|
DEUCE SLUICE posted:I think outside of race-style bikes most places I have experience with either let you test ride whatever or don't let anyone ride anything, provided you have gear, license and riding experience. Yeah, my local Euro-dealer will check your license to make sure you have at least 2 years under your Aerostich nylon belt.
|
#
?
Aug 25, 2016 04:48
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 25, 2024 16:31 |
|
|
I'm middle-aged, had all my gear with me, my M endorsement is old enough to get its own endorsement, and had a wad of cash (enough to buy any bike I was eyeing) in my pocket last time I went motorcycle shopping and actually went to dealerships (Which is why I ended up buying my VFR off a random guy on Craigslist) and even then couldn't get a test ride on 8-14 year old bikes let alone anything new.
|
|
#
?
Aug 25, 2016 05:19
|
|
|
How the gently caress do dealers expect to move units without test rides? Even this shittiest hood corner crack dealer understands the point of a free taste. Edit: Also I don't know where you guys are but the only bike I wasn't able to test ride (whether it was old or new or if I had any intention of buying at all) was my original 250 ninja because I couldn't get covered by the dealer's insurance with my learner's permit. Carth Dookie fucked around with this message at 06:12 on Aug 25, 2016 |
|
#
?
Aug 25, 2016 06:07
|
|
|
I've had the same trouble with every local non-Harley dealer. Ducati place would only let me try a Zero when I was interested in a used Monster, other import dealership just said "no" even when I rode in on my current bike, with gear, and cash. I probably ended up with my Sportster '48 last year simply because the dealership in town was so lax about test rides; even though I didn't buy from them I didn't have much comparison. I did get to take my SMT out for a bit before signing the papers on it but I was already in that "99% sure sale" category that they prefer their test riders in.
|
|
#
?
Aug 25, 2016 08:45
|
|
|
none of the Japanese brand dealers near me will do test rides, but that may have something to do with the high squid factor and the fact that their service departments get the business from new riders dumping their new bikes in the parking lot on their first ride. Triumph does test rides, haven't been to any of the KTM/BMW/Duc shops
|
|
#
?
Aug 25, 2016 21:25
|
|
|
The dealership I go to gave me free range on any of the motorcycles they had there to test ride. Just had to grab the keys and I could go out by myself for 15-20 mins on each. They said "any speeding tickets/if you get busted doing a wheelie it's on you and if you drop it you need to pay the excess" (which I'd signed a blanket form for anyway).
|
|
#
?
Aug 26, 2016 01:45
|
|
|
What's high mileage for a well cared for SV650?
|
|
#
?
Aug 26, 2016 03:29
|
|
|
Fifty Three posted:What's high mileage for a well cared for SV650? How many miles you got? (Spin that dial around a few times and keep going, from what I hear.)
|
|
#
?
Aug 26, 2016 03:39
|
|
|
If you're trading it in, 15k is high
|
|
#
?
Aug 26, 2016 15:46
|
|
|
https://www.coloradomotorcycleadventures.com/bikes So they rent out good poo poo it seems. Bmw adventure range, wr250, husky 701, klr650, 500 exc  , Africa Twin.What would be good here to try?
|
|
#
?
Aug 26, 2016 22:51
|
|
|
Africa twin, no question.
|
|
#
?
Aug 26, 2016 23:05
|
|
|
Z3n posted:Africa twin, no question. Will it kill me? If so how happy will my corpse be? Are we talking 12 o clock wheelies into Valhalla or what?
|
|
#
?
Aug 26, 2016 23:10
|
|
|
Africa Twin and WR 250 (a goon is currently selling his). The KTM too.Space Whale posted:Will it kill me? You're more likely to die on the EXC500. I don't know if anyone on the forum has ridden the twin yet.
|
|
#
?
Aug 26, 2016 23:10
|
|
|
Rent the exc and take it down to rampart range next weekend. Someone did say dirt miles count for double. I'd bring my 350 and ride.
|
|
#
?
Aug 27, 2016 00:10
|
|
|
500exc with a newb on it: njoy ur loopz
|
|
#
?
Aug 27, 2016 00:13
|
|
|
Hell the 300 XC-W I rode almost killed me.
|
|
#
?
Aug 27, 2016 00:52
|
|
|
Z3n posted:Africa twin, no question. Are you joking? Seems like the wr250 is the obvious choice to me. rally posted:Rent the exc and take it down to rampart range next weekend. 1. Jesus Christ no don't rent the 500exc. 2. What kind of 350 do you have and if KTM/husky how do you like it? Edit: I think the 300 would be a worse choice for him than the 500 just because of 2t power delivery.
|
|
#
?
Aug 27, 2016 00:55
|
|
|
builds character posted:Are you joking? Seems like the wr250 is the obvious choice to me. It would absolutely Build Character to get hosed up and have the bike shoot out from under my legs from ninja throttle hand.
|
|
#
?
Aug 27, 2016 01:15
|
|
|
it won't shoot out from under you so much as loop back around on top of you when it hits the power band because you'll be all like "ah this thing's not so baWHATTHEFUCK" and death gripping the bars but it will smell awesome
|
|
#
?
Aug 27, 2016 04:35
|
|
|
Jazzzzz posted:but it will smell awesome That kinda depends on what he had for breakfast.
|
|
#
?
Aug 27, 2016 05:10
|
|
|
So for my next bike I'm looking at getting a single cylinder dual sport for commuting, green laning and adventure in roughly equal measures, a sort of Swiss army motorbike. Current contenders are a Honda xr650 (or 600), the Dakar version of the f650gs, a drz400 or klr. I'm tallish (6.1) so appreciate the upright seating position of sumos/adventure. My current is an xr250 which is chuffing amazing at difficult trails and technical but can't abide sand dunes and you can forget doing over 60 on a highway. My biggest bugbear is reliability, and situation prevents having more than one vehicle. I'd also like the option of the occasional longer trips across Europe. Any recommendations / ideas / insults? Spending 2-3k (GB) and don't mind an older bike if it's known to be reliable if treated right.
|
|
#
?
Aug 27, 2016 11:18
|
|
|
Carth Dookie posted:That kinda depends on what he had for breakfast. I love the smell of two stroke exhaust in the morning, smells like victory Don't want to know what Space Whale's used meals smell like
|
|
#
?
Aug 27, 2016 14:52
|
|
|
builds character posted:Are you joking? Seems like the wr250 is the obvious choice to me. I definitely wasn't serious about the 500. I have a '13 ktm 350 exc-F (smog removed and ignition remapped) and it's by far my favorite dirt bike I've owned. Before this I had a 450exc and I'm actually faster down the trails on the 350. Plus it's impossible to feel like like you're going slow on a dirt bike bike that revs to 13k. The 350 is just a blast to ride. As far as the 300 ... Scariest bike I've ridden. The wrong blip of the throttle in third gear can send you rocketing and the other differences of a two stroke (mainly no engine braking) really throw me off on steeps and whatnot. rally fucked around with this message at 17:10 on Aug 27, 2016 |
|
#
?
Aug 27, 2016 15:46
|
|
|
Shelvocke posted:So for my next bike I'm looking at getting a single cylinder dual sport for commuting, green laning and adventure in roughly equal measures, a sort of Swiss army motorbike. Klx650r?
|
|
#
?
Aug 27, 2016 18:13
|
|
|
Like this monstrosity? https://www.gumtree.com/p/kawasaki-motorbikes/kawasaki-klr-650/1184723627 I don't even know where to begin.
|
|
#
?
Aug 28, 2016 14:53
|
|
|
Long story short, if I wanted a 250 two stroke GP bike that is fairly available outside the US (Thailand) to bring back to the US what should I be looking for?
|
|
#
?
Aug 28, 2016 17:08
|
|
|
BlackMK4 posted:Long story short, if I wanted a 250 two stroke GP bike that is fairly available outside the US (Thailand) to bring back to the US what should I be looking for? RGV250 if you like top-end rebuilds and cantankerousness. Aprilia RS250 if you like exactly the same as above but with a steaming spoonful of italianness but purpotedly magical handling. NSR250 if you want something good. The other major brand offerings are either too cantankerous or too uncommon to have a decent aftermarket anymore.
|
|
#
?
Aug 28, 2016 20:42
|
|
|
I'm going to look at this on Wednesday, if it doesn't sell by then. https://pennstate.craigslist.org/mcy/5753976273.html Only riding experience is 10k miles/4 years on my Ninjette. This'll be fun.
|
|
#
?
Aug 29, 2016 00:49
|
|
|
Banana seat supremacy
|
|
#
?
Aug 29, 2016 01:16
|
|
|
A quick googling suggests it wasn't available in those colors. ...huh.
|
|
#
?
Aug 29, 2016 01:22
|
|
|
rally posted:I definitely wasn't serious about the 500. I have a '13 ktm 350 exc-F (smog removed and ignition remapped) and it's by far my favorite dirt bike I've owned. Before this I had a 450exc and I'm actually faster down the trails on the 350. Plus it's impossible to feel like like you're going slow on a dirt bike bike that revs to 13k. The 350 is just a blast to ride. Nice! What are you doing for the maintenance intervals and do you have any thoughts on the KTM vs the husky 350? Suspension seems to be the big difference to me. Anything else?
|
|
#
?
Aug 29, 2016 02:01
|
|
|
builds character posted:Nice! What are you doing for the maintenance intervals and do you have any thoughts on the KTM vs the husky 350? Suspension seems to be the big difference to me. Anything else? I don't know much about the husky. From what I understand based on drunk after ride discussions is that the only difference is the frame material. I keep it pretty simple on the maintenance intervals. The ktm recommendations are for much harder use than I put on this thing but I still change the oil and clean the air filter every 15 hours (air filter sooner if it's dusty). I have been doing the coolant and other fluids around when they say or a little after. The interval they suggest for a top end rebuild is 100 hours but I've seen anecdotal evidence of 100 hour motors showing almost no wear. Mine just ticked over 130 hours and it's something I think about but I definitely don't lose sleep over it. My old 2003 450exc had been ridden hard and put away wet for 10 years and didn't have an hour counter on it. If I had to guess I'd say it had about a zillion hours on it without ever being rebuilt. I'm a pretty heavy guy for the stock suspension (210 lbs) so I've had the whole thing redone by pro-action with new springs and valves. I can't speak for the stock suspension but all my friends ride ktm's and they all love them. I have to say that I did have some issues with this bike at first, but mainly due to my own lack of education. The stock gearing was a huge problem until I regeared ed the sprockets (14/52 I think). Putting an fmf slip on exhaust, eliminating the smog equipment, and having the fuel mapping remapped to the xcf settings really helped as well. I highly recommend a 350 for anyone from a new rider to an expert. My buddies who have 450's are all going to switch when they get new bikes, except one dude who rides a 540 on single track like its nothing. The non 450 guys are on 300 2 strokes and are 2 stroke for life. KTM vs Husky, who can resist an orange motorcycle? In fact, SpaceWhale, you should just get a 350 exc and call it done. 
rally fucked around with this message at 03:33 on Aug 29, 2016 |
|
#
?
Aug 29, 2016 02:48
|
|
|
rally posted:I don't know much about the husky. From what I understand based on drunk after ride discussions is that the only difference is the frame material. I have a 2016 350SXF (i.e. the race bike version) and I agree mostly with the above, although can't comment on the suspension, as I've left mine stock as I'm only about 70kg/150lb. This bike has made me into a loving hoon and my riding has gotten a million times better than when I rode my 2010 Husqvarna TE250. My dad is exactly the same, has gotten a lot quicker on the 350 v his 2009 WR450F. I would 100% agree with the hearing comment too, as someone who only rides trails (a lot of which are pretty gnarly), I've had to go to a 13 (or whatever the standard front sprocket is)/52 and its magic.
|
|
#
?
Aug 29, 2016 04:45
|
|
|
I'm gonna go look at this SV tonight. He says the valves have been checked, and he's got the bar risers. http://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/mcy/5755493054.html
|
|
#
?
Sep 1, 2016 17:11
|
|
|
Dutymode posted:I'm gonna go look at this SV tonight. He says the valves have been checked, and he's got the bar risers. Nice. It's hard to find a decent SV in Chicago. Did that guy put clipons on his bike, or was it a faired model that he switched to naked? The bars look super low.
|
|
#
?
Sep 1, 2016 17:50
|
|
|
Looks like someone just put clip-ons on there, he's got the risers but not the handlebar, and it's the N-model top triple tree clamp. Also the cables all look really long.
|
|
#
?
Sep 1, 2016 17:53
|
|
|
Dutymode posted:I'm gonna go look at this SV tonight. He says the valves have been checked, and he's got the bar risers. Looks well priced and unmolested. Definitely check it out. Yellow is my favorite color on these bieks.
|
|
#
?
Sep 1, 2016 18:21
|
|
|
Dutymode posted:I'm gonna go look at this SV tonight. He says the valves have been checked, and he's got the bar risers. Title status? e: nvm says clean. I swear that wasn't up there before. Looks like a good deal. Gorson fucked around with this message at 18:28 on Sep 1, 2016 |
|
#
?
Sep 1, 2016 18:26
|
|
|
Motorbike goons! I'm new to CA on account of none of my bikes have engines. For no particular reason, I recently got a bug up my rear end to get my M1. I think I just woke up one day and realized that I'm in my mid 30s and have never ridden a motorcycle, and that that's no way to live. I'm going to the DMV on Friday to take the written exam and get my motorcycle permit. Shortly thereafter I'm going to buy a cheap bike and teach myself how to ride the drat thing. Based on a great many posts in this forum stating that it's the best bike to learn on, I started looking for a Ninja 250. Recently though, a friend of mine who is an experienced rider advised me to get a 500cc sportbike such as a Ninja 500, opining that the 250 lacks the power to get one out of potentially dangerous situations. Sounds fair enough to me, but how say you goons? On a related note, does this seem like a good deal? What should I be looking for if I go check it out? http://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/mcy/5768920606.html
|
|
#
?
Sep 7, 2016 05:54
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 25, 2024 16:31 |
|
|
Your friend is incorrect about the 250 not having enough power; it's a very capable motorcycle for most people, perfect around town and suitable for the interstate. The 200cc-and-under (four-stroke) range is where you really start to worry about things not being able to keep up on the highway. I personally would only suggest the Ninja 500 or GS500 as a first bike if you're a really big fat guy (>250 pounds) and the 250 would be struggling under your weight. However, those two in particular would be alright as a first bike since they're relatively docile (for a motorcycle) and aren't going to have any terrifying handling or power delivery characteristics. Smaller is better, though, because you can get used to totally wringing it out and pushing the bike as hard as it'll go without worrying that you'll get arrested. Then when you upgrade in a year or so, your skills will be that much better. e: a better idea than teaching yourself how to ride is to sign up for an MSF course. The instructors will make sure that you aren't starting out with any bad habits. Sagebrush fucked around with this message at 06:04 on Sep 7, 2016 |
|
#
?
Sep 7, 2016 06:02
|
|
