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/\/\/\ This post is sort of confusing to me because I have a 30-inch inseam and I'm 6'7" with proportional-looking non-mutant legs. Are bike inseams measured differently?
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Oct 10, 2011 02:28
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| # ¿ Apr 25, 2024 22:35 |
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Alceste posted:Can I get some noob advice too? I'm in exactly this position too, only I haven't got anything specific in mind for a bike; 6'7" and about 300 to 320 pounds depending on how much work sucks any given month. My main issue is my head is about 67cm around and the largest commercial hat lasts only ever go up to about 65cm (and not usually even that large). Before I look at bikes or take the class, my first priority is to find out if I can even get a good helmet. I'm not interested in a skullcap. What's the deal? How do bike helmets work, are they only made by big companies or can I find something in my size? Are there good companies and bad ones? I'm a huge motherfucker, basically. Wear a size 13 in 6E wide for a shoe, too; can I get hardshell motorcycle boots that aren't the Harley side of the spectrum, ie leather cowboy/engineer/lineman boots? Gloves usually fit in a 2XL at least. Also my wife's in the same frame of mind and she's 4'11". Goooons. v  v She can probably find a kid's helmet that fits, but boots will be a problem as well; she wears a women's 4; naturally, in the US, kid's shoes stop at 3 and women's shoes start at 5.We need bike recommendations too I guess, one for a huge bastard and one for a 90-pound petite woman, both of us new to the hobby. Neither of us is a fan of the hunched-forward style of crotch rockets.
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Oct 12, 2011 21:56
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SaNChEzZ posted:And if it helps at all, my US hat size is right around 8. It's loving huge, and I hate it. 8 and a half here. 
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Oct 13, 2011 16:27
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Can you explain "naked" in a bike context?
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Oct 17, 2011 03:27
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So it's just the fairing and not all the plastic? Okay. Besides the visual, what are the advantages and disadvantages? Air ducting was mentioned earlier (which I understand as a car nerd); I'd imagine also the risk of burning yourself is higher on a naked bike?
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Oct 17, 2011 04:02
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Odette posted:I like wringing my cruiser baby on the freeway. Yeah, this is an argument I recognize from AI: driving a slow car fast can be a shitload more fun than driving a fast car slowly. When I drove Casnorf's 944 it was basically the same experience from 35 to 120, and then it was all "Oh poo poo this is 2 years in prison speed" and it wasn't topped out yet; that's fun I guess but when I get my old NA Volvo 740 up to 85 I feel like king of the loving world and I really need both hands on the wheel. When you're at the upper end of something it sort of doesn't matter what speed it actually is, you're just going "bitch, this is fast" speed. I don't know but I would guess that dirtbikes probably feel fast as poo poo at 50. I guess I could see that feeling being cut into a little when cars are constantly passing you with little kids flipping the bird though.
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Oct 27, 2011 00:22
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Much like predators can smell fear, humans can sense when you feel like a wiener with dickhands. Looking stupid has a lot to do with body language and confidence. I think it was Dave Chappelle that said "The only difference between a successful businessman and a crazy motherfucker is a bluetooth earpiece."
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Oct 28, 2011 19:16
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So wait, is 84hp high for a bike then? And do you get published torque numbers usually?
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Nov 18, 2011 01:49
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Safety Dance posted:That being said, 40hp on a relatively heavy bike is still quicker than most cars. I would draw the line at around 20 or 15hp on a light motorcycle as being too underpowered for a first bike. I was thinking more about how I've driven cars with less. 
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Nov 18, 2011 14:22
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To be fair, he did specify that he was over 300 lbs. 
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Nov 18, 2011 21:06
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For what it's worth, I had that idea in my head for a little while thanks to my first car; it was an '87 Grand Marquis and it would shut off when it overheated. Because it was seizing. Crank unturnable etc for a half hour or so each time. Only years later did I understand how retarded lucky I was that the point where the pistons seized wasn't hot enough to weld them, and the starter was powerful enough to twist a hole in God. Drove it for another 3 years after that summer, trouble-free and too lucky to die.
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Dec 6, 2011 20:32
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I do. Gonna see if I can get it. If anyone can get to it before me, do it, I'm in Fredericksburg.
Splizwarf fucked around with this message at 22:48 on Dec 13, 2011 |
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Dec 13, 2011 22:46
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I read a New Yorker article years ago about speed, where the author basically says "So here I was on the Autobahn and hitting 170, 180 mph, and then had to slow down to 90 mph, and it felt like the car was not moving, like I was going 10 miles an hour." Took that one to heart; it's all about your frame of reference.
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Dec 14, 2011 22:38
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No response. 
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Dec 15, 2011 17:54
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Not sure why nobody brought it up (is there something I'm missing?), but the other option is for him to seek a loan for the total, although I dunno how likely that is; that's the definition of paying in installments but without the various risks to both of you from your retaining the title.
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Dec 28, 2011 17:06
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New or used for a starter bike?
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Jan 18, 2012 23:02
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Well, the bike I want and can't afford is a Ural, so... yes. Also, I expect to paint it fairly regularly because I am a nerd and once was a miniature wargamer. In fact, specifically not looking to have any plastic because I'm not interested in painting it. Maybe my outlook would be different if I'd ever owned a car less than 15 years old or worth more than about $4k US. My daily driver has ~318,000 miles on it. I was more asking from the perspective of "what's the value of being sure everything is correct and good on a new bike, while not knowing good from bad on a used prospect". With a used car the stakes are a lot lower for just about every subsystem, even if the suspension collapses or a wheel flies off in a 50 mph curve, my odds are still a lot better than the same problem on a bike. Not really sure how to shop for a used bike, I guess. Splizwarf fucked around with this message at 03:31 on Jan 19, 2012 |
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Jan 19, 2012 03:28
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What's the deal with boots, anyway? Am I going to be alright with the 9" work boots I have? I wear a US 13 EEEEEE so it's going to be downright impossible to find stiff plastic boots.
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Jan 19, 2012 18:56
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Ok. I would be comfortable with adding shovel greaves to these boots, that should take care of it. Thanks for the explanation.
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Jan 19, 2012 21:08
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Looks like it's about running car tires on motorcycles. 
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Jan 27, 2012 04:05
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I think it looks cool, but even from a non-rider car guy's perspective there's no loving way I'd want to be turning on the sidewall. There's not a whole lot of rubber there, like maybe a couple centimeters on a pricey tire. Really high pucker factor. 
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Jan 27, 2012 04:59
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From a newbie outsider: what are the pros and cons of chain vs. shaft?
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Feb 10, 2012 13:50
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Hey guys, I have the green light! The wife and I are hitting an MSF and finding some bikes. She's real small and will likely end up on a Honda Rebel, a V-Star 250, or apparently "there's some Suzukis that need looking at". We could use a little advice if anyone's got more suggestions for a 4'11" woman, long torso (short legs). I finally found a helmet that fits decently, a size 5XL HJC. I think a size Small fits inside it. This was the last piece I needed before MSF, since they drat sure won't have a loaner that fits me.I'm 330 lbs and 6'7", and I could use advice on what my first bike should be. Here's a photo of me apologizing to a Norton Commando:  I know the general rule in here is to go low power for a first bike but I'm not sure that's going to practical for my size, especially for highway use. I also think I might've asked some of this question in this thread a couple months ago, when my situation was a lot more nebulous; sorry for the repeat if so. I'm interested in advice on power, size, style, the works. The budget is probably about $2000 used or $6500 financed. I am a gearhead and not afraid of wrenching but being new to motorcycles I'm not confident in my ability to know "looks/sounds good" from "marginal" or "hosed". That said, I like the hell out of 80s visual styling, like for example there's one of these: Zubumafoo posted:I had a 1984 CB650 as my first bike. I'm in the US, south of DC in Fredericksburg. Anyone in my area interested in helping me check out used bikes? One of my housemates rides but he's not mechanically inclined; has a new bike with a warranty and all the work is shop-done.
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Feb 13, 2012 03:42
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Marv Hushman posted:Fuel trucks used to be marked "inflammable," but due to the stupidity of the general public, they invented the synonym "flammable." Displacement, whether we like it or not, became a marketing tool to reach people that barely grasp the number line, never mind ratios. "They" might have invented it, but it sure was a while ago, it's in the 1828 Webster's Dictionary: "Flammability: n. The quality of admitting to be set on fire, or enkindled into a flame or blaze; inflammability."  You're right that there was a concerted effort to change over from one word to the other, though, intended to eliminate confusion for people whose first language wasn't English.
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Mar 5, 2012 17:38
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What's involved with valve adjustment on a bike, and why is the interval so much smaller than a car engine? Tighter tolerances?
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Mar 9, 2012 14:28
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Nothing specific, I just often see valves mentioned as a maintenance thing in this thread, and wouldn't expect to see the same in a cars thread. Not a rider yet, so no practical experience.
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Mar 9, 2012 16:44
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AncientTV posted:epswing, your discomfort may also be a product of a lack of core strength. That little bit of forward lean should be tasking your midsection with holding you up (as if you're mid-situp). It's easy to forget and slump into the bars or put the weight on your back, which is where soreness and poor bike handling start to introduce themselves. Halfway through MSF I said "This is the best incentive for going to the gym that I have ever had."
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Mar 19, 2012 19:13
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Yeah, just the drilling beat the stuffing out of me. Holy poo poo everything hurts, I haven't even been on a riding mower in 12 years. They put me on the tallest thing they had, a Yamaha XT250. Not sure what the year was, looked like this:  My hips, thighs and ankles, oh god.  So, serious but stupid-feeling question, does someone make a piece of gear for directing your breath downward so it doesn't get trapped inside a full-face helmet, immediately fogging the whole visor?
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Mar 19, 2012 20:11
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Sagebrush posted:The only reason I asked what style of bike you liked is because there are dozens of different styles of bike and that's the easiest way to see what aesthetic you're looking for. You shouldn't buy based on looks alone, but it's also stupid to buy a bike you don't like the look of just because someone told you "buy this specific model". Luckily, there are good starter bikes available in nearly every segment. Is there any good "here's a visual list of all the styles on one page" out there?
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Mar 20, 2012 19:54
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Probably the Rebel because they use them for MSF courses, but I'm a newbie like you so don't take my word for it.
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Mar 20, 2012 20:43
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Alceste posted:not having a gas gauge or a trip odometer is a pain in the rear end. You could probably compensate for the trip odometer with a smartphone, there's a lot of route-tracking apps.
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Mar 26, 2012 16:24
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Kalev posted:http://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/mcy/2926906264.html poo poo, that's pretty. That guy got a perfect day for photos.
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Mar 30, 2012 03:23
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He mentions that in the ad, though. Looks like he kicked it a good one. At MSF I kicked mine every time, it was impossible to miss it.  I really wish he was selling it in my area, you and I could fight over it. I like it.
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Mar 30, 2012 03:35
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Moved from the Questions thread: Tell me about the idea of a first-gen ('87 to '07) KLR650 for a new rider. I'm a tall guy and they're one that keeps getting recommended to me for height reasons. Also, a dual is appealing given the lovely local roads: a lot of potholes, washboard, cheap repairs, and lumpy general neglect (Fredericksburg, VA). On a more general note, I've finally got my gear together and my M endorsement (from MSF) applied, so I'm into the serious phase of first-bike shopping. Here's the criteria I want to satisfy: -cheap, under $1500 if possible and preferably under $1000 (ie probably old), in pieces is fine because I really enjoy wrenching -high seat, I don't think I like cruisers and a high seat is the only other good answer to being 6'7" with thick legs and big feet -ABS, how far back on what models is this available? It looks like BMW was into it earlier than the other companies?
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May 7, 2012 03:53
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It's a weirdly-worded ad. What's that 'offer is an agreement' thing supposed about? Never seen such a thing on CL.
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May 9, 2012 03:00
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Tell me about this ad that just popped up today on the other side of town: http://fredericksburg.craigslist.org/mcy/3006180911.html
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May 9, 2012 23:39
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A project, I guess. I really wish I could get a project and a runner at the same time, but v v. I trained for two years to be a mechanic and ended up with a desk job by accident, and it's eating me pretty bad.What's that thing actually worth in "doesn't run" condition? How's parts availability and cost? Splizwarf fucked around with this message at 00:18 on May 10, 2012 |
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May 9, 2012 23:55
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Taking a look at this tomorrow: http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/mcy/2985461407.html 2007 Buell Blast, 861 miles (so it's done a lot of sitting) and a busted turn signal. Harley's still holding the title since the loan's not paid off yet (please tell me we can deal with this by going to a Harley dealer with the seller and doing paperwork, as opposed to handing the seller money, him paying the loan off with it, then sending me the title). From one of the emails: "I am having trouble with the battery and it not turning over. This is just a recent development and all parts on the bike are in good condition it just now all of a sudden won't turn over even though it sounds like it wants to. If you still want to take a look at it I should be home tomorrow after 5pm. The last time I started it was about 2-3 weeks ago and it started right up then." What can I bring with me to deal with that? How standard are bike batteries, I'm new to this. Can I handle this with jumper cables or a jump box? Any opinions?
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May 13, 2012 07:30
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Why? It gets a lot of good press from MSF.
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May 13, 2012 08:02
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| # ¿ Apr 25, 2024 22:35 |
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Can you guys go into detail at all about why you don't like them? And suggest something else that's not a cruiser for a 4'11" woman with a 26" inseam? The MSF class we went to was Apex, privately owned and without a Harley in sight. All the reviews, including the rider-poll-style rankings, have a lot of praise for it. The only big complaints I can find are 'no tach' (like all the bikes at MSF) and 'bumpy' (a general Thumper problem). They're praised for taking newbie drops very well, being light, being low enough, and not being a cruiser, all of which she's looking for. Pretty much you're making me feel like a goon in a well but without any solid reasons. v v
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May 13, 2012 12:30
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