needs some info

[OtisBlkR1]

I hate to be a nay-sayer, and i deffinately dont want to turn anyone away from motorcycling, but ive followed the OP's threads for some time and most of us that have would agree that Chevyboy is trying to save a buck.. or three. Thats perfectly fine, but let me tell you ive been a motorcyclist for 10 years and there's not alot of "cost savings" over a 35-40mpg cage in the long haul. Most places in america a motorcycle is a 6, maybee 8 months a year machine.. in fair weather.. assuming its not pouring.. Most long term motorcyclist have alot of gear for alot of different riding conditions (ive got easily over $4,000) in gear not including different helmets or my wifes gear..

just saying...
insurance
plates
all the little stuff that wears 10x faster than a cars parts (brakes oil tires valve adjustments etc) and all thats assuming you buy a good 2k bike (i say that with a bit of a grin as most 2k bikes are older (see needs parts and love) Or there newer and are completely clapped out.. although there are a few jems out there.. if you know where and what to look for.

I recomend getting into motorcycling for motorcycling.. and if you can use that bike as a alternative transpertation part of the year great, but trying to say its a cost savings yearly (especially starting out with nothing, bike, gear, knowledge) is just foolish.

the amount youl spent just getting started will buy ALOT of gas..

Not trying to turn you off to two wheels, just keeping it real man !

p.s. Please take a MSF if you do get a bike..

 

[Dakota1820]

I understand. I like bang for my buck but doing the rides and charity work would be very fun as well. I understand its not an initial saving or even much of one at all but I imagine over the course of time I will saw a wee bit....maybe

 

[OtisBlkR1]

Originally Posted By: chevyboy14
I understand. I like bang for my buck but doing the rides and charity work would be very fun as well. I understand its not an initial saving or even much of one at all but I imagine over the course of time I will saw a wee bit....maybe


if you keep to buying a bike outright, buying a semi-older smaller CC bike, in good shape, thats cheap on gas and insurance, and doesnt need alot of initial investment put into it.. MAYBEE.. go ahead and get into it.. youl see..

 

[Phishin]

Let me put $0.02 in here......

One of the most reliable bikes ever made....easy to find....easy to work on....easy to find parts for....and listed by some national motorcycle club as the 2nd most important motorcycle ever made....is the Honda CB750. They were made in the 1970's.

They are easy to convert into a rat-rod/street fighter look too.

Have you thought about a scooter? I own three. A highly customized 2008 Honda Ruckus (only 50cc so no highway use), a 1986 Honda Elite 250 (goes 70-75mph, get 65mpg's, and has NEVER given me any trouble. $1500 will buy a mint one of these all day long....never dropped, hardly a scratch, and less than 4000 miles. These go for 75k+ miles if properly maintained. My last scooter is a Yamaha Morphous. These things are sooooo cool. Same speed/mpg's as my Elite 250, but low, laid out, and real comfy. Super cool looking.

I know, you gotta have real balls to ride a scooter tho.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Speaking of scooters, I've always liked the Suzuki Burgman.

Morphous does look kind of cool, too.

 

[Phishin]

For me, riding two wheels is for enjoyment.

If I am in a hurry or have something to haul or it's raining....I take the car or truck. But riding is an experience. You should read: Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance....awesome book.

Here is the scooter/motorcycle hybrid...the ol' Honda CT70 restored, and slightly modified.

 

[OtisBlkR1]

Originally Posted By: Phishin
For me, riding two wheels is for enjoyment.

If I am in a hurry or have something to haul or it's raining....I take the car or truck. But riding is an experience. You should read: Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance....awesome book.

Here is the scooter/motorcycle hybrid...the ol' Honda CT70 restored, and slightly modified.

 

[OnTheFence]

Buying that first bike can be a shot in the dark. It won't end with the bikes purchase. Accessories, Boots, Helmets, Gloves.

Then once you get some time in the seat, you may or may not have picked the right bike for the riding you like the most. You don't know what you like the most until you have done it. Some like to cruise up and down mainstreet, with frequent stops. Some like carving up the twisties and others like long hauling.

When you come across a bike in your target range, pull the trigger if you like it. A year or two later you will probably want something more better different.

 

[Ken2]

Chev, great advice above about starting off with the motorcycle riding course. Way too many riders claim they have 20 (or however many) years of experience, but they really have one year repeated 20 times. They usually get by. If they knew more they'd both have more fun and be safer. Here's the riding course info:
http://mmsp.org/new/
Take the 2 or 2-1/2 day Beginners Riding Course.

In addition, get a good book on riding. It'll emphasize what you'll learn in the course and add to that. David L. Hough is probably the most highly regarded author of basic riding books, and this is his latest: Mastering the Ride: More Proficient Motorcycling, 2nd Edition. Buy it. Read it. Re-read it.

You'll need safe riding gear. Missouri requires helmets, but helmets vary. The safe ones are full face helmets with an internal shape that matches the shape of your skull and fit just right. Decent helmets start at $100. A 3/4 open face helmet is OK if you think your looks would be improved if you slide face first on pavement at highway speed and don't need a jaw. A half-helmet is legal but pretty useless for anything except an impact from the top. One of the salad-bowl-with-strap novelty helmets is both illegal and useless for everything except rain. Here is a diagram of a helmet showing where impacts hit as collected by a German medical school & hospital:

http://www.health.ny.gov/prevention/inju...ets_420x187.png

And, you'll need an abrasion resistant coat with spine, shoulder, and elbow armor, abrasion resistant pants with hip & knee armor, gloves with knuckle armor, and protective boots. Riding with jeans or Carhart work pants is no protection, and leather vests and fingerless gloves are for show. Leather chaps are a little protection but not much. Unfortunately, too many of the Harley crowd has goofy ideas and wear little protection, refuse to use the front brake, never heard of countersteering, think that laying a bike down and skidding into a crash is better than staying upright and using both brakes to reduce speed before an impact, etc. Take the class and read the book.

Are your friends and family OK with you buying a Japanese bike? They are highly reliable and can be priced OK. The older ones can be very hard to find parts--the companies no longer stock them. Nothing wrong with a cruiser (Harley-type) bike, but that's not the only type. If you're more into the social aspect than the riding fun aspect, get what your friends have. Otherwise, hang out at dealerships, look at their used bikes, talk with folks, and find out what best suits your needs. I like the adventure touring types, and the Suzuki V-Strom is highly reliable, cheap, and fun. Some Harleys are reliable. Some are junk. Many Harley's are very expensive, and a reliable one for your $1500 might be very hard to find.