I want a motorcycle!

dmccormack said:
Agreed.

Ideally, a new rider should spend his/her first few hundred miles on trails with a lightweight 2-stroke.
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All my dirt bikes, Honda and Yamaha have been four strokes, and I started trail riding when I was 9. Didn't get a rode bike until my late teens. Agree on the off road experience. Very valuable. If you can get a dual purpose bike, that would be a good first choice. My first roadable bike was a Yamaha XT250, which was also four stroke and a great trail bike that was street legal.
 
Anthony said:
All my dirt bikes, Honda and Yamaha have been four strokes, and I started trail riding when I was 9. Didn't get a rode bike until my late teens. Agree on the off road experience. Very valuable. If you can get a dual purpose bike, that would be a good first choice. My first roadable bike was a Yamaha XT250, which was also four stroke and a great trail bike that was street legal.
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True... but a 2-stroke's quicker response helps you get out of trouble where 4-strokes have enough lag to cause some problems...
 
Started riding a Honda Hawk 400 (had Japanese license plates when I bought it) in my early 20s. My first ride was on the freeway bringing it home.
 
Anthony said:
OK, I'll see your inline 4 and raise it one little V-twin. Just might be the ticket. :D
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I had a square 4:

12901_0_1_2_rg%20500%20gamma_Image%20credits%20-%20Martyn%20James.jpg


2 stroke 500cc, had 2 crankshafts and 4 cyl in a square configuration 2 behind the other 2. Weighed 250lbs wet. Gotta love the GP production bikes. Suzuki RG 500 Gamma. Had to buy it in Montreal and ride it to Vancouver to put on the 2000 miles in order to bring it into the country without the Federalization tag. I rode and raced her for three years. She was fast as all get out, but would wear your ankle out keeping her in the right gear.
 
OMG Henning. I didn't realize anything like that was ever made. How did it perform?
 
dmccormack said:
True... but a 2-stroke's quicker response helps you get out of trouble where 4-strokes have enough lag to cause some problems...
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Only if you're in the correct gear and up on the pipe when you dial it on, otherwise the 4 strokes torque band conquers. Point is pretty much moot anymore since except for full on racing dirt bikes, it's all 4 stroke, and even a lot of the works motocrossers and supercrossers are thumpers anymore.
 
Yep its all about rev management. Keep your revs in the right range and the 4 stroke will do its job.
 
Anthony said:
OMG Henning. I didn't realize anything like that was ever made. How did it perform?
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Like a wet freaking dream. I was totally comfortable with her by the time I hit the Frazier River Canyon and she tore through there with my 19 year old right wrist locked in full back position. I only weighed about 155 at the time myself, and she'd just flick me through the turns.
 
Anthony said:
Yep its all about rev management. Keep your revs in the right range and the 4 stroke will do its job.
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True -- but the only 4-stroke I rode off-road was a DR350 -- I got stuck more times than I care to remmeber while my son tooled off in his 80's vintage kawa 2-stroke 250....then I'd tell him to trade and he'd have fun pulling out of bogs or getting up hills.

:D
 
dmccormack said:
True... but a 2-stroke's quicker response helps you get out of trouble where 4-strokes have enough lag to cause some problems...
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Depends on the four stroke. I rode a buddies XR-600, was distracted, and was in waaay to low a gear for the hill I was on. On my DR-350, it would have meant fanning the clutch. On that big XR, I just rolled on, and it just chugged on, even though I could count each time it fired.
 
Bill Jennings said:
Depends on the four stroke. I rode a buddies XR-600, was distracted, and was in waaay to low a gear for the hill I was on. On my DR-350, it would have meant fanning the clutch. On that big XR, I just rolled on, and it just chugged on, even though I could count each time it fired.
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Yep -- the DR350 has fairly poor low-end torque.
 
dmccormack said:
Yep -- the DR350 has fairly poor low-end torque.
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And a bad front end, especially for snotty new england single track.

"Will it stick this time, or will it dump me on my head????"
 
Bill Jennings said:
And a bad front end, especially for snotty new england single track.

"Will it stick this time, or will it dump me on my head????"
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I rode my DR on rocky singletrack up in the mountains once.

It's an OK wide trail bike (we have plenty of those here in former coal country). But it's simply not balanced or torque-y enough for real off roading.

I used mine to commute -- first 3 miles were trails (5-10 foot wide rock and dirt), the last 5 were 2 lane and some highway. It excelled at that combo.
 
dmccormack said:
Yep -- the DR350 has fairly poor low-end torque.
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I had an old Bultaco 326 Sherpa, that bike would climb boulders, literally, and waterfalls. It was the ultimate play in the back country bike. There was nowhere it couldn't go, no hill it wouldn't climb. My buddy had a Yamaha 250 trials bike and we hauled out to Colorado to ride on goat paths one time. That was a most excellent trip. Trials bikes really teach you how to ride. It's like flying aerobatics, you learn finesse and balance to the edges of the envelope. Most people freak out to drop off a 25' sheer, but once you learn to just do a crawling wheelie over the edge and keep your back tire against the face, as long as there's a reasonable transition at the bottom, it's all doable. The Ozark hills and the area just south of St Louis had some excellent areas to ride trials bikes.
 
I used to ride a Honda 650 Nighthawk, but last year I bought a 2008 Kawasaki KLR650 Dual Sport and I love it! I ride mostly on road, but it does well on dirt roads as well so it is very versatile and fun...
 
I traded my CB750 for my 954rr. I love it. I can outrun anything short of the space shuttle.
 
Most people who make Harley jokes are just jealous. I love to ride and wouldn't be so vain to say that I wouldn't ride anything but a Harley; however, after you have ridden one, you either like it or you don't --- and if you like it . . . you know why. Had 2 Kawasakis before the Harley(s) and liked them, too!
 
Careful, I'm definitely not jealous and will happily post up a long list of Harley jokes. I think they are absolutely great for bikes made around World War II. Their big and heavy and mechanically kinda sound. They made a big noise and get chrome dudads added to them. Very, very nice. I'll get one when I'm feeling nostalgic for Desotos and fedoras. I'll take my bike if and when I want something that uses 21st century technology. Their is a really, really good American motorcycle, and its made by Eric Buell (with a Rotec engine no less).
 
steingar said:
Careful, I'm definitely not jealous and will happily post up a long list of Harley jokes. I think they are absolutely great for bikes made around World War II. Their big and heavy and mechanically kinda sound. They made a big noise and get chrome dudads added to them. Very, very nice. I'll get one when I'm feeling nostalgic for Desotos and fedoras. I'll take my bike if and when I want something that uses 21st century technology. Their is a really, really good American motorcycle, and its made by Eric Buell (with a Rotec engine no less).
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You know, I've ridden cross country (multi-state trips) on Hondas, BMW's, Yamaha's and Harleys.

There is NOTHING like touring on a harley - the sense of it, the feel of it, the way you connect with people... the other bikes were the same. The Harley was special, and that was consistently my experience over 350,000 miles on Harleys. Say what you will. You either understand this or you don't, but either way, there's no explaining it.
 
Henning said:
Trials bikes really teach you how to ride. It's like flying aerobatics, you learn finesse and balance to the edges of the envelope. Most people freak out to drop off a 25' sheer, but once you learn to just do a crawling wheelie over the edge and keep your back tire against the face, as long as there's a reasonable transition at the bottom, it's all doable.
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This past summer we rode to Duluth for Aerostich's Very Boring Rally. There was a Trials competition going on at the rally site. I had never seen anything so flippen COOL!!!
 
etsisk said:
You know, I've ridden cross country (multi-state trips) on Hondas, BMW's, Yamaha's and Harleys.

There is NOTHING like touring on a harley - the sense of it, the feel of it, the way you connect with people... the other bikes were the same. The Harley was special, and that was consistently my experience over 350,000 miles on Harleys. Say what you will. You either understand this or you don't, but either way, there's no explaining it.
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I guess I'm one that doesn't get it, then. I like bikes that can accelerate, stop and turn. None of the Harley's I've ridden seemed like they were willing or able to do any of the above, not to mention the BM-inducing vibration or the feeling that there was 200 lb of lead buried somewhere in the upper frame. I can get the same experience driving uncle Leon's pre-war Farmall, but I tend to think that the Farmall has a higher redline. Maybe that's why I seem them on the interstate, you really don't have to do any of the three very often...


Trapper John
 
"If I have to explain, you wouldn't understand."

'nuff said.

Tom's right, you either get it or you don't. I get it, but I still bought a Honda VTX 1800 instead of a Harley. Mainly because it cost half as much and I liked the water-cooled engine. Personal preference, though. If I could have gotten an equivalent Harley for the same price, I likely would have.
 
Buell went with a clean sheet engine design for the 1125 rather than use a Harley. Speaks volumes to me.

If masses of non-riders perceive a slow, expensive, technologically unsophisticated bike as just the cat's meow because it has a label, some chrome, and makes lots of noise, they're idiots, and I don't care what they think.

However, if you Harley riders like your bikes then more power to you. I discussed acting irrationally in another thread, my purchase of a sports bike was utterly irrational. Riding a Harley is as well, and why not. I'll see you on the road.
 
I've never been on a Harley. Guess I just don't get it. I think some of them are cool. They had a Cafe Racer version of the Sportster with a faring and other sport bike mods that was kinda nice. Maybe I should try one and see, but my bike days are pretty much over unless I do some trail riding again.
 
I don't really have an axe to grind. The Harley riders I see all look happy. Most wear a bandanna for head protection, and sunglasses for eye protection, which seems a bit light to me. Still, they're out enjoying the open road.

I went to a local dealer and sat on a bunch of bikes yesterday. The cruiser I a sat on, a Vulcan 500 LTD, was comfy. I was wondering about the feet up position in a crash, though. Seems to me your legs would be better off in the sportbike position, but what do I know? (nothing). Sat on the Suzuki GS500, and the Ninja500 too. The position of the Suzi felt a little more comfy than the Ninja, which seemed more aggressive. Guess i better get my lic and go for some test drives.

Funny thing is I told my wife what I had done. She just sort of sighed and chuckled. In the past she would have said, "I don't know why you wasted your time like that since there's no way you're getting a motorcycle." I think I've worn down her resistance. It's TIME TO STRIKE!!!!!!!!!!
 
I'm not sure what your riding experience is, but I'd highly recommend taking the MSF Basic Rider course. Time and money well spent, IMO, even (maybe especially) if you're returning to riding after a long layoff.


Trapper John
 
I've been riding for half my life, with one fairly minor get-off. If a klutz like my can do it... My brother has an interesting solution; he just shows up with the new bike.
 
flyersfan31 said:
Funny thing is I told my wife what I had done. She just sort of sighed and chuckled. In the past she would have said, "I don't know why you wasted your time like that since there's no way you're getting a motorcycle." I think I've worn down her resistance. It's TIME TO STRIKE!!!!!!!!!!
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What's really fun is when she starts to enjoy it and comes along. I've found most women actually like riding on back of a motorcycle and enjoy it - it just might take once or twice for them to admit it.
 
Trapper John said:
I'm not sure what your riding experience is, but I'd highly recommend taking the MSF Basic Rider course. Time and money well spent, IMO, even (maybe especially) if you're returning to riding after a long layoff.


Trapper John
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+1000. The MSF basic course is worth its weight in gold.

The advanced course? Egh... I didn't get much out of it.
 
Trapper John said:
I'm not sure what your riding experience is, but I'd highly recommend taking the MSF Basic Rider course. Time and money well spent, IMO, even (maybe especially) if you're returning to riding after a long layoff.


Trapper John
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Nil.

I am signing up for MSF Basic Rider, for the very practical advantage that upon completion you receive your PA Motorcycle license. No test at the PennDOT. Moreover, I can't imagine NOT doing so, given that I've never ridden one before.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
What's really fun is when she starts to enjoy it and comes along. I've found most women actually like riding on back of a motorcycle and enjoy it - it just might take once or twice for them to admit it.
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Mine never showed any interest, probably because the passenger seat was a lump of hard plastic the size of a square of toilet paper. I took advantage of that and put on high-mount Jardine pipes that required sacrificing the passenger pegs...

Loud pipes may not save lives, but they sure pi$$ off cell-phone-yakking soccer moms in minivans!


Trapper John
 
flyersfan31 said:
Nil.

I am signing up for MSF Basic Rider, for the very practical advantage that upon completion you receive your PA Motorcycle license. No test at the PennDOT. Moreover, I can't imagine NOT doing so, given that I've never ridden one before.
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A very good idea. I would recommend the Suzi 500. Ride it and keep riding it or sell it to a noob. If you can get a used bike. You will almost certainly drop it, so no point in scratching up a new ride.
 
flyersfan31 said:
Nil.

I am signing up for MSF Basic Rider, for the very practical advantage that upon completion you receive your PA Motorcycle license. No test at the PennDOT. Moreover, I can't imagine NOT doing so, given that I've never ridden one before.
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My PennDOT test consisted of one Figure 8, and a look at the lights.

The MSF course is a great idea -- you can even borrow a bike!
 
dmccormack said:
My PennDOT test consisted of one Figure 8, and a look at the lights.

The MSF course is a great idea -- you can even borrow a bike!
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Yeah, that's what I like. Bike and helmet are included. I'll get the training, and the license, then I can go out and test drive. Pretty good little program.
 
Trapper John said:
Mine never showed any interest, probably because the passenger seat was a lump of hard plastic the size of a square of toilet paper. I took advantage of that and put on high-mount Jardine pipes that required sacrificing the passenger pegs...
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Well, I tried to make sure my bikes were generally comfortable for the passengers (at least, as comfortable as they were for me). Also, like with flying, I would always try to make sure that the introductory rides (and rides in general) were of the sort that the passengers would enjoy.

I find that my friends' girlfriends end up being who ride with me the most. They seem to really like my motorcycle jacket (inside joke).
 
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