Thinking about buying a motorcycle....

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When I get my first bike, I am going to be looking at Suzuki SV650's
I have a few friends who started on them. Good blend of everything including low insurance.
 
A decent condition used Shadow 750 minimum for your size/weight as you'll probably also have times your going to take it on runs other than work commute.
1st thing I'd do is get seat better than stock, add bags, may want a windshield etc.
Most I knew that started on a 250 wanted something a little bigger in a very short time.
Me.... I started on a Harley 1200 Sportster and I'm a little fella. Custom (gel/mem foam) seat, floorboards, bags & windshield made it easy for those weekend warrior runs. A good seat is important to me, and the wife as she rides with me most times. Good tires are necessary too as far as I'm concerned. Upgrade the lighting if also riding during dark hours is also worth the investment.

Add - I still have the 97 Sportster. It's modded (cams, pistons, SE carb, SE pipes etc etc), solid motor mount, so not a smooth ride when out on the interstate - but sure is a fun bike up in the mountains. The wife and I have done runs, once over 16 hours only stopping for gas and a quick bite, and no problems with the custom seat. Has a much better lean angle than the Ultra. I recently put Metzler 880's on her. For whatever reason, I keep her and ride her. Wife & I took her for a run along a river for a few hours just last night.
 
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When Nick asks a question to purchase a vehicle, answers do not matter. Anybody wants to bet how soon we would have "I just purchased a new 2013 Ninja 300 because I got insane deal on it" :)
 
I'll be honest, the power of the 500cc Shadow we have now is perfectly adequate for me on the highway. I don't really want or need more power than that I already have.
 
Originally Posted By: Nick R
I was thinking about picking a small cruiser to commute and ride on weekends. I've been looking at the Yamaha V-star 250. It's inexpensive, and gets good gas mileage (80mpg). But I commute 60+ miles a day, almost all of it highway. I'm also a bigger guy (230lb, 6'0" currently) and I wonder if a 250cc bike would be enough for me.

I'm only 150 lbs and a 250cc bike was just not enough to feel comfortable on the hwy. Plus, most 250cc bikes are rather light which will make you very susceptible to wind gusts that will be throwing you all over the road.

I find my 500cc Vulcan very comfortable and easy to ride. It's also relatively inexpensive to buy used and there are plenty of them. They stopped making them in 2009. It'll run at 70 mph without a problem, although it sounds a bit strung out due to high gearing. It's an easy fix though - you can just swap a 17-tooth sprocket up front instead of the stock 16. I get about 55-57 mpg on it consistently.

Honda is launching the new CTX700 this summer. It has a cruiser-like riding position, but it looks more sporty than a cruiser. I actually like the looks, but some people don't. It's an entry level bike, so it's not expensive (relatively speaking), but I don't know what your budget is.

I agree with eljefino - don't get a bike thinking you'll save money. Bikes require more frequent maintenance than cars, so if you put a lot of miles on them, the savings just aren't there. Also, in my experience, if you commute on it, by the time you get to work, your clothes will smell like exhaust. Unless you plan on changing at work, make sure your coworkers aren't offended by this.

In short, buy a bike if you enjoy riding. Don't buy a bike thinking it'll save you money. An occasional commute to work on it may be fun though. Also, sometimes it can be sunny on your way to work but raining on the way back, and that's no fun. Might want to have a rain suit handy.
 
Originally Posted By: Vikas
When Nick asks a question to purchase a vehicle, answers do not matter. Anybody wants to bet how soon we would have "I just purchased a new 2013 Ninja 300 because I got insane deal on it" :)



I hope that is in jest. Whatever I buy, I'm buying outright, and if I'm going to buy used I'm going to stay around $2k. Also a ninja? That's a sport bike. No thanks.
 
That suzuki looks like the better of two buys. You may be able to re-sprocket the rear to get more of an overdrive ratio. I'd worry about harmonic vibrations on a single (or anything) getting to your wrists through the handlebars if you run it a long time on the highway. Of course they might tune that out with the right revs, mounts, sprockets, and weight balls in the bars.

OTOH air cooled is cruder if you want max efficiency. Get an old Goldwing or something.
laugh.gif
 
Life is too short not to have fun. Ignore the chicken littles as they sit in their houses hoping they are safe. Get a bike, and get some good training. have fun.
I would suggest something bigger than a 250. A lot of older bikes can be had for about 2 grand. You can ride them for a few years, and still sell them for 2 grand.
 
i'd avoid the single. Spent some time on a 650 single--- even though it was counterbalanced, it was just not very smooth. like riding a dual sport.

the SV650 is a great bike to tool around on. reliable, upright seating, smooth motor. I liked the V-strom too, same driveline, though they look funny at certain angles.
 
Originally Posted By: meep
i'd avoid the single. Spent some time on a 650 single--- even though it was counterbalanced, it was just not very smooth.

I've read the same on multiple occasions. That's why I crossed it off my list when I was bike shopping last time.
 
Originally Posted By: Nick R
I'm also a bigger guy (230lb, 6'0" currently)


I remember seeing a pic of you a little while ago and you looked to be about 190lbs dripping wet. Everything OK healthwise? I'm genuinely concerned becasue I had the same issues at one point in my life.

On the motorcycle topic, I've always thought that the Suzukis of the early 1980s were the best bang for the buck. A 650 or 750 can be had for peanuts (an 82 650 can be had for $500), and the maintenance is pretty straight forward except if the front shock seals let loose. Like another poster mentioned, tires are not very long lasting so budget for that. Had a 500 while I was in high school in the early 90s, and it was a blast. Even then it only set me back $1000.
 
Hold off Nick if you can. I've seen too many donorcycle victims to recommend a motorcycle to you.

You are still fairly young. Start a family first and consider a motorcycle down the road if you still have the urge.
 
A 250 would be a good bike to learn on...other than that, it's way to small. If you already know how to ride I'd recommend something that's AT LEAST 1000ccs, and if you're considering a v-twin cruiser, I'd recommend a 1500 or bigger. These bikes would be comfortable for your 60 mile commute, and you're not going to get sick of them right away. I have an M109R and I could never go back to riding something smaller...
 
Originally Posted By: whip
Life is too short not to have fun. Ignore the chicken littles as they sit in their houses hoping they are safe.


I've wrecked my fair share of motorized vehicles and have to say I am glad the higher speed incidents happened in a vehicle that can eat a tree without killing me, and be put back on the road the next day. I've wrecked on open-air vehicles too, but off road on comparatively low speed ATVs where there were no soccer moms waiting to paint the road with me and my sorry [censored] Suzuki Quadrunner. 70+ MPH with only a helmet and clothing for protection, and most of all OTHER PEOPLE all around you, is a totally different level of risk that the OP would be taking day in and day out.

Yes, everyone should have some fun, but I don't think reminding a relatively inexperienced rider about the potential risks is a bad thing. Ignoring those risks is irresponsible. The OP hasn't been riding for 30 years...he hasn't been alive that long. If commuting on a bike is totally worth it to you, by all means do it, but I don't see anything wrong with giving someone who is kicking around the idea fair warning.

Putting up with other drivers wandering around in their CUVs in some sort of prescription drug / Dunkin Donuts induced coma for 60+ miles a day doesn't really sound like a huge amount of fun anyway. It does sound like a good way to get creamed on your way to work though. Commuting on a bike is for the truly dedicated, it's not for everyone or a lot more people would do it. I don't think the idea of buying a bike is bad, but I think a relatively new rider jumping into a 60+ mile commute on one should involve some consideration/forethought rather than just saying "buy a liter bike and ignore all the sissies!"

Getting into bikes isn't much different from getting into guns or anything else where a split second of not paying attention to what you are doing can kill you. It's worth paying attention to the risks and being fully aware of what you are getting into.
 
I heard many times that my GSF400 was "too small" for freeway use.
crazy.gif


Holeing a bunch of CBR600s and YZF600s and holding them down until over 75 mph shut them up.

Yeah, I was at 7000 rpm at 70 mph, but I had a 14,000 rpm redline.

Same goes for 250s. It just depends on which 250 you are talking about.

I've reached top indicated speed on a Honda CMX250 Rebel. About 80 mph It doesn't have a tach so you have to go by the red-lines and gear numbers. It takes a long stretch of level pavement and some creative (and not so safe) tucking techniques. It is not a bike I would recommend on the freeway. I haven't tried it on a Suzuki GZ250 but I do not imagine it's much different.

The Kawasaki EX250F Ninja is at about 7500 rpm at 60mph. That sounds terrible but it redlines at 14,000 rpm. Starts to pull hard (for a 250) at 8000 rpm so there's still some power left there. 9000 rpm at 70mph. Still pulling. Tuck in and you'll get to the century mark. Freeway is no problem. The Ninjette is one of my favorite bikes to ride 10/10ths on.
Hyosung GT250R is a little more difficult. It doesn't accelerate as well at freeway speed, but it is a bigger, more comfortable bike.
I haven't ridden the Honda CBR250 yet, but I have a feeling that it is between the Kawi and Kimchi burner in power.

The Chinese Lifan clone of the V-star 250 is no good. Sub-Rebel level of power. and then they put weird styling flourishes all over it like chrome studs on the seat. I was pushing it hard to get it to 65mph. It was still a relatively new bike so I didn't top speed test it but it's probably no better than 75. Chinese bikes are notoriously lean, but I don't see a jetting change netting another 30 mph. I'd honestly rather have a Cleveland Cycle Werks bike if I had to have a Lifan built engine. Then it's a CG250 OHV Honda clone and stupid easy to maintain.

If you gotta' do a 250 cruiser, see if you can find an EL250 Eliminator. All the Ninja mechanicals, Eliminator styling. Riding buddy of mine took a trip to Nebraska on one. Didn't get run over on the Kansas turnpike.
 
I'll add to that, my Yamaha RD350 could be ridden on the freeway with no worries. It would get spooky at about 100 (indicated) so I never pushed it beyond that. It probably didn't have much more on tap than 105 to maybe 110, but it could easily manage 75mph all day.

Just 350ccs..... but from 45-90mph it would have left a Shadow VLX 600 or a V-Star 650 in a haze of bluish two cycle smoke
 
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