Plastic toys are for little boys, real men drive Harley Davidson, end of discussion 
Nah I started out on a Sport bikes, then I saw the light.
I had a 750 GSX-R as my first bike, i loved it, nice and light to move around and enough mid range power to have a lot of fun working though trafic.
Use this video to help you figure out what size you need:
and then this link in regards to helmet fitment and size:
and for shits and giggles, here is my SV650
[quote]BiscuitChief wrote:
Good lord man, I understand that accidents happen but 6 people? That’s some bad luck or a whole lot of crazy, or both. Makes me think of those guys who post videos going 180mph on public roads.[/quote]
Yep, 6… Cousin got patched up a few times, his son too. But they’re ok, mostly.
He almost got a ticket for 150+ over. But the cop had hit his truck a while back and let him off.
X- As for helmets, I’ve heard nothing but awesome things about Shoei helmets, any of them. One thing I have noticed about Arai lids are that they’re typically narrower than others. I put on one a couple weeks ago and it was snug on the sides of my face, comfy pads inside, but still shug. I normally wear a size M HJC helmet, so I would imagine you’d need a pretty large Arai to fit right.
^^These guys do good reviews on helmets
[quote]TheBodyGuard wrote:
[quote]Professor X wrote:
[quote]TheBodyGuard wrote:
[quote]Spartiates wrote:
[quote]TheBodyGuard wrote:
I have a Q. Can a big liter HD be an okay first bike? Or is that still too powerful, etc.[/quote]
Most HDs come from the factory woefully under-powered, and they’re heavy bikes. The big-displacement HDs can easily have their output more than doubled (at the expense of engine life) from how they come from the factory.
A new big twin, you are talking like 56hp on an 8-900 pound bike with rider.
I wouldn’t worry about power… but dropping it sucks: parts are expensive, and if it’s your first bike, you’ll probably drop it at some point.[/quote]
Understood; but is it a “safe” first choice?
[/quote]
Dude, there are no safe choices.
You are better off getting something that can get you out of trouble than something too slow to get up quickly.
Your concern should be all of those other people on the street who act like they can’t see motorcycles or the ones who act like they are trying to run any rider they see off the road.
Staying ahead of people like that is what can save your life.
Your other concern should be that since you likely will drop your first bike, getting a used one makes the most sense.
HD’s are loud and slow. I personally think most people get them just to say they ride a Harley.
[/quote]
Point taken. But wouldn’t you agree that on a big liter sport bike, with a panic throttle response you could be in big trouble, as the same with a panic brake? I don’t have an opinion, I don’t have your experience…just lots of questions. [/quote]
I don’t buy the “a smaller cc bike is more forgiving” bullshit. If you grab too much brake your going down whether it’s 250 or 1000cc’s. Sliding down the street at 30mph on a 250 is just as painful as sliding down the street at 30mph on a liter.
And for those people with the “you might hit a pothole and give it too much throttle with a big cc” argument,
If you hit a pothole it’s because you’re either-
Following too close to a car or not paying attention to where you’re going and in either case you has no business on two wheels. Some people just don’t have the attention span or the hand eye coordination to keep themselves out of trouble.
Forget about a Harley, they’re expensive, you’re just paying for a brand name/status symbol, and you’ll probably drop it. Most of them aren’t very reliable anyway.
[quote]thrasher wrote:
Forget about a Harley, they’re expensive, you’re just paying for a brand name/status symbol, and you’ll probably drop it. Most of them aren’t very reliable anyway.[/quote]
That and they’re slow
[quote]inkaddict wrote:
[quote]thrasher wrote:
Forget about a Harley, they’re expensive, you’re just paying for a brand name/status symbol, and you’ll probably drop it. Most of them aren’t very reliable anyway.[/quote]
That and they’re slow ;)[/quote]
The Harley dealer local to me has drip pans under ALL of his brand new bikes… except the Buells. That should tell you all you need to know.
I happen to be a fan of the street-fighter style. Upright position, no shiny plastic, no flashy chrome. I wrecked my Triumph Speed Triple (attached pic) back in Feb '08…
…but I still have my stripped Kawi 750.
Gone are the tank strips, in favor of TechSpec snakeskin pads (highly recommend), and I put the factory exhaust back on it for noise control (I leave for work at 0530, so it’s really a courtesy thing)
[quote]JayPierce wrote:
…but I still have my stripped Kawi 750.
Gone are the tank strips, in favor of TechSpec snakeskin pads (highly recommend), and I put the factory exhaust back on it for noise control (I leave for work at 0530, so it’s really a courtesy thing)[/quote]
Hey stoopid, ya fergot tha pic
I have a Harley, had it for two years, put 16k on it, zero problems.
Figured I’d toss my 2 cents in on my cousins account since I don’t have my own.
To the OP - stay away from supersports if you haven’t touched a bike before, unless you have a large amount of time to devote to very simple drills in a parking lot or track. They accelerate exponentially faster than anything you are used to and handle fundamentally different then anything else out there. If you absolutely positively need to have one and aren’t going to start down at a 250cc then don’t waste time or money going over a 600cc (unless you are “large” like other posters alluded to). Bigger bikes typically are not worth the money because the smaller bikes 600’s are basically as fast these days. Everyone has already touched on the safety courses and whatnot so I’m not even going to bother.
As for which bike is the best…it depends on the rider. If you sit down and read magazines or websites you have to understand those bike reviews are designed for racers. A casual rider will rarely notice any of the subtle differences the authors are talking about. You need to goto dealerships and sit on bikes. Get a feel for what it’s like when your feet are on the ground, take into consideration ride height, seat width, riding position etc. If your not on the track (i.e commutes and enjoyment) comfort is king. All the supersports are fast, they all ride fairly similar to one another (unless you have been riding for years), and they are all in the same ballpark for cost.
I loved my cbr 600 when I had it, but my brand new ninja is easily the best bike I have had (I’m short and the bike fits me perfectly, I also enjoy the feel of the ride). Guys that like to do easy customization and have lots of options available (think scion TC of bikes) loves the gixxers…but you will be like every other squid on the road.
To Prof X: I love my Shoei - companies typically use one shell per 3 helmet sizes but Shoei uses a different sized shell for every size helmet. That means if you have an xxl head you won’t be in a xxxl shell. Arai also makes helmets that cater more to people with “different” shaped heads so that is something to look into. Shoei’s are quiet, light as a feather, and real breathable too. Because they are so breathable they don’t fog up as easily but can’t hurt investing in some spray or a different shield. Have used HJC’s and Scorpions as well but Shoei’s are easily my choice helmet.
Last note to the OP: If your going to buy new (which I recommend against as a first bike because you WILL dump it whether it’s in your driveway or in an actual accident) then go online and pay 10 bucks for a dealer invoice. If you are in a seasonal locale they will basically give you the bike for the price that they get it from the manufacturer if you know how to negotiate.
You can’t really go wrong with a 600 from japan, but personally I’d stay away from anything else (read European or US) unless you’re near a dealership and have the money to maintain it, or unless you’re a mechanic who enjoys adjusting valves etc.
I recently bought my wife an '04 cbr600f4i, and we both love it. It’s very comfortable, and it’s faster than my old KZ1000. It had 4000 miles on it, and we gave $3500 for it. There are some good deals out there if you search a little.
If you want a cruiser, get a jap bike that looks like a harley. It will cost you half the money and perform the same.
Whenever you go to look at a bike, check the tires and the chain and sprockets as they will be the most common maintenance items. Also check the lock stops on the triple tree because they will be a tell-tell sign if the bike has been laid down pretty hard or not.
[quote]whateverpratt wrote:
If you want a cruiser, get a jap bike that looks like a harley. It will cost you half the money and perform the same.
[/quote]
Yeah, ignore this unless you love plastic and/or like throwing money away, because you will not keep one of these bikes for any amount of time. The ONLY reason to buy one is if are a) both very poor and find one you can stand under $1k, or you believe the propaganda machine that tells you that Harley, Victories and Truimphs haven’t changed since HD’s AMF days.
Seriously, if you want a cruiser, buy a real one. If you want an inline-4, go Japanese, if you want something different (and I think more fun) in a sports bike, go Ducati or Triumph.
But buy “the real deal”, i.e. buy from the company that makes the REAL version of what you want. (Don’t buy a Suzuki if what you really want is a Harley, don’t buy Buell if what you really want is a Ducati, don’t by a Rice-Burner 600, if what you really want is big-displacement.) And if you really don’t know what you want, buy something really cheap.
[quote]whateverpratt wrote:
You can’t really go wrong with a 600 from japan, but personally I’d stay away from anything else (read European or US) unless you’re near a dealership and have the money to maintain it, or unless you’re a mechanic who enjoys adjusting valves etc.[/quote]
I have to agree. I have ridden the hell out of my 06HondaCBR1000 and I haven;t had a problem with it yet. The guys at X-imports (motorcycle dealership and mechanic here) told me those bikes are literally hard to fuck up as far as repairs outside of a wreck. They are made to last and after 4 years, mine still looks new (although I do keep it in a garage which has MUCH to do with that).
My 04Yamaha R6 was beginning to rust from being outside under a cover all of the time when I had it.
[quote]TheBodyGuard wrote:
I just don’t feel like being a bear on the tricycle ( we actually had this talk YEARS ago X - that’s how long this has been on my mind lol). [/quote]
LOL, I don’t remember if it was the same posts/conversation, but I remember reading X post that because it was the funniest analogy I had heard in a while and it definitely stuck with me. All of my bigger friends/training partners have choppers or cruisers because of this effect. I’m a little fucker so 600 for me…somethin to stunt on 
[quote]JayPierce wrote:
[quote]inkaddict wrote:
[quote]thrasher wrote:
Forget about a Harley, they’re expensive, you’re just paying for a brand name/status symbol, and you’ll probably drop it. Most of them aren’t very reliable anyway.[/quote]
That and they’re slow ;)[/quote]
The Harley dealer local to me has drip pans under ALL of his brand new bikes… except the Buells. That should tell you all you need to know.
I happen to be a fan of the street-fighter style. Upright position, no shiny plastic, no flashy chrome. I wrecked my Triumph Speed Triple (attached pic) back in Feb '08…[/quote]
That’s a nice bike man.
[quote]Spartiates wrote:
[quote]whateverpratt wrote:
If you want a cruiser, get a jap bike that looks like a harley. It will cost you half the money and perform the same.
[/quote]
But buy “the real deal”, i.e. buy from the company that makes the REAL version of what you want. (Don’t buy a Suzuki if what you really want is a Harley, don’t buy Buell if what you really want is a Ducati, don’t by a Rice-Burner 600, if what you really want is big-displacement.) And if you really don’t know what you want, buy something really cheap.[/quote]
There’s only 2 things “real” about Harley: Marketing, and intentionally bad designs…
Poor geometries, poor engines…
All compromised to marketing under the excuse of “tradition”…
There is not a physical characteristic that they excel at: accelerating, stopping, cornering, comfort, longevity…
But they do sell more in t-shirts then bikes…
[quote]TheBodyGuard wrote:
[quote]JayPierce wrote:
[quote]inkaddict wrote:
[quote]thrasher wrote:
Forget about a Harley, they’re expensive, you’re just paying for a brand name/status symbol, and you’ll probably drop it. Most of them aren’t very reliable anyway.[/quote]
That and they’re slow ;)[/quote]
The Harley dealer local to me has drip pans under ALL of his brand new bikes… except the Buells. That should tell you all you need to know.
I happen to be a fan of the street-fighter style. Upright position, no shiny plastic, no flashy chrome. I wrecked my Triumph Speed Triple (attached pic) back in Feb '08…[/quote]
That’s a nice bike man.
[/quote]
She was a beauty, too bad she was too expensive to fix. When I buy another bike, the Speed Triple will be at the top of the list. Not the fastest bike in the world, nor the best looking, but a hell of a lot of fun to ride and surprisingly comfortable.
Jaunts much over a dollar suck, though, unless you have a really aerodynamic lid on. My KBC would shake bad enough to give me a headache at about a buck twenty.
[quote]Professor X wrote:
[quote]whateverpratt wrote:
You can’t really go wrong with a 600 from japan, but personally I’d stay away from anything else (read European or US) unless you’re near a dealership and have the money to maintain it, or unless you’re a mechanic who enjoys adjusting valves etc.[/quote]
I have to agree. I have ridden the hell out of my 06HondaCBR1000 and I haven;t had a problem with it yet. The guys at X-imports (motorcycle dealership and mechanic here) told me those bikes are literally hard to fuck up as far as repairs outside of a wreck. They are made to last and after 4 years, mine still looks new (although I do keep it in a garage which has MUCH to do with that).
My 04Yamaha R6 was beginning to rust from being outside under a cover all of the time when I had it.
[/quote]
I bought one of those pop-up garages for outside lawn equipment and park my bike in their when it used to be parked outside… that helped a lot…
i really enjoy this thread guys.
when i expressed my interest in a bike iw as initially told to ONLY get a 250 sized bike.
i now plan to go check out some 600 size bikes.
