Need Advice on Which Bike to Get

[obediahx]

Hey all,

I am new to this whole riding thing. I've ridden a bit, but don't have a whole lot of experience. It is time for me to get my own first motorcycle and it is something that I plan on keeping for a good long time until I can save some money to get something I really dream of. That will force me to have plenty of practice before getting something too crazy.

I am looking for something comfortable for long rides, but I don't necessarily need to feel like I am sitting on a couch. I want something that can pick up and go both on straightaways and around twisties.

I originally thought I wanted a cruiser. Besides preferring cruisers are far as looks are concerned, sport bikes seem dang uncomfortable. But the more I read about slow cornering and large turn radius', the more I am doubting my cruiser mentality. What I have ridden so far is about 400lbs and that feels comfortable. Too heavy is beginning to worry me as well.

I'm like 5"8' and 240 lbs so something tiny won't work, and I think I will look ridiculous on a sport bike.

Standards seem like an option, but they are considerably harder to find used (at least where I am in San Diego).

I am not mentioning any particular models I have been looking at because I want opinions from y'all without biasing it with throwing out some model names.

I would like opinions on what should I get now as well as what should I save up for and get in a year or two or even more down the road.

So overall I want:

Comfort
Speed
Agility
Proper Size
Not ridiculously heavy
Affordable
Awesome in every way


My budget for my now bike is 3k or less and of course with the other its just a matter of savings so it doesn't matter.

I know this is quite a tall order, but thanks for all the advice and help in advance.

~Obediah

[Ninja Geoff]

Kawasaki Ninja 650R and Suzuki SV650/S come to mind. Also, there's the "hey hey look at me pretend to be a dual sport" cousins to those bikes, the Kawasaki Versys and Suzuki V Strom 650

PS - Who cares if you look ridiculous on a motorcycle, you're still out riding.

[madjak30]

I would take a step back from the 650s as a first bike...even though you are not a little guy a 500cc would move you pretty well (I'm 5'11 and weighed in at 275lbs when I had my GS500)...I had a Suzuki GS500 (the standard naked one) and it moved me along just fine...infact my first couple of rides I thought I had bought a friggin rocket...but as with anything you will get used to the performance...but you will need to practice your cornering skills and your slow manouvering...going slow is much harder than blasting down the hiway...

Another one to check out is the Kawasaki Ninja 500R, it has a bit of a faring but is still considered a standard. Another option is to check out the supermoto bikes...they have taller seat heights, but they are an absolute blast to ride...they are also lighter and easier to learn on...turn easier and are tough as nails...Suzuki DR-Z 400SM is a great one as a first bike...

Here's some pics of the bikes I listed...

GS500 naked (my old bike)


Me on the bike...


GS500F (faring version of same bike)


Ninja 500R


DR-Z400SM


I hope this helped...

Later.

[obediahx]

I think I am looking for something a bit less sport bike oriented. I've heard the vulcan 800 has good ground clearance for a cruiser. Opinions on that? I love the look of the triumph bonneville and thruxton though. I've ridden around a 500cc Buell Blast and it was fun, but at times felt a little uncomfortable size wise.

[madjak30]

Sorry, I thought you were more interested in the standard bikes due to cruisers having less clearance for turning corners...but in the 700-1000cc cruiser class there are lots of bikes that are pretty decent bikes, and not just for a novice...

Suzuki makes the M50...when they changed to the Boulevard line they went fuel injected and shaft drive, before that they were carb'd and chain drive...

2007 M50


2010 M50 (same drive train and suspension, but styled to match the M109R)


Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Custom


Honda Shadow Spirit 750


Yamaha V-Star 950


They are all nice bikes, but I personally like the Suzuki's, but they are all great bikes...sorry about the huge pics

Later.

[Wrider]

MadJak, I agree with you 100%, except on the shaft/chain of the Volusia/C50. My 01 was a shafty and carbed. The main differences are the carb/FI and the pegs/floorboards.

[gsJack]

I'm like 5"8' and 240 lbs so something tiny won't work, and I think I will look ridiculous on a sport bike.>>>

I was about 6'2" and 240# and had about 15 years and 230k miles of experience when I bought my first of two GS500s and have never worried about how I looked on a "small" bike. The Ninja 500 and GS500 suggested by madjak are good choices for a first bike and are in my opinion good go anywhere do anything type bikes and you can likely find one for the $3k you mentioned. I've put 170k miles on the GS500s over the past 12 years doing many 400-500 mile Interstate days getting to the mountains to play.

I don't know how old you are but the Honda F4i supersport bike of a few years back was the last bike of that type I could even sit on a few minutes and walk erect again when I got off. <G> The ergos of the newer sportbikes are even more aggresive. IF you look at mid-size cruisers suggerted above take a minute to sit on the 750cc Shadow RS. The ergos remind me of the 82 CB750K that I put 80k miles on years ago, it was my 2nd bike that I got after only 6 months of riding and it was a bit marginal for me in weight and power then, 558# wet weight. I should have kept my CB400T first bike longer.

[Thumper]

I think I am looking for something a bit less sport bike oriented. I've heard the vulcan 800 has good ground clearance for a cruiser. Opinions on that? I love the look of the triumph bonneville and thruxton though. I've ridden around a 500cc Buell Blast and it was fun, but at times felt a little uncomfortable size wise.

I'm riding a Bonneville now...it's decent for general riding, awesome for knocking around the back roads, fun in the twisties, keeps up on the Interstate, and wouldn't be too much bike for a new rider. It's a little over 800cc, but it's fairly tame. The peg position is more like a standard than other cruisers, too, which I prefer.

As for ground clearance, I've never scraped the pegs, but I'm not an aggressive rider, so YMMV.

I also have a Suzuki Gladius in the garage (not an ideal 1st bike; same engine as the SV650--had one of those in the past too--and I wouldn't recommend either for a brand new rider...) and I prefer the Bonneville. Both are tons of fun, but the Bonneville is just a more comfortable ride.

[madjak30]

You could also look at the more "classicly styled" standard bikes...

Royal Enfield


Triumph Bonneville


or even a pile of older bikes...

Kawasaki 2003 ZR7S


Honda 2003 NightHawk 750


Suzuki 2003 Bandit 600


Suzuki 2002 SV650


These aren't really beginner bikes, but they are novice friendly...and you mentioned that you have ridden bikes and have some experience on them...so they aren't too out there...

I think the best thing is to go down to the dealer and sit on a few before you even decide what type or style of bike you like. You may get it into your head that you like one style of bike, then sit on it and find out that it isn't for you at all...you need to get out there and do the "Butt Test" on a few bikes...

Later.

[obediahx]

I think I do like the idea of either a cruiser or a more classically styled standard.

I've been reading about the Vulcan 800 Classic. There are a couple of those for sale around me. Anyone with experience on those? A cruiser like that would be great, but I'd prefer one with the best cornering you can find for a cruiser....which I understand isn't much regardless.