|
Wasn't sure which thread to put this in but I figure someone who hasn't ridden in 15 years is functionally not that different from a new rider. When I was in my late teens and early 20s I used to ride a '83 Honda Shadow. I loved that bike and rode it everywhere but previous owners had not taken care of it at all and the electrical system started failing. I was young, didn't have a job or an income, and didn't know poo poo about how to fix it and just stopped riding for a long time. Now, in my late 30s, my financial situation is finally looking like I could afford a bike again. I've been looking at the newer Shadows, but I notice they're 750cc where the '83 was 500. How noticeable will that difference be, and how bad of an idea would it be to just buy a brand new Shadow Aero? unimportantguy fucked around with this message at 08:17 on Jan 4, 2022 |
#
¿
Jan 4, 2022 08:09
|
|
|
|
| # ¿ May 15, 2024 12:43 |
|
|
knox_harrington posted:I don't have a handle on how slow a Shadow 750 is but you're probably more at risk of a crash than an actual newbie. quote:Fake edit: it's apparently 43hp so sufficiently gutless. Not my thing at all and you'd probably be better off with the thread standard rec of a MT-03 Edit: part of the reason I'm looking at Shadows is also shaft drive - chain maintenance never seemed like a good time watching my dad do it unimportantguy fucked around with this message at 13:45 on Jan 4, 2022 |
|
#
¿
Jan 4, 2022 13:36
|
|
|
Okay it sounds like I need to completely rethink this. Sounds like trying to get something kind of like the bike I had before is a bad idea. Thank you, goons.
|
|
#
¿
Jan 4, 2022 14:55
|
|
|
Sagebrush posted:The Rebel 500 is a perfectly fine bike for you to (re)start with. It looks like a cruiser, but it rides and handles like a standard. While it is smaller and lighter than something like a Shadow, that makes it a lot more forgiving and fun to ride. Go get one with ABS and enjoy. This sounds fantastic. Standard with cruiser styling is basically what my old bike was. Now I just need to find one amid the sea of Harleys old enough to vote.
|
|
#
¿
Jan 5, 2022 02:17
|
|
|
ImplicitAssembler posted:I pay $70/month for liability only Hot drat where do you live? I live in California, which I'm told is one of the most expensive states in the US to insure a motorcycle in, and I just got a quote for less than this for comprehensive insurance. ($435/yr if anyone wants to tell me if that's a good deal or not) Edit: Also, hi again Newbie thread goons! I got my gear purchased and I'm trying to buy a Rebel 500. This market is not very buyer friendly. unimportantguy fucked around with this message at 14:21 on Feb 17, 2022 |
|
#
¿
Feb 17, 2022 14:15
|
|
|
I did a thing!   I really enjoyed the ride home! First time on a bike in about 15 years. It felt so nice. Now I need a cover and ooo maybe some saddlebags and and and...
|
|
#
¿
Feb 25, 2022 03:54
|
|
|
Got out for some practice today and I am definitely feeling the muscle memory come back, but I also definitely need more practice. I'm way too timid in curves, I'm instinctively death-gripping the handlebars to the point that I can feel my fingers start to go numb after a while, and my low-speed maneuvering needs work. It seems like the only thing I retained perfectly was the ability to ride in a straight line lol. This is getting awfully chattery on my part, maybe I should take it to another thread?
|
|
#
¿
Feb 27, 2022 01:29
|
|
|
There was a little bit of rain this evening and I had to ride home from work on wet roads, but the Rebel handled it like an absolute champ. I'm really starting to feel like I can trust this machine.
|
|
#
¿
Mar 15, 2022 11:19
|
|
|
Had my first actual rain ride on this Rebel last night (after the "wet roads" ride a couple weeks ago). Bike handled it like a champ despite both the rain and a bunch of fairly fresh new asphalt all over the roads near my home. This thing rules and I love it more every day.
unimportantguy fucked around with this message at 06:25 on Mar 29, 2022 |
|
#
¿
Mar 29, 2022 06:21
|
|
|
That reminds me that I should probably get a toolkit for my bike. It theoretically comes with one but it's not very useful to me when the hex wrench used to access it won't come off the frame!
|
|
#
¿
Mar 31, 2022 01:03
|
|
|
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.
|
|
#
¿
Apr 3, 2022 00:33
|
|
|
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 |
|
#
¿
Apr 7, 2022 02:20
|
|
|
What motorcycle dudes on YouTube are worth watching? I like Jerry Palladino, FortNine, and DanDantheFireMan. Is there anyone else I should have on my watch list?
|
|
#
¿
Apr 13, 2022 11:12
|
|
|
Last night, while I was riding my Rebel 500 home from work, I was passing a truck and felt my engine sort of "catch" for a moment, like it had stopped, and the bike slowed down before re-engaging and smoothly accelerating again. No other problems rest of the ride. I checked everything I could think to check when I got home (Oil level, any obvious obstructions, any apparent mechanical damage or loose seals), and everything looked fine. How worried should I be? My best guess at this point is maybe some water got in somewhere it wasn't supposed to?
unimportantguy fucked around with this message at 20:21 on Apr 21, 2022 |
|
#
¿
Apr 21, 2022 20:04
|
|
|
Slavvy posted:This sounds like a borderline side stand safety switch or similar. Unfortunately, unless it's something really obvious like a bad connector, you have to wait for it to fault again to test what the problem is. Whoops! Sorry. Honda Rebel 500. I'll edit it into the post as well. Edit: Thank you, Slaavy! Time to go stare at my stand. unimportantguy fucked around with this message at 20:36 on Apr 21, 2022 |
|
#
¿
Apr 21, 2022 20:20
|
|
|
On examining my bike, the side stand locks into place fine and doesn't appear to be loose, but the connector that plugs into the switch seemed to wiggle a little bit. I reseated it and made sure it was secure and hopefully that'll fix things but I'll keep an eye on it. Thanks again!
|
|
#
¿
Apr 21, 2022 22:51
|
|
|
I'm an ATGATT dude so I'm not the best person to understand this mindset but Jesus riding without hearing protection sounds like hell.
|
|
#
¿
Apr 25, 2022 07:23
|
|
|
Oh hey the odometer on my Rebel just hit 1000 miles. I've gone 1000 miles without crashing or getting a ticket. Feels like an accomplishment to me! I hope to see many thousand more miles like that on this bike. Seriously, thank you to the goons who told me the Rebel 500 would be a good bike for me to get back into motorcycling; this thing rules.
|
|
#
¿
Apr 27, 2022 23:21
|
|
|
Remy Marathe posted:I dunno about you, but the 10 years I spent not-riding was punctuated throughout with "itch to ride" phases that normally passed quickly because it wasn't practical at the time. Always a twinge of wistfulness seeing motorcycles, even in video games. I could name a dozen reasons I like riding but there's this weird addiction to steering underlying it, like White Castle burgers or crack, that I don't quite understand. Oh, yeah. I spent 15 years not riding, and that feeling only got stronger over time, until it reached a point where I felt like I was always talking about motorcycles. That's when I knew I needed to work toward jumping back in.
|
|
#
¿
Apr 28, 2022 01:59
|
|
|
Huh. I haven't used the pinlock insert that came with my helmet (A Shoei RF-SR) because it came with a bunch of warnings to never use it at night and about 40% of my riding is done at night. How seriously should I take those warnings?
|
|
#
¿
Apr 29, 2022 10:21
|
|
|
Wow you goons were not kidding about the benefits of a pinlock insert. This thing is pretty great and I'm considering it a must-have from now on.
|
|
#
¿
May 1, 2022 00:50
|
|
|
Coincidentally, it was windy as all hell today on my way into work. drat near got shoved over a lane a couple times until I remembered to tuck in. So uh, thanks for the timely advice ya'll.
|
|
#
¿
May 8, 2022 23:17
|
|
|
I decided to adjust the rear suspension preload on my Rebel today. I knew it'd feel different but I wasn't prepared for how different putting on some extra preload felt. I immediately noticed I felt a little taller in the saddle, and as I hit some local backroads, I felt like I had more control. I was able to hit curves more smoothly and at higher speeds, and felt more confident doing so. I was also definitely bottoming out before, because I noticed a lot less unpleasantness when I hit potholes or bad patches of asphalt. Perhaps best of all, after 45 or so miles of riding, my butt didn't hurt as much. This kicks rear end and I should've done it sooner.
|
|
#
¿
May 15, 2022 00:21
|
|
|
Russian Bear posted:I need to do this on my MT03, I know I’m too meaty for the stock setting. Myself, I weigh around 250lbs and I understand that the Rebel's stock settings are for something more like a 150lb rider. Maybe I should even try the next click up (currently at setting 3).
|
|
#
¿
May 15, 2022 08:24
|
|
|
Every time I read a Slavvy post about motorcycle geometry I suddenly feel like I actually know nothing. It's a pretty cool feeling.
|
|
#
¿
Jun 6, 2022 03:14
|
|
|
Granted I just bought my bike so numbers might be different in subsequent years but my registration in California cost $218.
|
|
#
¿
Jun 10, 2022 05:55
|
|
|
Went on the longest trip I've taken on my Rebel 500 so far today, about 100 miles of California wine country backroads. It was mostly great except for the people I was stuck behind for a while going 30mph in a 55 zone. I'm planning on a longer road trip next year, so I'm trying to slowly ramp up my ride lengths and work toward being able to ride most of the day. The saddle on this thing definitely isn't the best and for longer trips I'll want to do something about that.
|
|
#
¿
Jun 26, 2022 02:07
|
|
|
That's a cool looking bike! I'm glad your search turned up something you were happy with.
|
|
#
¿
Jun 27, 2022 04:23
|
|
|
I got my bike by watching CycleTrader and calling around. I hear some businesses will ship you bikes through CycleTrader but I didn't interact with that.
|
|
#
¿
Jun 28, 2022 03:51
|
|
|
CongoJack posted:I have been passively looking at dealer inventories the past couple weeks while I wait to take my MSF course. I have noticed that there are few/no Rebels, MT-03s or Z400s, but there are several KTM 390s hanging around. I found some old articles about reliability, do they still have issues? Dealer inventories are a mess right now. The dealer I bought my Rebel from told me I was the first person who'd managed to buy one without putting down a preorder deposit in months. I just got lucky the other dudes didn't want a green one (Their loss; the green is a great color). You're much more likely to get a decent beginner bike watching Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace for idiots who rode their Rebel/MT-03 for 500 miles and decided they're ready for a Road Glide.
|
|
#
¿
Jul 19, 2022 05:27
|
|
|
Slavvy posted:Oh and make sure your pressures are right. Y'know I occasionally get a little loose feeling going around certain curves on my Rebel and it just occurred to me reading this that I haven't checked tire pressure in a few months. Welp I know what I need to do now at least.
|
|
#
¿
Aug 30, 2022 07:04
|
|
|
I also did the Progressive-through-AAA thing and paid $435 for a year of pretty decent full coverage for my Rebel 500 so that just seems weird to me. Watch it being something weird and dumb like not giving you safe driver discount or something.
|
|
#
¿
Oct 5, 2022 03:38
|
|
|
I just passed 4,000 miles on my Rebel.  Doesn't need to do too much for the 4,000 mile service though I ended up slightly tightening up the clutch. How seriously should I take the "please don't attempt these maintenance tasks yourself please take your Rebel to a dealer" notices in the manual? I see a few of those on the tasks for the 8,000 mile service.
|
|
#
¿
Oct 24, 2022 07:05
|
|
|
Slavvy posted:There's nothing on your Honda that requires special dealer tools or techniques or even a particularly large number of brain cells, if that's what you're asking. Nothing on the list of tasks seems all that intimidating to me and I wasn't planning on taking my bike into a dealer until it was time to do valve clearances. But my dad (who is my go-to for mechanical advice because he's been maintaining his own bikes since the 70s) said I shouldn't bother inspecting the steering head bearings myself and I should take it in to a dealer. It really doesn't look like a big deal to me so I decided to ask for a second opinion. Could be I'm underestimating! For mechanical skill level I have little experience but I do have access to tools, service manuals, and someone who can tell me if I'm doing it wrong. All I've actually done before is super simple stuff like oil changes and chain cleanings.
|
|
#
¿
Oct 24, 2022 08:57
|
|
|
Slavvy posted:You can inspect your steering head bearings by getting the front of the bike off the ground, grabbing the bottom of the forks and seeing if you can wiggle them back and forth at all, then turn the bars side to side and feel for any notchiness or dead spots. Being that it's fairly light you could accomplish this by getting a helper to put their foot on the side stand and heave back on the frame so the front wheel is free for you to move. You don't need to take anything apart. This is more or less the impression I got from reading the manual and I have no idea why my dad was worried about it. That's why I asked for a second opinion. quote:You also don't really need to do anything besides change the oil and adjust the chain, it is a Honda, it's astronomically unlikely it needs anything at that low a mileage. The plugs won't be worn, the air filter will be clean, at most you'd need to do the brake fluid if it's been a few years. This is also more or less what I expected, based on general Honda reputation and looking around online. I dunno maybe my dad is overly cautious or something but he was saying I should get the full inspection done by a mechanic at 8,000 miles  Thanks as usual for your prompt and helpful replies, Slaavy.
|
|
#
¿
Oct 24, 2022 11:53
|
|
|
The "HEY MAN NICE BIKE!"s never stop coming around here. It is kind of fun when it's like little kids or something. Less so when it's some old dude with opinions about bike brands.
|
|
#
¿
Nov 9, 2022 04:20
|
|
|
Vino posted:I PASSED
|
|
#
¿
Jun 8, 2023 07:27
|
|
|
How long do chains normally last? This Rebel 500 is the first bike I've owned with a chain and the chain seems pretty worn out after around 7000 miles (I've had to pull the tensioner back pretty much all the way) but that also doesn't seem like a lot of miles? Should I be concerned that I'm riding too roughly or not taking enough care of the chain? I've been pretty diligent about cleaning and lubricating it but is there something else I should've been doing?
|
|
#
¿
Jul 4, 2023 09:26
|
|
|
I haven't dropped my Rebel so far, but my dad managed to knock it off of a paddock stand and onto himself while trying to show me how to thread a new chain onto the sprockets without detaching the shift lever. That was exciting. I definitely dropped bikes a couple times as a teenager, though.
|
|
#
¿
Oct 20, 2023 01:31
|
|
|
|
| # ¿ May 15, 2024 12:43 |
|
|
Had a close call on my way to work today with a pile of wet leaves I didn't notice in the middle of a turn. It was a good reminder to always be paying attention and that losing focus is unacceptable arrogance. My reaction probably wasn't the best either: when I felt my rear tire start to slide out from under me, I slammed down a foot and pushed the bike back up to the proper angle mid-lean without slowing down. If I'd actually gone down with my foot down like that it probably would've been bad. I need more practice and I need to pay more attention.
|
|
#
¿
Dec 14, 2023 00:29
|
|