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Dunno if I've graduated out of the newbie thread, but I recently went to California to see family and rented a couple bikes. I got my first taste of lane splitting and filtering. It felt surprisingly natural and safe. Only on a couple stretches did I have to bob the handlebars to avoid mirrors. Wish I could do that back east. The bikes I rented - CBR500: It felt like much more sturdy and well-built version of my CBR250. Much less buzzing and shaking. Also the pipes were much quieter and I was amazed how much a quiet bike made longer rides less tiring. I was also surprised that the riding position was so upright, almost identical to the 250. I had to scooch back in the seat and deliberately crouch when crossing bridges. The power delivery was smooth and consistent, never felt like it would launch out from under me. It's basically how I imagined a motorcycle throttle would work. It made me much more confident on the highway. The throttle on my 250 feels more like a suggestion to the engine. On the other hand, engine braking on the 500 seemed to be a lot weaker. Annoyingly the horn is above the turn signal on this bike but it's below on my 250. Ended up beeping a lot of folks. Zero SR: I rode a newer Zero on a demo day, so I wasn't too surprised by this one. I did have a bit of range anxiety and had to plan my riding a bit more carefully. I kept reflexively grabbing for a clutch that wasn't there. It was also a bit tricky to modulate the power with just the throttle (had to put my foot down a few times making low speed turns). The lower center of gravity seemed to make it more stable in the wind. I felt like I was blown around much less on the highway. Also, having that little cubby in lieu of a gas tank was super useful. Both bikes had ABS, but I didn't really notice it coming into play. I could see myself owning and being happy with either bike. What other bikes should I try? I have my eye on a z900rs and a svartpilen near me.
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Apr 1, 2022 02:11
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I do my best to prioritize good union shops when I can. Like Powell’sohwait … Four hour ride today through the gorge and then down into Fossil. Ruled. RULED. Longest ride so far and pretty close to what I’m probably able to do without significant breaks.
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Apr 1, 2022 02:23
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T Zero posted:Dunno if I've graduated out of the newbie thread, but I recently went to California to see family and rented a couple bikes. Some kind of motard Some kind of Harley, preferably one that's not too stupid Anything with an inline four engine
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Apr 1, 2022 04:35
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My next bike probably gonna be something to ride the plethora of dirt roads at my disposal, but I what really want is something with two fat exhaust pipes that come right out of the tail of the bike.
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Apr 1, 2022 04:48
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numberoneposter posted:My next bike probably gonna be something to ride the plethora of dirt roads at my disposal, but I what really want is something with two fat exhaust pipes that come right out of the tail of the bike. From what I've seen you don't need a next bike, you need a previous bike. Luckily a crf does both of those things.
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Apr 1, 2022 05:05
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Slavvy posted:Some kind of motard Yeah both of these came to mind although I was hesitant on I4 since in the US this usually means a supersport. I rode an S1000XR with about a year experience and didn’t find it intimidating maybe that’s a reasonable choice?
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Apr 1, 2022 05:26
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That's a particularly zippy four but yeah that would work as well as anything. In my crazy brain there's really 3 kinds of I4's: 'Normal' I4 are things like the 919, GSF650, z750, B12, XJ1300 etc. They have very predictable, generously torquey power output, relatively massy flywheels so they spin up relatively slowly, conservative redlines in relation to CC, generally feel and sound like a particularly high-revving, high performance car engine:  Then there's the classic ultra revving screamer motors - 600 supersports, the mythical 250's and 400's, some of the old SBK 750's. All engines that rev really high relative to capacity, have extremely lightweight internals, short bore*stroke ratio and generally only make power in the top half of their range. They feel like a whole lot of nothing happening, then suddenly everything gets very noisy and blurry:  Then there's literbikes. Literbike engines are characterised by being built for winning WSBK races. They have moderately weighted internals and are built for strength, with an emphasis on brutal midrange drive and hard hitting top end. 1000cc four doesn't automatically mean it's a 'literbike', there are lots of 1000's that fall into the first category. The various detuned derivatives like the S1000XR are much, much tamer than the full beast, but still have crazy strong torque delivery in roughly the top 2/3rd's and a much more snappy, agressive feel than a normal motor. They generally feel like you've underestimated what the gently caress you've gotten yourself into: 
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Apr 1, 2022 05:51
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T Zero posted:What other bikes should I try? What do you want to do with it? Have you tried a SV650?
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Apr 1, 2022 10:05
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I don't have any particular goals in mind. I'm just trying to sample what's out there and see what bikes provide a unique riding experience. I don't intend to buy a new bike anytime soon, especially with inventories, supply chains, gas prices and markups being what they are. My current bike fulfills most of my utilitarian needs, but I'm kinda bored with it as a joyrider. Haven't thought about an SV650, but I don't see anyone offering one on Riders Share or Twisted Road near me. I'll look into a Harley or another big cruiser or bagger, but I'm a bit intimidated by heavy bikes and I'd have to maneuver it in a tiny parking lot where I live. My parking spot faces down hill, so I'd have to be able to reverse the bike out uphill.
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Apr 1, 2022 17:24
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If you're bored with your CBR250R, I'd take it to a track day at one of these near DC. Summit Point Main looks like a good layout for a first time. It might seem intimidating, but if you are capable of riding down a twisty road without panic, and are sensible, then I think you will be fine.
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Apr 1, 2022 18:01
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T Zero posted:My parking spot faces down hill, so I'd have to be able to reverse the bike out uphill. As I am terrible at on-the-fly parking reasoning, I've managed to put myself in situations where I've had no choice but to push a heavier bike uphill using the handlebars from in front of the bike, which is awkward at best. Much safer to use gravity and brakes to roll backward into a spot while you're on it, and the engine to leave it.
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Apr 1, 2022 23:55
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So I’m planning on some taking some longer trips this summer. In light of that I’m giving everything a good once over and making sure nothing is amiss and all that. One of the things I want to do is get some new tires. The ones I have aren’t worn out or anything but they’re getting a bit on the older side and I have the money for a new set so why not. Any good recommendations for a N650? I guess the riding I’m planing on doing would be more on the sport touring side? Planing on some camping trips in the mountains and a trip down to the beach. I was thinking about Michelin road 5s. They’re pricey but from what I’ve read they seem to be great tires. A guy I work with is trying to sell me on some Dunlop Q3+ but those kinda seem like they would be wasted on a ninja 650 to me. Am I overthinking/overspending on this?
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Apr 2, 2022 00:32
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How old and/or worn out are your current tires? I got Angel GTs (originals, not the IIs) for my MT-07 last year and have been happy with them. I don't ride in the rain much so the Road 5 wet weather chops didn't mean much and the Pirellis are a fair bit cheaper.
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Apr 2, 2022 00:45
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katka posted:So I’m planning on some taking some longer trips this summer. In light of that I’m giving everything a good once over and making sure nothing is amiss and all that. Angel gt Pilot road Pick the cheapest of the two. Q3+ are pseudo race rubber and would last like 4000km, that guy get a commission?
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Apr 2, 2022 01:48
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I had Pilot Roads for a long time and if you want anything remotely to do with 'sport', don't get them. They're excellent for highway riding, super stable, excellent in the wet but they made my SV feel like it was much heavier than it is. I now have some Battlax T32 on the SV and it it feels so much more nimble and easy to flick into a corner. No idea yet how long they last, i only have a few thousand km on them so far.
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Apr 2, 2022 10:55
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To quote a great artist, do you want toquote:Pull off at Church's with Pirelli's skirtin' Or not.
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Apr 2, 2022 18:30
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Speaking of tires, have anyone here actually tried the diablo rosso IV? Ive used the 3 variant and liked them, but wanted to try Michelin power 5. I also liked the angel GT 2 tires, but since i swap tires myself I have no problems that diablos last shorter. Edit: hm, road 6 and road 6 GT is out now. That's also a candidate but I like the default pirelli profile better, more turn happy than Michelin. Supradog fucked around with this message at 20:08 on Apr 2, 2022 |
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Apr 2, 2022 19:51
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I think you’ll find that skrrrrtn is the proper nomenclature
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Apr 2, 2022 22:10
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Supradog posted:Speaking of tires, have anyone here actually tried the diablo rosso IV? Ive used the 3 variant and liked them, but wanted to try Michelin power 5. I also liked the angel GT 2 tires, but since i swap tires myself I have no problems that diablos last shorter. I could not tell the difference between rosso 3 and 4, presumably when you're sliding 180hp there is some kind of difference but IRL with normal people I don't know. Pirellis are triangular, michelins are tub shaped.
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Apr 2, 2022 22:13
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First oil change today! My dad swore up and down he had a filter wrench I could use but then he couldn't find it and now I'm waiting for him to get back from the store he went to to buy a new one lol.
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Apr 3, 2022 00:33
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Slavvy posted:Angel gt I think it’s more that everything he knows about motorcycles is all about speed and track days. He has a freaking sweet R1 though. Anyway I’ve been convinced to go with the Angel GTs. If I could solicit a little bit more wisdom though I’m looking for a new helmet. I’ve got an icon airflight (which I believe this thread told me to avoid and I bought anyway like a hard head) and I don’t care for it a whole lot. Fits well enough but it’s loud, heavy, and doesn’t flow air well. While I was at my local cycle gear I tried on the limited bit of helmets they had in stock and found a few that really stood out I liked. One was an Arai of some sort but was a bit more then I want the spend. The others were a RF1400 and an AGV K6. They both seemed quite nice but I’m wondering which would be better in terms of being quiet and flowing air better.
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Apr 3, 2022 01:22
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Getting my bike out of storage tomorrow afternoon, it feels I haven’t ridden in a lifetime. Really jealous of a bunch of posters on here who manage to ride all year or close to it.
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Apr 3, 2022 01:28
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Can't go wrong with Shoei or Arai. Pick which one fits your head. For me it's Shoei. With helmets, like with most other things, you get what you pay for. Or at least you don't get what you don't pay for. Yeah, a good helmet -- comfortable, light, protective, quiet -- is like 500 dollars, but that's what they cost. There aren't really any secret hidden gems or amazing deals. Also no helmet is going to be ~quiet~. Some will be louder than others, but it's impossible to work around the fact that heads are roughly spherical and you're going to have turbulence. Wear earplugs, and get a thin scarf that you can bundle up and use to block the neck opening under your chin. That's the source of most of the wind noise.
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Apr 3, 2022 01:32
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Sagebrush posted:Can't go wrong with Shoei or Arai. Pick which one fits your head. For me it's Shoei.
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Apr 3, 2022 02:04
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First long road trip this weekend. Rode 4+ hours out to the high desert and then about the same amount of time coming back a different route. I learned so loving much about what is great and what is less than great on my Roadster this weekend. I'd put more than 1,000 miles on it already before this, but usually that was riding a max of 100 miles in a day. I'm still not sure if in a year or two I'll be trading it in or starting a fund for a second bike, but I know a hell of a lot more about what I need to work on skills-wise (and health-wise - my bum hip is a hindrance even on a bike I find comfortable) and what I'll want to watch for when I'm looking at whatever the next bike will be. Riding down Highway 97 through rolling hills and a mix of curves while giant windmills from a huge wind farm out there cast moving shadows across the road was basically everything I wanted out of buying a motorcycle.
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Apr 3, 2022 04:01
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I opted out of dealing with the hosed up used market down here and copped this a couple days ago: i'm very fond of it so far. now to do something about those mirrors
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Apr 3, 2022 19:32
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Wangsbig posted:I opted out of dealing with the hosed up used market down here and copped this a couple days ago: That's hot. Great choice on the svart version. What do you plan to strap to the tank and tail platforms? Glad some people here are picking these up. What do you think of it so far? If you have any issues just PM slavvy. He has a lot of experience with these and loves working on them.
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Apr 3, 2022 23:49
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If anyone in central California is hunting one of those, check Goleta craigslist for someone dumping their '21 for $5500. After 975 miles, the owner is now a master of riding it and ready to upgrade.
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Apr 4, 2022 01:30
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Coydog posted:That's hot. Great choice on the svart version. What do you plan to strap to the tank and tail platforms? Glad some people here are picking these up. What do you think of it so far? Haven't given much thought to the platforms, I've just been slinging a backpack on and was probably gonna rip off the tank rack for aesthetics. the tail I'm pretty happy with-- I actually really like the handle on a light bike like this because I can just pick it up and move the rear end into a better parking position etc. I can't imagine putting saddle bags on this thing but I'm mostly just using it to get around town. I love the bike, it does everything I've needed it to (get me from point a to point b while being small and looking cool) and it has lots of room to grow into for sure.
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Apr 4, 2022 02:04
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Wangsbig posted:I opted out of dealing with the hosed up used market down here and copped this a couple days ago: Bless you. Pay attention to the filters when you change the oil. My buddy's 401 Svart lasted 1.5 years before his oil looked like bronze glitter
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Apr 4, 2022 03:08
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I got a warning from the universe not to get too cocky about how I'm doing skill-wise today. I was feeling pretty good and like I'd recovered all my skill and was better than ever and then I stalled my bike at a red light. Whoops. At least I got it going again before the green so I didn't look like too much of an idiot. Edit: While I'm here, I'd like to say that, instead of just being something I have to do for work, I'm really growing to enjoy riding at night. Tooling down the highway on my Rebel at 3 in the morning is a really calming, contemplative experience and feels like the perfect way to unwind after an evening at work. unimportantguy fucked around with this message at 11:27 on Apr 7, 2022 |
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Apr 7, 2022 02:20
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Uggh we've been having some nice days around here during the week and then on the weekends it's been "haha rain + 40 degrees F, suck it loser." I will resume my odyssey of learning this month, I hope.
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Apr 9, 2022 22:42
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Midjack posted:Uggh we've been having some nice days around here during the week and then on the weekends it's been "haha rain + 40 degrees F, suck it loser." I will resume my odyssey of learning this month, I hope. I've been taking a Saturday welding class at the local trade school, which also hosts the state-subsidized MSF classes. Felt bad for the folks out there the past few weeks freezing their asses off in cold rain on TU250s
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Apr 9, 2022 22:47
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Got my first “Sportsters are girl bikes” thrown at me because I joined a pile on mocking a guy for being butthurt that nobody likes bikes with literal Nazi poo poo on them. It’s such an uninteresting and silly insult in person, but over the internet while you’re crying that nobody understands THE CULTURE? Kinda funny.
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Apr 10, 2022 01:49
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Hello friends, my wife has many ear piercings and wants to know what the best option is for keeping them all attached when she takes off her helmet. My first thought is a thin balaclava to not cook, but does anyone have a better experience?
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Apr 10, 2022 06:05
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Helmet sock/balaclava worked really well for me for in ear headphones. Went from 50% chance of dropping it every time I take the helmet off, to basically zero.
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Apr 10, 2022 06:19
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Basically that or a microfiber tube pulled over the ears instead of just over your neck.
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Apr 10, 2022 06:31
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I had an otherwise great 100mi ride today, but I almost lowsided and I think the difference between that happening and not was as much luck as anything. Jalama road is a 13mi run through some hills and valleys to the Pacific coast, ending in a campground and good cheeseburgers. Every time I ride or drive it, I'm reminded that I'd forgotten how long it takes and how sketchy the road can be. There are some turns that go on about twice as long as you'd expect going in, and I've had them tighten up on me unexpectedly. Potholes and cracks in the asphalt that run the direction of tires pop up from time to time. So going back for the first time in years on I was riding exceedingly cautiously and overbraking heartily before every turn. Even still, going maybe 10-15mph through a blind right-hander, I hit some gravel and the bike slipped out a lot, I'm not really sure what exactly the lizard brain did but my inside foot kicked asphalt, instead of staying tucked properly on the peg which was not yet dragging. I have no idea if I spazzed and kicked ground when I should've just squeezed tank and trusted the tires, or if that kick was needed at the time. My friend's Lowrider S was in the lead and he slid a bit too, was freaked when he saw the gravel kicked up in the mirror. I was riding 1-up today thankfully, this has made me realize with clarity that there are rides I will not take a passenger.
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Apr 11, 2022 02:51
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I’d recommend about 3-5000 miles before riding with a passenger.
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Apr 11, 2022 03:00
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I'm having a really hard time gauging that in respect to returning to riding- most of the time it feels "like riding a bike" in that I'm benefitting from all those miles I put on 10+ years ago. But then there's the random things I forgot and now find myself re-learning. After commuting again for about 800 it doesn't feel unsafe when my wife and I go on normal streets & highways, but maybe I'm being cavalier and foolish.
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Apr 11, 2022 03:15
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