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Honda Crom would have been the perfect name for that bike.
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Sep 15, 2013 23:21
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Snowdens Secret posted:Within 500 miles you'll be wanting to do ton-up power wheelies on the highway. Within 3000 miles you might have the experience to do so safely. That, and looking where they're going and signalling and following very closely and merging rapidly and misjudging stopping distances and... But I digress. What about something like a dual sport bike? I'm guessing those have some specific needs and skills to ride, owing to the different tires and rider seating. I do like the look of them a lot though.
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Sep 15, 2013 23:22
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Dude, take the MSF before going bike shopping. I did that, then bought a cheap used GZ250 because that's the bike we use for training over here. Then 6 months later bought a 700cc cruiser because i was cheap and cruisers are more appealling to me personally. The 250 helped me get some confidence on the road and taught me some valuable lessons. There is a variety of those beginner-grade bikes out there, and while you can ride one forever (and enjoy 75 mpg), most people use them like I did and pass them on. If you shop smart, you can even sell it for more than what you paid for it. If you're into cruisers, look for Rebel 250/450, Virago 250/535, Suzuki TU250, GZ250, Savage(650) and something else I'm probably forgetting. You can have a decent one for under 2 grand. Someone else can give you a cheap sport bike list, I'm sure. Just don't go out and buy the biggest and the baddest as the first bike, because you are likely to regret it in one way or another.
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Sep 15, 2013 23:50
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Fair advice. I'll dial it back a few notches until I get through the MSF. Looks like the Ninja 250 or its' competitors are what I'm after anyway, I'm not a fan of the styling of the cruisers.
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Sep 16, 2013 00:09
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I took the MSF on a Suzuki GN 125. A GN 250 is on my list of inexpensive, small bikes when I decide to buy.
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Sep 16, 2013 00:57
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Don't sweat it, man. I was basically crapping sparks of newbie excitement/confusion/indecision for months before/during/after the MSF and before I got the license+bike, just like you. It's normal. My newbie thing was that I was like dead set on one model of bike "Oooh, what bike do I wanna get? Oooh a GS500. Hell yeah man I'm gonna get a GS. Guys tell me about the GS. Mothafuckin GS500" *buys ninja 250* 
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Sep 16, 2013 01:10
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SquadronROE posted:What about something like a dual sport bike? YUSSSSSSSSSSS! SquadronROE posted:I'm guessing those have some specific needs and skills to ride, owing to the different tires and rider seating. Not really. I mean, riding a dual sport reasonably fast on a dirt trail is a lot different from riding a supersport reasonably fast on a track. However, when you're just starting out, there's not a lot of difference between a dualsport and non-dualsport bike. Same controls, same physics, just slightly different ergonomics. SquadronROE posted:I do like the look of them a lot though. YUSSSSSSSS!  When you're ready to start looking, look at (from smaller person recommendation to bigger person recommendation): Yamaha WR 250 Kawasaki Super Sherpa (yes, I know it's a worse bike in every way than the WR250, but it's so drat adorable) Suzuki DRZ 400 Suzuki DR 650 Kawasaki KLR 650 Safety Dance fucked around with this message at 01:27 on Sep 16, 2013 |
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Sep 16, 2013 01:24
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SquadronROE posted:That, and looking where they're going and signalling and following very closely and merging rapidly and misjudging stopping distances and... But I digress. What about something like a dual sport bike? I'm guessing those have some specific needs and skills to ride, owing to the different tires and rider seating. I do like the look of them a lot though. I'm totally biased (I have a Yamaha WR250X as a first bike) but I think a dualsport or supermoto make perfect beginner bikes. They don't have too much power, they're light, forgiving suspension, and are designed to be able to handle trouble. Also, they can do just about everything decently, so for a beginner who might not know exactly what you want out of a bike it can help you learn. The only drawback would be if you're very short since they usually have higher seat heights. Even if you are short it would just be a matter of getting used to only being able to put one foot down at a time. The very first ride I felt uncomfortable with the height, but since then it's been no problem. Obviously, as others have said wait until after the MSF to buy something, but there's no reason not to start browsing websites just to get an idea of what's out there.
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Sep 16, 2013 02:09
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SquadronROE posted:That, and looking where they're going and signalling and following very closely and merging rapidly and misjudging stopping distances and... But I digress. What about something like a dual sport bike? I'm guessing those have some specific needs and skills to ride, owing to the different tires and rider seating. I do like the look of them a lot though. Those driving habits are common to everywhere, the nice thing about people in the Carolinas daydreaming they're in NASCAR every time they leave their driveway is that they're actually better driving fast and close than a lot of other places (just don't trade paint.) It's the "green means go, yellow means go faster, red means slow down and look both ways while going through" that seems SC-specific. A dual-sport with dirt-oriented tires will have a lot less grip than one on street tires, or a regular streetbike, so keep that in mind. They also tend to fit bigger riders better, due to the seat height, although anyone can use them once they get the stoplight technique down.
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Sep 16, 2013 02:33
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Why not just get a DRZ400SM?
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Sep 16, 2013 04:43
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SM tax
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Sep 16, 2013 05:16
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Koruthaiolos posted:I'm totally biased (I have a Yamaha WR250X as a first bike) but I think a dualsport or supermoto make perfect beginner bikes. They don't have too much power, they're light, forgiving suspension, and are designed to be able to handle trouble. Also, they can do just about everything decently, so for a beginner who might not know exactly what you want out of a bike it can help you learn. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zibj7KnjClk
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Sep 16, 2013 12:31
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Collateral Damage posted:Additionally they're designed to be beaten on, so tipping it over is no big deal. Yup, I had a KLR, you'll want to kick the stupid things over constantly. Oddly, I have never wanted to kick my BMW over even once. The old man has dropped his GS half a dozen times and never so much as dinged the paint on the crash bars.
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Sep 16, 2013 13:33
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Safety Dance posted:SM tax SM Tax, what is this? Just brand name = more money? Thanks for the info about dual sports, Safety Dance. Gives me a whole mess of other bikes to look at, which I like the styling of a lot more. They also seem to not have as many fairings that would be cracked and broken when I inevitably lay the bike down. I'll have to sit on one eventually, I'm like 5'8 so I don't think I'll have a huge problem but maybe.
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Sep 16, 2013 14:28
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5'8"? I hope you have long legs, I'm 5'10" and still a bit short for most dual sports. Well, proper dual sports, ignoring the Wee-strom and such. Don't worry, you can just stand on a peg and swing you leg up like getting on a horse, just... hold the front brake when you do it.
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Sep 16, 2013 14:41
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SquadronROE posted:SM Tax, what is this? Just brand name = more money? Check out the DR650, it's shorter. SM Tax = SM versions of bikes cost more than the dirt bikes they are based on.
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Sep 16, 2013 15:22
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I think dual sports are loving awesome. I started out on sportbikes, and have owned UJM's and cruisers. My main bike is a Yamaha Bolt, but gently caress me if I don't have more fun on my 94 TW200. I can go straight from commuting on it to blasting down trails. Riding along and see something interesting? RIDE OVER IT. You can do nutjob things on it but it's so light and easy to ride (and slow) that it's hard to get in serious trouble. It hauls a lot of stuff. It gets stupid gas mileage. It doesn't go fast but if you are riding your motorcycle on the freeway you are doing it wrong (IMO). Knock it over, drop it, who cares. Pick it back up and the resale value still holds. That being said, I'm not entirely sure it teaches good riding habits, even if it is used for MSF courses. You don't have to countersteer, I could ride it with one hand. You don't even really have to shift it, it just plugs along without herking or jerking. It's almost too easy to ride.
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Sep 16, 2013 15:55
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Honestly it's probably gonna come down to price and what I can actually find around here. Or is it fairly easy to ship bikes somehow, assuming I can get it inspected by someone who knows what they're looking at.
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Sep 16, 2013 16:02
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SquadronROE posted:What about something like a dual sport bike? I'm guessing those have some specific needs and skills to ride, owing to the different tires and rider seating. I do like the look of them a lot though. Dualsports are easy mode. They're light, not a lot of power, and some of them are even comfortable. A KLR650 isn't a bad first ride. You can go literally anywhere with a bike like that.
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Sep 16, 2013 16:11
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I found a 1985 BMW R80/7 with a sidecar. Is this whole setup as ridiculously bad of an idea as I think? I called the number; guy was busy and couldn't talk other than to give me a year and model. I'm gonna go check it out tomorrow if this thread doesn't think it's a total disaster. The R80 has what, 50hp or something? Do boxer engines run forever? Does it have the dreaded "split the bike" to get at the clutch? The brakes looked tiny (single front disc, drum rear). The wheels looked tiny; are there even any decent tires that would fit those? What kind of price would make this setup worth something?
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Sep 16, 2013 22:59
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babyeatingpsychopath posted:I found a 1985 BMW R80/7 with a sidecar. Is this whole setup as ridiculously bad of an idea as I think? I called the number; guy was busy and couldn't talk other than to give me a year and model. I'm gonna go check it out tomorrow if this thread doesn't think it's a total disaster. You, sir, have found yourself an airhead. Here's the deal- they're RIDICULOUSLY simple mechanically. Like, you can take the entire loving motorcycle apart and put it back together with 3 wrenches and a screwdriver, while drunk, in the dark. They don't make a lot of horses, but they make decent torque and will haul your rear end along rather respectably so long as you don't get involved in highway racing or something. Tires will be a bit of a problem, but there are a handful of manufacturers so you'll always find rubber, you just won't be thrilled with the selection. They're a neat machine, but they're not for everyone- see if the dude will give you a test ride.
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Sep 16, 2013 23:15
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SquadronROE posted:SM Tax, what is this? Just brand name = more money? I dropped my DRZ pulling it out of the garage yesterday. It never stopped running. I've also dropped it more times than I can count riding it in the dirt and crashed it several times with minimal work required to get it back to riding shape. Best no tears bike ever.
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Sep 17, 2013 01:00
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SquadronROE posted:SM Tax, what is this? Just brand name = more money? SM = Supermoto. It's a dirtbike with modified suspension, street oriented wheels, and sporty tires. They're buckets of fun if you want to wheelie away from the stoplight, hop the curb, go down some stairs and then cut through the park, but they're pricey in the US because they never really caught on outside of a niche enthusiast market. It's hard to find a clean example on Craigslist.
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Sep 17, 2013 01:23
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Covert Ops Wizard posted:I dropped my DRZ pulling it out of the garage yesterday. It never stopped running. I've also dropped it more times than I can count riding it in the dirt and crashed it several times with minimal work required to get it back to riding shape. You can get engine guards for a lot of bikes that make them pretty immune to damage. Safety Dance posted:They're buckets of fun if you want to wheelie away from the stoplight, hop the curb, go down some stairs and then cut through the park, but they're pricey in the US because they never really caught on outside of a niche enthusiast market. Well, you can do all those things on a normal street-legal dirt bike.
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Sep 17, 2013 02:08
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Yeah, maybe it's because I live near the mountains, but I see tons of great deals on non-SM DRZ400s all the time. I've wanted a DRZ400SM for awhile, but the plated dirt versions are just so much cheaper.
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Sep 17, 2013 03:20
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thylacine posted:Well, you can do all those things on a normal street-legal dirt bike. And then drag a knee down Mullholland before backing it in as you pass rnickeymouse's camera crew. I knew I missed something.
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Sep 17, 2013 03:35
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Ok looking for a couple of thoughts. Coming from a 690 SM that was stolen a week ago I may be looking at replacing it. I really like super motards but would be open to other suggestions. So onto riding experience, two years on a GS500 and now two years on a 690. I'm not really going to commute on it anymore as I've a POS beater car to get around in so it's more for weekend rides and exploring. Other than that I don't want to spend any more than say 7500 Australian, oh and I'm 6'5" so no hilariously small bikes. Any thoughts before I do something ridiculously grown up like putting the insurance money in a term deposit or managed fund?
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Sep 17, 2013 03:40
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babyeatingpsychopath posted:I found a 1985 BMW R80/7 with a sidecar. Is this whole setup as ridiculously bad of an idea as I think? I called the number; guy was busy and couldn't talk other than to give me a year and model. I'm gonna go check it out tomorrow if this thread doesn't think it's a total disaster.
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Sep 17, 2013 03:57
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Aargh posted:Ok looking for a couple of thoughts. Coming from a 690 SM that was stolen a week ago I may be looking at replacing it. I really like super motards but would be open to other suggestions. Buy an SMC instead of an SM, enjoy more power and more lightness.
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Sep 17, 2013 04:42
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Z3n posted:Buy an SMC instead of an SM, enjoy more power and more lightness. Well that's the plan but finding a SMC for sale at a reasonable price is the problem. I can find a total of 1 for sale in Australia at the moment.
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Sep 17, 2013 04:53
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Aargh posted:Well that's the plan but finding a SMC for sale at a reasonable price is the problem. I can find a total of 1 for sale in Australia at the moment. That's the bad news. The good news is it's like that because they're worth it.
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Sep 17, 2013 05:02
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Hey guys, I'm new to cycles in general. I want something that I can work on/fix up and enjoy but it's also gotta be something relatively cheap, I was thinking something like a Honda Shadow 500. I have very basic mechanic skills (can do pretty much all the basic maintenance work on my car-- oil, brakes, bumpers, headlights etc) but would like to use the opportunity to tinker with a motorcycle to improve them as well as have fun riding it. Are Hondas generally pretty easy to find extra parts for? I'm leaning towards a standard bike type rather than sport or cruiser but am open to any suggestions if you have a favorite bike you started working on
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Sep 17, 2013 08:00
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http://southjersey.craigslist.org/mcy/3952693568.html What's everyone think about this? 2002 sv650 Bunch of extras 3000 miles but says it currently isn't running because the carbs are clogged. 2002 and 3000 miles, could could the carbs actually be clogged from sitting for that long or is there something else going on here?
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Sep 17, 2013 13:42
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tbb9 posted:http://southjersey.craigslist.org/mcy/3952693568.html It could have been submerged during a hurricane. But you should be able to find evidence of that in places other than carbs. Either way, a non-running bike should be considered as a sum of parts until proven otherwise. And it was likely in at least 1 accident/drop Nitrox fucked around with this message at 14:24 on Sep 17, 2013 |
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Sep 17, 2013 14:21
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SquadronROE posted:Honestly it's probably gonna come down to price and what I can actually find around here. Or is it fairly easy to ship bikes somehow, assuming I can get it inspected by someone who knows what they're looking at. You mentioned liking the old school style of the Enfields, have you heard of Cleveland Cyclewerks? They're an American based company that ships its production over to china, all their bikes are centered around this 250 cc single cylinder lifan engine that's apparently a knock off of an old honda design. All of the designs are intentionally retro (both cosmetically and because they keep the price down with dead simple technology). Carbureted, it even has a kick starter (but also has electric start). A new bike will run you about 3000 and change, before dealer fees and all of that. The professional reviews are all pretty positive, with mixed bags from owners who point out that quality control isn't quite up to Japanese standards. I've been thinking about flying out to Houston (the closest dealer to me) and maybe getting one as a goof around back roads bike... The CCW bikes are absolutely not made for the interstate (neither is that Enfield you mentioned), but then again the ninja 250 really doesn't do great on the interstate. Also the interstate is the most boring place to ride so no big loss unless you're buying a bike to do long distance commuting. I know the creed here is don't buy your first bike new, and there's good reasons not to buy new. But one of the problems I had when buying used is you don't really know what to look for and whats important, and you never really know what the previous owner did. Ninja 250s are even worse because people buy them as a first bike, then sell them... if the average owner keeps it for about a year and its a 5 year old bike, that might be 5 different owners, who knows who did what maintenance (was it ever done?). If you have a friend who's into bikes you can bring them along of course, but that's not always an option. Buying new ensures the bike is reasonably well set up, allowing you to focus on maintenance vs investigating what the previous owner did.
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Sep 17, 2013 14:58
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Cleveland Cyclewerks doesn't 'ship it's production to China', they buy cheap chinese bikes in bulk and put a bit of flair on before reselling it. I'm assuming there's more flair than just calling it 'Tha Misfit' but I haven't looked close. They're just a middle man for cheap chinese bikes with a hipster facade. Buying new for your first bike is a good way to end up in the hole, dealers are sketchier than any CL seller I've met. nsaP fucked around with this message at 17:18 on Sep 17, 2013 |
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Sep 17, 2013 17:15
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CCW bikes did not get any positive reviews from what I've read and seen online. Guys from Motorcycle.com had lost front brake caliper bolt during the test drive, apparently it never even had loctite (or equivalent compound) applied to the threads. It's on YouTube, but I can't link it from phone. They sure do look good, but methinks you get what you pay for. Honda Rebel is a superior bike that could be bought for $1,000, so why not?
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Sep 17, 2013 17:53
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If I bought anything new it'd probably be some sort of dual sport thing that I can take a hammer to. That said, I'm not going to buy a new bike. None are in my price range.
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Sep 17, 2013 18:27
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New bikes aren't usually worth the extra money and depreciation hit anyhow, unless it's an uncommon model that you just have to have.
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Sep 17, 2013 19:27
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SquadronROE posted:If I bought anything new it'd probably be some sort of dual sport thing that I can take a hammer to. That said, I'm not going to buy a new bike. None are in my price range. Most of the dual-sports mentioned haven't really changed in years anyways (DR, KLR, etc.)
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Sep 17, 2013 20:39
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