Return to riding which bike?

[M109R]

Too big too small.... what does that really mean???????????

It's like saying only certain people can drive a 18 wheel semi-tractor trailer or those huge mining dump trucks. BS, yes there is a small percentage of people who couldn't do it but the majority of people would do just fine with the proper training. On a bike as long as your feet can touch at stop to balance and support the bike and you are strong enough to lean and squeeze the clutch and brake and you have an educated brain to ride with what's the big deal.

That's what the MSF Basic Rider course can help you determine..if you are in the population that shouldn't ride. Otherwise big and small are irrelevent as long as you are knowledgable and respect what your o-ring is sitting on.

Go for a ride on the M109R, if you've ridden it and didn't like it..I'd really like to know why you didn't like it just as I'd like to hear why you loved being on it. If you love your bike, share why..that's what the forum is for.

I personally think the bike is very balanced and easy to ride due to it's low center of gravity. Also, I haven't had any issue backing it up or manuevering it in neutral.

GO M109R!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Sev]

It's like saying only certain people can drive a 18 wheel semi-tractor trailer or those huge mining dump trucks. BS, yes there is a small percentage of people who couldn't do it but the majority of people would do just fine with the proper training.

You don't learn to drive one of those first. You start in a regular car, then you get your license to drive an 18 wheeler. It's like flying a plane, they don't send you up in a 747, or a fighter jet your first flight. They send you up in a small propeller plane.

Just like racing games where you work your way up through the cars to faster and faster as your reflexes get better, riding a motorcycle you don't put someone on the biggest or fastest to start. At least in the games you get a reset button.

[M109R]

I agree with your statement (thanks for sharing) but to a point.

The MSF classes start you out on a 250 or 450 and you learn, practice and gain skill. (a class just like you would take to learn to drive an 18 wheeler) After passing the class you are qualified to ride pretty much any bike you want. Depending on how you do in the class you know and have a good idea what you can handle and if you should continue riding. But getting a little bike just because it's small doesn't fit with the principles and skill of riding. My MSF instructor rides a Goldwing and would bet his bike that it is easier to ride and manuever than the Buell 450 we trained on. He can do everything on the course that the 450 can and better. He gets gets irked when people constantly think that because his bike is so big it's hard to ride..Total myth.

My one classmate fell into the small bike theory and after only 3 weeks of riding she's selling her 883 Sportster for a Fat Boy. Glad I'm not part of the $$$ loss she is taking on her wrong decision.

Personally I'm very glad I bought the bike at the size I wanted and didn't settle for less. Honestly, the bike I own is NOT hard to ride or control, the extra brakes and power in fact give me more confidence in my ride.

I think too much emphasis is being put on the 5% of incompetent have-no-business on a bike riders getting a big bike than the majority of folks with the knowledge, skill and respect to be a good rider. If you are in the 5% don't get a 250, stay off bikes alltogether. The rest of you get what you know you want you'll be much happier. Insist on test drive from the stealer before you pay. If after the ride you don't feel comfortable, rethink your strategy.

The overall statistics are 75% of wrecks are from cagers and majority of the rest are from drunks on corners. The remaining 5% had no business on a bike in the first place. Don't see where the small bike theory is proven here.

Welcome any rebuttal, tell me something I don't know to change my mind on this subject if you have the info to back it up with. I would love to see a study on taking a group of newbie MSF graduates to a track and putting them on all sorts of bikes evaluating and measuring their skill on each bike of different sizes, types, etc... I bet you would be surprised at how well they would do on the bigger bikes compared to the smaller.

Just my 2 cents...

[johnnyclutch]

I have a 96 kawi vulcan 1500. I would like to purchase a 06 Yamaha FJR1300AE. Unfortunately, I have to get on a waiting list. Personally, I rather fly down the road in a can of tuna than wait and wait and fall victim to the corporate marketing ploy. The FJR is an amazing combination for both sport and touring…maybe just this one time.

Although it’s not professional for me to show up in a bike, but there are perks for not having to answer to a “boss.” I ride about 20 miles to work. On weekends, I ride from Seattle to Portland or to the Oregon coast (~160, 300 miles respectively). I believe the FJR, with saddle bags off, looks like a mean sport machine to zip around town. With the bags on, it will rocket me to the coast in plenty of time to view the sunset. The technologies incorporated in the 06 model are phenomenal. It is the first of its kind to have the paddle shifter.

Besides being in short supply, it can occupy a chunk of your potential 401k. But…’Tis not wealth but contentment of conscience clear of offense that is the sum total of this life.

[M109R]

Show us some pics of your bike and what you want.