Motorcycle questions...

Off-topic
1

So this is a unicycle forum, but I figured that there are plenty of cycle enthusiasts out there, and I’m close to getting my driver’s license. I figured here would be a good place to ask a few questions.

I don’t really like Harley’s (even though I’m from Wisconsin.) I figured that the logical route to go for a motorcycle would be something like a sport/street bike. I was browsing Kawasaki’s site, and found the Kawasaki Ninja 650 R. It’s a nice bike, and it looks like a good price. Ideally, I’d love to get that specific bike new, but I think it’s a bit specific, so anything in that style (and around or under that price) would be perfect.

If it makes a difference, I wouldn’t really race with it. It’d just be a bike that I’d use to commute. Like a bike that I have instead of a car.

Any suggestions? Comments? Ideas?

Oh yeah, two things to add:

  1. I know that a motorcycle wouldn’t be the best during the winter in Wisconsin, but if global warming continues (and according to Al Gore, it will) it should be good for 8 or 9 months in the year.

  2. To get a license to operate a motorcycle in Wisconsin, you need to take a road test. But if you don’t live next door to the DMV, how are you legally supposed to get your bike to the DMV? Or do they have bikes there that they use?

2

My stepdad like motorcycles.
Yeah, Harley’s are more like show bikes, you couldn’t do any super long distance trips on them often and not expect problems.
That’s about all I know, you might want to contact your local DMV about question number two though.

3

Up here in Canada all you need to do to get your bike learners is to write a test. After that your pretty much only restricted to not having any passengers.

As for the bike I would suggest something smaller and older like maybe a 500gs or radian or nighthawk that’s more in the 80’s/90’s and around the 400-500cc to be easier on the $insurance$ as a starter bike until you get some experience and your $insurance$ rates go down.

Have you grew up with dirt bikes? if you don’t have much experience with bikes I would definately reccomend keeping it under 500cc to begin with even if money isn’t a problem.

I started with a CM400 and moved up to an XJ750 myself.

4

Yeah, I have no experience with bikes (except I rode my friend’s moped a few times, and that’s street legal)

I’ll check out some of those bikes that you mentioned, but what make are those? (I’m not sure if make means brand, but that’s what I mean.)

I have no problem keeping it under 500cc’s considering I live in the suburbs, and I’m not entirely sure what cc’s means (the two aren’t related though.)

I’m sort of rambling though, so thanks for the comments, and hopefully they’ll keep on coming.

5

Here’s some links for the bikes I mentioned above to give you an idea.
Your best bet would be to get one of those weekly bike trader magazines and search through there.

  • The reason I was saying those bikes is cause for $insurance$ they’re older and smaller but if money isn’t a question you could always get a newer bike but bikes are crazy fast and all riders agree that it’s best to start off smaller.(less powerfull)

-oh btw “cc” is cubic centemeters… it’s the metric term to the size of the engine. For example 302 ford engine is 302 cubic inches or 5.0L =which is actually 5000cc

Honda NightHawk
Suzuki 500GS
Yamaha Radian

6

Hmmm… “I’ve got my car test on Saturday. Should I buy a Ferrari or a Porsche Boxter?” “I want to buy my first unicycle; should I get a carbon fibre Coker with aero rim,a nd should I go for the 80mm canks or get some shorter ones made?”

I’ve passed my bike test in 1992. Since then I’ve owned:
Honda CB400n (4 stroke 400cc twin, sit up and beg style)
MZ ETZ251 (2 stroke 250 cc single, sit up and beg style)
MZ Skorpion (4 stroke 660 cc single, sports tourer)
Gilera Runner (4 stroke 200 cc twist & go scooter)
Vespa GT125 (4 stroke 125 cc twist & go scooter)
and now BMW F800s (4 stroke 800cc twin, sports bike of sorts)

In addition, I’ve ridden a range of bikes from a Suzuki RGV250 through to a Harley 883 Sportster. I’ve been to all corners of Britain - the Orkneys, John o Groats, Lands End, Wales/Anglesey, Lake District, Inner Hebrides etc. I’ve done 400 and 500 mile days, ridden on motorways, country lanes, over 30% mountain passes and so on - a varied experience.

And I would still be very wary of buying a Ninja 650. I certainly wouldn’t advise anyone to have one as their first bike.

The BMW is the most powerful bike I’ve ever owned - 85 bhp - and although it’s very easy to ride at 60 mph, things can go wrong very quickly at low speed in traffic, or at high speed on the motorway. A moment’s lapse of concentration, a wet road, a clumsy gear change, a surprise manoeuvre by an idiot in front… I was nearly knocked off twice in the space of a mile yesterday, and I am one of the most careful road users I know. (I spent many years of my life investigating motor accidents, reading Coroner’s reports and medical reports and dishing out compensation. It makes you think…)

A friend of a friend passed his test one Saturday, collected his Kawasaki 600 sports bike the following Wednesday, and killed his 12 year old daughter on the back of it on the next Saturday. My friend was passing the scene as they carried her body out of the field.

For a first bike, depending what’s available iin your country, consider Honda CB500, Kawasaki ER500 or ER6n or ER6F, a 250cc or 400cc trail bike or super moto, or even a Harley 883 without all the tart’s handbag trimmings. Something stable and not too pwerful - something you can really use. Whatever you buy, remember that the learning starts after your test, and never stops.

But don’t let me put you off. It’s a great sport.

7

I starated “two wheeling” with a Cushman Eagle which is now a classic 50’s toy but long since gone. lNext was a Harley “Sprint CH” followed by the Sprint SS in 1966.Now am riding a Valkyrie.
I had been off motorcycles for approx. 30 years when a super deal came along on a used /as new Valkyrie and I got hooked again.
Anyway as to suggestions: if you live in the US the very first thing to do is take the authorized motorcycle safety course. They are reasonably priced, course sponsors provide the bikes for the course-----here it was Honda 250 Rebels and 250 Suzukis. Both of these are very nice bikes and can be found used reasonably priced. I had been riding the Valkyrie some before I took the course and now am thinking about a 250 of some kind because they are so much more versatile: off road, gravle, paverment, whereever you want to go. The big bikes are a pavement proposition onley.
Final reiteration: TAKE THE MOTORCYCLE SAFETY COURSE. I can’t over emphacize how important this is.

8

Sorry to dredge this topic up again, but I figured it’d be more wasteful to make a new topic.

I’ve been looking at bikes and found a few that I liked. Among them, I found a yamaha bike with a good price and I like the look of it. It’s close to 200cc’s so it’s not too powerful. I also located a motorcycle training course nearby that’s a good price and is certified. They also provide the bike.

I have a few questions though…

First off, the bike I like is “dual-purpose” which means it’s street legal and safe on the road, but it’s styled much like a motocross bike, and is suitable for mild off-road riding. Here’s the link: Motorcycle

Now I looked at it, and the description said it came with “full street equipment.” Does this just mean that it’s suitable for driving on the road, or is that saying that it comes with stuff needed to make it street legal?

Also, because of the suspension and the tires, is it going to be much harder to ride than, say, a smaller sport bike? I would think somewhat easier, but perhaps I’m wrong.

Lastly, what steps should I take in taking the safety course? Should I get my Class M permit first, then take the course? Or should I take the course, then get my permit? The class provides a bike, but should I have a bike, or even know someone with a bike that’d let me practice on it? Or would the class be able to teach me enough to be somewhat proficient on the bike? What I mean is, do they just teach some basic riding things, and then expect you to practice a lot? Or does it teach a lot of what you need to know to pass the test? Does the course cover having a passenger? And if not, what’s the safest way to adjust to that?

That’s about it. I will definately take the safety course at a local technical college (I’m not sure how soon, though) and I’m still open to suggestions on the bike (I’d like to buy new, but I’m not sure how smart that would be. I don’t really plan on having a car, although I do have access to cars. If I bought a cycle that was around 5000 dollars, what would the monthly payments be like? In fact, what would the payment structure be like? Is there like, a down payment followed by monthly payments? If I make a larger down payment, can I have lower monthly payments? Am I better off searching through the classifieds and finding a used bike?)

I know I asked a lot of questions, and I’d be more than happy with a general answer to each section. Hopefully it’s all coherent.

Thanks in advance!

9

Sounds to me like you know you’d like a bike but you don’t really know what sort at all. It’s like you’re saying, “I’d like a unicycle, but should I buy a KH20 trials or a Coker?”

The XT225 is not available here in the UK, but the XT125 and CT600 are available.

The picture shows a 4 stroke bike suitable for riding on the road. It has indicators (turn signals) and front and rear lights and a brake light. A 4 stroke is generally easy to manage (unlike a 2 stroke that has one small part in the rev range where it accelerates manically) and I’d say that if an XT225 had been available over here, I would have bought one a few years ago.

The only problems that bike might give you are:

  • Seat will be uncomfortable after 20 - 30 minutes - but that's 10 - 20 miles.
  • Seat might be a bit high for you. Sit on it and find out. You don't need to be flat footed with both feet, but it shouldn't be a struggle to stand it up. Remember it will settle on its suspension a bit under your weight.
  • Depending where you live, trail-style bikes can be a target for kids who steal them and ride them round the local waste ground before torching them.

On the other hand, you should get light and easy steering, plenty of fun in the 20 - 50 mph range, and a top speed of 80 mph or so. With sensible riding (hahahahaha) you’ll probably get 70 miles per (UK) gallon too.

It’s certainly a far better choice for a first bike than, say, a Ninja. It won’t scare you to death, you won’t be too afraid of dropping it, and replacement parts will be cheaper when you do. That’s when, not if.

My current bike is a BMW F800S, 4 stroke 800cc twin. Great fun on the open road, a bit of a handful around town. The best fun bike I ever had was a 250cc 2 stroke styled loosely like the one you’ve linked to.

In short, it’s not a bad suggestion as a first bike. It will be full street legal, and suitable for riding on the road. You might prefer to consider something with more road-biased tyres though. Speak to the dealer. As with MUnis, there’s a choice between extremely knobbly, and reasonably smooth.

10

my -2 cents

I’ve always thought Kawasaki Ninja’s are insanely cool, but I would never want to actually have one.

harleys have comfey seats though.

11

I am always aroiund bikes and love street bikes and i love racing. unless I save up my money for a year and get me one I get a yamaha v-star. My mom and dad both ride and i race. learning from exprence i would say if you don’t how to ride get something to learn on then get a sports bike. i don’t like harleys either. My dad says that my uncles harley is uncomfertable. i would say that the kawisaki ninja is a good choice and i have always liked them to so you could get one of them.

12

If you’re starting off, I suggest this modest bike:
http://www.suzukicycles.com/Products/GSX1300RZK6/Default.aspx

Once you have a year or so under your belt, you could move up to this bad boy:
http://www.yamaha-motor.com/sport/products/modelhome/151/0/home.aspx

No really, I don’t have a clue. This bike looks really promising for you, though. It even says it’s great for learners:

But my dad has a '91 Suzuki Katana 750. It’s really fun to ride. He took it to 90 mph with me on the back one time - wow! Anyway, we’re driving it to the ocean this weekend. It’s like a 2 hour ride…saddle soreness here I come!

13

Hahahaha, a hayabusa. That’d be awesome. 1300 cc’s!

Yeah, I’d definately consider getting the bike in the link I posted, but after Mikefule’s comment on getting my bike stolen, I got a bit nervous.

I don’t know where anyone would ride it out in the suburbs, especially since our dump has an attendent at the entrance. I don’t think getting it stolen would be a big issue, but I always worry about stuff like that. Is it really easy for someone to take a bike? I mean, because it’s so open, I always feel like a bike would be such an easy thing to take.

Also, I don’t think seat height would be an issue. I’m 6’2" or so, but maybe seat height is an issue for learning to ride or something. I’m not sure.

Thanks for the suggestions, I’ll be sure to go to my local suzuki dealership and pick up my 'busa in a few days.

14

Get one like this:

monocycle.jpg
monocycle.jpg400×600 28.2 KB

15

Haha, I did jump between ideas of trials unicycles and cokers. I haven’t really decided yet, though.

I really do like the motorcycle that I posted, though, but I don’t want it to get stolen. There aren’t any trails nearby, it’s just suburban. Is there still a strong possibility it’ll get stolen? Is there anything I can do to prevent it from getting stolen? I mean, I would pretty much just ride it around town/ to and from school. It’s not a bad neighborhood, but I would still have the fear that some idiot would thing it’d be funny to tip my bike over, or move it, or something like that. Is there anything I can do to prevent that? Do the wheels lock when the bike is off?

Am I better off getting a sport bike or something like that?

16

Good lord, man, do you want a bl**dy motorbike or not? I’m 5’7" and 150 pounds when my hair’s wet. If you want the bike, nothing should stop you getting it. I have a friend who is smaller than me and rides a BMW GS1150:

17

Haha, I definately do want a motorcycle, and I plan on getting one, but because it’s a lot of money and I’ve never had anything like this before, I want to get in the right mindset. I don’t wanna get it and then worry about it all the time.

How much is lo-jack?

18

A large part of owning and riding a motorbike is being self confident and enjoying the freedom. Although we don’t all have to dress like Marlon Brando in the Wild One, or pose as Hell’s Angels in designer rebel costumes, and although bikes are more of a consumer product and less of a spontaneous cultural phenomenon than used to be the case, the very fact that you are prepared to perch on a noisy socially questionable two wheeled machine and risk getting soaking wet, chilled to the bone, or knocked off by a myopic octogenarian redneck means that you need something of a devil may care attitude.

If you take to biking, whatever you choose will not be your last bike (subject to the depradations of the aforementioned myopic octogenarian redneck). Your bike will be knocked over in the car park. You will drop it when manoeuvring it. You will probably have a minor crash on spilled diesel, or run wide on a bend and end up in a hedge. Children will slash the seat or put sugar in the fuel tank. They may put sugar on the seat and slash in the tank. Possibly, but not probably, the bike will be stolen.

These examples of adversity will provide you with a fund of tales, and will be the common experience that bonds you with your fellow bikers, marking you as part of a maverick elite, a modern cowboy, spurned but secretly admired by polite society. Each mark and dent on your bike will be a badge of rank, showing you are a biker and not just a motorcycle owner - a doer, not a consumer.

It is better to die than never to live. If your bike is stolen, you are without a bike from that moment until you replace it. If you never buy a bike, you are without a bike forever.

Most trail-styled bikes never go off road. The upright riding position, light weight, cheap flexible bodywork and easy maintenance make them ideal for cutting your teeth as a motorcyclist.

Most sports bikes never get ridden to anything like their potential. A standard sports 600 will do 140 mph plus. If you do 140 mph, you will be passing cars that are doing 70 mph as quickly as those cars are passing lamp posts. Something will go wrong. The car driver will occasionally remember your death with a tinge of regret. At the loss of his no claims discount.

Small trailbikes are cheap and cheerful.

BMWs and Harleys hold their resale value.

Any bike will be fun. As a new rider, you will have more fun on a bike that doesn’t scare you to death.

19

i’m planning n getting a motorcycle too, eventually. i know that when you take your test you have someone driving behind you in a car scrutinizing every move you make (but hey, it’s their job) i have a lot of expirience with harleys, my dad’s a member of hog (harley owners group) and they do tours with thousands of bikes all over the world, i’ve been to LA on the tour of route 66 (we rode back to maine in 5 days, including a maybe 900 mile day). the most painful tour i ever went on was the Can-Am rally, i recall it was in september and it rained for almost the whole week. depending on the whether i woud seriously think about the riding in the winter idea, in october i went from my home town to elmira NY to visit my bro, it was snowing in the NH mts. and took over 12 hours. i guess all i’m saying is, i hope youre ready for some pain. (it’s worth it)

20

I worked for a driving (car and motorcycle) school in New York for 3 years. Here’s some sensible but maybe not-so-fun advice to keep you alive and protect your insurance rates.

If you’re just getting your drivers license, better to get some legal road time in before switching to the motorcycle. Unlike the UK, where Mikefule is, motorcycles are a relative rarity on U.S. roads, and don’t get noticed or paid attention to as well as in most other parts of the world. In other words, the most common form of car/bike accident in the U.S. is a car making a left turn into your path because they “didn’t see you there.”

So, better to get comfortable interacting with traffic first, then add motorcycle. Also, if you can, learn to drive a stick-shift first. though on a bike the controls are in different places, the concepts are the same. If you get used to working a clutch first, that’s one less thing to distract you when learning the bike.

I taught people on 250cc Japanese bikes. Very easy to handle, and easy to pick up off the ground. Expect to drop the bike at least once, and make this a factor in your choice of bike. Some hold up much better than others, or cost less to repair after a drop. We used our own bikes, so people wouldn’t have to put their shiny new Harley’s at risk. Many students came to us after having bad experiences with friends teaching them how to ride.

Most common mistake people make in teaching their friends: They don’t teach them how to stop. Practice stopping and starting a lot. Stopping is when the bike is most likely to get dropped, and starting is where you want to be comfortable and confident in traffic. Especially in a left turn at a traffic light that’s turning red.

My personal advice: don’t get a crotch-rocket like the Ninja. I have never, ever seen someone over the age of 40 riding one. Where do they all go? Also I don’t find them comfortable. It’s like riding a racing bike (bicycle) to get to school. Okay, maybe you never rode one. A racing bike has super-twitchy steering, very skinny tires, and is generally very uncomfortable to ride for pleasure. The Ninja is designed to look like a racing motorcycle. And it also acts like one, which is to say more power than you should want, especially in your early years of riding.

Mikefule’s stories of theft may also be a more UK-oriented thing, but I’m not familiar with the patterns of which kinds of bikes get stolen in this country.

There are different kinds of course. My company offered lessons, but there was also an “advanced motorcycle course” offered through the American Motorcycle Association, which I took myself. That one is best to take on your own bike, if you have one, so you can directly apply the riding skills you learn. If it’s one of those types of course, definitely take it. Mine was for people who already have a motorcycle license. The lessons my company offered were for people preparing for a road test, or learning to handle the bike.

In answer to your 50 questions about the course, you should ask the people offering the course.

…And you live in Wisconsin. If you plan on having a job in the future, perhaps to pay for the bike and gas, you may find that choice highly unrealistic. You haven’t experienced hypothermia until you gotten it riding a motorcycle in 70-degree weather wearing a T-shirt (there’s a story there). In other words, being cold takes on new meaning when you ride a motorcycle. Where I live, we have what I call “fake winter.” My grandparents, who lived in LaCrosse WI, would call my winter “September.” Unless you like swimming in Lake Superior in the winter time, you probably won’t enjoy riding a motorcycle then either.

Probably one big payment of $5000 unless you have an established credit record. Interest rates depend on that. If you go through your parents it will probably be a lot less than what you can get unless you’ve been using credit cards for a few years. Beyond that, there are plenty of loan calculators online.

Whatever you end up with, keep “not being dead” as your primary objective with motorcycles on American roads. Better to have a motorcycle for fun than as a primary means of transportation (especially in the great white north).

Road test:
You had asked how that works. It varies from state to state, but in New York you have to bring the motorcycle, and a car, and a person to drive the car. The DMV inspector gets in the car with your friend for the road portion of the test. If you ride the motorcycle to the test, the other person has to have a motorcycle license to make you legal getting there. Or you can trailer the bike to the test. What a hassle. That’s why my company offered a $100 road test service, where we bring you down there with our bikes, help you prepare, and then do the test with the DMV person.