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Completely depends on the person and type of riding. If you have a bad back and/or knees, or are tall, you might not be comfortable on a bike with any sort of forward lean. Or, maybe you won't mind. Friend of mine is tall and lanky and has destroyed knees from years of wakeboarding - he has had multiple surgeries and essentially has zero cartilage left - but he has no problem riding an R6. How in-shape you are can be a factor as well. Riding uses all sorts of weird muscles, and it's easier to fatigue if your body isn't used to extended physical exertion. There's a reason that racers do extensive mountain biking/road cycling/running/etc during off season. As an example of type of riding: Angryboot said a few posts up that he didn't mind 180 miles freeway on a ZX6. For me, that would absolutely murder me. My body can't handle sitting in a stationary position on a sportbike for that long. On the other hand, I've done 500 mile days on my R6 without issue, because they were almost all mountain miles and I was constantly moving on the bike.  Plus, have a look at the VFR800 seating position. The VFR is a sport touring bike (with a bias towards sport) that could do a cross-country trip. I know someone who would load his VFR with camping equipment and go on trips for weeks at a time.  It's less upright than the Ninja 250. Would I recommend a sportbike for long-distance touring? gently caress no. Would I recommend a standard/upright bike like a Ninja250/300/SV650? Sure.
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Mar 20, 2017 11:10
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Apartment people: What do you use for security on the bike? I've reached the conclusion that with my finances, I can either move into a nice place with a garage and live there forever, never saving money, or I can save a downpayment for a house within a year if I stay at my current place (with no garage)... I'll have comprehensive coverage, but I'd rather avoid it getting stolen in the first place. I'm assuming a decent alarmed disc lock, locking my steering, and one of those big fuckoff kryptonite chains would be pretty sufficient to deter most thieves who aren't throwing it in a van, and putting it under a lovely cover any time i'm leaving it alone for the day or overnight. Bikes i'm down between are an SV650, Ninja 650, or Ninja 500r at this point.
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Mar 20, 2017 12:45
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spouse posted:Apartment people: What do you use for security on the bike? I've reached the conclusion that with my finances, I can either move into a nice place with a garage and live there forever, never saving money, or I can save a downpayment for a house within a year if I stay at my current place (with no garage)... But yes, what you outlined is the best course of action. Tips: - Run the brake disc through the rear break. It's trivial to just remove the entire front wheel with the lock attached. They'll still be able to get the rear off, but it will take longer and be more of a hassle. - For the love of god don't run the chain through a wheel. Again, they'll just take the drat wheel off. Run it through something that cannot be removed, such as the frame. - If possible, don't let the chain sit on the ground. They have less leverage if it's elevated. But yeah, at the end of the day the best security is full coverage. If they really want your bike, they can silence the disc lock with a phonebook, break the steering lock with a knee, and freeze the chain and/or use electric/hydraulic bolt cutters. If there are any sportbikes in your complex, you'd probably be pretty safe though. Especially with a Ninja 650 or 500, which has little to no parts market.
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Mar 20, 2017 13:47
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-Inu- posted:Get a 14-16mm hardened chain. If you have a telephone pole or something else that can't be moved, lock it there. Anything like a sign post, handrail, or similar takes 10 seconds to cut through or remove. If you don't have that, the right way to do it would be to deface part of your complex and install a ground anchor. That's probably not a realistic option though, since the bolts expand under the masonry and the heads either snap off, are countersunk, or are plugged with a ball bearing or similar. In other words, they're a huge pain to remove. Thanks for your advice  I don't think I can anchor anything other than, yeah, a lightpole or the like, but I figure a decent disk lock and a big hardened chain will be enough to deter most thieves, and if it gets stolen, I'm covered. quote:Especially with a Ninja 650 or 500, which has little to no parts market. That's kind of a relief. I don't know what bike thieves look for, I know it's no supersport, so I didn't expect to have to protect it from flipper chop shop type thieves, but my primary focus was keeping people from trying to steal it for themselves, or joyride or sit on it (punk neighbor latchkey apartment kids/teens). I'm just peepants excited to buy my first bike and while I'm sad I can't afford a place with a garage just yet, it's a better choice in the long run.
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Mar 20, 2017 15:59
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spouse posted:Thanks for your advice Just make sure you get a full cover and always cover it. That + a chain should cover you for everything other than determined thieves. And, of course, as has been said, full coverage insurance because really there's just nothing you can do vs. plasma cutter/angle grinder + 3 dudes with a van.
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Mar 20, 2017 18:28
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builds character posted:Just make sure you get a full cover and always cover it. That + a chain should cover you for everything other than determined thieves. And, of course, as has been said, full coverage insurance because really there's just nothing you can do vs. plasma cutter/angle grinder + 3 dudes with a van. another dumb noob question then, do i need to wait for it to cool down before covering, and if so, how long?
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Mar 20, 2017 18:44
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spouse posted:another dumb noob question then, do i need to wait for it to cool down before covering, and if so, how long?
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Mar 20, 2017 19:08
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What is the advantage of covering a bike to deter thieves? So they don't spot candy from far away?
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Mar 20, 2017 19:24
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If the thieves don't know about your bike, they can't steal it. A cover doesn't exactly hide the existence of your motorcycle, but it means that the thief has to mess around with it for a while to figure out what's underneath, and that might seem like too much of a risk or hassle.
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Mar 20, 2017 20:48
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spouse posted:another dumb noob question then, do i need to wait for it to cool down before covering, and if so, how long? -Inu- posted:Yes. Maybe 30 minutes or so? Otherwise your exhaust will burn right through the cover. I found that out the hard way when i first started riding. It depends on your cover and your bike. I just cover mine right up and it's fine but there's a piece of plastic that sits between the cover and the bike and no spots where the header might touch. pokie posted:What is the advantage of covering a bike to deter thieves? So they don't spot candy from far away? Depends a lot on who the thief is. If it's someone where you live/park and they see you getting on and off every day then you're screwed no matter what. If it's someone driving by to scope things out then they are generally not going to take the time to get out and look under the cover. Purely anecdotal, but here in the city, dual sports and dirt bikes are like crack and a friend always covered his dr650. One evening he left it uncovered and by morning it had been stolen. In fairness, another guy with a husaberg had it stolen despite it being under cover and chained to his building.
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Mar 20, 2017 21:28
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A bike cover also removes the "drunk idiot that want to touch/sit on/puke on/leave trash on the nice bike" factor.
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Mar 20, 2017 22:53
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pokie posted:What is the advantage of covering a bike to deter thieves? So they don't spot candy from far away? Risk:reward and all that stuff. Could it still get stolen? Of course, but all you can do is make it less appealing to steal than some bike down the street.
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Mar 20, 2017 22:55
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Sagebrush posted:A Ninja 250 doesn't have sport-bike ergonomics. It's a sport-standard with a mostly-upright riding position and just the right amount of forwards lean for general use. (When you're moving, the wind blast tends to push you backwards, so you want a bit of forwards lean to counteract that). You can check out all the different bikes on Cycle-Ergo and you'll see that most of the standards we recommend have very similar riding positions to the Ninjette. -Inu- posted:Completely depends on the person and type of riding. If you have a bad back and/or knees, or are tall, you might not be comfortable on a bike with any sort of forward lean. Or, maybe you won't mind. Friend of mine is tall and lanky and has destroyed knees from years of wakeboarding - he has had multiple surgeries and essentially has zero cartilage left - but he has no problem riding an R6. How in-shape you are can be a factor as well. Riding uses all sorts of weird muscles, and it's easier to fatigue if your body isn't used to extended physical exertion. There's a reason that racers do extensive mountain biking/road cycling/running/etc during off season. Consider me educated, thanks y'all 
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Mar 20, 2017 23:00
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For the non-garage goons think about purchasing a new cylinder and key for the bike ad leaving it somewhere you remember. I gave a cousin of mine a 1982 GS450e, a bike that's in no way desirable, not even for parts. I bought the thing for 600$. She lives in an apartment and someone tried stealing it it the first two weeks she had it. Because she lives in n apartment I knew it was going to be messed with. I wanted multiple defenses for it. http://www.oxfordproducts.com/motorcycle/brands/oxford/locks/cable_locks/14m_x_25mm_barrier_blue/ They got the above off. They tried to drill out the lock and that didn't work, so they cut it with bolt cutters. It's a cable not a chain inside a steel sheath. They destroyed the sheath, but couldn't cut through the cable in one go. You can see on the cable how they used the bolt cutters to nibble through it. They drilled out and took off the ignition cylinder, and attempted to roll it away. That's when they found out I had another lock on the bike. The disk brakes were too old for the new style disk locks so I simply put a big gently caress off pad lock on it: http://www.oxfordproducts.com/motorcycle/brands/oxford/locks/disc_locks_and_padlocks/hd_mini_shackle_lock/ They tried to drill it out, that didn't work, and they tried the bolt cutters on it, that didn't work, so they ended up leaving it. They buggered up the lock attempting to drill it out, about 10 minutes with an angle grinder and a diamond cut off wheel got it with a ton of noise. I happened to have a spare ignition lock/cylinder laying about and it took about 15 minutes getting the new one in. TL:DR, defense in depth, have a spare ignition lock and keys for it handy just in case. Though the ending of the story isn't happy, she moved to a new apartment and the bike got stolen, picked up and carried off. She didn't have a permanent structure to secure it to.
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Mar 22, 2017 14:32
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We negotiated $3200 if its not sold by end of next week. Bike looks / sounds great in person. No ABS, some very slight scuffing behind the seat from a backpack, no other marks. Front tire is diablo something, rear is the pilot, rear looks very fresh. Commuter used for the miles. Good deal? https://sacramento.craigslist.org/mcy/6052156814.html
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Mar 31, 2017 16:44
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What's your opinions on Bilt / Sedici gear? I'm starting a MSF class tomorrow and looking at boots and possibly a helmet. I have a pair of jungle combat boots somebody loaned me that could work, but would I be better off with something motorcycle specific for beginner footwear?
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Mar 31, 2017 22:51
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Butt Reactor posted:What's your opinions on Bilt / Sedici gear? I'm starting a MSF class tomorrow and looking at boots and possibly a helmet. I have a pair of jungle combat boots somebody loaned me that could work, but would I be better off with something motorcycle specific for beginner footwear? Don't get Bilt or Sedici anything. You'll be fine with what you have for the MSF course, but get some higher quality gear from somewhere other than Cycle Gear before you start riding much. It'll be cheaper in the long run, if for no other reason than the seams will be less likely to blow out on good Dainese, Alpinestars, Revit, Fieldsheer, etc stuff. All of which you can find at a budget price if you're patient. Don't bargain shop helmets, either. Find one that fits, and patronize your local brick and mortar bike shop for it. If you find a lower price online, see if they'll match it. Try to find one with SNELL/ECE/Star certification too. HenryJLittlefinger fucked around with this message at 23:18 on Mar 31, 2017 |
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Mar 31, 2017 23:16
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Thanks for the input, had a funny feeling that those might be house brands since I didn't see them anywhere else. I'll definitely hit up the local dealers, an excoworker of mine might still work part time at a nearby shop...
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Apr 1, 2017 01:25
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ilkhan posted:We negotiated $3200 if its not sold by end of next week. Bike looks / sounds great in person. No ABS, some very slight scuffing behind the seat from a backpack, no other marks. Front tire is diablo something, rear is the pilot, rear looks very fresh. Commuter used for the miles. Good deal? It's ok. I wouldn't call it good. 3k would be more like it.
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Apr 1, 2017 03:16
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HenryJLittlefinger posted:Don't bargain shop helmets, either. Find one that fits, and patronize your local brick and mortar bike shop for it. If you find a lower price online, see if they'll match it. Try to find one with SNELL/ECE/Star certification too. Found my old roommate's HJC that fits and is SNELL approved, that'll work right?
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Apr 1, 2017 03:32
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Fine for the course, but get your own before you get a bike. Old helmets can get damaged and the foam can get brittle with time. Plus it's just kinda grody to wear something that's been all full of someone else's sweat and face grime.
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Apr 1, 2017 03:36
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pokie posted:It's ok. I wouldn't call it good. 3k would be more like it.
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Apr 1, 2017 03:41
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ilkhan posted:He didn't want to go below 3300. And to be fair, it really is in great condition. Plus Cali is a little more expensive to begin with. https://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/mcy/6061165421.html https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/mcy/6068336930.html Here are a couple near me.
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Apr 1, 2017 04:38
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Sagebrush posted:Fine for the course, but get your own before you get a bike. Old helmets can get damaged and the foam can get brittle with time. Plus it's just kinda grody to wear something that's been all full of someone else's sweat and face grime. Treat a helmet like you would a condom.
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Apr 1, 2017 06:06
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HenryJLittlefinger posted:Treat a helmet like you would a condom. i'm gonna say that you're either using helmets or condoms wrong, and i don't want to know any more about it
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Apr 1, 2017 06:42
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I always buy my helmets in packs. Though yeah for your first helmet go to a physical store and try on a ton of them. Shake your head around with it on, ignore the cheek pads as they break in, make sure it doesn't press on your forehead too much.
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Apr 1, 2017 11:34
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HenryJLittlefinger posted:Don't get Bilt or Sedici anything. You'll be fine with what you have for the MSF course, but get some higher quality gear from somewhere other than Cycle Gear before you start riding much. It'll be cheaper in the long run, if for no other reason than the seams will be less likely to blow out on good Dainese, Alpinestars, Revit, Fieldsheer, etc stuff. All of which you can find at a budget price if you're patient. I tried on sedici gauntlet gloves (ultimo I think?) and didn't feel a significant difference between those and the A* gloves in the store, so I bought the sedici's for $100 less. But I tried on a bilt helmet, and a sedici helmet, and loving lolllllllllllllllll I left the store with the RF-1200. spouse fucked around with this message at 14:37 on Apr 1, 2017 |
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Apr 1, 2017 14:32
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Sagebrush posted:i'm gonna say that you're either using helmets or condoms wrong, and i don't want to know any more about it I was thinking about the idea of never buying a used one, never using someone else's, always getting a reputable brand, etc. But I guess the analogy breaks down at the "use a new one every time" part. Edit: also don't buy your helmets from a machine in a truck stop bathroom and don't carry them in your wallet HenryJLittlefinger fucked around with this message at 15:51 on Apr 1, 2017 |
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Apr 1, 2017 15:36
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sooooo turn it inside out and wash then use for the next ride?
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Apr 1, 2017 17:25
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Just wrap a trash bag around your head and use a twist tie to secure it.
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Apr 1, 2017 18:27
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get one that's way too big because of your ego and watch it as it slips off your head right before you crash.
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Apr 1, 2017 19:27
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But if you have an overinflated ego it means you have a big head 
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Apr 1, 2017 20:55
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If you're really getting dirty, wear 2!
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Apr 2, 2017 03:59
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Butt Reactor posted:What's your opinions on Bilt / Sedici gear? I'm starting a MSF class tomorrow and looking at boots and possibly a helmet. I have a pair of jungle combat boots somebody loaned me that could work, but would I be better off with something motorcycle specific for beginner footwear? They are trash and you will probably die if you wear it (I'm only being slightly hyperbolic on the second part). Bilt and Sedici are CG house brands that are farmed out to the lowest Chinese manufacturers. The Sedici stuff isn't the absolute worst in terms world, but honestly you can find gear that is similarly priced and infinitely better from Revit, Alpinestars, etc (Not really Daniese though). Fun trick with Bilt gloves: take a pair of them - even the "race" gauntlets - hold two fingers with one hand and the other 3 with your other hand. Now pull them apart. The glove will literally rip into two pieces. No thanks you. Most of the Bilt stuff you can find identically if you Google something like "cheapest motorcycle gear" and look at the foreign pages. Some of it is cloned from other cheap brands (e.g. one of the older Bilt helmets was a rebranded Zox). Some of the Sedici stuff is rebranded stuff from the likes of Tourmaster and similar budget brands. Not the absolute worst, but it's not going to last. Re: helmets. Get something SNELL/ECE/SHARP approved. Ideally one with a fiberglass shell (though not absolutely required). Past that, the most important thing is how it fits on your head. A $200 HJC that fits perfectly is superior to a $500 shoei that fits like poo poo and gives you pressure points. My favorite budget helmet is the FG-17. It's DOT+SNELL, fiberglass shell, has a pinlock faceshield (though the insert is not included), removable liner, good venting, and good weight. A solid color is around $200 or some such. It's basically a baby RF-1200. My next street helmet is going to be an FG-17, though I'm sticking with an RF1200 for the track because it literally saved my life last year. One reason why you want a helmet that has more certifications than just DOT: Astonishingly, there is no prerequisite testing required for DOT. Literally anyone can slap a sticker on and be "legal". The feds are constantly going to stores and will buy full size runs of different helmets and THEN test them. If they find that they don't actually pass DOT, that's when the helmets get recalled. Now, any reputable manufacturer (Shoei, HJC, Scorpion, Icon; basically any "known" name) is not going to risk destroying their business by selling a helmet that doesn't pass spec. But cheap off-brand helmets? I wouldn't trust it. Again, that's not to say that a helmet isn't safe if it's only DOT approved. For example, modular helmets cannot pass SNELL* - it doesn't matter who you are. Same with helmets that have an internal sun visor. I'd trust a modular HJC or a Scorpion with an internal sun visor though. Would I wear one personally? No, but there are for reasons beyond that (mainly weight, and in the case of modulars - noise). My mindset is that a helmet has one job: to protect your head in a crash. I place no value in bells and whistles beyond that (other than things like venting and aerodynamics). I don't want to come off as ragging on those things too hard though. I have no problem recommending things like modulars to people if that feature is a priority to them. Everyone has different priorities when it comes to motorcycle gear, and there's nothing wrong with that. If we didn't, everyone would be riding around like a MotoGP rider all the time. Oh, and the boot question. Those are fine for now. I hold an unpopular opinion in regards to motorcycle boots so I won't get long winded about that. I'll leave entry-level recommendations to others for now. Wew, sorry for the (possibly nonsensical) word salad. It's 1am and I've been slamming coffee to get work done so I'm like a kid without his Ritalin at the moment. *It's technically possible, but the helmets become literal boat anchors at that point. A couple small-name mfgs did it back in, I want to say the 90's, but modern helmets are not certified because it simply is not realistic to do. -Inu- fucked around with this message at 06:09 on Apr 2, 2017 |
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Apr 2, 2017 06:02
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So why can't modulars or internal sun visors pass SNELL without being made stupidly heavy? Modular I can kind of make a guess, but the sun visor thing is odd.
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Apr 2, 2017 10:50
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Dick Burglar posted:So why can't modulars or internal sun visors pass SNELL without being made stupidly heavy? Modular I can kind of make a guess, but the sun visor thing is odd. Helmets with internal visors won't pass because they have to make a gap between the EPS to make room for the visor to retract. The gap in the EPS causes too much energy to be transferred to the head. That's why Arai never made a helmet with an internal visor, because they wanted every helmet they sold to be DOT & SNELL at a minimum* (funny side note: they used to make a Corsair V exclusive to the EU that was SNELL & ECE, but not DOT, so technically it was illegal in the US). Instead, Arai came up with this neat little contraption that puts the sun visor on the outside of the faceshield:  * I think Arai has a helmet now that isn't SNELL certified? I think I remember hearing about that shortly after I left the industry. Also, in case anyone is curious why a modular won't pass SNELL but a 3/4 helmet can, 3/4 helmets are tested to a different standard than full faces. -Inu- fucked around with this message at 12:43 on Apr 2, 2017 |
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Apr 2, 2017 12:40
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Hey that is my exact helmet. That sunscreen looks loving retarded though. If you learn the secret to swapping Arai visors it only takes about 20 seconds. Just carry a clear and a dark smoke and swap as needed.
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Apr 2, 2017 14:32
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If you get really good at it you can do it in under 5 seconds, though they occasionally don't like to cooperate. Also, while we're on the topic of Arai, protip: if you ever need to remove or replace side pods, use a popsicle stick to get behind the pod and push the release latch. Learned that one from an Arai rep. I agree with carrying two shields, but there is an argument to be made for a sun visor if you're riding in wooded areas that fluctuate in brightness.
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Apr 2, 2017 15:34
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-Inu- posted:Helmets with internal visors won't pass because they have to make a gap between the EPS to make room for the visor to retract. The gap in the EPS causes too much energy to be transferred to the head. That's why Arai never made a helmet with an internal visor, because they wanted every helmet they sold to be DOT & SNELL at a minimum* (funny side note: they used to make a Corsair V exclusive to the EU that was SNELL & ECE, but not DOT, so technically it was illegal in the US). Instead, Arai came up with this neat little contraption that puts the sun visor on the outside of the faceshield: EPS = ? I am a motorcycle newbie, help me out here with the acronyms. I have really sensitive eyes (goon cave life) so I was actually really happy with the idea of a built-in visor, since I sometimes need to put on sunglasses in the middle of a drive in my car, even on not-at-all-bright days. I know it's a gimmick, but it'd probably be a very useful gimmick in my case as a lovely vampire. Now I am sad. Dick Burglar fucked around with this message at 19:07 on Apr 2, 2017 |
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Apr 2, 2017 19:05
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Dick Burglar posted:EPS = ? the sacrificial energy absorbing layer of the helmet that keeps your squishy bits working.
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Apr 2, 2017 19:05
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