Motorcycles: I want one UPDATE I GOT ONE!!!

[jagec]

I always suggested people start on a reasonable 400-500cc 4 stroke which will generally put them in the 40-50hp range. They're not too much to start off with, people tend to keep them a bit longer than a 250, they're better on the express way and they offer more power in emergency maneuvers.

As long as you don't get anything with "R"s in the name. A 500 CC standard, cruiser, tourer, or dual-sport is fine, but a 500CC sport bike is dangerous for a beginner.

Unless you can reversibly flash the ECU to impose an 8000RPM rev limiter to keep you out of the power until you're ready...but I haven't heard of people doing this.

Triumph has some pretty decent bikes to fulfill that niche.

That triple is also one sweet engine. I wanted to buy one, but I knew that it would get me in too much trouble.

 

[pauldun170]

Really? What else would you call the Street/Speed Triples, Monsters, Aprilia, or Buells? Those are standards through and through. Just because most of the Japanese manufacturer's ignored them doesn't mean that the segment hasn't had its contenders.

The issue isn't that the Japanese ignore them. The issue is that the US market ignores unfaired standards\UJMs.

Ducati sells a decent amount of monsters because the word "Ducati" is on the tank and the bikes are decent enough to deserve that lock on that niche market.

I haven't looked at peed Triple sales in recently but they are fairly low volume and have the same "brand" appeal as Ducati's monsters. The difference is that Monster riders tend to have jobs with "designer" in the title and Speed Triple riders tend to have the word "engineering" in the title.

Now I have the urge to go check prices on Hawk GTs. Off to go scour craigslist

 

[olds]

Triumph has some pretty decent bikes to fulfill that niche.

The Triumph triples look awesome. (except for a beginner)

 

[pauldun170]

As long as you don't get anything with "R"s in the name. A 500 CC standard, cruiser, tourer, or dual-sport is fine, but a 500CC sport bike is dangerous for a beginner.

Unless you can reversibly flash the ECU to impose an 8000RPM rev limiter to keep you out of the power until you're ready...but I haven't heard of people doing this.



That triple is also one sweet engine. I wanted to buy one, but I knew that it would get me in too much trouble.

Can you name a 500cc sportbike sold in the US?

 

[consolibyte]

Can you name a 500cc sportbike sold in the US?

Suzuki GS500F
Kawasaki Ninja 500
Honda CB500F
Honda CB500X
Honda CBR500

 

[consolibyte]

I'll second a Nina 250 or Ninja 300. Don't buy a first bike thinking you're going to keep it forever - you won't no matter what you buy.

Buy a used Ninja 250 or 300, have both of you ride it for a year, and then make the decision if she wants to keep it or sell it. If you want to sell it, you'll likely be able to sell it for almost what you bought it for (providing you take care of it and don't crash it).

The Ninja 250 and 300 are both fun, fun, fun, and great for learning to ride, and learning to ride fast. They're also very reliable, dirt cheap, and dead easy to work on.



Don't forget gear for both of you - good helmets, good jackets (with armor), and gauntlet gloves at a very minimum.

 

[sze5003]

Make sure you get decent boots. Alpine stars are nice. They had a sale on them last season. I got some Joe rocket ballistic pants in eBay 30 bucks pretty much brand new. I haven't worn them yet because they are a little long by the feet. I need to hike them up a bit because I don't want them getting caught on the shifter or pegs.

Buy gear that fits you tight enough that it doesn't sag but also comfortable enough so you can move. With pants and boots I recommend going to a store, trying out the pair you want to buy, then go online and look for some deals.

 

[pauldun170]

Suzuki GS500F
Kawasaki Ninja 500
Honda CB500F
Honda CB500X
Honda CBR500

None of those are sportbikes.
Having bodywork doesn't make a motorcycle a sportbike.

Every bike on that list would make an excellent first motorcycle.
(The EX-500 aka Ninja 500 which is no longer made)


FYI: The CB500F,X and CBR500 are essentially the same bike with different wrappers

 

[pauldun170]

I'll second a Nina 250 or Ninja 300. Don't buy a first bike thinking you're going to keep it forever - you won't no matter what you buy.

Buy a used Ninja 250 or 300, have both of you ride it for a year, and then make the decision if she wants to keep it or sell it. If you want to sell it, you'll likely be able to sell it for almost what you bought it for (providing you take care of it and don't crash it).

The Ninja 250 and 300 are both fun, fun, fun, and great for learning to ride, and learning to ride fast. They're also very reliable, dirt cheap, and dead easy to work on.



Don't forget gear for both of you - good helmets, good jackets (with armor), and gauntlet gloves at a very minimum.

Only issue with the Kawi 250 (if buying used) is having to deal with the carbs.

 

[sze5003]

Only issue with the Kawi 250 (if buying used) is having to deal with the carbs.

Yeah my ninja I got from a professor who did not ride it much, low mileage , had it all tuned up properly but it sat.

Had to get tools and dig out the carbs. They were spotless but I cleaned them anyway, reset the float bowls and when I had it all back together it would finally not turn off without the choke.

It would still do it when you started it cold and didn't leave the choke on for the first few miles at least half way. They take some time to warm up. It's a pain to work on the carbs but I had to put it back all by myself because my buddy couldn't make it to help me piece it back together.

 

[pauldun170]

Yeah my ninja I got from a professor who did not ride it much, low mileage , had it all tuned up properly but it sat.

Had to get tools and dig out the carbs. They were spotless but I cleaned them anyway, reset the float bowls and when I had it all back together it would finally not turn off without the choke.

It would still do it when you started it cold and didn't leave the choke on for the first few miles at least half way. They take some time to warm up. It's a pain to work on the carbs but I had to put it back all by myself because my buddy couldn't make it to help me piece it back together.

Before FI became the norm with bikes, Kawi 250 carbds were a good way to introduce the basics of carb maintenance to new riders (cleaning is fairly straightforward and carb synch can be done by ear\feel.

You also learn who float bowl screws seem to be made of the softest metal ever made (and that that they should be immediately replaced by by real screws.)

 

[twinrider1]

Ninja250 and Ninja500 (formerly known as the EX500)
She should sit on both and see what she likes. The seat height on both is nice and low at about 30", but seats can have different shapes and she might prefer one over the other.

I'm a huge fan of the Ninja500. Sporty enough, but a seating position that is much closer to a standard than a race bike. Vertical twin engine old as the hills, dependable. About 50hp, but about 50% more torque than the 250. So you don't have to shift as much, and constantly keep the engine wound up to 9000rpm.

Ninja300 doesn't have a centerstand. That bugs me (on a street bike). Budget for spools and a rear stand if you go that route.

 

[roguerower]

As long as you don't get anything with "R"s in the name. A 500 CC standard, cruiser, tourer, or dual-sport is fine, but a 500CC sport bike is dangerous for a beginner.

Unless you can reversibly flash the ECU to impose an 8000RPM rev limiter to keep you out of the power until you're ready...but I haven't heard of people doing this.

That triple is also one sweet engine. I wanted to buy one, but I knew that it would get me in too much trouble.

To my knowledge there is no "500cc sportbike" as you're describing it on the market. The 600cc are about the smallest you can get. The 500s (either Suzuki GS500 or the old Ninja) were limited to 45-50hp, nowhere near the 100+ that a 600cc supersport puts out.

The issue isn't that the Japanese ignore them. The issue is that the US market ignores unfaired standards\UJMs.

Ducati sells a decent amount of monsters because the word "Ducati" is on the tank and the bikes are decent enough to deserve that lock on that niche market.

I haven't looked at peed Triple sales in recently but they are fairly low volume and have the same "brand" appeal as Ducati's monsters. The difference is that Monster riders tend to have jobs with "designer" in the title and Speed Triple riders tend to have the word "engineering" in the title.

The Japanese have started to come around and try to wrestle the standard market from the European hands, but they're still using the 4cyl that you find in their sportbikes. All European bikes are low volume when compared to their Asian competitors. One part of their appeal.

The Triumph triples look awesome. (except for a beginner)

I love my 675 Street Triple R. It's an amazing machine. The '13 Daytona 675 has a new engine in it that's supposed to be even better than the last. I'm really looking forward to doing a couple of track days this year. I am glad though that I went with my 500 first as it really made me learn how to ride vs. relying on HP/torque to get me where I wanted to go.

 

[pauldun170]

Ninja250 and Ninja500 (formerly known as the EX500)
She should sit on both and see what she likes. The seat height on both is nice and low at about 30", but seats can have different shapes and she might prefer one over the other.

I'm a huge fan of the Ninja500. Sporty enough, but a seating position that is much closer to a standard than a race bike. Vertical twin engine old as the hills, dependable. About 50hp, but about 50% more torque than the 250. So you don't have to shift as much, and constantly keep the engine wound up to 9000rpm.

Ninja300 doesn't have a centerstand. That bugs me (on a street bike). Budget for spools and a rear stand if you go that route.

Never realized how much I loved centerstands until I bought a bike without.
Finally ponied up for a pitbull stand earlier this year.

I think they stopped making the Ninja 500\EX-500 back in 09.

 

[olds]

My personal opinion is that women shouldn't ride on the road. They don't have the fight or flight mentally. They generally let things happen to them instead of aggressively dealing with it. And you have to be aggressive to stay safe on the road.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Triumph has some pretty decent bikes to fulfill that niche.

True, and I love the Bonnie and the Thruxton, but I started out with a mini-UJM and as cool as the Triumphs are I still find myself gravitating to the UJM-style bikes. Of course, I'd just about kill to be in a position to own a Rocket III so I'm not completely hooked on UJMs.

As far as the standard market being ignored, I guess I just don't consider a "naked" bike to be the same as a "standard" To me, a "standard" is a bike that looks like either an old CB750 or a classic British air-cooled twin. I just can't bring myself to call a Street Triple, a Monster, or a Buell a "standard." Those are all "naked" bikes, to my eye they're worlds apart from a "standard."

Until Honda brought the CB1100 to the US, the only bikes available in the US that I would truly call "standards" were the Bonneville and the Thruxton.

ZV

 

[satyajitmenon]

True, and I love the Bonnie and the Thruxton, but I started out with a mini-UJM and as cool as the Triumphs are I still find myself gravitating to the UJM-style bikes. Of course, I'd just about kill to be in a position to own a Rocket III so I'm not completely hooked on UJMs.

As far as the standard market being ignored, I guess I just don't consider a "naked" bike to be the same as a "standard" To me, a "standard" is a bike that looks like either an old CB750 or a classic British air-cooled twin. I just can't bring myself to call a Street Triple, a Monster, or a Buell a "standard." Those are all "naked" bikes, to my eye they're worlds apart from a "standard."

Until Honda brought the CB1100 to the US, the only bikes available in the US that I would truly call "standards" were the Bonneville and the Thruxton.

ZV

I see your CB1100, and raise you one Moto Guzzi V7. As long as you're not looking for serious performance, of course.

Type 90° V-twin 4-stroke
Capacity 744 cc
Maximum power 37 kW (50HP) at 6,200 rpm
Maximum torque 42.7 ft lbs. / 58Nm at 5,000 rpm
Fuel system Weber-Marelli electronic fuel injection.
Exhaust system Three-way catalytic converter with double lambda probe

Or you could go for a Griso 8V

ENGINE
Type Four-stroke V 90 twin
Cooling Air and oil cooled with independent cooling pump
Capacity 1,151cc
Bore and stroke 95 x 81.2 mm
Compression ratio 11:01
Maximum power output Over 110 hp at 7,500 rpm
Max Torque 80 foot pounds at 6,400 rpm
Fuel supply/ignition Multipoint sequential electronic injection, Magneti Marelli IAW 5A phased, alfa-n system; 2 x Ø50 mm throttle bodies with Weber IWP 189 injectors, Lambda probe.
Exhaust system Stainless steel two-into-one 3-way catalysed with Lambda probe.

 

[olds]

... To me, a "standard" is a bike that looks like either an old CB750 ...

ZV

A big part of the reason I bought a Concours. It didn't look like a rice rocket.

 

[pauldun170]

I see your CB1100, and raise you one Moto Guzzi V7. As long as you're not looking for serious performance, of course.

Or you could go for a Griso 8V

Never realized how cheap those were.

Speaking of Moo Guzzi, I bumped into a guy who picked up a California as his first bike.

 

[Zenmervolt]

I see your CB1100, and raise you one Moto Guzzi V7. As long as you're not looking for serious performance, of course.

Love Guzzis, can't believe I forgot about them. Almost bought one back in '05 or '06.

And yes, I have to admit that with bikes I'm usually not looking for serious performance. Sportbikes are incredible, but there's no way I'd ever get close to their limits on the street and I think I'd always feel like I was "wasting" the bike.

ZV

 

[Kroze]

While at a stoplight, my bike fell and trapped my leg under it. Luckily my riding boot held the weight of the bike

So yea, riding boot is good

 

[pauldun170]

While at a stoplight, my bike fell and trapped my leg under it. Luckily my riding boot held the weight of the bike

So yea, riding boot is good

lol

How the hell did that happen?
Hopefully no one was watching

 

[JulesMaximus]

Never realized how cheap those were.

Speaking of Moto Guzzi, I bumped into a guy who picked up a California as his first bike.

A good friend of mine had a Breva 750. Really fine craftsmanship and a beautiful machine but it was woefully underpowered. He sold it after only owning it for 6 months. Didn't even really lose any money on it. He bought a used BMW R1150R and then sold that after a year and a half and bought a new 2007 Ducati Sport Classic GT1000 which he still has almost 6 years later.

 

[Kroze]

lol

How the hell did that happen?
Hopefully no one was watching

The whole world was watching at that busy intersection. I was too ashamed to look at anyone . With one leg trapped under the bike, the superman strength of embarrassment empowered me to lift the bike up and gtfo of there. LOL

Anyway, it happened because I couldn't flat foot the bike. When I was coming to a stop at the light, I put my left leg down and the sand or oil in that area caught me off guard and down I went.

:\

 

[T2urtle]

The whole world was watching at that busy intersection. I was too ashamed to look at anyone . With one leg trapped under the bike, the superman strength of embarrassment empowered me to lift the bike up and gtfo of there. LOL

Anyway, it happened because I couldn't flat foot the bike. When I was coming to a stop at the light, I put my left leg down and the sand or oil in that area caught me off guard and down I went.

:\

That has happened to me before, well not dropping the bike. But dam near close, it was a little wet and mix that in what a little pool of antifreeze my foot happened to land on. Good thing I can flat foot on my sv650n. I just shifted all the weight to the other side the instant I felt my foot slip completely.