I told the wife that I would never get a motorcycle...

Get the bike. Riding is amazing, in a different way from driving a sports car or flying. Risk profile is very similar to GA, and like GA you have some power to manage the risk. Many fatal motorcycle crashes are single vehicle, and about half of motorcycle fatalities involve riders who were intoxicated.

FWIW, don't get a Harley or similar bike. I've had a cruiser before and ridden plenty of them, and I feel safer on sport bikes. My current bike is a retro naked bike (Triumph). Something flickable than can stop is your friend, and big highway pounders generally don't fit that bill.
 
LoLPilot said:
Get the bike. Riding is amazing, in a different way from driving a sports car or flying. Risk profile is very similar to GA, and like GA you have some power to manage the risk. Many fatal motorcycle crashes are single vehicle, and about half of motorcycle fatalities involve riders who were intoxicated.

FWIW, don't get a Harley or similar bike. I've had a cruiser before and ridden plenty of them, and I feel safer on sport bikes. My current bike is a retro naked bike (Triumph). Something flickable than can stop is your friend, and big highway pounders generally don't fit that bill.
Click to expand...

I think your second paragraph goes against your first two sentences.

From a technical standpoint, I agree with you. Acceleration, cornering, easy to squeeze in tight spots, braking, all help safety. Harleys/cruisers don't do any of those well.

On the other side of it, motorcycling is about the amazing experience. And a lot of that is about how the motorcycle makes you feel.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
I think your second paragraph goes against your first two sentences.

From a technical standpoint, I agree with you. Acceleration, cornering, easy to squeeze in tight spots, braking, all help safety. Harleys/cruisers don't do any of those well.

On the other side of it, motorcycling is about the amazing experience. And a lot of that is about how the motorcycle makes you feel.
Click to expand...

How does the second paragraph go against the first two sentences? I made no contradictory points.
 
Some interesting quirks in motorcycle safety statistics. While sportbikes have a fatality rate that is higher than cruiser or standard bikes. There may be some influence of the covariate 'age'. Interestingly, older bikers are much more likely to be involved in accidents involving impaired riding and have a lower rate of helmet wear. As motorcycle riders as a group have aged, its now actually the >50 group that accounts for the largest percentage of fatal accidents. None of this data is standardized relative to total road miles driven, so the raw numbers dont tell you much.
 
weilke said:
Some interesting quirks in motorcycle safety statistics. While sportbikes have a fatality rate that is higher than cruiser or standard bikes. There may be some influence of the covariate 'age'. Interestingly, older bikers are much more likely to be involved in accidents involving impaired riding and have a lower rate of helmet wear. As motorcycle riders as a group have aged, its now actually the >50 group that accounts for the largest percentage of fatal accidents. None of this data is standardized relative to total road miles driven, so the raw numbers dont tell you much.
Click to expand...


I think when you put all that together, you've shown that the safest riders are those in the >50 age group who ride sport bikes while decked out in all the gear and looking like a Power Ranger.

IOW, me! :)

upload_2020-5-27_14-15-3.png
 
FormerHangie said:
If you and your wife decide that a motorcycle is a bad idea, a Waverunner is the next best substitute.

6043427_20161209121914505_1_LARGE.jpg
Click to expand...
My wife is very cautious about power equipment, but LOVES when we get to ride a waverunner
 
Half Fast said:
I think when you put all that together, you've shown that the safest riders are those in the >50 age group who ride sport bikes while decked out in all the gear and looking like a Power Ranger.

IOW, me! :)

View attachment 86179
Click to expand...

I have a picture of myself in that exact same corner.
 
Half Fast said:
I think when you put all that together, you've shown that the safest riders are those in the >50 age group who ride sport bikes while decked out in all the gear and looking like a Power Ranger.

IOW, me! :)

View attachment 86179
Click to expand...

Is it just me, or is your front tire mounted backwards? Sure looks like it, unless it's a camera trick.
 
Half Fast said:
I think when you put all that together, you've shown that the safest riders are those in the >50 age group who ride sport bikes while decked out in all the gear and looking like a Power Ranger.

IOW, me! :)

View attachment 86179
Click to expand...

The data seems to point to a young sober woman in full safety gear on a cruiser as the safest combination.
 
Bill Jennings said:
I have a picture of myself in that exact same corner.
Click to expand...


Yeah, Killboy only sets up in a few corners. Somewhere I have a pic to match the one in your signature, but I can't seem to find it right now. Here's an older pic from when I had my Ninja 500. I think this was back in 2008.

upload_2020-5-27_15-34-3.png
 
RussR said:
Is it just me, or is your front tire mounted backwards? Sure looks like it, unless it's a camera trick.
Click to expand...

Similar to @Half Fast 's tire, my Harley front tire looks like it's mounted backwards from what we normally see on car tires, but it's mounted correct according to the "rotation" arrow on the tire.
 
I had the same concern on my sport bike back in the day... but motorcycle tread seems to require an inverse directional pattern. I thought about it for a day, then started focusing on getting rid of the "chicken strips." :p

A sport bike is fun, nimble, flickable... but it's all too easy to roll into that power too (which is exhilarating for the experienced... or at least on a straight, open road.) Like aviation, the faster you go, the more you have to think ahead. (Or is it the "shorter the approach, the more you need to think ahead?")

For the OP, I think he can get what might be most comfortable with him. There was mention of the BMW G310GS... that would be a good choice. Or even maybe a used Honda VFR800. More upright = more comfortable (at least to me.) My wrists aren't what they used to be, so sportbikes are kind-of out. (Except for the Yamaha R3 which had a pretty nice seating position. Hmmmm....)
 
rtk11 said:
My wrists aren't what they used to be, so sportbikes are kind-of out.
Click to expand...


Don't give up too quickly. A set of Helibars made a world of difference for me. The stock Daytona was very uncomfortable after an hour or so, but Helibars made it into an all-day ride.
 
I had helibars on my 954 and was still uncomfortable as could be. But what a fun bike! Damn thing was stupid fast, and boy did I like it. But it caused me pain, so I had to sell it. Phooey. Now I have a Honda CB1000r. Way more ergonomic. Not stupid fast like the 954, but fast enough.
 
LoLPilot said:
Get the bike. Riding is amazing, in a different way from driving a sports car or flying. Risk profile is very similar to GA, and like GA you have some power to manage the risk. Many fatal motorcycle crashes are single vehicle, and about half of motorcycle fatalities involve riders who were intoxicated.

FWIW, don't get a Harley or similar bike. I've had a cruiser before and ridden plenty of them, and I feel safer on sport bikes. My current bike is a retro naked bike (Triumph). Something flickable than can stop is your friend, and big highway pounders generally don't fit that bill.
Click to expand...

I agree, I do not want a Harley or big cruiser. I had to look up 'naked' bike. That is what I am looking for. Something simple. Something that I sit upright on. I like how the Triumph looks but the nearest dealer is 2+ hrs away. My local dealers are Yamaha and Honda. Makes sense to me to look at those brands for local support. Looked at the CB500. Again I like how the Triumph looks. Shame that Honda, Yamaha don't have anything similar.

I see that ABS is an option on some of these bikes. Opinions?
 
steingar said:
I had helibars on my 954 and was still uncomfortable as could be. But what a fun bike! Damn thing was stupid fast, and boy did I like it. But it caused me pain, so I had to sell it. Phooey. Now I have a Honda CB1000r. Way more ergonomic. Not stupid fast like the 954, but fast enough.
Click to expand...

Tell me about your CB1000R. I am thinking smaller. The CB650 has four cylinders. Not sure what the benefit of that is.
 
Morgan3820 said:
I agree, I do not want a Harley or big cruiser. I had to look up 'naked' bike. That is what I am looking for. Something simple. Something that I sit upright on. I like how the Triumph looks but the nearest dealer is 2+ hrs away. My local dealers are Yamaha and Honda. Makes sense to me to look at those brands for local support. Looked at the CB500. Again I like how the Triumph looks. Shame that Honda, Yamaha don't have anything similar.

I see that ABS is an option on some of these bikes. Opinions?
Click to expand...


Don't worry about the two hours. It's just a good excuse to go for a long ride when you need service. Get the Triumph Bonneville, buy Peter Egan's books, stock up on British ale, and you'll be set for life.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ted
Morgan3820 said:
Tell me about your CB1000R. I am thinking smaller. The CB650 has four cylinders. Not sure what the benefit of that is.
Click to expand...

Honestly none that matter for you. The engines are wider, more too heavy. They are smoother, maybe you’ll get more power for displacement but you probably don’t care about that.

In all the motorcycles I’ve ridden, the in-line 4-cylinders have been the least enjoyable.
 
I have been on bikes for more than 40 years. Crotch rockets, Motocross, Harleys, Adventure bikes, Enduro's, just about everything made. If you want something good to go to the airport and toot around scooters are awesome! I have had several differnt ones fron the Honda PCX 150 to the BMW 650. They are fully automatic, just twist the throttle and go. The best thing is scooters have a big storage under the seat. I really enjoy scooters.
 
I really, really enjoy riding my Yamaha TW200.

37177671304_89507e0965_z.jpg


37609153840_66ef3ccfb3_z.jpg


I often jump on it, even though I still have a Buell XB9R and a BMW K1200RS in the stable as well. Definitely underpowered, but I find the kind of appealing - I can wring out pretty much every ounce of performance without getting in over my head.

Weirdly, I’m currently lusting for one of these, just for puttering down country roads:

37287769854_367b16e455_z.jpg
 
After watching a few episodes of Jay Lenos Garage I’d love a Brough Superior.
 
Morgan3820 said:
Tell me about your CB1000R. I am thinking smaller. The CB650 has four cylinders. Not sure what the benefit of that is.
Click to expand...
My CB1000r is flat black and made in Italy. It has Italian lines and the lights in front make it look like Darth Vader. The only mods I’ve done are Pazzo levers and some armor. I can only go about 100-120 miles on a tank, so I don’t give it props for being a good touring bike. It is a wheelie monster though. It weighs about 50 pounds more than the CBR 1k. I suspect most of that is because of the single sided swing arm. What I love about Il Negrini is it is fast and maneuverable enough to get me out of scrapes, but comfy enough for all day riding. And it has the build quality of a Honda. Race bike chassis and race bike engine. Nothing at all wrong with a 650, but says me go large or go home. The in line 4 cylinder is powerful, smooth, and bullet proof. The other nice thing about in line 4s is that they give gobs of power when you ring them out. Why they’ve been used for sport bikes forever, and why the fastest bikes always have them.
 
MIFlyer said:
My wife is very cautious about power equipment, but LOVES when we get to ride a waverunner
Click to expand...

My wife rode with me on my motorcycle, once, and that was enough for her. We rented a Waverunner once while we were dating, and while she was driving, I fell off twice and jumped off once. Apparently no one told her "no wake jumping with a passenger".

Morgan3820 said:
I agree, I do not want a Harley or big cruiser. I had to look up 'naked' bike. That is what I am looking for. Something simple. Something that I sit upright on. I like how the Triumph looks but the nearest dealer is 2+ hrs away. My local dealers are Yamaha and Honda. Makes sense to me to look at those brands for local support. Looked at the CB500. Again I like how the Triumph looks. Shame that Honda, Yamaha don't have anything similar.

I see that ABS is an option on some of these bikes. Opinions?
Click to expand...

As you can see lots of us have lots of opinions on what style of motorcycle is best. What you are talking about, a "naked" or a "standard" is what I like as well. Cruisers have a feet forward riding position that I don't care for, and sportbikes are too hunched over and put more weight on my wrists than I like. I had a Honda NT650, which is a 650 cc standard, put a plastic windshield and a Corbin saddle on it, and set off on a 5200 mile tour. Honda and Yamaha do make naked bikes, but they all have contemporary styling. The only Japanese bike I can think of that has traditional styling is the Kawasaki W800.

2020-Kawasak-W800-First-look-retro-motorcycle-1-400x267.jpg


About a year and a half ago, I rented a Bonneville T100. I hadn't been on a motorcycle in 18 years, and I was a little concerned about its size and weight when I rented it, having not been on a bike in so long, and having to pull out onto Cobb Parkway, which is a very busy road, for my first ride in 18 years. I'm not quite 6 feet tall, and the Bonnie felt very comfortable. I suspect someone of your size would have no problem using a Bonneville as a first bike. The center of gravity is low as is the seat, bu the bike's big enough for a full sized man. I enjoyed my day on the Triumph and would rent one again. I wouldn't buy one because I prefer the feel of a V twin engine, when my time comes I'll be looking at the Suzuki SV650 and the Moto Guzzi V7.

On the ABS issue, if it's available, get it, if not, don't worry about it.
 
Morgan3820 said:
I agree, I do not want a Harley or big cruiser. I had to look up 'naked' bike. That is what I am looking for. Something simple. Something that I sit upright on. I like how the Triumph looks but the nearest dealer is 2+ hrs away. My local dealers are Yamaha and Honda. Makes sense to me to look at those brands for local support. Looked at the CB500. Again I like how the Triumph looks. Shame that Honda, Yamaha don't have anything similar.

I see that ABS is an option on some of these bikes. Opinions?
Click to expand...

If you are looking to sit upright, try to ride one of the smaller displacement dual-sport bikes. Suzuki DR-Z400, Honda CRF450. The dirt bike people will hate you, the cruiser crowd will hate you, the sportbike crowd will look down on you with pity. What's not to like ?
 
weilke said:
If you are looking to sit upright, try to ride one of the smaller displacement dual-sport bikes. Suzuki DR-Z400, Honda CRF450. The dirt bike people will hate you, the cruiser crowd will hate you, the sportbike crowd will look down on you with pity. What's not to like ?
Click to expand...

You forgot about the vibrations from the single cylinder engine and pseudo off road tires.
 
MIFlyer said:
My wife is very cautious about power equipment, but LOVES when we get to ride a waverunner
Click to expand...
Wave runners sure are fun. Dad bought an ‘05 FX several years ago (before I started flying) and we got a few summers worth of enjoyment out of it, but we ultimately sold it due to lack of use and got tired of making the space in the garage to store it. There are times when I wish he still had it, as it would be fun to scoot down the Tennessee River on a nice summer evening with a couple of babes on the back. :)
 
steingar said:
Nothing at all wrong with a 650, but says me go large or go home.
Click to expand...

That is hands down the worst advice I've ever heard to a new rider. Are you trying to get him killed, Michael?

I remember watching Missa ride her FJR1300 she bought as her first bike. Her statement: "I don't have testosterone so I won't have problems with it." All of us who were experienced motorcyclists at work (not to mention her friends who cared about her) told her it was a stupid idea and she'd either kill herself or come close to it. She bought the thing and I rode it back home to her from New England. I wasn't complaining about doing that, it was a fun motorcycle other than the 4-cylinder sewing machine boring engine. She damn near killed herself at least a dozen times riding the 1 mile from her house to the Lycoming parking lot to practice riding.

Eventually she gave up and I bought it from her, rode it for a while longer, resold it.

Don't go too big on the engine. Too big, you kill yourself. Too small, you probably get bored too fast. Somewhere in the middle is a good answer.
 
Morgan3820 said:
I had to look up 'naked' bike. That is what I am looking for. Something simple.
Click to expand...

I like the look of a naked bike but after holding myself up for a while in a 60 MPH wind I decided a windshield would be nice. A wind shield can also help keep the bugs out of your teeth (in full disclosure I wear a full face helmet). ;) I also found that on trips to the airport I wanted to take some stuff with me sometimes and a backpack wasn't gonna cut it. So I settled on some bags and I'm really glad I did. So like planes I guess I need more than one bike, one for the fun and another for the road!
 
Last edited:
weilke said:
If you are looking to sit upright, try to ride one of the smaller displacement dual-sport bikes. Suzuki DR-Z400, Honda CRF450. The dirt bike people will hate you, the cruiser crowd will hate you, the sportbike crowd will look down on you with pity. What's not to like ?
Click to expand...
The Honda NC750X is currently at the top of the interest list. As is the CB500F. They get good reviews but remind me of a two wheel Toyota Corolla. They do everything well but lack an emotional connection.
 
Morgan3820 said:
The Honda NC750X is currently at the top of the interest list. As is the CB500F. They get good reviews but remind me of a two wheel Toyota Corolla. They do everything well but lack an emotional connection.
Click to expand...

Jap bikes in general will have less personality than their European counterparts. With that said, I have found the Hondas I've owned to still be enjoyable bikes. The Honda motorcycle division doesn't seem to engineer personality out of their vehicles like the Honda car division does. I also owned Hondas that were a V-twin (VTX 1800) and V-4 (Interceptor VFR 800i).
 
Ted DuPuis said:
Jap bikes in general will have less personality than their European counterparts. With that said, I have found the Hondas I've owned to still be enjoyable bikes. The Honda motorcycle division doesn't seem to engineer personality out of their vehicles like the Honda car division does. I also owned Hondas that were a V-twin (VTX 1800) and V-4 (Interceptor VFR 800i).
Click to expand...

Go for the Triumph Bonneville.

Bonnies have a long and proud history, tons of personality, lots of celebrity status (James Dean and Steve McQueen rode them). Remember McQueen riding a bike in The Great Escape? That was a Trophy model dressed up to look like a German bike. It's the perfect bike for anyone who's too old to rock & roll and too young to die (yes, it got a mention in that song).

It's a naked bike, comfortable riding position, plenty of power without insanity. It will make you look cool even if you aren't and you'll get compliments on it everywhere you go.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ted
Would the wife object to a trail bike, or a dual sport? Cars, generally, don't hit you off-road. You can crash on a trail many times a day and it still be fun, you can't do that on the road. I think hauling butt through the woods beats a street ride any day.

Just bringing that option to the table. Do you have trail riding options where you live? Around here, we have a lot. My home county, you could just about ride across the whole county without actually riding on a road except for crossing it.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
That is hands down the worst advice I've ever heard to a new rider. Are you trying to get him killed, Michael?
Click to expand...
Agreed, I might have mixed up the OP with someone else. I was asked about my bike. I'd not suggest a new rider get a 650cc bike either, at least not an in line 4 bike. Someone new to the game could really get a surprise form all the power up there and wind up in a bad outcome. I already discussed my suggestion for a used low-displacement bike.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top