Thinking about buying a motorcycle. (1 Viewer)

[Jack Briggs]

Chad: Your thread title has been changed to reflect the content. (Members cannot change thread titles; let an admin know and it will be fixed. And what's wrong with a nice sportbike?)

 

[Chad Isaacs]

Thanks Jack for changing the title,

Thank you all for your guidance and tips. This is not something that I will do in the next week or two. I am just planning right now but I want to be prepared for anything. Like I mentioned eariler I am going to go ahead and start buying the "little" things now. I assume they are like a home theaters wires, remotes, acoustic panels etc. All small on their own buy boy do that add up quick.

I have nothing against sport bikes, their look just does not suit my taste. Also, I want a bike that I can be comfortable on, not have to lean forward or sit in ways that I would not want to sit for 100 miles or more.

Someone mentioned interstate travel, most of their rides are country roads and the occasional high way. I don't think they ever really get on the interstate. Thats not to say that I would never ride without them, but for something like this I would rather just go down the road less traveled. I drive the interstate daily... I rarely get to go out on the quiet roads.

One question on my mind, what's it like when a cemi goes flying by you? I know it just about blows our little commuter car off of the road!

 

[Garrett Lundy]

Trucks aren't nearly as bad as 40mph sidewinds. Also those little grooves cut into the road for construction..... stay well away from them.

 

[bobbyg2]

I was sitting at a left turn when a semi whizzed passed me. I was in an F-150 and it felt like the truck was being pulled into oncoming traffic. But, it held it's ground.

Just make sure you're as far away from traffic as possible when your in a light car.

 

[mazersteven]

I would not ride a 250 motorcycle. Are you trying to get killed.

 

[mazersteven]

Dude,

Do you want to be cool, have fun, and ride something with attitude.

Right here

http://www.triumph.co.uk/usa/4582.aspx

2007 Triumph Bonneville

 

[bobbyg2]

Not many motorcycles give you much protection. You're gona have the same chance of dieing on pretty much all motorcycles.

 

[JohnRice]

You have a remarkable grasp of the obvious.

 

[Fredster]

Something bigger is safer?

 

[Jay H]

BTW, if you are looking at some motorcycle accessories, i.e. gloves, boots, and some saddlebags, I noticed in my SierraTradingPost catalog last night they had some of the above for sale there... Might check out their website: www.sierratradingpost.com They mostly carry hiking/biking/kayaking gear along with shoes and some casualwear, but I saw they had some motorcycle stuff in it last night.

Jay

 

[Chad Isaacs]

Not digging the Truimph too much, I know, thats blasphemous in some circles.

I did click on some of the provided links last night to check out some gear. I am curious about pants. Am I just going to want regular straight leg blue jeans? I typically wear kaki cargo or denim carpenter pants to work and usually most anywhere I go. I do have jeans but I tend to buy more relaxed fit as they are my comfortable. Side story here, I have pretty chronic psoriasis and I had a dr. put me on steroids. Well, the weight packed on. I have not been on them for a while but still have some "baggage". I actually have a dr. appointment today to see about getting rid of some of it but until then I have to buy pants that are a tad bigger than I really need.

Seem like loose clothing is not such a good idea on a bike though.

Oh, I think I picked out some boots, well, a style anyway. Curious though, what companies make a wider boot? I tend to wear Adidas and Dr. Martin shoes because they fit me comfortably.

 

[Philip Hamm]

IME there's a big difference between what looks comfortable and what is. I used to have a cruiser motorcycle and I toured on it for thousands of miles. I now have a sport-tourer with an upright slightly forward lean. The sport touring bike is much more comfortable for 100 mile rides than the cruiser ever was. Largely because when you're sitting up with your feet out front every little bump goes right into your tailbone straight up your spine. It gets very fatiguing, believe you me. Sharing some fo the weight with your arms and shoulders, as well as getting your tailbone out of the seat is a LOT more comfortable. Notice that the really hardcore touring bikes like the big H-D Electra-Glides and GoldWings do not have your feet way out front and sit the rider a bit forward.

 

[Philip Hamm]

Yes, up to a certain point. Larger motos will be less susseptible to crosswinds and be more stable. Also, larger motos tend do have larger motors, and often you can zip out of a bad situation using your with your throttle where a tiny bike will be wheezing.

 

[Philip Hamm]

If you don't mind all the skin and a good deal of flesh being excruciatingly torn off your legs and your knees shattered in a get-off then jeans are fine. If you value your skin and joints, motorcycle-specific pants with armor in the knees is a good idea. From what I've seen most riders neglect leg protection and unfortunately some learn the hard way about the subject.

Personally I wear a Fieldsheer Highland suit in cold weather, and switch to a Marsee Adventure Jacket and Pants for moderate temps, and Marsee "Full Flow" mesh jacket and pants in the hot.

There are some companies that make Kevlar reinforced jeans, first introduced by Fast Company Draggin' Jeans. I have owned these kinds of products in the past, they're orders of magnitude more protective than just plain jeans, but are nowhere near real armored cordura gear.

 

[Garrett Lundy]

QFT
[url=https://static.hometheaterforum.com/imgrepo/e/eb/htf_imgcache_7499.jpeg] [/url]

 

[Garrett Lundy]

Damn I've got one hell of an Irish suntan.

 

[Chad Isaacs]

Dude, that really sucks for you leg, how was the bike )

Riding gear has never once crossed my mind until today. Sure, if I see some guy in untied sneakers, shorts and a tshirt I think to myself "You are just asking for trouble" but today I had some errands to run and the weather was nice. I passed a guy on a bike, he had loafters, slacks and a button down shirt on. I never would of thought twice about it. Just some guy trying to get home from the office. I so wanted to pull over and scream at him for not being safe!

 

[Fredster]

Not sure the insurance industry backs up the safety aspect of size and power. If you raise your CCs they raise your rates.

 

[Steve Schaffer]

Lots of bigger bikes being bought by inexperienced or careless hotrodders, while smaller ones are being bought by those likely to ride more conservatively, has nothing to do with the inherent safety of the vehicle itself.

Typically high performance cars are more stable and controllable than your average grocery-getter, and inherently safer, yet insurance rates are higher because of the number of yahoos that buy them and drive like maniacs.

Shortly after the wonderful 1st generation Toyota MR-2 was introduced in about '85, they became unaffordable to many young drivers because they carried "sports car" insurance rates.
In '86 Toyota introduced thier "Rabbit GTI", called the FX-16, a two door hatchback box with the same engine as the MR-2 and about identical performance capabilities. I had one of the latter and instead of paying a sports car surcharge got an economy car discount.

 

[Chad Isaacs]

Another "sikle" question.

What do you do for security? Granted, when it is at home it will be garaged, but, what about if I stop off somewhere and I am inside, like a shopping center or Best Buy, etc? Obivously, some areas are better than others. The area we live in is not very prone to much crime at all, but, Beech Grove is only so big.