Motorcycle -- spend my money

lots of harley jokes - some of 'em good, even :)

Sooooo, just to even things up:

What's the difference between a Gold Wing and your living room?


If your living room fell over, there's at least a CHANCE you could pick it back up! :D
 
I've found those that can't pick the bike back up simply do not know how. With the right technique it's pretty easy.
 
Ken Ibold said:
1) Good road manners. The crotch rockets seem to be too closely geared. I don't want to spend all my time shifting.
2) Wife wants something that looks radical. Extra points for flames and/or bright colors.
3) Just say no to Harleys and Harley wannabes. No cruisers.
4) Extreme power/speed unimportant, but should be competent at highway speeds 2 up. Most use will be in-town, however.
5) New unimportant, but late model good.
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BMW R1200GS Adventure!

Ken Ibold said:
6) Price under 10K.
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Never mind.
 
astanley said:
I would look on the used market at Triumph Tigers, Triumph Sprint STs (may be a bit on the sporty side for you), and Honda VFRs (also might be a bit sporty).

Here's a Tiger. What a blast to ride, great bike, great around town. How long is your inseam?

88474180_1.jpg

Cheers,

-Andrew
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Great call!
 
Nah you gotta go old school R100 GSPD

Pete

'82 R65
 

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Ken Ibold said:
1) Good road manners. The crotch rockets seem to be too closely geared. I don't want to spend all my time shifting.
2) Wife wants something that looks radical. Extra points for flames and/or bright colors.
3) Just say no to Harleys and Harley wannabes. No cruisers.
4) Extreme power/speed unimportant, but should be competent at highway speeds 2 up. Most use will be in-town, however.
5) New unimportant, but late model good.
6) Price under 10K.
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You don't ask for much, do ya!

Until I read #6, I was gonna suggest a Moto Guzzi Norge. But, they just started selling them here in the states this past year, so finding a used one is gonna be tough. They run about 14-15K new.


BMW makes some nice touring bikes, ours is an R1200C (aka the James Bond bike), but its considered a 'cruiser'. But one unlike any other. They have a full on touring version, its the R1200CLC.

We also have a Moto Guzzi California EV, you'll red line in second gear at about 65 mph. Around town, you'll never shift higher than second gear.

If your into the "not quite a crotch rocket" style, perhaps a Moto Guzzi Griso, or a Breva 1100.

Can you tell I love my MG's??! (we gots three of 'em)
 
Ron Levy said:
C'mon folks, how can you want to ride some rice rocket or Eurotrash when you can ride this:
07_family_softail.jpg

...which certainly proves DT wrong!
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Boy .. I'm with Ron. I had a couple dirt bikes in my younger years
but the only street bikes I've owned have been Harleys. I absolutely
love my Electra Glide. Great on the highway, nice stereo, and pretty
agile around town for a cruiser.

RT
 
vontresc said:
Nah you gotta go old school R100 GSPD

Pete

'82 R65
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Those GSPDs have a wicked tankslapping tendency, and it is nigh near impossible to get the front end light enough to stop it. Even dampers will not work...

Cheers,

-Andrew
 
Sorry, but since my dad was a VP for Harley Davidson (back when it was a division of AMF) and I met John Davidson, I think I have to vote for HD despite your reservations! :)
 
I guess a decision to be made up front is whether you want a motorcycle or a Harley. Do you see yourself as a Harley rider, or a motorcyclist?

It's important to make this distinction early on, because once you've committed to become a Harley rider, you will lose the ability to wave to anybody who isn't riding a Harley (nerve damage?)
-harry
 
Best bang for your buck, a Honda Valkyrie. Same engine as a Gold Wing
(fantastic reliability & durability) on an extremely stable cruiser frame (I know you're not interested in cruisers but don't let that get in your way).

They do look monsterous, however, they handle like a bike half their size.
I'm 150 lbs. and after 50,000 miles I can affirm it's probably the easiest riding big bike I've ever ridden and I've ridden most of them over the years.

Honda discontinued the Valkyrie three years ago and your biggest problem would be finding someone who wants to part with the one they own.

1998 thru 2002 under 25,000 miles, expect about 7 to $8,000. Some parts of the country, possible less.

The bike came standard with a bunch of chrome and in black they are just awesome.
 
steingar said:
Define your mission. If its local tooling, the SV650 is an awesome bike. The 919 probably won't be as zippy, but will be easier on the longer hauls and with two up.
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I've ridden both (and own a 919). The SV felt like a pig in comparison. The 919 has a fuel injected version of the last cbr900rr motor. It is extremely reliable and is pretty much a bullet proof motor. I've seen many with over 50k still going strong. It's a very quick bike. Would it get owned by a cbr954rr? Sure, but it's not a super sport, it's a naked. There are many parts you can buy to make it more or a tourer or more on the sports side. The seat is pretty comfy, but if you need it to be more so, Corbin makes a seat that's supposedly very comfy. If you go with a 919, buy a 2004 or newer, as they updated the suspension in '04. Since then they've only changed colors. I'd highly suggest test riding one. You can find a used one between 4.5-6k easy.
 
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Ken Ibold said:
98 percent local riding in the suburbs. Errands, taking kid to school when it's nice, etc. Possible very occasional 2-hour or so highway trip.

It would be nice to save some gas vs. driving the car, but fun is really what I'm after. I don't need screaming performance; got my fill of that when I was younger.
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I'm telling ya, the SV650 needs serious consideration for your mission. Serious.

I've owned 20 or so bikes, as small and underpowered as a Suzuki DR350S dualsport, as fire breathing as a CBR1100XX Blackbird (saw 177 indicated once), and tourers (Goldwing, RT) and standards as well.

The SV is the most fun bike of the lot, and very pracitcal, and not a lot of cash. Fantastic bang for the buck!
 
Well, if we're posting pictures of our bikes.... traded from a Gold Wing to a Harley as my mission changed. Notice the GWRRA hangers on the left lapel? Almost 20 years!
 

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I'm going to echo the Suzuki SV650 comments. Take a look.

Also the Suzuki Bandit 1200S might not be a bad thing for you either, I wish I had one.
 
If you absolutely can't do the BMW, then I really suggest you look at the FJ1300 that was mentioned on page 1. It's styled on the BMW R1150RT, and has very close handling characteristics. I found it to be a little lacking in 'personality', but then not everyone seeks that trait in a bike. It'll easily haul 2 up for long stretches at a time, has system cases so you can load stuff in, and has some tall gearing for you.
 
Bill Jennings said:
I'm telling ya, the SV650 needs serious consideration for your mission. Serious.

I've owned 20 or so bikes, as small and underpowered as a Suzuki DR350S dualsport, as fire breathing as a CBR1100XX Blackbird (saw 177 indicated once), and tourers (Goldwing, RT) and standards as well.

The SV is the most fun bike of the lot, and very pracitcal, and not a lot of cash. Fantastic bang for the buck!
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Man, guy buys a plane and suddenly becomes a milquetoast SV rider. How the mighty have fallen...

:rofl:

Cheers,

-Andrew
 
I owned a bike since I was 9 years-old, most of them street bikes in the later years....until my daughter was born 8 years ago. Several clost calls, a couple of deer and some cars pulling out right in front of me, caused me to sell my last one. But not a month has gone by where I'm not jonesin' for another bike. For my birthday last month my wife gave me a gift certificate for a one-day HD Softail rental. She thought it would quench the desire.

Now I'm trying to justify the purchase by saying "with the price of gas...".

She's not buying into it.
 
jesse said:
I've found those that can't pick the bike back up simply do not know how. With the right technique it's pretty easy.
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sigh. Jesse, after thirty years of riding, I know how to pick up a motorcycle.


It was a JOKE. :rolleyes:
 
etsisk said:
sigh. Jesse, after thirty years of riding, I know how to pick up a motorcycle.


It was a JOKE. :rolleyes:
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Back in the day, if you dropped your bike and couldn't pick it up it the default indication you'd had imbibed too much to drive it home, and you were forced to ride on the back of someone else's bike while yours was ferried home by someone who likely had been indulging just as much. Sheesh. And most of us lived through those days.
 
Y'all be careful. Don't give riding a bad name.... I hope they catch the guy responsible for this.... I'd bet he faces charges more than speeding...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/31/AR2007053101117.html?hpid=topnews

A police attempt to stop a speeding motorcycle touched off a gruesome series of collisions on both sides of the Capital Beltway in Prince George's County last night, killing two people and injuring 15 others, including two officers.
.
.
.
The accident was set in motion about 7 p.m. when a Prince George's police cruiser chasing the motorcycle on the outer loop near the Ritchie Marlboro Road exit slammed into a vehicle after the motorcycle cut in front of the car, police said.
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Gerhardt said:
Now I'm trying to justify the purchase by saying "with the price of gas...".

She's not buying into it.
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I had three bikes when we got married, it was well known to her that it was a package deal. We now have a 4 year old, and I still ride daily, and I hear no grief from the management. Of course, I'm worth more dead than alive...
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gerhardt
Now I'm trying to justify the purchase by saying "with the price of gas...".

She's not buying into it.
Ken Ibold said:
Mine is.
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Just don't put too "sharp of a point" (lord, does THAT phrase grate) on it. I've run the numbers, and when you factor in tires and mx, a gas sipper car like a Honda Civic is actually a little cheaper cost/mile than most bikes.
 
steingar said:
...
You know you're a Harley rider if:
You're unable to let your bike simply IDLE at a stop light.
...
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I always wondered about that. Are you REQUIRED to have that wrist tic to buy a Harley or does the Harley cause the tic?


Po-TAY-TOE, Po-TA-TOE, Po-TA-TOE, *flick* POTATOE, POTATOEPOTATOEPOTATOE, ..Po-TAY-TOE, Po-TA-TOE, Po-TA-TOE.

The Po-TAY-TOE, Po-TA-TOE, Po-TA-TOE, is trademarked.
 
mikea said:
I always wondered about that. Are you REQUIRED to have that wrist tic to buy a Harley or does the Harley cause the tic?


Po-TAY-TOE, Po-TA-TOE, Po-TA-TOE, *flick* POTATOE, POTATOEPOTATOEPOTATOE, ..Po-TAY-TOE, Po-TA-TOE, Po-TA-TOE.

The Po-TAY-TOE, Po-TA-TOE, Po-TA-TOE, is trademarked.
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If you don't give the flick, the engine will stall.
 
I saw those at the Cleveland bike show. They're great unless you either a) want it fixed or b) want to go faster than 55 mph.
 
Ken Ibold said:
I know, I know. It's just "look at me" behavior. BTDT.
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that's for sure - most of my riding has been on Harleys, and when the RUBs (Rich Urban Bikers) started showing up, it really got my goat. There they were, a bunch of "bikers" that couldn't point out the oil filter if their life depended on it, showing up with their credit card bikes on trailers and credit card "outfits", all calling me "Bro". :mad:

Last time I was in Daytona for Bike Week (it's been a few years...) there was some guy next to me at a stop light, blipping his throttle over and over and over and over. I looked at him and said, "Man, you need to work on that thing, if you can't get it to idle right" and he mumbled something while looking embarrassed. :)
 
Curious as to whether you would recognize it. You passed with flying colors. Nice plane.
 
wsuffa said:
Y'all be careful. Don't give riding a bad name.... I hope they catch the guy responsible for this.... I'd bet he faces charges more than speeding...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/31/AR2007053101117.html?hpid=topnews
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Perhaps the police shouldn't attempt to pursue some unknown motorcycle further endangering the police officers life, the innocent bystander, and the motorcyclist. Because all of them will want to go faster and all of them will be on an adrenaline rush. I'm not justifying the motorcyclists actions--but I'm not awarding the police's either.
 
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