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Not that I view a kickstart as a necessity, but I don't have any problem kicking my KTM 625 supermoto 100% of the time, since the electric start is borked. On the rare occasion that it does weakly kick back it doesn't even have enough force to hurt my foot or force my leg in an awkward angle or anything. I'm also 5'8" and 145ish pounds so I'm not exactly tall or heavy.
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Dec 19, 2010 03:07
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drat, you must be pretty skinny so that says something. I am 5'7" 170 and I wouldn't say I am overweight.
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Dec 19, 2010 04:03
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I'm 5'9 140-145 pounds. Skinny skinny. Also had no problems kick starting my DR650. It did have a decompression cable though.
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Dec 19, 2010 04:18
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MrZig posted:I'm 5'9 140-145 pounds. Skinny skinny. Yeah, I have to get it to TDC, and then nudge it just past with the decompression lever, then after cycling the kickstart back up, give it a healthy kick and that's more than enough. And my weight's not even really on the kickstarter since it's a KTM with a goofy kickstart on the left, forcing me to stand off to the side of the bike and use my right foot.
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Dec 19, 2010 22:29
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All well and good, but as I own a KDX which is a reluctant cold starter, I'd like to banish kicking, sweating and swearing sessions. 
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Dec 20, 2010 07:48
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http://miami.craigslist.org/pbc/mcy/2119240037.html E:Bmw R100s How good are these. They repair cheap and easy? How about for a first bike. (I'v rode but I'm talking first owned bike) If this ones not reasonable whats the cheapest and best way to get "That look of a bike" but one that can be repaired easily and ride for a while to come. I might scrap the whole vintage standard idea and just get an 03+ sv650. Any goons out there 6'3'' and ride an sv650? I feel like it will be too small for me. Anyone know how large those beamers are? What about a cb750? Any advice on a standard ish-looking bike around 3K used for a 6 foot 3 guy. philkop fucked around with this message at 16:40 on Dec 20, 2010 |
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Dec 20, 2010 16:00
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They're dead reliable and designed to be worked on on the side of the road with hand tools, so yeah, pretty easy. Not sure I'd say it's a good first bike, though.
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Dec 20, 2010 16:43
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philkop posted:http://miami.craigslist.org/pbc/mcy/2119240037.html Not much stopping or gripping ability compared to a modern bike. They're smallish, but not light (~220kg wet). Also, why buy a relic as a first bike? Modern bikes, at least Japanese ones, really don't do much breaking down. At the least the ones I've owned don't. If you want something that looks like an R100, buy a reasonably low-mile (under 50k, to put an arbitrary number on it) BMW R1100R with a full service history. Stops, goes and turns corners pretty well.
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Dec 20, 2010 16:45
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philkop posted:I might scrap the whole vintage standard idea and just get an 03+ sv650. Any goons out there 6'3'' and ride an sv650? I have a friend that height who fits on an SV650 just fine. Because it's a standard and you're not forced into a pretzel position, it accommodates a large variety of people.
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Dec 20, 2010 16:51
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I do like the look of the r1100r. I see alot of ladies on them in image searches. Makes me worry about the size. I might go take a seat on it.FuzzyWuzzyBear posted:I have a friend that height who fits on an SV650 just fine. Because it's a standard and you're not forced into a pretzel position, it accommodates a large variety of people. Good to know, the sv650 has always been in the back of my mind as one of my dream (obtainable) bikes. Putting links together to relive clutter. http://miami.craigslist.org/mdc/mcy/2114925925.html http://miami.craigslist.org/mdc/mcy/2106279874.html http://miami.craigslist.org/pbc/mcy/2119240037.html philkop fucked around with this message at 17:00 on Dec 20, 2010 |
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Dec 20, 2010 16:52
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What's the comparison between Monster and Sv650? Are they pretty evenly matched or is the only reason to get a duc because you want one?
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Dec 20, 2010 16:54
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As far as I can tell, the only reason to get a Ducati is if you really want a Ducati. They're very similar bikes and the SV650 is more reliable and cheaper. Performance may have a slight nod toward the Monster because of suspension but really they're pretty comparable. Also, the SV650 has a huge aftermarket and is insanely popular as a racing platform.
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Dec 20, 2010 17:05
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I think it depends on the specific Monster, but by all reports the 6xx Monsters' suspensions aren't a whole lot better than an SV's, if at all.
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Dec 20, 2010 17:11
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FuzzyWuzzyBear posted:As far as I can tell, the only reason to get a Ducati is if you really want a Ducati. They're very similar bikes and the SV650 is more reliable and cheaper. Performance may have a slight nod toward the Monster because of suspension but really they're pretty comparable. If your'e shelling out ducati money what about triumphs street triple. My opinion is biased and purely based on the street triples badassery. Also for the bmw r1100r:  Would that be too intense for a first bike? Iv rode a 650 for a while but it was my dads 650 vstar, which I'm assuming is completely different. And the beamer is a good 400 more in displacement than I'm used to.
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Dec 20, 2010 17:12
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Russian Bear posted:What's the comparison between Monster and Sv650? Are they pretty evenly matched or is the only reason to get a duc because you want one? With the exception of some of the higher-spec Monsters produced in the past few years, I would think the nod goes to the SV. Cost of ownership is going to be MUCH higher on the Ducati unless you do all of your own wrenching. Even then it will still be a higher. If your main focus is carbon fiber and sparkly bits, the Monsters are very well supported. Anything that actually makes the bike perform better will be more available for the SV since they are such popular race bikes. On the other hand you would have a Ducati. A Ducati. Some justification for ownership just lies in that fact. P.S. I have a Ducati. My opinion is not to be trusted.
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Dec 20, 2010 17:31
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philkop posted:I do like the look of the r1100r. I see alot of ladies on them in image searches. Makes me worry about the size. I might go take a seat on it. That SV is suspiciously cheap. They probably have a bunch of fees to tack on to make it like 2.5-3k OTD, but if it's in good shape, has mechanical records, is a clean title, that'd be about the perfect starter bike. You need to go sit on bikes, everyone's built a little differently and that means height means very little when it comes to comfort on a bike. Plus it's your first bike so you'll be hurting anyways, takes time to build up the riding muscles.
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Dec 20, 2010 18:33
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philkop posted:I do like the look of the r1100r. I see alot of ladies on them in image searches. Makes me worry about the size. I might go take a seat on it. The 1100R is not a particularly light bike, but it has a lowish seat and is very comfy. It feels almost like a cruiser if you're used to sports bikes, but can actually be hustled at some speed. That one has a lot of crap bolted to it which somewhat ruins the looks (although it's all removable), but makes it hugely practical - highway screen, full luggage and it's an abs bike. Looks nice to me, only thing that's missing is "full service history". As far as whether it's too much bike, yes, quite possibly. The SV would be a better choice for starting on. Less weight, less torque, less power. Even better would be the usual suspects choice of a Kawasaki Ninja 250 or EX500. Ride for a year or two, drop it a few times, and once you've done some learning, get something bigger. The 500 will do pretty much anything (tour, commute, track day), keep up with traffic and costs very little to buy and run. To me, buying a fossil (e.g. an 80s R100) is not an effective way to short circuit the learning curve. Hot Buttered, over here they substantially reduced the required desmo adjustment and belt change intervals for the new Monsters, and I think Ducati have reduced the book time for services to reduce cost of ownership. I was looking at a 796, and it wasn't that much worse than my Honda if you worked on it by the book. I'd personally go for a 696 or 796 over an SV, but then like you I rather like Ducatis (although I've never
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Dec 20, 2010 22:35
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Saga posted:Hot Buttered, over here they substantially reduced the required desmo adjustment and belt change intervals for the new Monsters, and I think Ducati have reduced the book time for services to reduce cost of ownership. I was looking at a 796, and it wasn't that much worse than my Honda if you worked on it by the book. In 2007 (or maybe 08), Ducati dropped service costs by 50% on all new bikes. It was a combination of some increased intervals and set service prices (although of course that's at dealers only).
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Dec 21, 2010 04:15
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2ndclasscitizen posted:In 2007 (or maybe 08), Ducati dropped service costs by 50% on all new bikes. It was a combination of some increased intervals and set service prices (although of course that's at dealers only). I wasn't aware of that. I kinda figured that if someone was cross shopping SV's and Monsters, they wouldn't be looking at anything higher spec than an S2R or even an M900. Certainly nothing new. Should have done my homework though. Good to know.
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Dec 21, 2010 05:51
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Hot Buttered posted:I wasn't aware of that. I kinda figured that if someone was cross shopping SV's and Monsters, they wouldn't be looking at anything higher spec than an S2R or even an M900. Certainly nothing new. Should have done my homework though. Good to know. The fixed prices in the UK for the aircooled mills are very reasonable. According to CMW, the desmo adjustment and service would run me about what I pay for the 8k on my Hornet. On the current heads, don't know if this is the case with the old ones, there's a little square cap secured by an allen bolt which I assume is for the adjustment. Looks liked it was designed for extreme ease of access. The new monsters are absolutely tiny and beautifully put together with much nicer ergos than the old ones. Even the smallest monster has a perfectly respectable power output now. Only drawback is the price, but these days the Japanese are trying to sell £9,000 nakeds, so I'm not even sure that's an issue if you have the money to spare. Still trying to find a weekend when I'm not on childcare duties or it's not snowing so I can take a hypermotard or monster 796 out for a test ride. 
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Dec 21, 2010 10:02
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http://miami.craigslist.org/mdc/mcy/2105381383.html Seriously considering this one. Once I figure out which bike I'm going to get do any mechanically savy goons living in the south florida area want to check it out with me for some food. If not would it be a good idea to just "rent" a mechanic to come with me? Also http://miami.craigslist.org/mdc/mcy/2120652371.html That cant be legit, I'm just wondering what the catch could possibly be. Im still at such a loss. Part of me still wants an enduro too. I know its a totally different ballpark, but how does a newerish honda xr650L compare to these. I know theyr geared totally different so my main worry is I'd get the 650 and I'd would still feel needing of a "motorcycle."
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Dec 21, 2010 19:58
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Buy the SV. It's reliable, it's functional, it does everything you need, and you can sell it in the future for what you paid for it. You don't know what bike you want yet, so just buy the SV and enjoy riding without worrying about maintenance on a 30 year old bike. Seriously, don't buy a 3200 CB550. Or even a 2300$ CB550.
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Dec 21, 2010 20:08
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Z3n posted:Buy the SV. It's reliable, it's functional, it does everything you need, and you can sell it in the future for what you paid for it. You don't know what bike you want yet, so just buy the SV and enjoy riding without worrying about maintenance on a 30 year old bike. Seriously. CB550's are pretty rare, and their power delivery is supposed to come on strong like a sportbike, which means it'll be harder to learn on. I second getting a more modern bike to start on. I bought a 30yo bike because my budget was so low and it's been a mixed bag learning to ride and wrench at the same time.
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Dec 21, 2010 22:12
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Ok I'll take everyones advice against the old bike thing. I'll wait till I'm better off financially and then get an old beamer purely to fix. (in addition to my daily driver) So the sv650s power is all in the low range, is it in the low range in the same way lets say a dr 650 would be in? I don't want to keep arguing when people have been saying the sv for a while (I was on here a good year ago in the same situation.) The reasons I would get the dr650 (or honda 650sl) over the sv would be (at least this is how I imagine it would be,which may not even be true..or they might also be true of the sv) would be that in my head I imagine the dr will be built to withstand heavier riding. I could ride to the beach, go over curbs, go through some trails and explore without worrying about dropping it or loosing traction. I want to get into adventure riding too. Not sure if thats a pretty naive dream that every motorcyclist has at one point or another but it still sounds great nonetheless. I plan to start small as soon as I get comfortable on the bike. Pack light bring some basic gear and go riding for a few days just up to Georgia or something(I live in south florida.) E: anybody out there have the 650l or dr650 as a daily driver? Tldr: Down to the sv650 or dr650.. what are some pros and cons of each. (hard to find comparisons of such different bikes anywhere online) philkop fucked around with this message at 22:43 on Dec 21, 2010 |
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Dec 21, 2010 22:38
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The DR will be worse on the freeway, but will respond to tip overs better. The SV will be a better street bike, more power, better brakes, better tires. If you're going to be riding rough offroad (not just hardpack), then the DR is probably a better choice. If you're going to be doing a lot of street riding with the occasional gravel road or hardpack, you'll want the SV. There's no comparisons because the bikes are completely different and designed to do completely different things.
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Dec 21, 2010 22:56
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Awesome, Thanks Z3n. After looking up what hardpack meant (I had a rough idea) thats basically the extent of my offroad riding. Another one just popped up. http://miami.craigslist.org/pbc/mcy/2119320358.html E: the 08 was my favorite year asthetically too. philkop fucked around with this message at 02:30 on Dec 22, 2010 |
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Dec 22, 2010 01:57
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philkop posted:Awesome, Thanks Z3n. After looking up what hardpack meant (I had a rough idea) thats basically the extent of my offroad riding. That's a good deal but you may as well go with the older, cheaper one, it'll depreciate less.
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Dec 22, 2010 02:24
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I'll check out the old one with a mechanic. Anything to look for specifically on the 03 svs? I might go with the 08 just because I like the look and color better. And its the s model. I do love that odd front fairing. Cars will think im riding an r1
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Dec 22, 2010 02:33
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philkop posted:I might go with the 08 just because I like the look and color better. And its the s model.
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Dec 22, 2010 02:55
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Endless Mike posted:No it's not. It's a naked with an aftermarket windshield. Oh thanks. 
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Dec 22, 2010 03:04
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Hello friends! I wanna be a biker! I've never ridden a motorcycle before but now that I'm starting to become a little bit more independent, I've decided I'd like to get a bike. I'm not a big fan of the crotchrocket genre (or whatever the polite name to call them is). Nothing against them, just have no big interest. I'm more interested in Harleys. As I've never ridden and I don't have the money for much of anything (especially new), I'm looking for some advice on what I should get. First, I'm 6'4 and 250#. I'm not a small man. Second, when it comes to Harleys, the styles I'm most attracted to fall in the Softail and Dyna categories. I'm looking for something to start out on and I plan on finding some classes around here but haven't seen anything advertised yet. I plan on riding to work, and cruising around town, mostly. A couple local bars have bike nights and such. Other than that, short stretches down the highway to see the fam, and maybe an occasional long run here and there. If I enjoy it enough, it may become my main vehicle (as I'm getting ready to get rid of my car and probably pick up a friend's old truck). So, are these bikes too much machine for a new rider to handle? What should I be looking for as a new bike in this category, and what's the bottom of the spectrum of what I should expect to pay? (I've gotta start saving). Thanks guys. Maybe after I get used to riding I will join the Sons of Anarchy.
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Dec 22, 2010 22:35
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Pretty much any Harley will be pretty heavy for a first bike, but lots of people start on Sportsters so maybe they're not too bad. Power-wise, I don't think Harley makes anything that a new rider can't handle, especially considering their weight. I will say that usually it's best to take the MSF Basic Rider Course and attain your license before you buy your first bike so you have a better idea of how bikes work, what they feel like, and what you want. You may end up loving the idea of a small light bike like they have at MSF, you never know. Also, there's a lot more out there than either "crotch rockets" (sportbikes) or Harleys. Do some research and maybe you'll find something you like in between these two extremes. I myself ride a supermoto, which is a weird hybrid dirt bike with street tires - hardly anybody knows what to make of it, but gently caress if it isn't the most fun thing ever. Also, even though it's not in vogue for cruiser riders to wear gear, do yourself a favor and get yourself a full-face helmet, leather or textile motorcycle jacket, some moto gloves, and boots, at the minimum. FuzzyWuzzyBear fucked around with this message at 22:43 on Dec 22, 2010 |
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Dec 22, 2010 22:40
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If you can go without the Harley name, there are a lot of bikes that do the same look and are a shitload cheaper.
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Dec 22, 2010 23:26
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I have had a Ninja 250 for the last 15 month (about) and rode it a lot but I really want a bike I can ride through the woods. I have a couple of friends with land I could ride on and also plan on doing a lot more, maybe with local rider groups. I sold the Ninja last week and was looking at a DRZ-400 and saw this on ADVrider http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=631722 I am pretty sure I can tag it in NC (anyone know for sure?) and from what I read here (I think Becktastic said it in the street to dirt thread) this is basically a DRZ-400 only slightly better for dirt. Now, for the time being this would be my only bike. I would ride it on the highway too, not much though. This summer I'd like to go on a 2 or 3 week ride (at least) involving camping and riding lots of dual sport trails, like start at bottom of the parkway and head up the Appalachian mountain range. Any reason this bike is not a good fit? Price, anything I should make sure of? It is a 6 hour commitment to get up where it is, but I could take the train and ride it back, even better if he meets me halfway in Roanoke at that train stop, so the distance isn't a big deal unless I get there and it is a piece of garbage or whatever. Also, looking down the road I do have the financial means to buy a more street oriented bike as well, so it won't be my only bike forever or anything. I just don't want more than one bike now because I may be moving in the mid-short term future. Once I've figured all that out (summertime) I will probably buy a street bike for visiting friends out of town and stuff Ribsauce fucked around with this message at 04:31 on Dec 23, 2010 |
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Dec 23, 2010 04:13
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If i'm not mistaken thats a KLX400 and not a DRZ400, different animals. I can't tell from those pictures but the KLX doesn't look street legal? I don't see any/many lights on it or a headlight. If you want something more street oriented instead, theres always the SV650, it'd be a nice bump up from the Ninja 250 you had.
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Dec 23, 2010 05:54
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infraboy posted:If i'm not mistaken thats a KLX400 and not a DRZ400, different animals. To tag it in NC, you may have to put signals on it, but it shouldn't be hard.
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Dec 23, 2010 06:02
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Shows how much I know about bikes!  Yeah thats a good deal on a drz :3
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Dec 23, 2010 06:06
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Ribsauce posted:Also, looking down the road I do have the financial means to buy a more street oriented bike as well, so it won't be my only bike forever or anything. You pretty much want a DRZ-400E with some 80/20 road/offroad tires. Any bigger and you won't be riding through much woods, and any smaller and you won't be going on any highways. I'd also suggest the WR250 but that's newer and it sounds like you're on a budget. The KLX you have linked there will also work fine, but those knobbies won't last long on the highway.
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Dec 23, 2010 07:39
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Miss Fats posted:As I've never ridden and I don't have the money for much of anything (especially new), I'm looking for some advice on what I should get Well, you can forget Harleys for a while then. I'd say get an older model Shadow or VStar to mess around and learn on while you save up for your Harley.
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Dec 23, 2010 15:56
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Doctor Zero posted:Well, you can forget Harleys for a while then. I'd say get an older model Shadow or VStar to mess around and learn on while you save up for your Harley. Honda Rebel.
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Dec 23, 2010 16:36
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