Motorcycle guys.....noob question

[Ovid9]

So, I've never been all that interested in motorcycles, but with gas prices going to range in the high $3 range and up for..well, probably ever, I've been considering getting one to commute to work with.

 

Round trip is about ~40 miles and I get ~26 mpg in my Buick. If I could get a bike that did ~45-50mpg, fuel costs would be cut in almost half, less wear and tear on my car at least for a few months out of the year.

 

The thing is, I know jack about them. I'm not overly mechanically minded, but I wouldn't mind learning to do some of my own maintenance such as oil changes, spark plug changes possibly to help keep cost of ownership down.

 

Anyway, a list of what I'd be looking for in a bike:

 

1) Solidly built, yet inexpensive. (Think import and older most likely)

2) Gas mileage

3) Reliable (Sorta like solidly built I suppose)

4) Not obscure and impossible to scrounge up parts for.

5) Cruiser/touring style, not street or chopper or whatever

 

A guy is selling an old 81 Honda GL500 Silverwing for like $1100 on the local CL. It'll probably be gone before I'd actually go through with purchasing this (I mean, its not like I'm gonna do all this tomorrow or anything I don't even have a bike license.) But from the brief reading online, it seems something like that would fit the bill.

 

BUT, now I await the experts on all things of HCAF to enlighten me.

[Pincookie1]

Can't go wrong with a Honda rebel 250 if you wanna be sensible. It's not much to look at, but its a great starter bike. Old honda shadow would also be a good option. Buy a helmet, and make sure you wear a jacket. I found out the hard way, it hurts to fall off in a t shirt.

 

csb

[Elemenope]

I am not a cycle guy WHAT SO EVER.

 

But honestly when I saw http://www.harley-davidson.com/en_US/Motorcycles/night-rod-special.html I fell in love with it.

[MattACaster]

 

I am not a cycle guy WHAT SO EVER. But honestly when I saw http://www.harley-davidson.com/en_US/Motorcycles/night-rod-special.html I fell in love with it.

 

 

 

I second this!!

[madryan]

find a used Suzuki SV-650. It's the perfect starter bike. IMO, really small bikes (250's) are death traps as they lack the power to get out of the way. You also out grow them really fast. Something like the SV-650 is super easy to learn to ride. They handle great, they're cheap and reliable and will continue to run year after year.

 

IMO, stay away from small cruisers if you're commuting. They're really uncomfortable. You want a UJM (Universal Japanese Motorcycle) type bike or a "Standard" where your sitting upright and your feet are right under you.

[nightflameauto]

All I'll tell you is if the goal is to save money, a motorcycle is probably not the right way to go about it. Especially if you get a shafty and roll through tires every couple years.

 

If you enjoy riding, you're gonna put a {censored} TON more miles on the bike than you will your car, so the gas savings goes right out the window. It's probably best if this happens because it will help keep your skills sharp and keep you riding more safely. If you don't enjoy riding, you'll still spend a considerable amount on upkeep. Tires on bikes aren't cheap. Course, I have a wide tired beast of a bike with a shaft so a rear tire change runs me around $500 and takes almost a whole day.

[Ovid9]

I am not a cycle guy WHAT SO EVER. But honestly when I saw http://www.harley-davidson.com/en_US/Motorcycles/night-rod-special.html I fell in love with it.

 

That IS cool, but also almost 10x what I am looking at investing in this venture.

[Cliff Fiscal]

The problem with old bikes is that they usually need work....and if you've never owned or driven a bike, that could be expensive and potentially dangerous.

 

 

If you could find a used Suzuki SV650, you'd have a nice bike that you could grow into.

 

Many disagree, but I wouldn't suggest a 250cc bike. Start at 500cc or so.....decent power so you aren't struggling on the highway to maintain the speed limit, and enough zip to get out of trouble if you have to. (of course, braking is also a good option when avoiding danger)

 

Yes, set aside some of your funds for riding gear. Helmet, gloves, jacket, boots, and pants.

Some people don't want to limp out of crash, but I sure as hell do.

 

 

I've got a Kawasaki ZRX1200R which is my dream bike. ....but a total monster.

[yanktar]

 

I am not a cycle guy WHAT SO EVER. But honestly when I saw http://www.harley-davidson.com/en_US/Motorcycles/night-rod-special.html I fell in love with it.

 

 

I've been riding for over 35 years and the ONLY Harleys that every interested me were the V-Rod series--the Night-Rod is one of them. But V-Rods aren't your father's Harley. They are far and away the most powerful engine H-D makes--less torque but about 110-115 HP, so they are NOT a beginner's bike. Porsche designed the engine for them, it's a short-stroke, high-RPM engine kinda like a Ducati or Aprilia.

 

If you want to be safe you have to have a good helmet--$150-$450.

You'll need good boots, preferably with steel shanks and armored ankles--$150-$300.

Then there's the jacket. You don't need leather, but armored ballistic nylon can cost as much--and leather should be armored as well--$150-$BOOCOO!!!!

Summer mesh jackets are great, but they are armored as well, and if there's leather on the contact areas, shoulders and elbows, that's about $200.

Pants: Everybody loves jeans but they aren't really that good a protection. There are some riding jeans, but I like Draggin' Jeans with kevlar lining best. When I crashed in '04, my knees were scratched from the kevlar, but NOTHING like what real "road rash" is like. Or you can get armored leather or ballistic pants. Joe Rocket made armored mesh pants as well. Draggin's run around $100 Leathers, well....., Ballistic, $200-$300, mesh, $100-$200

 

Mesh is great in summer, better than a tee-shirt because you get better circulation without the wind numbing your skin, and will protect you in a fall. Not too good in rain.

Gloves: Good gloves allow you to handle the controls without fatigue, protect you from pounding from the wind, and, if you go down, save your hands. Summer, 3-season, and winter gloves, range from $30-$300.

Rain gear: You can go from duct tape and garbage bags to Aerostich one-piece ballistic Nylon suits that double as riding suits. Cost--Duct Tape+Trashbags to $1500.

 

For winter riding there's both warm gear and electric gear---if you get that far!

 

My point is there's a lot of ancillary costs to riding.

 

GREAT beginner bike is the Suzuki 650 V-twin sport bike. You can learn on it without killing yourself but even veteran riders love to ride it.

 

Also you should take the Motorcycle Safety Foundation course for beginners. It's a lot of fun and you'll learn a lot. There are classes for beginners for which they provide the bikes, and classes for experienced riders where you bring your bike and ride it. The bike I crashed on, when fixed, a 2002 Yam FZ1, was perfect for that class--which I then took!

[Cliff Fiscal]

good advice guys.

[Ovid9]

 

All I'll tell you is if the goal is to save money, a motorcycle is probably not the right way to go about it. Especially if you get a shafty and roll through tires every couple years. If you enjoy riding, you're gonna put a {censored} TON more miles on the bike than you will your car, so the gas savings goes right out the window. It's probably best if this happens because it will help keep your skills sharp and keep you riding more safely. If you don't enjoy riding, you'll still spend a considerable amount on upkeep. Tires on bikes aren't cheap. Course, I have a wide tired beast of a bike with a shaft so a rear tire change runs me around $500 and takes almost a whole day.

 

 

See, I don't really see myself getting into motorcycles as more than transportation. I could be wrong, but I love cycling, not motorcycles. Unfortunately I live too far from my job and on the wrong side of a river to bicycle commute. So this seems like a viable option.

 

And I would explain more..but most go. Thanks so far will check back after fake italian food!

[madryan]

Motorcycles are {censored}ing addictive. Especially on the track.

[madryan]

The problem with old bikes is that they usually need work....and if you've never owned or driven a bike, that could be expensive and potentially dangerous. If you could find a used Suzuki SV650, you'd have a nice bike that you could grow into. Many disagree, but I wouldn't suggest a 250cc bike. Start at 500cc or so.....decent power so you aren't struggling on the highway to maintain the speed limit, and enough zip to get out of trouble if you have to. (of course, braking is also a good option when avoiding danger) Yes, set aside some of your funds for riding gear. Helmet, gloves, jacket, boots, and pants. Some people don't want to limp out of crash, but I sure as hell do. I've got a Kawasaki ZRX1200R which is my dream bike. ....but a total monster.

 

Here's my old ZRX...

 

 

This was my Garage till about a year ago...

 

 

Here's my old ZX-9

 

[jenksdrummer]

For price and reliable, go Honda. My VTX1300 was a beast of a motor and never gave me any trouble. It was also boring and lacked personality quirks...if that makes sense. Ran like a watch

 

My Victory cost a lot more, is quirky enough to have some personality, and it's not a harley. I went in with the intent of getting a Harley, just I couldn't get beyond the whole "this bike could have sat in a warehouse for 40 years, and they want a lot of money for something that old..." - if you're into that aspect, it's what will work, but, didn't work for me. Power, 6 speed, belt drive, fat rear, skinny front - those were my criteria - Victory Jackpot is what I got.

 

That said, HD has ***everything*** imaginable when it comes to aftermarket {censored}. Victory...LOL...I've got a stock bike except hte pipes, which are Victory-branded. There's a couple of pipe-makers, and only 1 seat maker aftermarket for my bike... =/

 

 

My thought, get a Honda Shadow, ride it forever...

[jenksdrummer]

Is that like the Style of the old Honda I mentioned? Those looked pretty upright. Thanks for the input! See, I don't really see myself getting into motorcycles as more than transportation. I could be wrong, but I love cycling, not motorcycles. Unfortunately I live too far from my job and on the wrong side of a river to bicycle commute. So this seems like a viable option. And I would explain more..but most go. Thanks so far will check back after fake italian food!

 

Once you get out of a city with a motorcycle, there's not much that can beat the feeling. Plan for it - one day you will get outside a city and then you're hooked!

[Cliff Fiscal]

Here's my old ZRX...

 

Nice! modded out too. Is that the fastest color?

[madryan]

Nice! modded out too. Is that the fastest color?

 

Naturally...

 

You see, since black absorbs light, and since light is the fastest thing we know of naturally the black ones are faster.

[nightflameauto]

See, I don't really see myself getting into motorcycles as more than transportation. I could be wrong, but I love cycling, not motorcycles. Unfortunately I live too far from my job and on the wrong side of a river to bicycle commute. So this seems like a viable option.

 

 

 

I put over a thousand miles a year on my road bicycle. At least, before I got a motorcycle.

 

[jenksdrummer]

 

I've been riding for over 35 years and the ONLY Harleys that every interested me were the V-Rod series--the Night-Rod is one of them. But V-Rods aren't your father's Harley. They are far and away the most powerful engine H-D makes--less torque but about 110-115 HP, so they are NOT a beginner's bike. Porsche designed the engine for them, it's a short-stroke, high-RPM engine kinda like a Ducati or Aprilia. If you want to be safe you have to have a good helmet--$150-$450. You'll need good boots, preferably with steel shanks and armored ankles--$150-$300. Then there's the jacket. You don't need leather, but armored ballistic nylon can cost as much--and leather should be armored as well--$150-$BOOCOO!!!! Summer mesh jackets are great, but they are armored as well, and if there's leather on the contact areas, shoulders and elbows, that's about $200. Pants: Everybody loves jeans but they aren't really that good a protection. There are some riding jeans, but I like Draggin' Jeans with kevlar lining best. When I crashed in '04, my knees were scratched from the kevlar, but NOTHING like what real "road rash" is like. Or you can get armored leather or ballistic pants. Joe Rocket made armored mesh pants as well. Draggin's run around $100 Leathers, well....., Ballistic, $200-$300, mesh, $100-$200 Mesh is great in summer, better than a tee-shirt because you get better circulation without the wind numbing your skin, and will protect you in a fall. Not too good in rain. Gloves: Good gloves allow you to handle the controls without fatigue, protect you from pounding from the wind, and, if you go down, save your hands. Summer, 3-season, and winter gloves, range from $30-$300. Rain gear: You can go from duct tape and garbage bags to Aerostich one-piece ballistic Nylon suits that double as riding suits. Cost--Duct Tape+Trashbags to $1500. For winter riding there's both warm gear and electric gear---if you get that far! My point is there's a lot of ancillary costs to riding. GREAT beginner bike is the Suzuki 650 V-twin sport bike. You can learn on it without killing yourself but even veteran riders love to ride it. Also you should take the Motorcycle Safety Foundation course for beginners. It's a lot of fun and you'll learn a lot. There are classes for beginners for which they provide the bikes, and classes for experienced riders where you bring your bike and ride it. The bike I crashed on, when fixed, a 2002 Yam FZ1, was perfect for that class--which I then took!

 

 

Lot of great advice there that I didn't follow, and probaby won't, and probably will regret some day. Except the helmet - I wear a full-face except on rare occasions.

 

That said, I did the MSF Course, and highly recommend it.

 

Granted, I still went offroading with mine and dumped it, breaking my wrist and nearly totalling my bike...but that was due to me being in a group ride without being familiar enough with my bike, my style of riding, and, from my point of view, I didn't know the people I was riding and their tendancies...I felt pressured being on the outside, near the rear, in a group of 20 bikes making a right-hand turn...couldn't move in because of someone below me, couldn't slow down because of someone behind me. Best option that didn't take anyone out was going off road and try and save it rather than end up going off road when I crossed that white line into gravel. Still got to watch rocks (and dirt) go by while my helmet was ground into the dirt...

 

 

Moral of the story, I either ride tail-gun or in the front, rarely will I ride 'in the pack' unless I know the people I'm riding with and can trust them completely. Even then, I'll not ride 'tight'...

[jenksdrummer]

 

 

 

My better half wants a bike of her own too. I told her last winter to keep her eyes open for when the MSF Course opens up, then sign up because it'll be August before you get an opening. That time passed...I bring it up every so often and she makes up reasons why she's not signed up and I just blow it off now. She can want a bike all she wants but until she goes through the MSF Course to even realize if she'll want to ride/operate a bike...it's just a garage ornament with her name on it that would reside in my domain...

[nightflameauto]

 

My better half wants a bike of her own too. I told her last winter to keep her eyes open for when the MSF Course opens up, then sign up because it'll be August before you get an opening. That time passed...I bring it up every so often and she makes up reasons why she's not signed up and I just blow it off now. She can want a bike all she wants but until she goes through the MSF Course to even realize if she'll want to ride/operate a bike...it's just a garage ornament with her name on it that would reside in my domain...

 

 

I was shocked. As much as she doesn't want to, my wife signed up right away when they opened classes in the spring this year. Actually got in sometimes around July. I was impressed. She must really want to do this.

[yanktar]

Lot of great advice there that I didn't follow, and probaby won't, and probably will regret some day. Except the helmet - I wear a full-face except on rare occasions.......................

 

LOL!

 

NOBODY follows ALL the safety rules ALL the time...and we usually live to regret it....(or not).

 

I would STRONGLY recommend against a beginner buying a 1981 ANYTHING! The SilverWing was a great bike but an odd one--Transverse V-Twin shafty like a Motoguzzi, but with the heads twisted 20? 30? 45? degrees from parallel to the wheel line. You will find it VERY difficult to work on, but it may be easy to maintain----IF you can get oil filters for it, service manual, etc. Honda hasn't made that transverse V-Twin in 20-25 years, I'd guess.

 

Any of the Japanese motorcycles should be reliable. I've not had Hondas--had Suzukis and Yamahas, but I've ridden Hondas and Kawasakis and...any UJM is a UJM. They are all great. BMWs are also very reliable, and THOSE can be worked on forever! BMW takes pride in that. But, other than a Beemer, keep to UJMs less than 10 years old if you don't want the bike to be garaged at the shop more than at your home.

[Valtyr]

Last year I got a Kawasaki Ninja 250R. It isn't a cruiser style bike but you still sit upright. Overall I don't find them cheaper because the maintenance costs more than a car. You can save a lot of you learn to do it yourself though. It's a lot more fun than driving, and worth it in my opinion.

 

The Ninja is easy to learn on, handles well, and gets around 60 mpg. Top speed is supposed to be around 110 mph, I have never tested that. I sometimes take it on the highway and haven't had any problems keeping up. I don't think I have ever maxed the throttle, but 75% of my riding is on 55 mph roads anyway so there's no need. I am 13 months in and I'm still thrilled with the Ninja. I mostly ride it in the evenings when commuting to classes. I have put 4000 miles on the bike so far and am not looking to upgrade.

 

This is NOT the bike for you if you want cargo space though. I sometimes ride with a backpack, but I haven't looked into any add on storage. This isn't the right bike for long commutes or traveling either.

 

I live in Alabama, so most of time it's hot. I wear the mesh Joe Rocket armored pants and jacket, and a set of riding gloves, even in mid summer. You would be suprised how well that stuff breaths despite the fact that you end up looking more like a pilot. I still need to get the boots. Don't go cheap on the helmet. Dress for the crash, not the ride.

[nightflameauto]

 

Any of the Japanese motorcycles should be reliable. I've not had Hondas--had Suzukis and Yamahas, but I've ridden Hondas and Kawasakis and...any UJM is a UJM. They are all great. BMWs are also very reliable, and THOSE can be worked on forever! BMW takes pride in that. But, other than a Beemer, keep to UJMs less than 10 years old if you don't want the bike to be garaged at the shop more than at your home.

 

 

My uncle has a Honda that he bought new in 1981 or so and a Yamaha he bought in 77. Both are still serviceable pretty easily. He does all the work on them, but parts are pretty readily available. In fact, he just fully replaced the fork assembly on the Honda a couple years ago because it was starting to wear out. He's got some SERIOUS miles on that thing.

 

Mine's a newer Suzuki. I've never had any non-routine maintenance done to it and it's great. Approaching four years old and LOTS of road miles. Running up to 20,000 soon, which is tough to do with South Dakota winters to contend with.

[madryan]

Last year I got a Kawasaki Ninja 250R. It isn't a cruiser style bike but you still sit upright. Overall I don't find them cheaper because the maintenance costs more than a car. You can save a lot of you learn to do it yourself though. It's a lot more fun than driving, and worth it in my opinion. The Ninja is easy to learn on, handles well, and gets around 60 mpg. Top speed is supposed to be around 110 mph, I have never tested that. I sometimes take it on the highway and haven't had any problems keeping up. I don't think I have ever maxed the throttle, but 75% of my riding is on 55 mph roads anyway so there's no need. I am 13 months in and I'm still thrilled with the Ninja. I mostly ride it in the evenings when commuting to classes. I am not looking to upgrade. This is NOT the bike for you if you want cargo space though. I sometimes ride with a backpack, but I haven't looked into any add on storage. This isn't the right bike for long commutes or traveling either. I live in Alabama, so most of time it's hot. I wear the mesh Joe Rocket armored pants and jacket, and a set of riding gloves, even in mid summer. You would be suprised how well that stuff breaths despite the fact that you end up looking more like a pilot. I still need to get the boots. Don't go cheap on the helmet. Dress for the crash, not the ride.

 

My ex wife almost got one of those as a starter bike but opted for a Ducati Monster 695 instead. The little Ducati ended up being one of my favorite bikes ever. Soooooo easy to ride and bulletproof.

 

FWIW my ZX-10 would do over 100 in first gear with track gearing

 

The problem with older Japanese bikes is they get hard to find parts for. You end up scouring the net for obscure weird stuff.

 

Just snag a nice slightly used Japanese 600 standard (not a nighthawk) and call it good. The SV with their trellis frame ala Ducati are a bit easier to work on than something with a Perimeter frame.