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I'd been telling myself if the company I work for hired me full time (I'm currently a contractor) I'd allow myself to upgrade to a nicer bike and not let my stupid girlfriend talk me into selling it this time (really miss that CBR). Seeing as there was talk today at work of that happening, its time to start shopping. So the question is, Suzuki DRZ400SM, KTM 690SM-R, or comedy Hypermotard option?
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Oct 29, 2008 01:51
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Z3n posted:What sort of riding? I'd take the KTM, and spend my days pulling wheelies and stoppies until they arrested me for trying to minimize wear on my tires. Yeah this is pretty much the plan. I expect to be limited to a 49cc scooter this time next year. Whats the maintenance like on the KTM? It would definitely be my immediate choice but I'm almost leaning toward the 400SM simply for the gas and forget factor. The 400SM and KTM should be able to do 50 or so miles on the highway without complaining right? I don't care about comfort or wind protection or anything, just that it will do it without dying.
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Oct 30, 2008 19:23
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cmorrow001 posted:Honestly I hate riding the DRZ on the highway. I won't do it for more that 15-20 minutes. To be fair, my comparison is only with bigger bikes (gsx-r600, speed3) but I feel like I get blown different directions all the time. Assuming hes anything like me whos been running similar questions through his head, its largely because of http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYu7DQn5vAI Personally I'm leaning towards a KTM 690 if I can find one in the area.
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Nov 13, 2008 18:11
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Spiffness posted:The advantage of a DRZ over some KTM's is it is actually possible to keep the front wheel on the ground. You can bring the DRZ's up without any problem, fling it, jump it, stoppie it and drift the crap out of it, within days of owning one really if you have riding experience. But it can also be pretty docile while being stupid amounts of fun. The more serious motards are all the more likely to get you arrested. You can talk yourself out of a speeding ticket, but you cant talk yourself out of a 'I was 5 feet in the air on accident!' situation. I'm having a really hard time making the decision between the two for just that reason. If I were an illogical man I'd have already bought this: http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/mcy/911951823.html Alas, my desire to keep my license (and savings) is preventing me from jumping on it immediately and keeps me looking at DRZs instead.
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Nov 13, 2008 21:44
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I'm selling my Triumph if anyone knows someone in the bay area who might be interested. Its a great bike, I'm itching for a supermotard though. Would be willing to hook up a goon discount, lets say $2500 or so. http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/mcy/923328017.html
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Nov 18, 2008 01:38
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Attention anyone who doesn't own a DRZ400SM or similar supermotard. You should go buy one tomorrow unless you have some sort of allergic reaction to having fun. I've done more wheelies, stoppies, and jumps in the last two hours than I had in the previous two years. Tonight was the most fun I've ever had on two wheels and I don't think I went above 50mph the whole time. Excuse me while I go figure out how to remove the grin that is now permanently attached to my face.
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Dec 4, 2008 06:18
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Krakkles posted:Am I completely missing out on this fun because I have a DR650? I am seriously thinking about dropping the $1100 for SM wheels when it comes time for new tires The DR650 isn't THAT much heavier than the drz400 I dont think. I vote yes on the SM conversion. And I bet you could find wheels for cheaper than that on Craigslist. My doing stoppies was more a result of slamming on the brakes hard while riding around like a crazy person and accidentally lifting the back end, then trying it again on purpose a few dozen more times.
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Dec 4, 2008 18:20
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Z3n posted:I hope it flops in the US so that I can buy one for pennies on the $ when depreciation hits. I was gonna say "seconded" but then I realized if it flops they'll never bring out anything else like it, and that would just be sad since it really is the hottest piece of metal HD has put out in years.
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Dec 5, 2008 18:20
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Z3n posted:
Just drop the bike into neutral real quick. Then you can do the awesome double handed wave to really confuse people.
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Feb 2, 2009 18:55
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Z3n posted:Depends on how many neutrals your bike has. Mine only has the consistant one between 1/2, at the moment, and I'd like to keep it that way. Wait you mean everyone's bike doesn't have that second neutral between 3rd and 4th? Maybe I should get that looked at.
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Feb 2, 2009 23:01
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Seriously, if you ride motorcycles and don't live in California You're  Click here for the full 768x1024 image. doing  Click here for the full 1024x768 image. it  Click here for the full 1024x768 image. wrong.  Click here for the full 1024x768 image.
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Feb 9, 2009 19:20
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Linedance posted:
Yeah well HA!  Click here for the full 1048x1551 image. Edit: Wait... I think I did that wrong. pr0zac fucked around with this message at 01:30 on Feb 10, 2009 |
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Feb 10, 2009 01:24
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Christoff posted:Does anyone think they're really saving "a lot" of money by riding a bike? It'd imagine it being pretty tough if it was your only transport. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! Saving money by riding a bike. That hilarious. Now if you'll excuse me, I think I'm gonna go buy a new exhaust for the DRZ to go with the carb I bought last week and the new jacket I bought two weeks ago. Oh god I have a problem.
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Feb 18, 2009 17:33
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Phat_Albert posted:If you want to ride and save money, buy a used Honda Elite 80 for as cheap as possible, dont wear gear, and dont insure it. Seriously, a Honda Elite 80 is THE cheap way to get on two wheels. You can find them for really really cheap if you look around and everyone thinks they are 50cc. Considering picking up this one for my girlfriend to ride around town. http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/mcy/1037772128.html
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Feb 18, 2009 18:02
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Z3n posted:I was checking my bank statement recently... You've just made me feel so much better about the amount I spend. pr0zac fucked around with this message at 21:25 on Feb 18, 2009 |
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Feb 18, 2009 21:16
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Phat_Albert posted:I'd be more worried about someone not seeing that tail light. This would be my worry also. Not the cops not liking it so much as the SUV driver whos not paying attention not seeing it.
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Mar 5, 2009 23:47
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Zenaida posted:I wave at everyone and everything on <4 wheels. I got my first wave back from a scooter on Sunday, and I'm still waiting for a bicyclist to wave back. Sometimes I feel a little dickish waving to bicyclists though, it almost feels like I'm saying, "Ha ha, I don't have to pedal and you do." I always wave to bicyclists but kind of have the opposite thought, that they are thinking "Haha, I'm getting more exercise than you." Seeing as we both share the "likely to get runover by an SUV on the backroads" characteristic I don't think waving is THAT weird.
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Mar 10, 2009 22:16
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Christoff posted:It would just make California get the de-tuned/butched version like for cars. California already gets the hobbled versions of bikes. Our initial smog requirements are much greater than other states. Only now we'll have to keep all that stuff on instead of ripping it off immediately like everyone does. Personally I'm torn on the law. Part of me thinks its a good idea, and thinks its only fair that motorcyclists do their part to protect the environment also. The other part knows for a fact that his DRZ won't pass because all the emissions stuff has long since been removed. So I guess I'm neutral and will be ok either way. Will suck having to rebuy all the emissions parts if it does pass though.
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Mar 20, 2009 01:14
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Zool posted:Or you could just you know, leave it on. The charcoal canisters only effect is two pounds of rubber tubing, and a lower rate of lung disease among people who enter your garage. Lung disease builds character.  Really I'm more worried about the lack of a cat, the upgraded carb with non-ridiculous leaned out jetting, and the giant air sucking hole in my airbox than the charcoal canister.
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Mar 20, 2009 17:15
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Simkin posted:The thing is, even in places that have helmet laws, people like this will seek out the most retardedly inadequate helmet that complies with the statute. In BC, you're compelled to wear a helmet, but everything up to and including a tiny fuckign skullcap is acceptable. Too bad wearing something that doesn't even come down to your ears will do gently caress all in a crash. Two of my cousins from North Carolina bought giant Harleys a few years back. Their helmets had stickers on the inside that said "Novelty Use Only". Sigh.
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Mar 23, 2009 17:00
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Trintintin posted:That makes perfect sense, body bags are WAYYY cheaper than months of reconstructive surgery and amputations in a hospital bed. The same riders that don't wear a helmet normally won't wear any other gear, so even with a helmet they are going to get pretty hosed up. Debt isn't transferred unless the survivor takes whatever the debt is connected to. IE, the closest survivor would to accept the debt in order to take the motorcycle, otherwise they can't get the bike, but don't have to pay the debt. Same goes for houses and anything else.
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Mar 24, 2009 00:26
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Linedance posted:I just got my bike back from getting my MOT inspection done and noticed the right hand bar end was missing. I went back in and asked if it maybe came off in the shop, but they said nope, and looked around but didn't see anything. The only thing I can think is it vibrated off somewhere? I didn't notice it missing before went there this morning, didn't notice on my ride two or from Winchester last weekend... who knows where or when it happened Cost me $18.50 to get a new one for my DRZ. Buy online though, dealerships will probably rape you. And yes, you will lose a lot of those. I've lost 3 so far in the two and a half years I've been riding.
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Mar 25, 2009 17:02
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. It's not on the ground where I park either. Oh well, can't be that expensive to replace. (famous last words)
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Simkin posted:Why the gently caress would you ever, in a million years, put your kickstand down at a set of lights? I put my kickstand down while waiting for lights pretty often during my commute. Its nice to be able to relax at some of the 4 minute long lights I hit on San Jose, and I'm already surrounded by traffic so I'm not too worried about getting hit.
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Apr 13, 2009 22:34
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Doctor Zero posted:I can understand putting it in neutral, hell I'll do it myself if there's a blocker behind or there's no traffic, but the kickstand down?? Is it really so hard to balance the bike? My DRZ has me on my tiptoes when stopped. Having to hold it up at a stoplight for 3 or 4 minutes is annoying as opposed to being able to just relax on the pegs. I don't understand why I wouldn't do that and be more comfortable. Any situation where I'd put it in neutral I'd be just as safe resting on the kickstand. Its not something I do every time I stop, just if I've got to sit for a long period and have sufficient protection behind me. pr0zac fucked around with this message at 20:04 on Apr 15, 2009 |
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Apr 15, 2009 20:02
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Doctor Zero posted:Ah, yeah. That makes sense. I didn't even think about tall bikes. Also it makes it a lot easier to pull out my cell phone to send text messages.
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Apr 16, 2009 01:04
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So an observation regarding the "loud pipes save lives argument" I made after borrowing my friend's Bandit 650 for a couple days to commute on then moved back to my much much louder DRZ. While in traffic on the Bandit I'd regularly have people riding my rear end, yet no one ever seems to tailgate me on the DRZ. Though this could be because Dizzy has obviously been wrecked quite a few times, being largely held together by duct tape, JB Weld, and hope, the fact that (especially at highway RPMs) driving behind it is rather deafening has got to have something to do with it. I only have the pipe I do because the bike came with it and I have no reason to change it so I couldn't care less about the loud pipes argument, just an interesting observation I had.
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Feb 4, 2010 19:01
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Ola posted:Hmmm, check out this ebay user I'd be amazed if those didn't "fall off a truck" but thats really his problem (and whoever owned the truck). If I needed a GPS I'd be jumping on one immediately. Edit: Gets popcorn.  \/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/ pr0zac fucked around with this message at 19:45 on Feb 23, 2010 |
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Feb 23, 2010 19:42
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Anyone else notice that the only big rear end Harley riding people that actually lane split are the 1%er motorcycle club types? And they always manage to split at speeds and with finesse that doesn't seem physically possible with bikes that big?
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Mar 1, 2010 23:56
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Random observation: If you need to figure out your speed for some reason (broken/don't trust your speedo etc) newer model Honda Civics are very plentiful and have an extremely easy to read from outside the car speedometer. I used this trick to figure out my CBR929's speedo is off by about 14mph!
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Mar 2, 2010 03:27
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Confessional time, who's run from the police? Last night on my way home, on 101 into SF I was splitting at an admittedly faster than legal speed (traffic moving around 50mph). I passed a police officer who hit the lights a few seconds after I went by. It didn't register in my head that he was probably trying to pull me over until about 30 seconds later and I had just continued on my way and was a good hundred cars ahead of him and figured I might as well ignore it at that point. So I guess I accidentally ran from the cops yesterday.
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Mar 4, 2010 21:44
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CSi-NA-EJ7 posted:I was out on the KTM Sunday afternoon and was pulled over (no plate) and explained that I had just bought it saturday afternoon and that I hadn't been able to get any of the paperwork done yet. Thankfully I wasn't too far from home at that point so she told me to just head on home. Where do you live? Out here in CA its ridiculously common for people to drive/ride around without a license plate after buying a new vehicle. I did it for like two months with my CBR cause I kept forgetting to put it on and never got any grief for it.
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Mar 11, 2010 17:40
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FuzzyWuzzyBear posted:BARF member posts thread on how his bike is stolen...with amusing ending. Anyone got a cached version of this? Looks like they pulled the thread.
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Mar 13, 2010 21:31
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ohwandernearer posted:So over in the gear thread someone called Z3n out about being an IT nerd. I am also an IT nerd and ride with a group of people from my department. Is there a strong influx of tech people into motorcycling lately? Has this always been the case? Are we all so numb from programming/configuring/scripting/etc. that we need the release? Just wondering if this is coincidence or a trend or something else. Pfft IT. Nothing but computer janitors.  *goes back to his computer construction-worker job*
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Mar 19, 2010 05:37
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Oakey posted:Haha, thank you guys for reminding me why I'm not a CJ any more Seriously, glad I went the programming/Mac route. Dealing with my girlfriend's Dell is more than enough Windows crap for me.
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Mar 19, 2010 18:41
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Methusulah posted:e: also since i just realized this is chatting thread I've been accepted into the range aid section of the MSF and my first course is on April 9 thru 11. I'm so stoked to get paid to help people learn how to ride a motorcycle. It's like a second dream come true Details? I'd always thought teaching the classes would be interesting, haven't started looking into it yet partially because I'm not sure if I'd be the best influence on the students.
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Mar 21, 2010 05:19
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Z3n posted:You can if you're not some kind of lamer. Everyone else read this as "don't care about scratching the gently caress out of lots of cars during your commute" right?
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Apr 1, 2010 23:11
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dietcokefiend posted:Probably pretty well You are my hero and must post details on how you set this up. I need to immediately replicate it on my CBR929.
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Apr 15, 2010 01:25
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Anyone discussing that Baltimore video not talking about the fact that its a felony involving having your home raided by the police and all your electronics seized if your helmet camera happens to video tape a cop has seriously got their priorities all kinds of screwed up. Or am I the only person around here who regularly rides with a helmet camera turned on simply for "if I get in an accident and need proof of what happened" reasons?
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Apr 17, 2010 21:11
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Z3n posted:I ran a similar setup for awhile, but being in CA, there's no generally no expectation of privacy in a public place, so it's legal to videotape. However, I would also notify the officer that I was taping if I was stopped for a traffic violation. I guess maybe I'm a crazy anarcho-liberal for how ridiculous the fact that that could be considered illegal anywhere is to me. 
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Apr 17, 2010 22:17
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frozenphil posted:Realistically I'll pick up a second gen SV650. Although there is a 2008 Bandit 1200 with abs for like $4k in my local craigslist. Despite the inability to use the majority of the capability on the street, theres definitely something to be said about riding a bike with more horsepower than my first couple cars. 0-100mph in about 4 seconds on something you're basically hanging onto is an indescribable experience. Its not something I'd recommend for a daily riding commuter bike or anything, but everyone should ride/own a ridiculously overpowered motorcycle at some point.
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Apr 22, 2010 18:48
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