a KLR650 but I don't think it would be practical for day long rides.
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Jan 28, 2009 06:57
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wormil posted:What is a comfortable bike for medium rides, 8+ hours? For years I rode a sport bike every day until it was stolen but it sucked for more than a couple of hours. My wife owned a Nighthawk 750 that was comfortable but underpowered. I'm older now and would probably look silly on a sportbike plus I want something comfortable that I can spend a day riding and not need a day of recovery. It'll have to be used and not too expensive so Ducatis, Harleys, BMWs, stuff like that are out. I've been itching for a KLR650 but I don't think it would be practical for day long rides. What's your price range, and what sort of riding would you do (road, highway, twisties, fire trails?) I rode a kawasaki ZX-6E for 2 years, and it was a fantastic all arounder, probably the best one i've ever ridden. Dump a small amount of money into suspension upgrades and it'll hang with the 600s in the twisties with a decent rider. Plus it's comfortable for a passenger and has a lot of practical features, like a centerstand. Bike was made from 93 to 04, so there's loads of them out there and a nice example can be had for under 3k. Edit: Made from 93-04 in the US, 93-05 internationally. Z3n fucked around with this message at 18:02 on Jan 28, 2009 |
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Jan 28, 2009 07:11
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People ride KLR650's all day long here in Alaska, from all over the country and around the world, it is a fine all day mount. Get an Alaska Leather sheepskin seat pad and ride another 100 miles, as they say.
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Jan 28, 2009 08:02
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wormil posted:What is a comfortable bike for medium rides, 8+ hours? For years I rode a sport bike every day until it was stolen but it sucked for more than a couple of hours. My wife owned a Nighthawk 750 that was comfortable but underpowered. I'm older now and would probably look silly on a sportbike plus I want something comfortable that I can spend a day riding and not need a day of recovery. It'll have to be used and not too expensive so Ducatis, Harleys, BMWs, stuff like that are out. I've been itching for a KLR650 but I don't think it would be practical for day long rides. Veeeeeeeessssssttttttrrrrrrrrrrroooooommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm  Click here for the full 1024x768 image. Fun bike, super comfortable for long rides, and it's got an engine that everyone (well, at least Z3n :P ) knows and loves. Like a cheaper, more capable BMW F650.
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Jan 28, 2009 11:00
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Z3n posted:What's your price range, and what sort of riding would you do (road, highway, twisties, fire trails?) I rode a kawasaki ZX-6E for 2 years, and it was a fantastic all arounder, probably the best one i've ever ridden. Hmm, what about vibration? I used to wear padded gloves on trips with Katana and my hands would still go numb after a few hours. Is the 6E more of a tourer or more of a sportbike? It seems like everything looks like a sportbike these days. Truthfully most of my riding would be street; hwy for trips. With a KLR I would probably find excuses to go off road but I want to be able to jump on my bike and go see my friends who are 8 hours away without aching. The mountains are a good four hours away so not many opportunities for twisties. Gnomad posted:People ride KLR650's all day long here in Alaska, from all over the country and around the world, it is a fine all day mount. Get an Alaska Leather sheepskin seat pad and ride another 100 miles, as they say. Good to know, thanks. I lived in Alaska for 8 years and used to ride a bike winter and summer. So I'm not writing off the KLR then. I read about a diesel version coming out, which is intriguing. Simkin posted:Veeeeeeeessssssttttttrrrrrrrrrrroooooommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm For some reason I expected a bunch of cruiser or standard recommendations. I'm not very familiar with the V-strom. Looking over a few reviews it seems this bike was designed for light off road use but it doesn't really look like it. Comfort for long rides is what I'm looking for though. Thanks.
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Jan 28, 2009 21:16
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The V-Strom is ideal for long-distance touring. Every time I meet a V-Strom owner at an interstate rest stop, they insist that it's the best bike they've ever owned and they all have 40,000+ miles on them. EDIT: It's also one of the only bikes that is actually proportioned for us 6' tall ogres. If they weren't so drat ugly, I'd own one.
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Jan 28, 2009 21:19
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wormil posted:Hmm, what about vibration? I used to wear padded gloves on trips with Katana and my hands would still go numb after a few hours. Is the 6E more of a tourer or more of a sportbike? It seems like everything looks like a sportbike these days. It's not that bad. Vibration is sort of one of those things thats a personal comfort thing though. I haven't ridden a bike that makes my hands go numb, so I don't know if I'm the best person to ask. The engine is nice and smooth though. It cruises at around 6.5k rpm at 75, iirc, and you could toy with the gearing slightly or fill the clipons with sand to reduce vibration in the bars. Vstroms have a huge following. If I could find one for cheap (just missed out on one earlier this year), I'd probably be riding the poo poo out of one. The ZX-6E is a true "sport touring" bike. It's almost exactly a 50/50 split. Mine went to the track, from san diego to san francisco, up twisties, everywhere. It's a great all arounder. Honestly, you're going to be best off taking our suggestions and going and riding as many of them as you can get your hands on. We can describe different bikes, but you're only going to know if you want to spend hours on a bike if you've ridden one for a bit. I have a soft spot for the BMW R1100/1150S as well. Comfort, sport, awesome wind protection, the boxer motor is entertaining and very smooth at freeway speeds, although a bit of a shaker at idle. They can be found for not too much money, used. Same with the VFR, although I dislike the difficulty of maintenence on the v-tec models. If I were in your shoes, I'd go ride a KLR (or better yet, a street legal KLX if you can find one), a VFR, a ZX-6E, and a Vstrom. That'll give you the complete range of bikes and each displacement variation/engine config. Comedy option: Triumph tiger.
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Jan 28, 2009 21:42
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wormil posted:Good to know, thanks. I lived in Alaska for 8 years and used to ride a bike winter and summer. So I'm not writing off the KLR then. I read about a diesel version coming out, which is intriguing. That's military version that will run on Diesel, it currently exists but not in civilian trim. They've been promising it for about as long as I've been into KLRs but at an 18,000 dollar price tag. If you really want one you'll have to watch mil-sup auctions but they're few and far between and have been beaten to poo poo by the marines riding them. On the subject of KLRs in general though, I love mine. They're nearly bullet proof as long as you do a doohickey (Idler Shaft Lever and Spring) replacement and if you get too heavy in the dirt get some radiator guards. I'm currently in the process of buying a replacement radiator fan that I busted off to the tune of 350-400 bucks. A little bit of preventative maintenance, an oil change every 2000-2500 miles, and you'll easily see 100,000 miles out of one.
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Jan 28, 2009 23:48
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Z3n posted:Comedy option: Triumph tiger. Because of the price? Reading a few reviews it looks like a drat nice bike but I've always had a soft spot for Triumphs. I think it's down to the KLR650, ZX6E, V-strom (leaning heavily this way even though it is ugly), and the new Versys looks promising. Like you say, I just need to go ride a few and figure it out.
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Jan 29, 2009 06:34
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wormil posted:Because of the price? Reading a few reviews it looks like a drat nice bike but I've always had a soft spot for Triumphs. Nah, just because it's got a little more overhead and would be harder to find. What is your price range? That'd make things a bit easier.
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Jan 29, 2009 07:44
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I don't think you could go wrong with the Versys. Its a beautiful standard.
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Jan 29, 2009 13:06
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Z3n posted:Nah, just because it's got a little more overhead and would be harder to find. What is your price range? That'd make things a bit easier. I'm going to sell my car and buy a bike with the money so probably between $3-5k. I've found several KLRs locally on craigslist ranging from ~$2000 - $5000. One of them is brand spankin new. No Versys, no v-stroms, no zx-6e; 90% of the street bikes for sale are sport bikes & Sportsters. I don't know why there are so many Sportsters for sale. Maybe they suck, I've never ridden one but I didn't like the way they sat at the bike shop.
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Jan 29, 2009 17:34
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wormil posted:I don't know why there are so many Sportsters for sale. Maybe they suck, I've never ridden one but I didn't like the way they sat at the bike shop. Because a lot of people impulse bought them on finance and are trying to dump them now that the economy is sucking.
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Jan 29, 2009 17:56
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I'm oddly torn between a Versys and a Tuono. I'm going to make my SV track only and "need" a new daily do-everything bike. The Versys is the wise choice surely, but there's a Tuono local that's in awesome shape, has quite the tasteful mod list, set up for my weight, and would run me about the same price. It wouldn't be nearly as useful, without rear luggage opts and almost half the tank range... but it's a loving Tuono! If the V wasn't so ugly I wouldn't even be considering it... Edit: "V" so ugly as in the Versys is ugly (imo), although I don't find the Stroms much to look at either. Versys in red at least I'm not a fan of, the green and blue and other colors sold elsewhere look good, but in my price range I would be stuck with a used red '08. Infinotize fucked around with this message at 23:06 on Jan 29, 2009 |
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Jan 29, 2009 20:51
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Gnomad posted:People ride KLR650's all day long here in Alaska, from all over the country and around the world, it is a fine all day mount. Get an Alaska Leather sheepskin seat pad and ride another 100 miles, as they say. This is true, but if you have circulation problems or have your hands get numb easily from vibration the KLR is much harder to ride all day. If you're not planning to spend a bit of time on dirt roads a street bike is going to be much better and actually have some power. The KLR is a great bike but it is also a slow pig compared to a street bike. 955 Tigers can be had in his price range easily and would be a better bike for spending all day on the road compared to a KLR. wormil I highly recommend looking outside your area and doing a fly and ride. It's often <100 to fly to a major airport 1 way in the US and riding the bike back can be a great time even in February.
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Jan 29, 2009 21:11
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Infinotize posted:I'm oddly torn between a Versys and a Tuono. I'm going to make my SV track only and "need" a new daily do-everything bike. The Versys is the wise choice surely, but there's a Tuono local that's in awesome shape, has quite the tasteful mod list, set up for my weight, and would run me about the same price. It wouldn't be nearly as useful, without rear luggage opts and almost half the tank range... but it's a loving Tuono! If the V wasn't so ugly I wouldn't even be considering it... If you're trying to decide between an Aprilia and an upright(ish) semi faired sports touring bike, do both and try an Aprilia Pegaso. Sorry, couldn't resist and I'm starting to sound like a stuck record (I think I suggested it last time I piped up with a suggestion, but someone suggested it to me and then I saw three in person in the showroom, they look and sound like sweet bikes). And I don't really feel that the V-strom is an ugly bike.
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Jan 29, 2009 21:52
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I hear parts for Aprilias can be very, very hard to get. Just sayin'
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Jan 29, 2009 22:01
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If I had bags of cash and was looking for a standard daily rider I'd be on the Moto Guzzi V7 Classic in a heart beat. Then again I'm a sucker for old looking bikes.
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Jan 29, 2009 22:07
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PlasticSun posted:This is true, but if you have circulation problems or have your hands get numb easily from vibration the KLR is much harder to ride all day. If you're not planning to spend a bit of time on dirt roads a street bike is going to be much better and actually have some power. The KLR is a great bike but it is also a slow pig compared to a street bike. Good info thanks. The fly and ride idea is interesting. What about repairs and maintenance on the Tigers... will it eat me alive in costs? edit: stopped by a dealership and looked over/sat on a v-strom and a fz1, loved the v-strom; didn't care for the fz1. What about the c50 or c90? Seems like a comfortable bike. wormil fucked around with this message at 22:24 on Jan 29, 2009 |
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Jan 29, 2009 22:22
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PlasticSun posted:This is true, but if you have circulation problems or have your hands get numb easily from vibration the KLR is much harder to ride all day. If you're not planning to spend a bit of time on dirt roads a street bike is going to be much better and actually have some power. The KLR is a great bike but it is also a slow pig compared to a street bike. P. much this. I love my KLR but I've spent the winter considering a second bike that does the street with a little more aplomb, use the KLR for a long distance dirt/gravel machine. If I do (and it's a big if, contingent on my job continuing for the next couple of years) it'll probably be either a ZRX or the V7, I lust after both 
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Jan 29, 2009 22:53
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Orange Someone posted:If you're trying to decide between an Aprilia and an upright(ish) semi faired sports touring bike, do both and try an Aprilia Pegaso. They look neat but the 5 speed and spoked/19" front would kill it for me. Maybe if I ever get to that RTW... Whatever I get won't see offroad. A Vstrom (or another SV) was another option I was considering, but I really wanted something a little more different. I was also thinking about FZ6 but it always gets kinda "meh" reviews, and if I put it head to head with the Versys I'd take the kawi every time.
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Jan 29, 2009 23:04
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wormil posted:Good info thanks. The fly and ride idea is interesting. Valve adjustments cannot be pushed on the T595 motor...you could probably get one of the newer ones for a reasonable price, though, and maintenence isn't as bad on those.
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Jan 30, 2009 00:19
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I'm looking to pick up a beginner bike for my wife and I wanted some opinions on these prize beauties (the only bikes cheap enough); http://ottawa.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicles-motorcycles-Kawasaki-KZ-250-Ltd-Street-Motorcycle-W0QQAdIdZ100462630 http://ottawa.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicles-motorcycles-1977-Honda-CJ360T-W0QQAdIdZ102935790 http://ottawa.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicles-motorcycles-82-honda-nighthawk-W0QQAdIdZ101122733 I like the idea of the Kawasaki KZ 250 because I could probably sell her scooter for at least that much, but I would also like something that she can start doing her own maintenance on without it being too difficult or expensive and obviously something that is going to be semi-reliable to get her to and from work in the summer. Sour Grapes fucked around with this message at 02:24 on Jan 30, 2009 |
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Jan 30, 2009 01:44
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sedated posted:I'm looking to pick up a beginner bike for my wife and I wanted some opinions on these prize beauties (the only bikes cheap enough); Have you ever ridden a motorcycle before or is this going to be your first time? If it's the first time, go with the Kawi 440. Great starting bike, easy to work on.
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Jan 30, 2009 02:06
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ari.gato posted:Have you ever ridden a motorcycle before or is this going to be your first time? If it's the first time, go with the Kawi 440. Great starting bike, easy to work on. Is there a runner up? I just checked and that bike is sold.
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Jan 30, 2009 02:23
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Phy posted:P. much this. I love my KLR but I've spent the winter considering a second bike that does the street with a little more aplomb, use the KLR for a long distance dirt/gravel machine. Update on this: I was in at my favorite dealership today, and they've got a couple of Suzuki GS500 nakeds for $2300 less than the msrp. Considering I want a naked standard, and I'm reasonably certain I would be able to make up the price on resale, would I be a lunatic to pass this up? e: Actually, looking at the raw performance numbers, they're not that dissimilar to the KLR. Obviously handling and suspension would be different. Phy fucked around with this message at 04:43 on Jan 30, 2009 |
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Jan 30, 2009 04:38
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sedated posted:I'm looking to pick up a beginner bike for my wife and I wanted some opinions on these prize beauties (the only bikes cheap enough); How big is that Nighthawk? I have an '82 CB650, and the CB650SC is an identical bike mechanically with a different tank and seat/plastics. While a 650 is heavier than something like a 250, my CB is forgiving, not peaky, and easy to flatfoot (I'm a 5'6" female). I've had mine going on 10 years now, and it takes all the abuse I give it. Right at this moment, mine's sitting uncovered in the driveway with snow and ice on it, but when it thaws out I'll be able to go outside, pop a fresh battery in it and start it up with no problems.
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Jan 30, 2009 16:45
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The Nighthawks back then were all shaft drive if memory serves and were extremely reliable bikes. Nice looking as well. The Honda has a nice style if you like that style (which I do) but it is a kickstart. The KZ250 looks nice but I have little use for 250 bikes myself and I don't agree they make good starter bikes (not bad, but not the best). If the Nighthawk is a 650 and runs well I would pounce.
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Jan 31, 2009 00:21
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wormil posted:I think it's down to the KLR650, ZX6E, V-strom (leaning heavily this way even though it is ugly), and the new Versys looks promising. Like you say, I just need to go ride a few and figure it out. If you're close enough to Columbia SC, and you have an M endorsement you can try out my Versys to see what you think. I've owned a few bikes and it's the best all around bike I've ever ridden.
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Feb 1, 2009 02:53
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predictive posted:If you're close enough to Columbia SC, and you have an M endorsement you can try out my Versys to see what you think. I've owned a few bikes and it's the best all around bike I've ever ridden. It's a 7 hour round trip so I'll have to decline, thanks for the offer though. I've also added these to my list: ST1100 ZG1000
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Feb 1, 2009 10:21
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wormil posted:
You might not think it, but these are profoundly different bikes. The Connie is a shaft drive Ninja with bags and the ST is a smaller Goldwing with a V4. Of the 2 I prefer the ST for the sport touring mission, bigger and more comfortable, but the Connie is a better bike for twisties.
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Feb 1, 2009 19:27
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I'm looking into getting a motorcycle this spring and I went to a dealership yesterday and was trying on some helmets. Was looking at an "Epic" full-face helmet and a guy came over and said that I can have it for $50 as its one of the last ones left from last years stock. It was regular $199. Thrilled, I bought it to use as a backup/passenger helmet (it was a little big). Anyways, the guy asked what bike I had; I told him I didn't have one and he told me about a 1981 Honda 650 in really good condition that I could probably have for $900. Would that be a good starter/beginner bike? I havn't looked at it yet, but I might on Tuesday. Apparently it has an inline-4 giving out 63 hp. If the bike checks out ok by a mechanic or such, is it going to be too much bike for a newbie? (I've never been on a bike.)
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Feb 1, 2009 20:54
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MrZig posted:I'm looking into getting a motorcycle this spring and I went to a dealership yesterday and was trying on some helmets. Was looking at an "Epic" full-face helmet and a guy came over and said that I can have it for $50 as its one of the last ones left from last years stock. It was regular $199. Thrilled, I bought it to use as a backup/passenger helmet (it was a little big). God I hope not, because I'm picking up my first bike, a 1982 CB750 next weekend. Right after my BRC.
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Feb 1, 2009 21:18
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MrZig posted:I'm looking into getting a motorcycle this spring and I went to a dealership yesterday and was trying on some helmets. Was looking at an "Epic" full-face helmet and a guy came over and said that I can have it for $50 as its one of the last ones left from last years stock. It was regular $199. Thrilled, I bought it to use as a backup/passenger helmet (it was a little big). It and the CB750 Gr3y is thinking about should be fine and dandy, if heavy. Just both of you make sure they're in working order first. Tracking down problems on an old bike isn't hard, but if you can avoid it, do so.
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Feb 1, 2009 21:29
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I'm looking for a beginner bike, but I'm in a city where there aren't a whole lot of people selling. Anyway, I found a craigslist ad for a bike about an hour away, a 1989 Kawasaki EX500. The owner wants $1700 or best offer, and I found two ads (now deleted) from a week and two weeks ago for the same bike. The ad says "no leaks new brakes, chain and sprockets in 2008 starts like it's new clean tital never laid down", and apparently there's some sort of aftermarket exhaust that I couldn't possibly care less about. Anyway, I e-mailed him for further details and he claimed that it had only 13,500 miles, that he changed the oil twice last year, the front tire is good and the rear tire is ok, and that he had it serviced last year and they found nothing wrong with it. $1700 definitely isn't too much for me to spend, but Kelly Blue Book gives a price of $1105 for the bike. It's low mileage and all, but it's a 20 year old bike, and the seller's typing kind of gives me an image of a racer wannabe. I've got a friend with a truck, but I don't want to waste his time and my gas money if this guy isn't willing to budge on his offer. Should I tell him the kind of price I'm willing to pay before I go down? What should I be willing to pay, anyway?
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Feb 1, 2009 23:48
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Joe-Bob posted:
The KBB is pretty useless for motorcycle values. The NADA is usually closer, but trying to pin down bike values can be rather tough. What seems to screw up the whole value process is that the KBB and NADA get their ideas from dealer sales, and there aren't that many dealer sales of older bikes. So the final answer to how much a bike is worth is "whatever someone is willing to pay". If the market is thin it's harder to weedle sellers down, but if the guy's been trying to sell it for a while he might be willing to deal. As always, money talks.
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Feb 2, 2009 01:17
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