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Antigeist posted:I have had a CB500F for about a month now and have been commuting on it a few times a week into Philadelphia (about 100 miles round trip). Fun little bike, not too much power, but more than enough for the highway. I would have to agree on looking into another bike if a significant portion of your commute is on dirt. I have to do about 1/4 mile of gravel to get home and that is about as far as I would ever want to take it on dirt. You could do more, but it wouldn't be fun. What part of it wouldn't be fun? clutchpuck posted:There are surely a few knobby-ish tire options available for you regardless of bike. Sounds like what you are after are some "trail" type radials like the Pirelli MT-90, Scorpion Trail or Shinko 705s. There's a few around on some further research. Maybe I just had it in my mind that there wasn't a lot in 17". And there's not, but there's some. thylacine posted:Just get some dual sport 80/20 or 90/10 tires. How long are you on dirt? Is it just a dirt road or a trail? 5 miles each way, nasty dirt road with heavy washboard and lots of embedded rocks. But nothing a car can't drive down, so no obstacles or anything.
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Jul 18, 2013 16:29
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What do you ride now, Wiggles? I remember some posts and pics of the road you ride everyday, probably from years ago. Also remember you being a voice of reason in the DnD religion threads  (tho maybe that was just compared to Victor, haha)
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Jul 18, 2013 20:01
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nsaP posted:What do you ride now, Wiggles? I remember some posts and pics of the road you ride everyday, probably from years ago. Right now, nothing. The best thing ever up and down the dirt part of the commute was a Super Sherpa (I'm short and I like short bikes), but it's too slow for the freeway part, especially with triple hay trucks sharing the road with me. And they just don't make religion threads like they used to.
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Jul 18, 2013 20:28
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Tried a 650GS? They're renowned for being short.
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Jul 19, 2013 03:55
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Nice bikes, but not twice the price nice.
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Jul 19, 2013 05:13
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 Somebody please talk me out of this. The dealer wants an even grand for it. Is there anything I should look out for with a bike this old? Dealer's page said it was a legitimate barn find. $1,000 seems a little cheap for almost any kind of street legal bike that's running without problems. Is this as good a deal as I think it is? BaKESAL3 fucked around with this message at 18:01 on Jul 21, 2013 |
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Jul 21, 2013 17:47
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I'm looking to get my first bike so I went to the bike store to look and seat on some bikes. I haven't taken the safety course so I'm just scoping stuff out. They're a Kawasaki and Honda dealer so I was looking at those models. I'm 6'2" 200lb so the CBR250R was a bit small. They also didn't have any Ninja 250/300's in and they were saying that they don't know when they'll get some. So I was looking at the CBR500R and CB500X which they had one of. I haven't ridden a motorcycle before so I don't know what style I want but general style I like is the sport or standard. I currently driver a sporty car so I figured driving tendencies follow you from car to bike? Anyways, anything wrong is either of those two models? The other one he mentioned would be good to start on is the Ninja 650. They had that in blue and the CBR500R in Red. If the CBR was in red white and blue I probably would've bought it right then. Of course on the drive back a biker got on the highway behind me and followed me for most of the ride back as if he was just reminding me I could be him (he even did the wave to another biker we passed).
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Jul 21, 2013 18:02
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Those Honda 500s will be a great starter bike...in a few years. As of now they're pretty good, but their once downside is that you're buying new. The initial costs of buying are higher, you take the hit of depreciation, and your doing it all on something that you could total with a very small mistake. Used bikes are usually recommended because they're less expensive, depreciate less, and have pretty good parts availability if you get a popular bike like the ninjas. I have a friend who wanted to ride and his ideal first bike was a BMW F650. I convinced him to look used and at Ninja 250s, and the first ones he looked at were the 2008+ generation for ~3000 bucks. I told him to try to find one a bit older, and he ended up with a 2005 for ~2000 bucks. Two weeks later this happened:  Imagine if that had been a shiny new BMW. edit: Also Cars are not equal to bikes in any way so I wouldn't spend much time drawing parallels.
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Jul 21, 2013 18:10
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Yeah I've been looking at craigslist so see what the used market is like in my area (NH). I'm hopefully taking the rider safety course in a couple weeks so baring I pass I'll be looking to putting money does on something then. I have a coworker with a cruise so I might see if he can let me ride it so I can see how that feels. The sales dude did say I can ride his sport bike once I pass the test as well. choices choices.
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Jul 21, 2013 18:18
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BaKESAL3 posted:
Read the website description a little closer. "True barn find has been sitting for years, and is not running." SVC can be a little hit-or-miss. I've bought 2 new bikes there, and had good experiences, but then their service department pissed me off and no one cared, so they're not getting any more of my money again. There's also a couple stories of them taking months to fix Triumphs under warranty.
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Jul 22, 2013 03:41
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Sooo...I will be looking at buying my first bike in a few weeks. When I have a specific bike found, I'll ask here for advice. But generally speaking, can I have a mechanic look at a motorcycle before I purchase it, like with a used car?
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Jul 22, 2013 03:52
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Oxford Comma posted:Sooo...I will be looking at buying my first bike in a few weeks. When I have a specific bike found, I'll ask here for advice. But generally speaking, can I have a mechanic look at a motorcycle before I purchase it, like with a used car? A bike mechanic, sure. I can't speak for your area but most dealerships around here do a pre-purchase inspection which (I found out to my dismay) is pretty rigorous.
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Jul 22, 2013 04:06
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Slavvy posted:A bike mechanic, sure. I can't speak for your area but most dealerships around here do a pre-purchase inspection which (I found out to my dismay) is pretty rigorous.
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Jul 22, 2013 04:14
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Slavvy posted:A bike mechanic, sure. I can't speak for your area but most dealerships around here do a pre-purchase inspection which (I found out to my dismay) is pretty rigorous. How does this work? Do I tell a guy selling his motorcycle that I want ABC Mechanic to look at it, they take it to mechanic, who looks it over and gives me a report?
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Jul 22, 2013 04:17
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You bring a mechanic to any meeting you have with the guy. If I was selling I'd have to be assured you were very interested before I took my time to ride over to your mechanic.
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Jul 22, 2013 04:24
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Oxford Comma posted:How does this work? Do I tell a guy selling his motorcycle that I want ABC Mechanic to look at it, they take it to mechanic, who looks it over and gives me a report? I'd say it would depend on how much you're paying. If you're buying a $10,000 ducati then the seller had better be prepared to take it for a PPI. If you're buying a $1000 ninja just bring your mate with you and kick the tyres. Rev. Dr. Moses P. Lester posted:Is it? What did they do? They anally checked literally everything; I didn't even know my 919 had worn out head bearings and slightly bent handlebars (it was extremely subtle but definitely there). They also obsessively noted down every single tiny modification, every scratch/dent/whatever and were generally much more thorough than it's possible to be when you're looking at a bike in someone's driveway. I work at a car dealership and the level of detail surprised me; it was certainly much more indepth than most automotive PPI's I've seen.
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Jul 22, 2013 04:27
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I'm thinking about getting my first motorcycle since 2008. I really want to get a cruiser style bike for highway riding mostly, but HDs aren't my thing. A friend of a friend has a former police KZ1000. Does anyone have any opinions on this model and thoughts on it being a former police bike?
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Jul 26, 2013 00:02
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Police bikes have a rough time; lots of idling and high speed riding while cold. That said, Kawasaki made a ton of those bikes, FOREVER, so you'll probably never have trouble finding a part. Along those lines, I like the Vulcan Voyager/Vaqueros with the frame-mounted fairings, they look a lot like those old KZP fairings to me. Those KZ1000Ps are extra cool if you can rig up a MFP-style fairing though. aww yea... 
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Jul 26, 2013 00:19
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No Egrets posted:I'm thinking about getting my first motorcycle since 2008. I really want to get a cruiser style bike for highway riding mostly, but HDs aren't my thing. A friend of a friend has a former police KZ1000. Does anyone have any opinions on this model and thoughts on it being a former police bike? Check out the Yamaha Bolt.
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Jul 26, 2013 00:59
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There's an ADVRider thread about the KZ1000Ps where guys talk about seeing tired ones being put out to pasture after over 200k miles
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Jul 26, 2013 02:08
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Sooo...I just finished my MSF course, and should get my motorcycle license in another week or so. I posted earlier about dual-sport bikes and the KLR 650 seems to be the consensus as not only the best dual-sport bike for my $3000 budget, but a good beginner's bike as well. How well do they do on highways, at speeds > 70mph? Is the lack of a fuel gauge a big concern, or do you just switch over to reserves and head to the gas station? Are there any other decent beginner bikes besides the KLR and Ninja 250 that I should be looking at? I *really* like the aesthetics of the Triumph Bonneville and the new Honda Shadow, but those are well out of my price range. I also like the BMW F650 but don't wanna pay BMW prices for parts. I like the look of Duactis but...yeah.... Also I'm going to apologize in advance for coming into this thread every day with a whole new list of bikes that I really want. Its just how my selection process works. Please be gentle on me. :ohdear> Oxford Comma fucked around with this message at 03:43 on Jul 27, 2013 |
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Jul 27, 2013 03:35
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Fuel gauge is not important, you just use the trip odometer and fill up at 150 or 200 miles. A KLR will pull 75mph all day. People bitch about it being buzzy, but that's just hand feel and you can reduce it through bar end weights, etc.
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Jul 27, 2013 04:57
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MotoMind posted:Fuel gauge is not important, you just use the trip odometer and fill up at 150 or 200 miles. Is there any reason I should be looking at anything other than a KLR 650 for my first bike, especially since I'm kinda tempted by something dual sport?
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Jul 27, 2013 05:05
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Oxford Comma posted:Is there any reason I should be looking at anything other than a KLR 650 for my first bike, especially since I'm kinda tempted by something dual sport? Not really. If you don't like it, assuming you don't destroy it, you can sell it later for more or less what you paid, anyway. If you're a shorter person the KLR can be kind of tall, but that can be dealt with, and all dual sports are going to be like that.
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Jul 27, 2013 05:15
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Oxford Comma posted:Is there any reason I should be looking at anything other than a KLR 650 for my first bike, especially since I'm kinda tempted by something dual sport? Maybe you're a communist, or you hate fun, or something. Seriously, the KLR is a great bike. If the doohickey isn't fixed yet, take care of it. Then change the oil, give it gas, and ride the hell out of it. re: fuel gauge. It's no big deal. Either fill 'er up every 150-200 miles, or learn how to twiddle with the petcock by braille. It'll catch you off guard the first time, but before long, you'll be switching to reserve on the Interstate without getting out of the fast lane*. I had a translucent seven gallon IMS tank on my KLR, so I learned to fill my tank when when the level got to about *there*. *No, I learned, you can't go about 20 miles on reserve on the Interstate on reserve. You'll run out of gas at the top of the offramp and have to push it to the gas station.
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Jul 27, 2013 05:23
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re: dual sport Where do you live? Are there lots of dirt roads around? ORV Parks/ATV Trails? Watch these guys, they have real fun on dual-sports (one of them is on a DR650, a similiar to KLR bike. A lot of people start with KLRs then try out other bikes): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDl0NRpoddI Is this what you want to do? Myself, I live somewhere mostly flat and boring. All the roads are straight, so going out in the country/minimum maintenance roads adds some variety and it's fun. There's not much to see here besides the sky, and you see a lot of sky out in the country. Standing up going 50 mph down a dirt road is pretty fun. hint: don't get an old BMW, they're expensive. unbuttonedclone fucked around with this message at 05:52 on Jul 27, 2013 |
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Jul 27, 2013 05:49
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Let's just agree on this and make it a real 5-year plan. The Kawasaki KLR650 should be issued to every new rider at or above 5'8". Every new rider below 5'8" should be issued a Suzuki DR650. Comrades, report to your farkling stations. Edit: The DR650 is underrated by KLR riders. There are some stupid big bore kits for that bike. What are they up to now, 790cc in overbore alone?
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Jul 27, 2013 07:08
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MotoMind posted:Let's just agree on this and make it a real 5-year plan. The Kawasaki KLR650 should be issued to every new rider at or above 5'8". Every new rider below 5'8" should be issued a Suzuki DR650. Comrades, report to your farkling stations. Alright, I'm sold on the KLR 650. Now someone from the Bay Area tell me where I can find some trails to ride on.
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Jul 28, 2013 02:39
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DR650 is tall for those of us in the 5'5" 5'6" range, though. But a super sherpa is great!
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Jul 28, 2013 02:43
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Thanks for all the advice. I should be pulling the trigger on something within the next couple months, will report back then!
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Jul 28, 2013 05:05
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Drz400 and only have to replace your back tire!
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Jul 28, 2013 06:16
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Oxford Comma posted:Alright, I'm sold on the KLR 650. Now someone from the Bay Area tell me where I can find some trails to ride on. Every time a rider decides to buy a KLR, an angel gets his wings.
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Jul 28, 2013 06:55
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I test-rode this thing today. It was a lovely decision. Soft suspension, high rearsets, the exhaust was too loud, etc. Looks like I'm probably closing a deal on it in the next few weeks since there's been nobody around to buy it all summer. 
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Jul 29, 2013 18:27
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the walkin dude posted:I test-rode this thing today. It was a lovely decision. Soft suspension, high rearsets, the exhaust was too loud, etc. A friend used to have one of these. It had some aftermarket shock that felt like rocks, forks dropped two inches in the clamps with clip-ons attached, home-made preload spacers for the front, a completely fabbed up underseat exhaust with a zx-10 muffler, completely fabricated subframe and custom fairings that made it look like an MV agusta. It was a garbage bike. Try to change as little as possible I guess. The relatively crap forks and godawful fuel consumption will hurt you the most.
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Jul 29, 2013 23:16
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Terrible. Yeah, I plan on returning the exhaust to stock and tossing in new fork springs along with perhaps a F4i rear shock. My plans with the Z1000 are now halted, with the stiffer fork springs and bar risers helping me realize that the bike isn't for me (a $600 lesson learned). With the Superhawk, I'm hopefully settling upon a bike that'll be scratching my massive itch for a while to come, as an excellent urban 1000cc all-rounder. My friends are now thinking I'm absolutely crazy for going through bikes like a hungry dog loose in a litter box.
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Jul 29, 2013 23:55
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the walkin dude posted:Terrible. Yeah, I plan on returning the exhaust to stock and tossing in new fork springs along with perhaps a F4i rear shock. Out of curiousity, are the front brakes crap? From what I could tell, the brakes were identical to my 919 and the master almost the same, yet the brakes on my friend's bike were poo poo and a Honda dealership told him they're all like that (which I think is complete bullshit).
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Jul 30, 2013 00:02
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I think you're crazy for passing on that Mille in favor of a Honda when you're looking for excitement.
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Jul 30, 2013 00:04
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I'll be tossing stainless lines on there; I'm used to my SV's brakes (with Gaifer lines) anyway. I live in a city with street parking. In a few weeks, I'll be in a new apartment with a carport. Still exposed. When I had my pristine un-streetfightered silver '05 Ninja ZX-6R, I was paranoid as hell about leaving it outside. With that silver '02 Mille, which monetary value is apparently the same as my '07 Z1000, the paranoia would return. The Superhawk didn't look pristine - looks raggedy around the edges like my SV and looks pedestrian enough to leave out - that's what I'm more seeking. I want a bike that looks "ok" on paper (like the SV) but has mod capacity to become something awesome. the walkin dude fucked around with this message at 01:41 on Jul 30, 2013 |
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Jul 30, 2013 01:38
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Uuugh. Someone is selling an Aprilia Futura for 1500 nearby. Has a busted fairing around the headlight and one side is rashed up. 30k on the odo. Should I buy it as an occasional track bike and parts bike for the nice low mile Futura that is already in my garage? I don't want more crap, but...
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Jul 30, 2013 06:05
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You could part it for easily that. Good shape swingarms alone are up to, what, 500 bucks?
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Jul 30, 2013 06:14
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