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Great thread, Sagebrush, thanks for all the effort. However, I'm gravely disappointed that the first post is not On Any Sunday in its entirety embedded with no explanation.
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Mar 2, 2017 17:59
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| # ¿ May 2, 2024 12:34 |
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Sagebrush posted:old design doesn't mean "reliable", it means "people have figured out how to fix them." big difference there. Yeah, this. Think Ural.
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Mar 7, 2017 22:50
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I just keep a large beard and look like I'm always angry, so nobody ever approaches me about my bike unless they used to own one themselves.
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Mar 9, 2017 16:53
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Yeah, plugs actually make it far easier to hear sirens, horns, your own engine, etc over the wind noise. Never don't wear plugs.
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Mar 10, 2017 16:03
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Voltage posted:I would absolutely not spend $4500 on that - definitely get a Honda Grom (MSX125) or Kawi Z125 Pro if you want a little non-highway city bike, should be perfect for learning too. I was gonna say if you like that and want to spend $4500, get a TW200 instead. And don't spend $4500 on it, spend $3000 max and the other $1500 on gear. But yeah, just get an EX250 or one of the ones that everyone keeps repeating too.
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Mar 10, 2017 16:59
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Sagebrush posted:Your field of view isn't limited at all by the helmet. When I'm looking straight forwards through mine, I can't see the edges of viewport on any side. This is very much true, and the whole "helmet limits your vision" argument is stupid bullshit perpetuated by stupid bullshit weekend warrior cruiser pirates. With even the most budget of the budget full-face helmets made by a decent manufacturer (e.g., HJC) these days, your visibility is still so much better than in any given car because you don't have A-pillars or the entire back half of the car in your way. Furthermore, a decent set of mirrors will give you drat near 150 degrees of vision behind you, and that's flat mirrors. With mine properly adjusted, I can see the back end of a car on either side of me in the mirrors and the front end of said car in my periphery or direct vision if I glance over. Convex mirrors will give you more like 180 degrees. Sagebrush posted:You still need to keep your head on a swivel, though, always looking everywhere, because your blind spots are bigger (smaller mirrors and no central rear view). After I'd been riding on the crowded streets of San Francisco for a while, I started to be somewhat more aggressive about getting away from cars and trying to always maintain open space on every side, because no matter how alert you are, there's always someone somewhere who's gonna do something dumb.
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Mar 10, 2017 23:41
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Get quotes on the bikes you're looking at first. If you're on a budget, that can be a very real factor in picking your first bike. I can't speak for other insurance providers, but Progressive and Geico will let you do a quote on any vehicle without actually providing a VIN. It's ballpark, but reliable enough. I helped a guy get a Ninja 500 for his first bike (excellent first bike), but because he was 22 and most insurance companies see that as a sportbike, his insurance was like $1200/yr. Had he gotten say an XT250, it would have been half that.
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Mar 17, 2017 16:53
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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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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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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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If you're really getting dirty, wear 2!
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Apr 2, 2017 03:59
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Internal sun visors are cool af and I love mine so loving much. I've got a Scorpion AT950 and its a really nice lid. It's not SNELL, but it is a modular helmet from a reputable brand, which gives me some confidence in it. The mechanism feels solid, there's no flex when its locked, and zero play in the hinges. When I grab the chin bar, I can wrench my head around and there's no movement at all. The field of view is huge, the mouth vent works too well, and the internal visor is fast and the perfect level of tint for me. I think all of that adds up to just enough more safety that I didn't have too much hesitation about trading the extra protection of a one-piece. Plus, it's a little easier to get on and off and I look like cobra commander.
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Apr 3, 2017 06:10
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Capn Jobe posted:So I picked up a bunch of starter gear the other week, including a pair of Bilt pants. Reconsidered, and returned the pants to CycleGear today. The clerk didn't really know what to recommend; I wanted something textile (not overpants) that could zip into my AlpineStars jacket. No red flags. Those are all good upgrades to basically any stock bike. You'll want to get the suspension tuned to you a little better, but it's probably still going to be better for you than stock. Most bikes are pretty undersprung from the factory. Upright bars is good for newer riders too, within reason.
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Apr 18, 2017 05:44
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Don't buy a helmet without a 5-year warranty.
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Apr 20, 2017 01:04
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Buying an R1100R to avoid messing with chains is like wearing ski boots to avoid the hassle of shoelaces. An SV650, a R1100R, and a Nighthawk 750 are three rather different bikes. What exactly are you looking for in a bike? The SV650 is really the only one of those that says "all arounder." An R1100R is far from that. A 750 Nighthawk is kind of boring, but probably the most reliable and easiest to adjust to, it's a pretty basic UJM. edit: You've pretty much answered your own question already. If you like the Gladius, get one of those or an SV. The user base for SVs is huge, and with that comes all the parts, maintenance knowledge, tips and tricks, and aftermarket development you could ever want. It's one of only three bikes (are the KLR650 and Ninja 250 thread still around?) that have a dedicated thread on this forum, due entirely to its popularity and ubiquity. HenryJLittlefinger fucked around with this message at 20:00 on Apr 25, 2017 |
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Apr 25, 2017 19:56
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Wind noise is probably a bigger contributor to motorbike-induced hearing loss and tinnitus. I've got it horribly and have a very quiet bike. Experiment with different plugs though. Those ones coydog posted are very effective if a little messy.
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Jun 9, 2017 16:35
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theKGEntleman posted:Okay, so, completed, passed and loving loved the MSF class. I now just need to pass the written portion to get my endorsement. I've considered the ninja 250 and cbr 250 for my starting bikes, but I'm really digging the one below. It's around the price I'm looking anyways. If the rebuild is legit does anyone have a concern about this as being a starter bike? Are you getting into bikes with the intent to work on them as much as you ride?
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Jun 12, 2017 05:41
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theKGEntleman posted:That wasn't the idea, I'm not really that mechanically savvy, or intend to be. Just enough for proper checklists and easy maintenance stuff at home. Like Sagebrush, I got an old bike for my first one. Like you, I wanted to ride more than wrench. After a couple years I sold that fucker and got a bike I didn't have to work on and wasn't afraid to leave town with and was much happier. Ninja 250, 300, or 500 would be reasonable. Small dual sports like a KLR or KLX 250, XT225 or 250 would be good as well.
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Jun 12, 2017 14:46
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spouse posted:The tires are brand new. Put them on when I realized the ones on when I bought it were 7 years old. This is in response to all of your recent posts, not just this one. You can actually squeeze a lot more power, efficiency, handling, throttle response, etc than you think out of your bike just by doing some really scrupulous maintenance and small upgrades in the right places. Pull your carbs, give them a thorough working over. Clean them, see what ex500.com recommends for jetting changes, set your float heights, clean your slides, get those fuckers brand new again. Then do your valve clearances, as has been discussed. After that, go back and sync your carbs and set your pilot air screws. That whole exercise alone can be done in a couple patient days and will find you a couple HP that have disappeared over the years. I believe there's a common airbox mod for EX500s, but doing anything there will necessitate playing with the jetting again. Following that, as has been discussed, setting up your suspension for your weight and a slightly more aggressive riding style will make it feel faster. Without actually going faster, you'll feel the acceleration more immediately, and the better responsiveness in turns feels faster. For most stock mass-produced, non-supersport bikes, it means drat near doubling the fork spring rate and about the same on the rear shock. There's probably a direct bolt-in rear shock from another model that will solve that problem for $75 or less and 30 minutes of wrenching. Forks will take longer because you should also do seals and oil if you drop in stiffer springs. The classifieds section on ex500.com may turn up some stiffer springs that someone is getting rid of. Likewise for a better rear shock. There may be a timing advance mod that will wake up your throttle response somewhere. Research it. You usually have to move to higher octane fuel. Probably not worth it (wasn't for me), but for some people it scratches that itch. The real productive thing is learning about performance riding techniques and practicing them. Practicing getting really clean lines through familiar turns, getting a little faster every time, riding in a higher rpm range, experimenting with body positioning (within reason), and the sorts of things you can pick up from A Twist of the Wrist, Proficient Motorcycling, and Sport Bike Riding Techniques will make you a better rider while revealing just how capable the bike is. The EX500 is not by any means a dog of a bike. At 3000 miles, you haven't experienced much of what it's capable of. Getting another bike eventually is a cool and fun process, but you stand to hinder your learning process if you mix in learning a new bike too often while you're learning fundamental technique.
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Jun 28, 2017 04:09
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pokie posted:This is a fun exercise. Let's see what I bought since I started riding in April 2016. You've spent more on jackets alone than all three motorcycles I've owned combined.
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Jun 28, 2017 04:11
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M42 posted:I had to spend a ton of my gear because used womens poo poo basically doesn't exist, especially in my size. I lucked out on my race suit because 48 taichi fits me with some alterations, but am SOL on pretty much everything else. Rip in piss As if being white, male, middle class, and American wasn't enough, there's nothing quite like the privilege of being 5'10", 32x32, and 165 lbs with a perfectly average torso.
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Jun 28, 2017 04:36
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captainOrbital posted:I'm pretty close to your size (except where it really counts) and I can't find any used race suits that aren't for...well, average midwesterners, I guess. Never mind. I've never looked for a one-piece, but I can get jackets and pants without issue. Fieldsheer stuff fits like it was tailored for me.
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Jun 28, 2017 20:20
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ijzer posted:how do i get a bike from the current owner to my house? i can't get insurance until i have the bike, right? plus i don't know that i'd trust myself on the street to ride it home. do i have to rent a truck? Just jumped right off without checking the depth, didn't you? All you need to insure a bike is a VIN, they don't care if it's in your garage or in a junkyard. Buy insurance before you transport it. Doesn't have to be titled to you, because you need insurance to register it anyway, and that's usually when you swap the title over to you. Go rent a UHaul trailer, it'll be easier than a truck. Or a UHaul van and ramp if you don't have a hitch on your car. If you've never even rolled a bike around, you'll want a lower deck height than a pickup will give you the first time you load it and especially the first time you unload it. Or offer the seller a bit extra to deliver it.
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Jul 2, 2017 22:55
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ijzer posted:i have not bought a bike yet and i finished the msf course today so i have at least some experience rolling a bike around. i've just never owned a vehicle so i am not familiar with the way buying insurance works. Ah. You could ride it home since you presumably know how now, but still insure it regardless of how you get it home. I'd still say trailer it, but that's just me. And yeah, figure out what insurance will be like before you get a bike. Most starter bikes are reasonable, but some of them might be way more than you expect depending on regional things, your age, and your record. Dual sports are probably dirt cheap everywhere, but something sporty looking with fairings may be drat near what you'd pay to insure a full on sport bike, regardless of engine size and performance.
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Jul 3, 2017 02:18
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Sagebrush posted:Part of what triggered me to get a motorcycle was, after thinking about riding one and lusting after them for years, my friends started getting married and grumbling about all the things their wives wouldn't let them do. Made me think "well, I'd better buy a motorcycle now, then, so that if that ever comes up I can always say that I've just been doing this for years and I'm not going to stop." Easy I'm of the opinion that people who complain about what their wives won't let them do, and how their wives kill all their fun, and otherwise buy into all that "real boss of the house ball and chain" bullshit have never considered having a rational civil discussion when one of their ideas gets nixed. Maybe start by having a life together based on trust. Maybe share some of your hobbies rather than making all of your free time about your man cave. Do your chores first and don't bitch about house and family duties, and then go play when you're done. My wife has never told me I can't do something, I think because I listen to her reasoning and respect it when she tells me she doesn't want me to do something. Sometimes I go along with her because it's better to do without an experience or toy and be agreeable than be all "you can't tell me what to do wife, I'm a man!" Then again, I was riding before we were together and she actually likes being a passenger sometimes and trusts me. Also motorcycles are super polarizing and some people just don't want to compromise about them. Sounds like whatever7 and his lady compromised nicely and maybe because of that, bieks are not off the table entirely. This relationship advice brought to you by HenryJLittlefinger, thanks for tuning in.
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Nov 20, 2017 20:09
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a true-to-character response
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Nov 20, 2017 20:57
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you're like a broken clock of head up the rear end opinions
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Nov 20, 2017 21:01
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"I mean, were all thinking it, I'm just saying it out loud, right guys?!" *cue applause*
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Nov 20, 2017 21:35
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Out of curiosity, is there any subdued mx/dirt gear out there at all? Seems like the massive splashy logos have been standard since mx became a thing.
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Dec 18, 2017 03:04
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Capn Jobe posted:Can anyone recommend a tire inflator? I tried to fill up my tires at the gas station yesterday, and maneuvering their air hose around was just too much trouble; I'd rather be able to do it at home. I keep this thing in my truck at all times, and use it at home in the driveway on the bikes. Works pretty fast, very handy little gadget.  Picture links to Amazon listing for it. It's one of my favorite car kit staples.
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Jan 16, 2018 21:19
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builds character posted:I have one of these and like it. It’s quite small and so far so good for just bike tires. Runs off the bike’s battery. These are cool as gently caress
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Jan 17, 2018 05:25
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Capn Jobe posted:These are great suggestions for portable units, but I'm looking for something to plug into a wall outlet (I have an outdoor outlet right next to where I keep the bike). The linked pancake compressor or some variant sounds like a good idea, but ideally I'd like something a bit less expensive/bulky. Anything less than $100 for a 110V air compressor is probably going to put you in Harbor Freight range, and I think air compressors fail the "will it kill me if it fails" part of that decision tree.
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Jan 17, 2018 05:27
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Jazzzzz posted:I have a $99 refurbished pancake compressor (labeled DeWalt, not Porter Cable like the one I linked, but they're all made by Campbell Hausfeld anyway) and it's been working with no issues for the better part of ten years. I think Central Pneumatic makes the stuff Harbor Freight sells. Hm. How big of an air tool can you run on it?
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Jan 18, 2018 01:25
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Jazzzzz posted:Nothing big. I can break 5 lug nuts with a 1/2 inch impact, let it re-fill the tank while I change the wheel, and it will be ready for the next wheel, but that's about it. It's more useful for nailguns and the like. I have another compressor with a 25 gal tank for anything that needs a bigger supply (HVLP spray guns or the like), but neither of them can push enough CFM to run things like a jitterbug sander or an air grinder. Well poo poo, now I think I need one. What's an HVLP spray gun? Like the kind you repaint your deck with?
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Jan 18, 2018 04:17
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Capn Jobe posted:I've been doing more freeway riding recently, partially because I've just been using the bike more, but also because I want to get more comfortable with it. One problem I keep having is my throttle hand just goes dead numb after about 20-30 minutes on the freeway. Well, not totally numb, because it also hurts like hell. If I slow down for ~10 seconds to take it off the throttle and wring it a bit, it gets better, but the cycle then repeats after another 20-30 minutes. Lube your throttle cable(s), too. Maybe even clean your return spring. Having a throttle pull that is anything less than as smooth as possible can cause you to grip it pretty tightly. Retrain your muscle memory. Figure out just how little pressure it takes to hold the throttle at cruising speed and focus on keeping your hand/wrist tension right around there.
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Feb 22, 2018 17:34
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Wheeee posted:I'm strongly considering getting into motorcycling this spring as I finally live in a region that isn't winter half the year and road construction to fix the crumbling roads the other half. DR650
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Mar 12, 2018 21:19
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That is hot as gently caress
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Mar 13, 2018 05:04
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Wheeee posted:Something I learned when I once picked up an old Buick as a winter car is that old men know what's up, comfort owns. How far from the US are you? Is it worth it to buy over the border? If you're committed to buying in BC, you probably ought to go new. Even an older bike in good shape is going to cost you an oil change, tires, brake pads and fluid, and other odds and ends before too long and when you're starting out near the cost of a new bike, you'll be paying the same within a couple years probably.
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Mar 16, 2018 19:16
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You may have also been overcompensating with your right hand on the bars and stiffarming/gripping it too tightly, and as a result, jerking when you hit whatever it was.
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Apr 6, 2018 16:17
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| # ¿ May 2, 2024 12:34 |
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You ride a Rebel, right? Adjustable levers all over eBay. Lots of them are cheap poo poo, but some are not. Also, there are probably a handful of sportier bikes wth adjustable levers stock. A buddy of mine runs Ninja 650 levers on one of his bikes (not a Ninja 650) for the same reason and likes them. Might have to replace the master cylinder but probably not too hard to do.
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Apr 15, 2018 15:57
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