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soy posted:I forgot to mention I also need to travel about 15 miles across town to school varying amounts depending on my class schedule, if it was just to work I'd probably stick with my bicycle. Hell, I may use it on some days. But right now I'm utilizing the bus system which SUCKS loving GODDAMN CRAP. I'm right there with you on that. I had to take two buses to Century City from Los Feliz when my car was stolen, to file the affidavit. We made it to Beverly Hills before the requisite crazy person that was riding that day decided to have her conniption and force the bus to pull over. I walked the remaining mile and a half.
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Sep 17, 2009 23:50
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Yesterday while riding home from downtown all the way to Venice beach, while a crazy person who had apparently pooped himself a little with his poo poo stained pants about 2 feet from me and inching closer I thought to myself "Ok, it's time to seriously look at motorcycles."
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Sep 17, 2009 23:56
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I would just add to this that motorcycles are only moderately cheaper than a car if you do all the work yourself, and significantly more expensive if you don't. Sirbeefalot is right in that you really need 3500$ to get started on a good, reliable motorcycle...anything less is gambling on getting a bike that's a good deal and in decent shape (3500$ covers everything, insurance, bike, gear, safety course, licensing fees, title transfer fees, etc).
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Sep 18, 2009 00:02
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Yeah, if it weren't for my brother in law being good at that kind of poo poo I'd probably just get a car.
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Sep 18, 2009 00:46
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Z3n posted:I would just add to this that motorcycles are only moderately cheaper than a car if you do all the work yourself, and significantly more expensive if you don't. I see this sentiment occasionally and it hasn't been my experience at all. No bike I've owned has been more expensive than any car I've owned over the same period of time, not even close. The insurance is cheaper, the fuel is cheaper and the maintenance is cheaper; and I don't do my own maintenance except for minor stuff. I tend to buy used vehicles that are 1-2 years old and keep them for 4-10 or more years.
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Sep 18, 2009 02:00
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Z3n posted:I would just add to this that motorcycles are only moderately cheaper than a car if you do all the work yourself, and significantly more expensive if you don't. And thats only if you're reasonable about it and somehow have the ability to not willingly throw all your money at new gear, shiny bits for your bike, or more bikes. Nobody I know who actually likes riding has this ability.
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Sep 18, 2009 04:46
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I'm looking to buy a bike for some commuting maybe some fun weekends. However, the small town I'm in has jack for decent used bikes for novices. I have had very basic experience riding two up with a 75cc enduro, and I commuted back and forth to school on a road bike for 5 years or so. (I still have the whole everyone else is trying to kill me attitude especially after two car vs me on a bicycle accidents). I refuse to buy a bike new, especially my first real motorcycle. What is your advice to me? Make a list of people to visit the next town over and spend a weekend driving all over the place with a bike trailer? Buy used over ebay and have it shipped? What are the disadvantages to salvage titles? I would probably insure it through USAA(progressive) Nearest big city is Dallas about 3 hours away.
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Sep 18, 2009 05:28
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Kallikrates posted:I'm looking to buy a bike for some commuting maybe some fun weekends. However, the small town I'm in has jack for decent used bikes for novices. I have had very basic experience riding two up with a 75cc enduro, and I commuted back and forth to school on a road bike for 5 years or so. (I still have the whole everyone else is trying to kill me attitude especially after two car vs me on a bicycle accidents). I refuse to buy a bike new, especially my first real motorcycle. What is your advice to me? Make a list of people to visit the next town over and spend a weekend driving all over the place with a bike trailer? Buy used over ebay and have it shipped? What are the disadvantages to salvage titles? I would probably insure it through USAA(progressive) Nearest big city is Dallas about 3 hours away. Used Ninja 250 from dallas craigslist, and I've got five bucks on Wichita Falls.
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Sep 18, 2009 05:36
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blugu64 posted:Used Ninja 250 from dallas craigslist, and I've got five bucks on Wichita Falls. I don't really feel comfortable my first ride ever being a 3 hour highway stretch on a bike I haven't ever seen except when meeting someone to look at it. Unless you mean I get a trailer for it. Kallikrates fucked around with this message at 05:44 on Sep 18, 2009 |
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Sep 18, 2009 05:38
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There are quite a few Texas riders, I bet one would be willing to ride it for you.
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Sep 18, 2009 05:41
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soy posted:Yeah, if it weren't for my brother in law being good at that kind of poo poo I'd probably just get a car. If you REALLY just want a cheap vehicle for convenience, I'd strongly think about whether a motorcycle is the right choice. Now, this is coming from somebody who absolutely loving loves motorcycles and would rather spend the rest of his life on one than ever touch a car again...but that's kind of the thing. There are so many hassles with commuting on a bike and owning one and doing maintenance that unless you actually wanted a bike other than for pure convenience it'd be tough going. That said, I'm sure that a lot of people start out like you and grow to love riding. I'll reiterate what everybody else has said in that buying a reliable bike and good gear right from the start is very important. Don't be that guy that just buys a helmet and then assumes he'll be alright for now and will "get the rest later."
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Sep 18, 2009 05:50
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Kallikrates posted:I don't really feel comfortable my first ride ever being a 3 hour highway stretch on a bike I haven't ever seen except when meeting someone to look at it. Unless you mean I get a trailer for it. jdonz posted:There are quite a few Texas riders, I bet one would be willing to ride it for you. Trailer works, or ya find someone to ride it out to you. There's a few folks in the Dallas area and one of us might be able to ride it out if you got us a ride back 
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Sep 18, 2009 05:56
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What are you people doing to your motorcycles that makes them so expensive to own and operate? I can replace both tires on my bike for what one tire cost me for my truck.
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Sep 18, 2009 06:56
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wormil posted:What are you people doing to your motorcycles that makes them so expensive to own and operate? I can replace both tires on my bike for what one tire cost me for my truck. But how often do you replace each? I recently put tyres on my car and bike. I could buy 3.5 car tyres for the cost of the bikes set, and will last half as long (if that, last set lasted under 3000km) Rego is about twice the cost as my car. Insurance is about 2.5 times the cost. Bike oil costs about twice as much as car oil and I need to change it twice as often. (closer to 4 times as often) I use about 8L/100km in my car and about 3-4l/100 on the bike. It never ever comes even close comparing the bike to my car. (Australia by the way) Dubs fucked around with this message at 12:49 on Sep 18, 2009 |
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Sep 18, 2009 12:46
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FuzzyWuzzyBear posted:If you REALLY just want a cheap vehicle for convenience, I'd strongly think about whether a motorcycle is the right choice. Now, this is coming from somebody who absolutely loving loves motorcycles and would rather spend the rest of his life on one than ever touch a car again...but that's kind of the thing. There are so many hassles with commuting on a bike and owning one and doing maintenance that unless you actually wanted a bike other than for pure convenience it'd be tough going. It's definitely not just for a cheap vehicle, although the reduced price of gas/insurance is nice, if that was all I wanted I could get a turbo diesel old Mercedes and that would the end of it. I really think I could grow to like motorcycling though, I've only ever ridden on one once as a child (and it was terrifying, my dad was a maniac.. which leads me to believe it could be great fun). I really enjoy riding my bicycle in traffic, this is something I did a lot while living in Seoul (Korea) and found it to be pretty exhilarating. I realize it's a lot different/more dangerous on a motorcycle though. I think the key to enjoying motorcycles will be finding a bike that is dependable. If the thing is constantly requiring maintenance and/or breaking down it will be kind of a drag since I will be relying on it. With cars I've always gone for slightly less sporty cars in order to get ones with proven dependability (and value). I plan to do the same here. As far as safety gear goes I wouldn't even consider riding without a full set. Although I'm not entirely sure about the pants, leather pants are kind of gay. I think I'll skip that when going to work at least, maybe if I was going on a road trip or something. What about this:  Are Yamaha bikes good? I like how they look. soy fucked around with this message at 17:54 on Sep 18, 2009 |
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Sep 18, 2009 17:48
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Personally I got into motorcycles because it's the first socially acceptable reason I found to wear leather pants in public all the time.
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Sep 18, 2009 17:53
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Leather pants may not be your cup of tea, but there are other options. I personally prefer texile gear, so you'll want to take a look at that. Even if you're eschewing any other protection on your legs, you'll definitely want some thin waterproof trousers, for those lovely occasions when it's pissing it down.
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Sep 18, 2009 17:55
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wormil posted:I see this sentiment occasionally and it hasn't been my experience at all. No bike I've owned has been more expensive than any car I've owned over the same period of time, not even close. The insurance is cheaper, the fuel is cheaper and the maintenance is cheaper; and I don't do my own maintenance except for minor stuff. I tend to buy used vehicles that are 1-2 years old and keep them for 4-10 or more years. Alright, a quick breakdown runs like this: Tires on a motorcycle: Roughly every 6-12k, depending on riding style. 300-400$, if you're not doing the work. Oil changes: 3k. 50-100$ a pop at a dealership. Chain/sprocket - as a newb, you'll screw up your chain, and have to replace it in 10k 200-300$ at a dealership. Valve adjustment: 6k. 200-500$ at a dealership. So every 12000 miles, you're looking at anywhere from 1100-2100$ in maintenance on a motorcycle that cost you 2000$ to buy. And that's not counting other incidentals, random upgrades, or more gear for different weather, etc. On a car, tires go 30k, oil changes are cheap, and you simply don't have to adjust valves, replace chains, or deal with any of the other crap. And if it's hot/cold you kick on the AC/heater, not go dump money on new gear. If you're going to skimp on pants, I will (again) toss out the recommendation for armor that you can strap on under your jeans to protect your knees. Any sort of dirtbike, skate pads, anything to save you the abuse to your knees that you will get even in a low speed accident. Personally, after my g/f got tboned by an SUV, the only thing that prevented her from shattering her kneecap was her textile pants. If not for those, she would have easily shattered her knee, the bruising that she had with the armor was insane. She pretty much ripped the bumper off the car with her knee and foot. She was just riding to the gym and a 17 year old kid who was learning to drive pulled out into her. Kallikrates posted:I'm looking to buy a bike for some commuting maybe some fun weekends. However, the small town I'm in has jack for decent used bikes for novices. I have had very basic experience riding two up with a 75cc enduro, and I commuted back and forth to school on a road bike for 5 years or so. (I still have the whole everyone else is trying to kill me attitude especially after two car vs me on a bicycle accidents). I refuse to buy a bike new, especially my first real motorcycle. What is your advice to me? Make a list of people to visit the next town over and spend a weekend driving all over the place with a bike trailer? Buy used over ebay and have it shipped? What are the disadvantages to salvage titles? I would probably insure it through USAA(progressive) Nearest big city is Dallas about 3 hours away. Don't buy used, find a local rider (looks like you already have ) and have him help you find a good bike. Salvage titles are only a problem sometimes, and do reduce value and ease of selling. If you have someone experienced who can overlook the damage and make sure it's not going to explode on you, you can get a great deal on a bike. My g/f bought an 03 Z1000 with a bunch of mods for 2600$ because it was a salvage title. Salvage titles will also pay out less if you have full coverage.
Z3n fucked around with this message at 18:18 on Sep 18, 2009 |
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Sep 18, 2009 18:03
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http://miami.craigslist.org/mdc/mcy/1379931361.html So what do you guys think. Looks decent enough. Just something to hold me off until iv saved enough for my sv650. I also wanted to dial in my repair skills on a bike of lesser value. Just based on the description how hard would this be for me to fix and get running? Any questions i should ask?
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Sep 18, 2009 22:42
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quote:Don't buy used, find a local rider (looks like you already have are you telling me not to buy used, but buy used? I am a competent mechanic I fix expensive machines for a living so if there's a list of motorcycle specific things to look out for... How are older SV650s? They seem to popup around for really cheap and I'm patient enough to wait for a good deal.
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Sep 18, 2009 23:17
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soy posted:As far as safety gear goes I wouldn't even consider riding without a full set. Although I'm not entirely sure about the pants, leather pants are kind of gay. I think I'll skip that when going to work at least, maybe if I was going on a road trip or something. Then don't buy gay leather pants. There are plenty of textile and mesh overpants you can wear over any regular pants that will provide protection. Or as Z3n said, look into armor you can wear under your jeans/slacks. Again, your risk of injury isn't any different for a 2-3 mile trip rather than a 200-300 mile trip if you happen to draw the "idiot car driver" card that day. That FZ6R is pushing 80HP, which is on the high side for a new rider. I think the general recommended upper limit to stick with is around 55-65 HP. It is a sweet looking bike, though. I would go to a couple dealerships and sit on some different styles to get a feel for how you're going to fit on various bikes. Unless you weigh like 400 lbs, any of the standard "starter" bikes will move you around the city no problem. Another thing, any bike will seem like more maintenance than a car. You really need to get into the habit of preventative maintenance unless you want to end up paying for it in the long run. If the bike has a chain final drive, it has to be lubed often (every 500 miles or so). Oil changes generally have somewhat shorter recommended intervals, especially with higher revving bikes. As was mentioned, tires don't last nearly as long as on a car, and as they wear more in the center most of the time (say, from commuting), the handling characteristics of the bike change as the tires wear down. Honestly, if you find a well maintained example of one of the recommended bikes, you will be able to ride it way more than you will be wrenching on it. But you really should think about the feasibility of wrenching on it yourself, unless you want to pay the price to have a shop do all the work. sirbeefalot fucked around with this message at 00:50 on Sep 19, 2009 |
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Sep 19, 2009 00:34
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Kallikrates posted:are you telling me not to buy used, but buy used? I am a competent mechanic I fix expensive machines for a living so if there's a list of motorcycle specific things to look out for... How are older SV650s? They seem to popup around for really cheap and I'm patient enough to wait for a good deal. Sorry, I meant don't buy new. Older SV650s are good bikes, I race one and have owned 3, use this buying guide to see what you should or shouldn't buy. http://www.clarity.net/~adam/buying-bike.html That FZ6R is basically just like an SV, just on the edge of power acceptability for a new rider (68rwhp stock). It's up to individuals to reasonably consider their riding skills and their personality before buying a bike with that much power. Philkop, that doesn't seem like a bad price, but I don't have any experience with those bikes in particular. I'd probably pass just because the paperwork will likely be a huge pain in the rear end.
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Sep 19, 2009 00:50
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Z3n posted:Alright, a quick breakdown runs like this: This clarifies things a lot. I think I could do oil changes (I've done them on my cars), and probably tires, the other stuff I'd probably go with a dealership though.
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Sep 19, 2009 03:44
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There's plenty of other stuff that isn't particularly difficult - coolant changes if you're liquid-cooled, air filter, chain tension adjustment (or even changes), swingarm removal and lubrication, even some basic enginework if you have a decent torque wrench in the right spec. Valve adjustment is entirely doable if you take your time. (Much of this depends upon the bike's configuration, of course.) One vote for armored leather pants - not only will that usually be the first part of you to hit the ground, but there's no guaranteeing you'll touch knee first. I went down at low speed a couple weeks ago, and I gripped the tank all the way to the ground; there are scuffmarks on the leathers down by my ankle and up by my hip, and the hip is still achy if I position it wrong. Had I been wearing jeans with kneepads (which I do do, occasionally), I'd most likely have rashed a good portion of my leg.
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Sep 19, 2009 06:29
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So I sold my SV some days ago and can't decide on what bike I should buy next. Things I'd like to have:
I guess that doesn't leave a lot of choice other than BMW. Right now, I'm trying to decide between the R1100 GS, the F650 GS and the R80 GS. I like the 1100, but I worry that it'll have too much power and weight for my 2.5 years and only 25000 km of riding experience. The 650 is nice, but it has a chain drive and I don't know how it behaves with luggage or a passanger.  Any other suggestions or tips would be appreciated 
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Sep 21, 2009 10:43
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Sheik Yerbouti posted:Any other suggestions or tips would be appreciated Not really, since you seem to have it all figured out already. With the criteria listed the R1100 or a Moto Guzzi Breva will be perfect. Personally I would go for the Breva, but I'm kind of a masochist when it comes to bikes, so you'll be fine with the BMW. Power and weight shouldn't really worry you. Power is optional unless your right arm is seriously disabled, and weight is only really felt when the bike is in a horizontal position going 0 mph. In that case you're already hosed. If you've got 2.5 years experience riding a SV, I think you can manage the R1100. It's not really all that fast, and speed is optional. It's a really well behaving bike too, and I doubt you'll regret that purchase. Trust your instincts and go for it.
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Sep 21, 2009 11:35
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N/M - D/P
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Sep 21, 2009 11:35
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Sheik Yerbouti posted:So I sold my SV some days ago and can't decide on what bike I should buy next. Honda ST Kawasaki Concours 14
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Sep 21, 2009 15:42
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Sheik Yerbouti posted:So I sold my SV some days ago and can't decide on what bike I should buy next. F650s are pretty cramped with a passenger so unless you're both small I'd look at the R1100GS. Is there a reason you're looking at the dual sport models vs the street models? The R1100R and the R1150R are both cheaper. GS bikes hold onto their resale value like Charlton Heston holds onto his guns. If you're looking to do just basic dirt roads the R bikes all have a fair bit of ground clearance. My R1150R works just fine on easy mountain passes with some 90/10 tires.
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Sep 21, 2009 15:53
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Sheik Yerbouti posted:So I sold my SV some days ago and can't decide on what bike I should buy next. At 2.5 years I was worried about the same thing that you were concerned about...I was considering buying a CBR 929RR, though, and ended up buying it and was fine. Are you looking at the BMWs because of the offroad capabilities? Or just because they're the shafties with ABS available? If it's the second, I'd go for a Connie 14 in a heartbeat. Fantastic, fantastic bikes, integrated hard luggage, tire pressure monitors, ABS...the whole 9 yards. I'll probably dig one up in a couple of years when I'm done with the ZZR. The R1100 doesn't make that much more HP than your SV, it just has a fair bit more low end pull. A 650cc water cooled Vtwin and a 1100cc, air cooled, opposed twin, are actually surprisingly similar.
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Sep 21, 2009 18:46
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I'd like some offroad capabilities. I don't want to dig around in the mud (at least not with a 1100), but I'd like the bike to be able to take on gravel, for example. Also, I just prefer the looks of a dual sport. The R1100 GS and R1100 R cost pretty much the same over here, at least those within my budget of about 3000€. Well, thanks guys, I guess I'm encouraged now. What about reliability? Are there any horror stories about the BMW bikes I should know about? I know that the paralever bikes initially had issues with transmission bearings and failing driveshafts, which I think has been adressed with the 1100 and 850 models... are there other things to know?
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Sep 21, 2009 19:26
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Sheik Yerbouti posted:What about reliability? Are there any horror stories about the BMW bikes I should know about? I know that the paralever bikes initially had issues with transmission bearings and failing driveshafts, which I think has been adressed with the 1100 and 850 models... are there other things to know? As far as I know, there's no issues with the R1100. My father in law has one and he's a general pain in the rear end. If there were any serious issues, I would probably know all about them by now. I've used that bike for a 100 km travel, and that's all my experience with it. I weren't disappointed at all. The R1100 has some low revolution guts and generally behaves very well. Go for it.
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Sep 21, 2009 19:58
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Sheik Yerbouti posted:I'd like some offroad capabilities. I don't want to dig around in the mud (at least not with a 1100), but I'd like the bike to be able to take on gravel, for example. Also, I just prefer the looks of a dual sport. The clutches on both bikes tend to go around 60k and replacing them runs around 1K for a shop to do it. Final drives on those bikes are rather solid and sound as long as you don't overload them for a long time. Some surging is reported on both models but outside of first gear it's nothing to worry about. The fuel line couplers are cheap plastic and crack over time replace them with better metal ones. The battery is a pain to get to (remove the tank) so you should put a sealed one in there and just forget about it. Overall they're one of the more solid BMW bikes out there. The R1150GS had many more final drive failures and the R100 had poor alternators and the final drives were considered a wear part.
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Sep 21, 2009 20:19
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Sheik Yerbouti posted:I'd like some offroad capabilities. I don't want to dig around in the mud (at least not with a 1100), but I'd like the bike to be able to take on gravel, for example. Also, I just prefer the looks of a dual sport. You could run a connie 14 up gravel roads without an issue. I've run the ZZR up gravel roads without problems, sure, it's not exactly in it's element, but if I had a dollar for every time someone said they wanted to offroad a GS and it never left the dirt, I'd probably be buying one for myself
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Sep 21, 2009 22:01
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Thanks for the advice, Blaster of Justice, Zool, PlasticSun and Z3n! Well, the Connie 14, or 1400GTR as it's called over here, costs three times the price I'm able to pay.  Also, as I said, I like the looks and the higher seating position of a dual sport, as well as the wide handlebar. Finally, I don't like faired motorcycles. At least I'm not the kind of person to buy a GS Adventure and only ride it a few km to work and back. I's not that I want a GS just because it's a BMW, but because I like dual sports and they have ABS, a shaft drive and reliability. I'd buy a Breva too (I know it's a standard), but they are pretty expensive and I've been told that replacement parts either take a long time to get or are very expensive too.  I thought about buying a V-Strom 650 or 1000, but they have these ugly giant pieces of plastic at the front.
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Sep 22, 2009 12:06
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I've finally reached the inevitable conclusion that just one bike isn't enough and feel like cleaning out the savings account on a dual sport. The question is, which one? I'm dancing between the KLR650, DR650 and XR650 since they are plentiful and cheap on the used market, but is one somehow better than the other? Or should I look at something else entirely? Looking to spend no more than $3k redscare fucked around with this message at 18:51 on Sep 22, 2009 |
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Sep 22, 2009 18:29
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Sheik Yerbouti posted:I'd like some offroad capabilities. I don't want to dig around in the mud (at least not with a 1100), but I'd like the bike to be able to take on gravel, for example. Gravel and moderate mud are more issues of rider skill/stupidity. I did many thousands of miles of gravel and mud on an old Yamaha Virago 750 (air-cooled v-twin cruiser)
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Sep 22, 2009 18:37
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Sheik Yerbouti posted:I thought about buying a V-Strom 650 or 1000, but they have these ugly giant pieces of plastic at the front. Also, chain drive.
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Sep 22, 2009 18:38
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redscare posted:I've finally reached the inevitable conclusion that just one bike isn't enough and feel like cleaning out the savings account on a dual sport. The question is, which one? DRZ400SM. It's your only real choice. With the appropriate tires it'll handle any reasonable offroading. Seriously though? I'd find a DRZ350 and ride the hell out of that. I had a friend find one for 1100$ with a few things that needed to be done to it, and it's an awesome little bike. Not great for freeways, but what are you doing on the freeway on a dual sport anyways? Failing that, I'd go with an old model KLR or KLX if you can find it...the KLX is lighter and has a bit more go.
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Sep 22, 2009 19:23
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Since I am 6'5" and weigh around 240lbs, would it be advisable to go for an ex500 instead of a 250? Would it matter? I love the look of the new 250/500's, but I doubt I could afford a new 500 very soon. Of course to really answer this I'd have to go sit on both and see how they fit. I really would like a 2008 ex250, but there aren't that many available right now (for a reasonable price at least).
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Sep 22, 2009 19:37
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