Motorcycle Advice?

[SashaGaga999]

Recently passed the motorcycle licensing exam and am now anxious to get myself a bike. Have not done a whole lot of riding--have taken a motorcycle safety course through MSF and have tooled around on a couple small bikes.

What is your experience with used bikes? I have always loved 2007 and earlier Kawasaki Ninjas, but am tempted to splurge and perhaps go for a used Honda CBR500R... Also compelling is the Honda CBR300R, which is even available with ABS, but I'd probably have to buy one new...

Can anyone tell me anything about what to look for in terms of mileage/years? I know plenty about cars but not as much about what to look for in a used motorcycle...

Or maybe I just bite the bullet and get a new CBR300R?

Or .... what? What should I do? Anyone with motorcycle experience out there?

 

[ms_ann_thrope]

Saw off your leg. It will be much less painful in the long run.

 

[Que]

Saw off your leg. It will be much less painful in the long run.

Laughs. Been there, done that. Had it stiched back on.

I have no idea about modern motorcycles. I like Honda products in general. Way back when I wanted a Kawasaki GPZ 550. I am a fan of the ninjas. Both the guys in black and the motorcycles.

Any Japanese bike is going to be reliable, and hold its value well.

As a small man, the weight of the bike was worth thinking about for me, as (I assume) it might be for you. See how the balance of it feels at low speed.

See how easy it is to handle getting on and off of it and picking it up off the ground if necessary.

If I laid out a KZ1000 I'm not going to be able to get out from under it.\


Edit...looked up the Cbr300...sounds about perfect. the ninja 300 as well. sounds like the CBR250 used might be a good buy.

 

[AllyRose]

Laughs. Been there, done that. Had it stiched back on.

I have no idea about modern motorcycles. I like Honda products in general. Way back when I wanted a Kawasaki GPZ 550. I am a fan of the ninjas. Both the guys in black and the motorcycles.

Any Japanese bike is going to be reliable, and hold its value well.

As a small man, the weight of the bike was worth thinking about for me, as (I assume) it might be for you. See how the balance of it feels at low speed.

See how easy it is to handle getting on and off of it and picking it up off the ground if necessary.

If I laid out a KZ1000 I'm not going to be able to get out from under it.

Ninjas tended to wear blue rather than black.

 

[Que]

Ninjas tended to wear blue rather than black.

the dudes or the livery of the bikes?

I had this roommate 30 years ago 5 guys in a 4 bedroom house in the barrio. Nice enough guy. Going to broadcasting school to be a DJ. I am not kidding he had a speech impediment of some sort.

At one point he had no car so I used to take him along on grocery store runs so he could stock up. In the same short car ride he outlined the following for things he would like to accomplish:

DJ
Win a spot on the Olympic Volleyball Team
Attend Ninja School.

He was serious about ninja school. (they have those, you know.)

I know nothing about them other than the silly Hollywood portrayal.

 

[Disgustipated]

It's amazing how query knows everything about everything.

Anyway, assuming you're a female, I wouldn't go over a 300.

 

[Que]

It's amazing how query knows everything about everything.

Anyway, assuming you're a female, I wouldn't go over a 300.

...'cause as a female, you don't have a penis and balls between your legs to protect you.

 

[PayDay]

I've always wanted to kill myself on one of these:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buell_Motorcycle_Company#X1_Lightning_.281999.E2.80.932002.29

A Buell Cyclone:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1b/Buell_M2_Cyclone_white_2000_front.jpg/800px-Buell_M2_Cyclone_white_2000_front.jpg

...but I'm a car guy, what do I know.

Old school bike are nice though.

Kawi 650s are light, fast, and cheap, or if you have a death wish(and the money) a fuel injected 1979 kz1000 would be a hell of a way to go.

 

[ms_ann_thrope]

http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2011/12/juicer-ii-628.jpg

 

[Que]

http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2011/12/juicer-ii-628.jpg

Is that an alternator wired to run as a motor?

 

[thør]

http://physiology.usouthal.edu/mbvmc/membersbikes/carlosyamaha.jpg

 

[SashaGaga999]

Is that an alternator wired to run as a motor?

isnt it just an electric motor?

 

[PayDay]

Is that an alternator wired to run as a motor?

Looks like it, with a pair of 10 farad capacitors as batteries. I've seen chainsaw engines and stuff, but that's neat.

 

[SashaGaga999]

http://physiology.usouthal.edu/mbvmc/membersbikes/carlosyamaha.jpg

its cute but i kind of want the modern sportbike image...

 

[PayDay]

isnt it just an electric motor?

Then what's stuck to the back gear sprocket? It looks like you generated the power and then cruise on it.

 

[ms_ann_thrope]

http://theselvedgeyard.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/js1565847.jpg?w=700

 

[SashaGaga999]

Then what's stuck to the back gear sprocket? It looks like you generated the power and then cruise on it.

I think that bike has two chains, one for the elctric motor, and one for the pedals, which are slightly obscured in the picture because the pedals seem to be the same color, or made of the same material, as the casing for the electric motor...

 

[Hard_Rom]

The point about the weight of the bike is true. You should be able to pick your bike up back on two wheels. There is a bit of a trick too it.

Big Kawi fan! EX500 twin cylinder can't go wrong.

Can you afford new? What do magazines say in their shootouts? Got a brand favourite yet? Kawi! Kawi!

Sound like a crotch rocket fan. Can you reach the ground sitting in the saddle? Very very important!
Cruisers/customs have very low seat heights. A short leg length may determine your bike choice.

There are two kinds of motorcyclists. Those who have crashed and those who are going to crash.
Don't be stupid ride straight! Wear a helmet! A full face helmet allows for an open casket funeral.

You must be some much more aware on a bike as opposed to being in a cage... er car. Loose gravel in a slow speed corner can cause a front wheel to wash out. Not dangerous if no traffic coming but embarrassing, expensive (price replacement plastic body) and painful (road rash).

Wear jeans and leather with gloves and good high top shoes or boots.

As a beginner stay small. Insurance much cheaper on 2 cyl than 4 cyl. Same with displacement.

250 Ninja gets 70 mpg.

May info is dated. I rode Kawi 4 cyl bikes. KZ 650, KZ1000, 95 GPZ1100.

In 25 years I have dropped it twice at stoplights on oily patch. Dropped it once at drag strip doing burnout. Crashed once on cloverleaf turnoff. Luckily all grass slide down a short hill. Scrubbed off right side of bike (handlebars, mirror, exhaust, indicators, front brake line and controls). Crashed at dragstrip (wheelie bars not level bike made hard right turn towards tree).

If properly protected you can slide for a long way. It's when you hit something or something hits you. that hurts. Terminal loss of velocity.

 

[PayDay]

I think that bike has two chains, one for the elctric motor, and one for the pedals, which are slightly obscured in the picture because the pedals seem to be the same color, or made of the same material, as the casing for the electric motor...

Short of chasing down the site:
It looks like the pedals move the bike while the alternator charges and the motor is mounted behind the pedal sprocket and uses the dark chain.

 

[PayDay]

Short of chasing down the site:
It looks like the pedals move the bike while the alternator charges and the motor is mounted behind the pedal sprocket and uses the dark chain.

meh, I'm too cool this time, cause I'm wrong. I thought it was self sustaining....
Lame:
http://www.gizmag.com/juicer-old-timey-electric-bicycles/21045/

 

[colddiesel]

Dream about a 1948/49 Vincent Black Lightning, the worlds fastest production bike for years and years. A good one will cost you about $250,000.

A Vincent Black Shadow would be cheaper but not much.

Any 500cc Norton is good.

 

[Ulaven_Demorte]

My current scooter. A 2008 Honda VTX1800T.

I've been riding motorcycles for 30 years. I recommend starting off with something small enough that you can lift it when you inevitably drop it. Lifting technique plays a huge part in this and there are many videos on YouTube that demonstrate this. Over the years I've owned 7 different motorcycles ranging from my first, a GS450L to a 750 virago, an FJ1100, a ninja 650r, to my current 1800cc Bruiser Cruiser. Loved them all for different reasons.

 

[alphaduc]

Take a look at the Moto Guzzi V7. It's about 50 pounds lighter than a Triumph Bonneville, it has shaft drive ( no messy chain), and most of them come with tubeless tires. You can put Hepco and Becker hard bags on them too for light touring. It'll run circles around a Harley and Jap cruisers. In the hands of an old experienced rider, you can give the kids a run for the money in the corners. Won't win any races on a level stretch though.

Another good choice would be a small jap dual sport. Cheap to purchase second hand, very nimble, and will take you places other motorcyclists fear to tread. There's thousands of miles of unimproved Forest Service and National Park roads to explore. Go check out www.Advrider.com.

And remember, all the cage drivers are trying to kill you.