Motorcycle questions

[Way Cool Jr.]

I am going to take a riding/safety motorcycle class. After that I would like to get a good entry level street bike.

1) What is a good choice and how much should I expect to spend?
2) I saw some bikes like the Honda Rebel and the Yamaha Virago 250. They were both 250cc. Is 250cc to small? Can you ride on the highway with that kinda bike?
3) Also, what is a V-Twin? I keep seeing this term, but have no idea what it means.

 

V twin

Twin cylinder in a V formation.

 

[creedog]

v twin is a slanted two cylinder (similar to a harley) they are only in crusiers..
you want atleast a 500 cc engine IMHO, if you are into curisers you could get and older shadow... or if you are into the cafe racer style you could look at late 70's or early 80's hondas for found 1-3 thousand.

I bought my susuki gs1100 for 2500$ with only 4500miles on it..

Depends on what style of bike you want though

 

[olds]

Make sure you learn what "counter steer" is. Lots of riders have no idea and it gets them into trouble.

 

[creedog]

what do you mean by 'countersteer'

Im sure i know what it is, just never heard of it before..

 

[Johnlee]

Aprilia RS50

It's only 50cc, listed as a scooter (low ins rate) and it's a screamer.

Actually, it's not a great starter bike but I have it bad for that little basterd. Hopefully getting one soon.

You like cruisers, standards or sportbikes?

 

[The Stigenator]

arrgh.. damn I lost all that I typed...

Countersteering is to offset your weight opposite to the direction of your travelling. So if your going left, countersteer right. However countersteering will require some practise. What they teach you at the MSF course willl be leaning into the turn and looking thru the turn. While that is equally important (esp. looking thru the turn), countersteering isnt covered until one part, until you do that very very tight circle, that is the only time your going to be countersteering. Ideally countersteering isnt required for all turns, but depending on what speed your going etc etc you will more often than never use it.

WayCoolJr> The bikes you suggested are fine for a starter, however I would buy in used. You can go upto 500cc (sports bikes and 600cc for cruisers) before the insurnace starts becoming ridiclous for a beginnner. The 250cc bikes are plenty powerful for what they need, though they have a top end of like 85mph. Freeway riding isnt the biggest problem its negoitating streets that most people have trouble with. The 250cc bike is light enough to haul yourself and help you easily negotitate streets. If I were you I would suggest try finding and Kawasaki LTD500, its an awesome bike with an awesome engine. Not too many people think of it, but its awesome for it offers.

If your into sports bikes there are options like the Honda Nighthawk 250, Kawasaki Ninja 250R / 500R (500R is heavier and more powerful of the two) and Suzuki GS500.

But as I see it, you got the right thing going for you, 250cc would be perfect to start on, it will take you about 6months before you really earn for something more powerful (yes that day will come), just make sure you buy used first cause you will drop it.. I bought mine new, and I felt sort of sad when I dropped it (click the link in my signature to check it out).

 

[The Stigenator]

the RS50 is awesome .. test rode it at ProItalia.. however I prefer the larger RS150... just because its got more cc's...

I like the RS series cause its got that nice fat tyres, its distinct styling.. people know its a scooter but a hell of a fast scooter. I plan to buy one in a year or two. Knowing me I would use that more than my bike. ( I am lazy I hate shifiting on a bike - too many variables to make mistakes on - a scooter is easy, power and brakes)

 

[Johnlee]

Holy crap! They let you test ride it? They seem like such tigh@sses about that stuff. The only dude I really like there is Dino (the big euro guy). I especially like the 50 because it's only ~3k for a one year old and the new ones are 3600 something.

Are the 125s street legal? Cuz I know the RS250 is not.

 

[Aenygma]

Don't overlook Dual Sport's. They are great first bikes, as well as 3rd and 4th time bikes. I ride with all StreetBikers in Austin... My DP can easily keep up with them, is more comfy, and more fun to ride. Plus I have the added benefit of being able to go off-road

 

[Damage]

Creedog, plenty of V-twin sportbikes out there. Every Ducati and Aprillia are one, the Honda RC-51 and Super Hawk are both twins as is the Suzuki TL1000 R and S models....

Johnlee - the RS50 is almost impossible to get in the US.

Way Cool Jr.

To pick a bike you have a few choices to make. For the bikes displacement, a lot will depend on how big you are, and if you are 200 pounds don't opt for a 250, get something bigger. I would never recommend a anyone buying a 250 anyway, it's just too small and after the first 3-6 months you will end up trying to sell it for a bigger bike.

You also have to let us know how much you could spend. DON'T buy a new bike now. Pickup somehting cheap so you won't get too upset when you drop it, and as a beginner you WILL drop it. Besides, as soon as you drive a bike away from the lot it instantly looses a ton of value (just like new cars, but worse).

What style of bike to you like? Standard? Cruiser? Sporty? There are lots of great used bikes out there really cheap, and if you want opinions on any of the let me know, I have been in the biz for years...

 

[The Stigenator]

My bad, it wasnt the RS250 that I tested out (that is teh 250cc two stroke race bike - they didnt allow me to) but I tested out the SR150 (scooter) also known I think as the scabeao.. I believe the RS125 isnt here yet in the US.

I liked the SR50 Ditech - that is the one I really want.. it looks cool and its pretty fast for a scooter. Though I wish it had tad bit more power.

 

[Johnlee]

<< Johnlee - the RS50 is almost impossible to get in the US >>



Not from what I've heard. ProItalia is taking preorders right now for January.

TGG-I understood you correctly. Still think it's cool that they let you test ride that bike.

 

[Johnlee]

Here's the email I got from Dino. It does seem that they are hard to get. But usually ProItalia has whatever you want. (Unless it's an MV Agusta)

"NEW RS 50'S ARE $3599 AND ARE (UNFORTUNATELY SOLD OUT FOR MONTHS NATIONWIDE). WE GET OUR
FIRST SHIPMENT OF NEW BIKES BY JANUARY, WE TAKE RESERVATIONS NOW. USED 2000 MODELS SELL
FOR ABOUT $ 3000 IN GOOD CONDITION. I KNOW OF ONE USED BIKE HERE IN L.A. TOUGH TO FIND RS 50'S
USED..."

 

[Fausto]

<< v twin is a slanted two cylinder (similar to a harley) they are only in crusiers.. >>



Uh, nope. Ducati has been winning world championships with a 90 degree twin for years now. They actually don't make anything other than twins and they don't make cruisers. The main diff with the sport twins and the cruiser twins tends to be the angle between the cylinders: cruisers are generally narrower (easier to fit a narrow twin into a frame) as they don't rev nearly as high as the sport-twins so you don't have problems with the bike shaking itself to bits. Most sporty twins are 90 degrees as this gives the engine perfect primary and secondary balance, but at the expense of being hard to "package" and get the front/rear weight distribution set up well for racing.

Anyway...on to the questions:

1) Main things to think about for a first bike (IMHO). Plan on spending anywhere from $750-2000 for a decent first bike. I personally think it's a good idea to go with a standard-type bike with minimal plastic bodywork as the odds are you'll drop it once or twice (usually when maneuvering in a parking lot or something like that). You don't want to spend a ton of cash on a first bike as you'll outgrow it pretty quickly and want to move up to something bigger once you've gained some experience.

Any of the main Japanese brands will be fine, all are quite reliable and you should have no problem finding part/service unless you get something rare.

Examples: Suzuki GS500E, Yamaha Seca/Seca II, Kawasaki Zephyr, Honda CBs, etc. Keep it under 600cc until you have plenty of miles logged and are ready for a bigger bike.

2) I personally don't like 250s as a first bike, they are scary on the highway as they get blown around a lot being relatively light and small and don't have enough power to get out of their own way at highway speeds. Anything closer to 500cc should have around 60-70 hp and be decent on the HWY but not so powerful as to get you in trouble. I had a Honda VF500 for a year and then went to a 750, then a 900.

Also: Don't skimp on protective gear. Full leathers or an Aerostitch suit may be expensive and hot, but are better than skin grafts when you toss your bike down the road. I lowsided my Triumph at about 50 and walked away with only bruises thanks to my leathers. Don't be one of the dipsh!ts I see here in Atlanta flying down the interstate wearing shorts and a tanktop....you really don't want to see what they look like when the arrive at the emergency room...believe me.

Good luck,
Fausto

 

[creedog]

<< Creedog, plenty of V-twin sportbikes out there. Every Ducati and Aprillia are one, the Honda RC-51 and Super Hawk are both twins as is the Suzuki TL1000 R and S models >>



my mistake... I dont really know much about those types of bikes, I'm a crusier guy myself

 

[Way Cool Jr.]

I really like street bikes. I don't like sport bikes, or the dirt bikes.

I will have about $2500 to play with. I don't want spend $2500 on a 250cc, then hate it after 6 months.

Where is the best place to find used bikes? Are there any good places online, or is it best to go to a dealer. Also, any recommendations on a good used street bike would be helpful. Thanks for all the advice.

 

[The Stigenator]

check out dealers.. otherwise.. www.cycletrader.com

 

[Damage]

Johnlee, you just proved my point... Proitalia is great, if you live lin CA, and even they can't keep them in the store.

For your first bike, DON'T spend the whole $2,500. Check your papers, cycletrader, and the recycler (Recycler is a free add paper out here in CA). Like Fausto said, make sure you get good protective gear, spend some of your money on that.

I would find an older bike from the '80s. You can get good prices on them($500-$1000), and they generally don't have too much milage. Some picks might the the honda VF500-700 interceptor or Magnas, some Kawasaki KZ or LTDs, or the Yamaha Secas. Suzuki has some GS models, but I generally don't like them because they are harder to work on and Suzuki part always cost more than any other manufacturer. It just depends on how much "pose" value you need in a bike, none of the one's I listed have much but they are all pretty fun.

 

[Johnlee]

I guess you're right. (I was thinking you wrote CA but then again, I'm terribly ego-centric. ) I'm also spoiled from being 2 miles away from one of the best dealers around. Almost impossible...anywhere else but here.

Those old interceptors are great bikes, but if you don't like sportbikes, you may not like them.

I started on a Honda 400cmt ~10 years ago. (if you don't count that Honda Passport 50cc scooter, that is)

Good luck man, and follow TGG's advice and check cycletrader (also cyclebuys) here in CA they come out every Thursday and the used dealers jump on all the good deals quick so get them early.

Report back and let us know what you got. I remember how long it took me to get my Ducati, but believe me some of the fun is in the hunt.

 

[Damage]

Johnlee - NO WAY!!!! My first bike was a burgundy 1982 Honda CM400t ! It was great, easy to work on, and comfortable. It's just when you tried to go over 70 it would say "Hell NO!"

The other great part was it was only $200... A little elbow grease and a small parts investment and when I traded it in on a new bike I got $800 for it! (Something you might want to do Way Cool)

 

[Fausto]

<< Report back and let us know what you got. I remember how long it took me to get my Ducati, but believe me some of the fun is in the hunt >>



Hehe...that's for sure. I remember the day I brough home my Triumph Super III...I felt like I'd won the lottery as I'd been lusting after one since I saw a Super at the local dealer.

I had another thought for a first (or maybe second bike)...a Honda Hawk GT650. They're torquey, but not overpowering, are a blast to ride and not something you'll necessarily outgrow. I know plenty of guys who have liter-bikes as their main ride and keep a Hawk for fun or even for club racing. Cheap, reliable, MANY aftermarket parts available, and easy to prep for racing should you feel the need.

Fausto

 

[The Stigenator]

Oh man, talk about taking time.. I took my sweet time to get my bike. Though I picked her up on 2nd of May 2001, I had been trying to figure out what I wanted and how I was going to pay for it and what else not for almost a year or so. When I finally brought it home it was not only a sigh of "relief" but rather a "oh my god what they heck have I done, I got a very poweful motorcycle between my legs" (powerful cause the most powerful I had ridden was a 135cc Yamaha RXG).

 

[Rudee]

A 500cc will do you fine to start. I purchased my first motorcycle in 1986. It was a Honda 500 Interceptor. I hit a deer at high speed along a country road, 50 miles short of a little town called Rocky Mountain House, in Alberta, Canada. All I remember was flying through the air, then the next thing I know I wake up all groggy in the ditch several hours later, with my bike alongside me, completely smashed to pieces. Passing motorists didn't even know I was in the ditch all fuc&Y#d up. I was lying in the bushes bleeding severely for hours. I had a massive gash in my right calf, and I lost a lot of blood. I somehow managed to come to. The really creepy thing is that when I limped back to the road where the collision took place, all that was there was a pile of deer guts and blood. But no deer carcass in sight. To this day I wonder what happend to the deer I hit, cause judging by all the guts and entrails on the road, he couldn't of survived. Spooky. Anyway, be damn careful on your motorcycle, and invest in the best helmet you can afford.

 

[Johnlee]

HAHA. I had the burgandy one also. Can't remember what year. 81 seems to come to mind. Never had an easier time changing spark plugs. Bought it for 600 bucks and sold it to a friend for 300 (he wrecked the hell outta it)

One night driving home from work in a crazy downpour, I really thought I was gonna die. I fish-tailed all the way home and could barely see out of my pos scratched up helmet. I thought I was a goner.