Tell me what bike to buy-I wanted something that didnt empower me to be such a dong

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Automotive Insanity > Cycle Asylum > Tell me what bike to buy-I wanted something that didnt empower me to be such a dong

«‹›3 »

Knot My President!: Jan 10, 2005

What are your guys' opinions on a Yamaha WR250x for a starter bike? I just completed the safety course and am looking to purchase a glorious motorbicycle. The reason I ask is because I'm 6'2" with a 35" inseam and Ninja 250's are still pretty short for me.

# ¿ Sep 5, 2011 08:02

Adbot: ADBOT LOVES YOU

# ¿ May 5, 2024 11:34

Knot My President!: Jan 10, 2005

So true. I don't even wanna think about how much money I've spent on my first bike that I got "to save gas going to and from school".

But I'm not gonna lie that $30/month to insure for theft and liability and 45mpg city does feel pretty drat sweet even after thousands of dollars in gear, tires, and preventative maintenance. :smug:

# ¿ Jan 12, 2012 21:41

Knot My President!: Jan 10, 2005

Welcome to the dark side, Spliz. You won't look back.

# ¿ Jan 19, 2012 21:39

Knot My President!: Jan 10, 2005

No honest rider would ever be caught dead riding around the aesthetic equivalent of an Oreck

# ¿ Mar 5, 2012 06:50

Knot My President!: Jan 10, 2005

I'd rather have a CB250R than a Ninja 250 honestly.

For puttering around town, while I agree that a 250 is all you really need, any place where you have one-lane roads is gonna drive you nuts when you can't muster up the power to pass somebody safely when they're going fifteen under the speed limit (which is basically every car in Santa Cruz)

But really anything more than 100 horsepower is just plain silly

# ¿ Mar 6, 2012 00:41

Knot My President!: Jan 10, 2005

Also "don't buy a bike from the Internet without seeing it first" (lesson learned, but thanks to Z3n it now is daily drivable!)

Anyway, I posted in the other thread but realized this one exists as well, so instead of exploding Z3n's phone with texts because I'm a total sperg, I'll try to organize my thoughts here. The following is theoretical but likely to happen.

My dad says I need a rotating line of credit to build some history. Fair enough. I already did it once with my old Volvo but I need to keep it going. He's willing to co-sign on the loan, so that's not that big of an issue. He says that he would appreciate it if I used the opportunity to get a newer bike that I wouldn't have to worry about (that he wouldn't have to worry about me riding and something going wrong or leaving me stranded) as far as reliability goes. He's been concerned with my current bike (1999 SV650) because of how many issues it's had. (a lot) Currently, 99.9% of the bugs are definitely worked out and the bike is fun to ride. However, I'm 6'2" with a massively large inseam of 34" and it's still cramped to the point where even without my rearset risers installed, it takes a bit of effort to get my feet scrunched onto the pegs and I can only ride for an hour or so at a time before my joints start hurting. (Although I'll have to sit on one of Z3n's stock SV's to see if it's just the nature of my bike over one with bar risers and a cushier seat.

I have about six months of experience, but I've been riding every day and probably put close to 150-200 miles a week on the bike and am fairly confident in a lot of the skills I've developed, so I'm going to say that I will not exploit the nature of any size bike I get and my situational awareness is very high in both control of the bike and traffic position, so I'm open to any suggestions for bikes. I can pretty much promise you that I will not ride like a dong and am likely to stay within 5-10mph of any posted speed limit because I'm a grandma. I will say that any bike slower than the SV will probably not suffice though (not that the SV is slow by any margin for commuting)

The riding I plan on doing:

1. Trips to school (15 miles away)
2. Trips from San Fran to San Diego (just over 400 miles) maybe three or four times a year
3. Groceries and other errands
4. Track days

So on average about 20-30 miles a day with the occasional eight hour trip. Solid commuting.

What I can't stand:

1. Cruisers. Sorry, I just can't get into them.
2. Kawasakis. I just can't don't like their design. The Concours 14 is sweet but that's about it.

What I've looked at and what sounds appealing:

Aprilia Tuono 1000R

A nice torquey v-twin, good aesthetics, upright position and tall riders everywhere praise how well it suits bigger frames. The Internet seems to love these things.

Triumph Street Triple (Or possibly Speed Triple)

A nice compromise between an I4 and a V-Twin from what I'm told. Z3n says the Street is mega fun. I'll trust his opinion over Google's.

Suzuki Bandit 600/1200 / FZ 1/6, etc

I've heard good things about the 2010+ Bandits but I don't know how well an inline four would be if I had to ride every day in urban sprawl. My friend down south swears by them; his father has a Bandit 600 and rides it everywhere, all the time.

Now I know I have to test ride each of these to see for sure, but I wanna know if anybody here has experience with having a bike that's capable of making an eight hour trip and not feel like it's a burden since I doubt I'll be able to tell from a test ride. My budget is preferably under ~8k but I'm open to any price range lower than that as well. I haven't decided if I'm going to keep the SV as a backup bike or trade it in or sell it or track it or what.

Also, if anybody wants to go bike shopping (including you, Z3n), I'm definitely interested in hearing opinions of experienced riders!

# ¿ Mar 19, 2012 06:42

Knot My President!: Jan 10, 2005

I'm down for that. Unfortunately the immediate bikes in my vicinity include a Concours 14, S1000RR, and KTM690. I don't know many people up here in the boonies. :saddowns:

# ¿ Mar 19, 2012 07:10

Knot My President!: Jan 10, 2005

See, that's the main issue: I don't have $30,000 to get all of them. Hence avoiding at all costs :circlefap:

# ¿ Mar 19, 2012 07:26

Knot My President!: Jan 10, 2005

I already have a credit card as one line of credit. My dad has basically perfect credit so through him I'm able to get ridiculously good interest rates on loans. Doesn't have to be an automotive loan-- can be a personal one as well. I actually used a personal student loan to get my gear at a 4% interest rate as part of "transportation expenses".

My dad basically wants me to get a newer bike (not necessarily expensive) because he wants something that I can ride for a while and not have to worry about breaking down if I want to take it on a long trip. I'm gonna be paying for it and I get to choose the bike, but my dad will help me finance it. I'm open to any suggestions, though. As it stands, I feel fine on the SV mechanically but I honestly don't know how people can ride these over 6 feet tall for extended periods of time. Even with bar risers and a thicker seat I'd still be a giant:

This is before my rearset risers and the balls of my feet aren't on the pegs (angle fixed for distance)

This is what I theorize my ride position would look like with a set of bar risers and a raised seat:

Slightly better, but this is still without my rearset risers. The only other thing I can assume is shock adjustment/raising for my weight, but I don't know how much this could affect it, considering the previous owner was 240 pounds and I'm 175. Even my friend's stock '07 SV650s down in San Diego felt cramped. :goleft:

# ¿ Mar 19, 2012 09:04

Knot My President!: Jan 10, 2005

clutchpuck posted:

Your needs seem to indicate that a test ride on a Buell Ulysses is in order.

Big dimensions for big people. Low rpm, soft suspension, bag system for distance travel. Peppy engine, light weight, and adjustable Showa suspenders for fun at track days. Under $8k, good ones start at $5k, inside your budget.

Not gonna lie: it looks pretty goddamned sweet. Like the working man's BMW GS. I'll definitely check them out! Should do well in taking the La Jolla potholes if I ever take it down that way.

the walkin dude posted:

I'm 6'4'' with a 34'' inseam, and I'm comfy on my 2000 SV-N. It does have a nice raised handlebar (not dirt bike) and the OEM gel seat. When I pick up my new SV this week, I'm DEFINITELY getting another gel seat. After owning two other SV's with stock seats, I'm not gonna look back. I am making weekend hour-long commutes and the bike is comfy to me.

The bike does have a ZX10R shock and is prob higher in the tail than stock.

... how I wish I had a 1000 R, though. 190 rear tires and mind-bending torque...

See, I really don't get why I'm so cramped on mine. Even with a set of bar risers and my shock adjusted, I'm certain that it will still be killer on my knees. I stretch and go to the gym frequently, but it's just something about it I can't understand...

Ponies ate my Bagel posted:

If you have less than 20 hours saddle time you really don't have enough experience with it. There are far more comfortable bikes, but there are fess less comfortable ones too. SV's are definitely not touring bikes, but people your size have made long range trips on them.

If you're dead set on a new bike and want to take longer trips. I would look into something with a more upright/standard seating position. A Wee Strom or even a KLR could be good for you.

I don't know what you're referring to with the "20 hours of saddle time" but I do think the V-Stroms would make for a nice choice. How is the suspension compared to an SV? Does it require a lot of upgrading?

GanjamonII posted:

check out 'new' old stock Tuonos - dealers were running them out for about 8k recently and you might be able to find one still. I have a 1000r, not the factory version like in your pic, and its a ridiculously fun bike. The factory is probably worth dropping some extra coin on if youre thinking you may want to upgrade suspension as it comes with ohlins shock fork and steering dampener.
I came from an sv as well and they are as easy to ride as the sv until you hit about 6-7 k rpms then the bike makes you do bad bad things. They are badass on the track too.
downsides is that there isn't much storage space and its not the easiest or cheapest bike to find hard luggage for long trips and the pillion seat sucks for two up riding.
The motor seems to be pretty reliable too.

you probably should ride one first. I felt the seating position was better than the sv but the pegs are quite high anyway and occasionally ill get hip pain. 32' inseam here.

I would also consider pitting the vfr 800 on your list.

What year are you referring to for the Tuonos? And that was my big concern with the Tuono: its driveability for everyday use. My friend said that the liter v-twins are pretty docile and should be about as easy to handle as my 650 when around town so this is good news.

VFR800 was one of my choices as well, but most people who had one and a Tuono said it's worth going for the Tuono. v :confused:

v Most decent VFR's go for around $5000 on Craigslist and there's an older Tuono for $4500 with some upgrades right now (wind screen, power commander, etc). What are the best years?

I have a ton of research ahead of me, but thanks for all your guys' help! As I said, it's still in the air to see if I can get this bike suited for my weird frame. If it's the case, I don't mind spending extra cash on it, but I have to make sure it actually will solve the problem.

# ¿ Mar 19, 2012 21:55

Knot My President!: Jan 10, 2005

GanjamonII posted:

The dealer offer was on the gen 2 bikes, specifically I think 08+. Out the door price was somewhere around 8000, and you had guys trying to sell used bikes for the same price.

If you read apriliaforum.com there is some good info there.

As for around town riding - I think on a stock bike with Map 1, stock exhaust, and stock gearing there is some jerkiness at low speeds/rpm range. Mine already had map 2 enabled and aftermarket pipes, -1 on the front sprocket and I don't really notice anything too major. It isn't super smooth at low RPMs but I don't remember my SV being that way either. I can't imagine this would be enough to stop someone from buying it.

It is very docile in the power delivery at reasonable throttle openings/low RPM, and the throttle throw is fairly long (my wrist feels a bit kinked at WOT, not as much as like on the SV though) so it is fairly hard to mess up, but if you slap the throttle open in 1st or 2nd, it WILL pull the front up. Yesterday at the track I got the front up in 3rd at ~100mph by snapping to WOT to pass someone.
That said when you first ride one you'll see why they're very streetable. It is very torquey so you're never really in the 'wrong' gear. Riding the SV and Tuono back to back made the SV seem gutless in that regard.

For best years - I can't speak for the gen 1 bikes (up until 2005 I think?) but for second gen the 07.5+ gets I think 6hp more (meh) so they're slightly more sought after. There may have been some brake changes from memory with the older bikes having better set up (could be imagining that), but I never really looked into it because this was the only one in my price range in Houston, and was in great shape so I didn't need to look further.

Price wise I got mine for 5k even with I believe slightly less than 6000 miles on it. Guy had low sided but the bike was fixed up well is pretty mint.

Hopefully Saga will pitch in as he rides a gen 1 and can give you better advice on that model.

All extremely helpful advice. Thanks so much for taking the time to post it! I'm definitely gonna take the time to check one out in the future.

Riding an hour from Santa Cruz to San Jose and back proved quite hard on my knees again. I think I'm gonna flip my rearset risers upside down for the time being and use my toe sliders as feelers. :smith:

# ¿ Mar 20, 2012 05:15

Knot My President!: Jan 10, 2005

So I sat on a 2009 Tuono Factory today at the dealership. Gotta say it looks and feels extremely nice. I wasn't having the stock seat though; it really needs something comfier. But the price after fees? 11 grand. Yeah. No thanks. There's an '08 in my neighborhood right now (non-factory) with upgraded exhaust, seat, sprockets, and heated grips with an aftermarket exhaust for only $6200 and includes a stand and cover. And for 7 grand a Street Triple R owned by a motorcycle mechanic with sliders, bar risers, and a bunch of other small but nice mods.

# ¿ Mar 22, 2012 23:20

Knot My President!: Jan 10, 2005

So what does CA think of the Bandit 1200? I know Z3n likes them but I was wondering if there was any more love out there. So far I've seen nothing but praise. Does it follow suit here?

# ¿ Mar 25, 2012 03:05

Knot My President!: Jan 10, 2005

Anybody have any opinions on first gen Tuonos?

Anything I should look out for?

# ¿ Apr 9, 2012 07:20

Knot My President!: Jan 10, 2005

If I showed up with 4 grand cash I'm sure he'd let it go. Or 3800 if it's due for a valve adjustment soon

Sucks there aren't more first gen Tuonos in the area to check out :I I don't really wanna drop 7 grand on a bike

# ¿ Apr 9, 2012 09:37

Knot My President!: Jan 10, 2005

http://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/mcy/2932445160.html

What is the consensus on the ZRX1200's? Somebody recommended me one from this thread I made and the look pretty snazzy. I saw one on the freeway yesterday and despite the rider being a total idiot weaving in and out 20 miles above 70mph traffic, the bike looked pretty rad

# ¿ Apr 10, 2012 20:18

Knot My President!: Jan 10, 2005

the walkin dude posted:

What's the diff between those and the Tuono? The clip-ons?

Basically yes. The Tuono is just a more upright version of the Millie but it's still very much a race bike.

In other news, I'm checking out a 2011 V-Strom 650 this weekend. Exactly the power I want with the ride height I want. Not a fancy Italian bike but eh, I'll take what fits me best.

# ¿ Apr 11, 2012 03:01

Knot My President!: Jan 10, 2005

So I'm headed out this weekend to check out this to get me through school, grad school, and beyond. I think ultimately what I'm getting with something like a Vstrom is a lot more than I'd get with one of the exotic brands but that's just me. The upgrades seem like they're solid enough to warrant the higher price, considering that I'm gonna be packing miles on this thing.

# ¿ Apr 11, 2012 19:25

Knot My President!: Jan 10, 2005

MotoMind posted:

Didn't even notice that. Definitely press for the accessories, you're going to need a centerstand, skidplate, radiator guard, and crash bars for ~~graduate school~~ the Transamerica Trail. The price is pretty high to begin with (just because it's a new model, not saying it's a bad deal) compared with equivalent but older Stroms, so I think you could get him to throw in the doo-dads if you bring cash and make a case for it. Install them again yourself.

He's throwing in the center stand, crash bars, and sliders for $8k total. I'm gonna see if I can also get the guard and kick stand as well though.

# ¿ Apr 11, 2012 23:37

Knot My President!: Jan 10, 2005

You'll be wrenching plenty on a bike that says "needs nothing" so a project bike will mean you won't get any actual riding time in. It's more important that you have a bike to learn on. If you want a project bike, get one in addition to something reliable. (speaking from experience)

# ¿ Apr 19, 2012 01:00

Knot My President!: Jan 10, 2005

Should my friend trade his 280zx n/a for a 1986 Kawasaki zl600 with new carbs and battery? He purchased the car for about a grand a while back. He's shopping for his first bike and I don't know if it's such a good idea over a Ninja 250 or something for the same price if it's gonna be his only method of transport.

# ¿ May 31, 2012 01:46

Knot My President!: Jan 10, 2005

I wonder how a DRZ400SM would be for a first bike. :raise:

# ¿ Jun 4, 2012 06:11

Knot My President!: Jan 10, 2005

I don't really think any motorcycle is difficult to work on. Sure, compared to other bikes I can see why the presumption is there, but you don't have to scrape nearly as many knuckles or risk head-crushing injuries bench pressing 75lb transmissions out of the underbellies of junk cars caked with oil as you do with motorcycles. Trying to do really stupidly designed valve jobs on crazy moon horses with faces that look like fishes eating donuts might be rage-inducing and confusing at times, but at least you don't need an 8 foot engine hoist and 200 cubic feet of space to do any significant work. :unsmith:

# ¿ Jun 4, 2012 22:50

Knot My President!: Jan 10, 2005

I really like my Bandit 1200. It's cheaper than the FZ1 with similar ergos and has a ton of torque so you can basically stay in 2nd or 3rd gear around town. I've taken it to 120 on the freeway and the bikini fairing works well. The Bandit 1250 seems pretty good as well if you're considering newer bikes. They're not the most glamorous bikes out there but they kick rear end at what they were meant to do: eating up miles. With suspension upgrades they handle pretty well too for a bigger bike. (I think it handles better than my sv but it's probably due to the wider handlebars)

# ¿ Jun 8, 2012 03:21

Knot My President!: Jan 10, 2005

Unfortunately. And even moreso thanks to Female with the Lizard Ink or whatever that movie is.

# ¿ Jun 9, 2012 02:40

Knot My President!: Jan 10, 2005

BARF usually has some pretty good deals on starter bikes. Z3n knows better than I do though.

# ¿ Jun 12, 2012 20:52

Knot My President!: Jan 10, 2005

I'd say his wife is the man and he's like, first mate of men. Which is still pretty high up there and manlier than all of us.

# ¿ Jun 13, 2012 00:43

Knot My President!: Jan 10, 2005

Let's hope it won't be a Biketanic

# ¿ Jun 13, 2012 01:13

Knot My President!: Jan 10, 2005

SV650's, old Honda CB's, and any cruisers like the Rebel, Savage, and Shadow are pretty safe bets as well.

# ¿ Jun 13, 2012 04:11

Knot My President!: Jan 10, 2005

Two things:

1. Keep the artwork. Yes.

2. loving. Killer. Steal.

That looks way better than the newer rebels, too.

Please don't die!

# ¿ Jun 18, 2012 07:39

Knot My President!: Jan 10, 2005

LooksLikeABabyRat posted:

Trip report: registration was $213. No faux surprise necessary.

gently caress yes. Enjoy your $1013 bike! Remember to always wear your gear, too. That is important. :ohdear:

# ¿ Jun 19, 2012 18:59

Knot My President!: Jan 10, 2005

To be fair, he is an awesome guy in real life.

# ¿ Jun 26, 2012 18:55

Knot My President!: Jan 10, 2005

That's why I am buying Sena SMH-10's. :unsmith:

# ¿ Jun 26, 2012 23:34

Knot My President!: Jan 10, 2005

http://sandiego.craigslist.org/ssd/mcy/3107039336.html

Guy is interested in trading his GR650 (above) for my friend's Datsun 280zx (he's only looking for a grand for it). The guy is willing to throw $200 on top for the trade if he likes the Datsun. Think it's a decent deal? Not too many options for bikes under a grand in SoCal (or people willing to trade for his beater, for that matter)

# ¿ Jun 29, 2012 01:38

Knot My President!: Jan 10, 2005

Full leather when working or on the motorcycle? :gay:

# ¿ Jul 11, 2012 05:32

Knot My President!: Jan 10, 2005

V-Strom 650 is a great choice for a standard. 55mpg, easy power delivery, and can handle most bad roads you encounter while riding on the street. FZ6 and Bandit 600 are both good choices as well. Pretty docile below 6k but can still get out of their own way at higher RPM.

# ¿ Jul 12, 2012 21:54

Knot My President!: Jan 10, 2005

n8r posted:

a vstrom doesnt get 55mpg

EFI DL650's get around 50-55mpg city and ADVrider reviews seem to back this up. :confused:

# ¿ Jul 12, 2012 23:23

Knot My President!: Jan 10, 2005

I never saw higher than 36 on my first gen SV but then again I never rode that thing below 6k.

# ¿ Jul 12, 2012 23:31

Knot My President!: Jan 10, 2005

Depends on your perspective. I personally like the K1 engines because of the wide availability of parts and archive of common issues associated with them. I don't know much about the K2 and as a warm-blooded American, I must fear and hate anything I do not understand. :911:

# ¿ Jul 16, 2012 07:08

Adbot: ADBOT LOVES YOU

# ¿ May 5, 2024 11:34

Knot My President!: Jan 10, 2005

People say the S1000rr is actually a really fun and comfortable commuter bike. I don't know how hock full of bullshit they are trying to justify spending their meager salaries on one but they look pretty and go fairly fast so that's good news too and BMW does free test rides so it couldn't hurt (except your wallet)

# ¿ Jul 26, 2012 20:46

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Automotive Insanity > Cycle Asylum > Tell me what bike to buy-I wanted something that didnt empower me to be such a dong

«‹›3 »