Motorcycle 101: school me

[2mAn]

Since Ive moved to SoCal I cant shake this idea of having a motorcycle to cruise around on. It didnt help when I moved to a new spot and my neighbor across is a motorcycle mechanic and usually has half a dozen bikes in front. Usually older vintage bikes.

Today, I spent some time BSing with him about his current build, a mid 70s CB550. Its a gem of a bike, and between that and old BMW bikes, Ive gotten the itch.

However, Im hoping most of this is me being bored, and needing a(nother) distraction.

Not looking for a CBR1100 or Hayabusa or anything like that, but Im curious what would be a good starter bike. Something light and torquey so it doesnt need to r3v'd to 100000000rpms to make power. Im also short (5'6") so I need a relatively smaller bike. I spent some time reading about the K100RS and found a few locally and now I need r3vs advice and input...

SO: school me

[ravenlord89]

I like about a million other people started riding on a Suzuki GS500e. Stupid simple, can pick them up for nothing, easy to work on. It won't be something you keep for a whole lot of time, but they are great to beat on till you have the skills to get something nicer.

Also, you will drop your first bike. Not if but when.

[Stanley Rockafella]

if your being safe and maintaining it properly, don't expect it to be too much cheaper than your e30 is...esp if your buying something used that needs to be brought up to snuff. (tho if you can do you own wrenching, you'll obviously save some $$).

When starting into bikes, you'll obviously need some good QUALITY gear (boots, helmet, jacket, etc.) this stuff ain't cheap.

have your bike license already?

[2mAn]

Nope, if I get totally serious I will take one of those easyriders classes that teaches you and you get your license at the completion of it

[Tom64]

Bmw k75

[Red_liner740]

What sort of bike do you see yourself on, Cruiser, Standards, Sport Touring, Cafe? Super sport?

Id recommend an SV650, second gen. Simple, easy to work on, V-twin with lots of torque, newbie friendly. Fuel Injected so no messing with carbs. Consistently get 50mpgs on it. Cheap to maintain, easy on tires (you'd be surprised how quckly big V-twins and supersports chew up tires. 5K for a rear is considered average for a good sticky tire.

My fiancee rides one and honestly, i had GSXR750s, VTR1000, ZX7, all those bikes have way to much power for street whereas the SV650 with 70hp is perfect for carving canyons and bombing around town. Whats the point of 150hp when first gear gets you to 100mph and you are already double the speed limit? useless....least fun bike on the street for me was my 08 gsxr750.

Suzukis like BMW's have a lot of interchangeable parts, so brakes and front suspension from a GSXR will bolt right up and can be picked up cheap.

Do a course because you dont know what you dont know.

They teach you some fundamental basics that help tremendously.

[D J]

Look into a supermoto or enduro. But as stated above the sv650 is a great bike. I have had a yamaha wr250x supermoto. A suzuki drz400sm and a gsx-r 600. By far the most fun on the 250 lol but it really depends on what your looking for.

[varg]

Pretty good advice so far. Bikes aren't super cheap to own, between a decent bike and some quality gear, you will be hard pressed to start out for less than $4,000, and bikes go through tires, oil change intervals, chains and sprockets fast. You'll have to go through a basic rider course to get your license, and they usually are pretty good, but slow speed is where you will need the most practice so hit those parking lots and practice u turns, circles, figure eights, etc. when you get your license.

My usual recommendations for a first bike are SV650, Ninja 500, GS500, Ninja 250 and DRZ400SM. None are too powerful, aggressive or unforgiving for a new rider and all are available pretty cheap. If you're good with a wrench and a carb sync tool then classics like the R series BMWs and Honda CB5/700 are good too.

Whats the point of 150hp when first gear gets you to 100mph and you are already double the speed limit? useless....

I love it when people say that, I get to use my standard response; overkill is consistently more fun.

Look into a supermoto or enduro. But as stated above the sv650 is a great bike. I have had a yamaha wr250x supermoto. A suzuki drz400sm and a gsx-r 600. By far the most fun on the 250 lol but it really depends on what your looking for.

He said he's 5'6", I don't think enduros and supermotos are the best choice. Where are you in Palm Beach? I live and work around there.

[Red_liner740]

I'm not theorizing here about the "150hp being useless" i speak from experience.

2008 GSXR 750 red lines at just under 100mph.

So wind it out ANYWHERE and in Ontario thats HTA172 offense = Immediate confiscation of the vehicle for 7 days, $5k ticket and impound fees, and you get to explain yourself infront of a judge. Fight it and you're innocent, great, you still get to pay inpound fees. So sorry.

5 gears after the first one, cant come close to winding out any of them.

My VTR was actually tons more fun due to huge grunt between 3 and 7k.

I could actually use full throttle for short bursts without reaching triple digits.

I now ride a KTM 640 Supermoto. Barely does 100mph but its the most fun on two wheels bar none. There are no more roads, EVERYTHING is a path from point A to B. It simply begs to be ridden like a hooligan.

I love it when people say that, I get to use my standard response; overkill is consistently more fun.

[varg]

Your post assumes a lack of self control and no desire for track days, as well as a subjectively different definition of fun. Oops.

I have no idea how winding the engine the whole way to redline or twisting your wrist a little further is any more fun than accelerating to the same speed at the same rate with an engine that does it without redlining or needing WOT, but I have heard other people state this opinion too. I don't have any more fun by twisting the throttle further or pushing the revs higher,and I have ridden for years on all kinds of different bikes.

Your supermoto also lends itself to a different riding style than a supersport which you subjectively prefer. So there's that

[tim88325is]

Please realize riding a motorcycle is a different mindset than a car. A brush or fender-bender in a car can be fatal on a motorcycle.

Please take all the training courses you can, learn emergency braking/steering, and always assume the other vehicles doesn't see you.

Ride like you are invisible, assume the car up ahead will pull out so you are ready in case it actually does.

Motorcycles are great, nothing like a warm day on a fun road...

[e30 gangsta]

I ride the new ninja 300 and I love it. I'm a heavy guy too, fast enough for me.

[UNHCLL]

Please realize riding a motorcycle is a different mindset than a car. A brush or fender-bender in a car can be fatal on a motorcycle.

Please take all the training courses you can, learn emergency braking/steering, and always assume the other vehicles doesn't see you.

Ride like you are invisible, assume the car up ahead will pull out so you are ready in case it actually does.

Motorcycles are great, nothing like a warm day on a fun road...

Valid points.

My first bike was a brand new 2nd Gen SV650.
I never dropped it, never went down. So those that claim you will... I don't buy it. It just takes attention and awareness. Both imperative to motorcycle ownership.

Good luck!

[Stanley Rockafella]

I never dropped it, never went down. So those that claim you will... I don't buy it. It just takes attention and awareness. Both imperative to motorcycle ownership.

Good luck!

+1

operating a bike for whatever distance takes COMPLETE attention to the bike and your surroundings. Anything less and your risking your life
Once you do this, you'll keep yourself from going down

[Swendog]

Here's different twist (and some may think I'm a PU$$). I rode dirt bikes in my younger days. Never had a street bike but went through periods of "getting the itch". Drove a supercharged Dinan M3 for a while (my COMPANY CAR when I worked for Dinan), had a '74 Pantera for 10 years and an E36 M3 for 7 years...so I LIKE SPEED!

Went shopping for a bike last winter (best time to buy) and was HOOKED on the new Yamaha FZ-09 "naked bike". I'm 52, 2 kids in college and one on the way and a TON of responsibility (at least until they all get out of school). My wife BEGGED me NOT to get a bike. So...I bought a 2-owner E30 which I am tastefully modding now, starting with suspension (after already doing the usual TB, water pump, etc).

Driving a bike in congested NJ is not like "carving canyons" out West...and yes...you ALWAYS need to be aware of your surroundings and MOST IMPORTANTLY- your abilities. I would not buy a street bike without taking some instruction courses- it can only help.

Four years from now when I ditch the East Coast and head somewhere LESS congested, I'll get a bike...until then I'm so psyched to be part of the E30 community!

Swen