New to biking

[blues2cruise]

On the other hand......My first bike, which I just bought in October at the nice young age of 53, is a sparkling new 650 cruiser with a warranty. I finally opted for brand new because I wanted the reliability of new, shocks that aren't worn out, brakes that aren't worn out, a clutch that isn't worn out.....
Not everyone drops their first bike while learning.

[BikesnBeer]

Question:

How much is shipping generally if I was to win something on ebay? I know it will differ depending on how far away it is...I live in WA.

[Randy]

I would assume that since bikes are bulky and heavy, they would have to be shipped freight. I would say the cost would be prohibitive, but you might want to contact a national trucking company to see how much it would cost. You can give an estimate of the cost based on the bikes dry weight.

They probably wont ship it with gas in it.

[bigswifty]

be prepared to add $5-600 USD for transcontinental shipping. youre mileage may vary.

[bigswifty]

i almost didnt post this; so i rate the post PG-13 (post-gastral13minutes)
also;this has been on my mind, and was agitated by yer response to iwannadie's post. (it seems like you think yer a badass, and could only be accesorized properly by a HOG!)
now i know harley's are fine motorcycles, and would certainly be a joy to own one, but what is the major problem ppl have with beginninng their riding career on a smaller moto?
hd's are alot of bike in many ways,(and i did have occasion to ride a full dresser after i finished msf last year.) but i don't think i could learn properly on one. simply too much weight and torque.
just sit on yer money and buy a 2k japanese bike that you can resell in the spring for $1900. and chalk the year up to experience.
it's almost insulting for ppl to just 'buy the biker image' and get an HD an then not wave at me coz they're a snob.

my $.02

[Gummiente]

it's almost insulting for ppl to just 'buy the biker image' and get an HD an then not wave at me coz they're a snob.

Assuming a bit much here, aren't you?

[bigswifty]

Assuming a bit much here, aren't you?

yea maybe, but it has been a trend for meat-suit HD riders to not wave at me.
And i KNOW that in the local economy and culture i swim in, most HD's are piloted by too-much-too-soon 'buying in' FAKERS--WHO ARE IN FACT NEW RIDERS THAT FELT THEY COULDN'T BE SEEN ON A NIPPONESE VERHICLE.

i do respect harley's and the culture attendent there to.but i have a hard time with folks who think it makes them 'A Biker' to have a harley; wheras i know
we;re all bikers japanese or euro or norht america.

I am jumping to conclusions about our guest, but i was put off somehat by a post. and i reacted.

[TheReaper]

Personally, If I were buying a bike off ebay, or anyplace that wasn't local for that matter, I'd take the time and energy to go out, inspect the bike and pick it up in person. It can't cost any more than having it shipped and I'd like to see what I was buying before I turned over any money. Just my thought on it.

However, if you're going to have it shipped, make sure you make the arrangements so you know you're actually getting a bike delivered.

Sorry if I sound paranoid, but in my search for bikes I stumbled across 3 seperate scams so I've gotten real leery of anything over the net. Just make sure you protect yourself.

[Sev]

it's almost insulting for ppl to just 'buy the biker image' and get an HD an then not wave at me coz they're a snob.

Assuming a bit much here, aren't you?

Since I switched from a cruiser to a sportsbike I've noticed that in general most cruisers (regardless of make or model) will not wave at me. Though, there were a lot who didn't before.

I live in... an "upperclass urban-yuppie" sort of area, so I've found that the majority of people around here who ride bikes are not bikers. They are sunday rumblers, which is to say they buy a big expensive bike, and top notch leathers (for themselves, never the person on the back) and tool around town on Sundays to show that they are still cool and with it. I never got many waves from them.

Then we have the young punk sportsbikers, who always wave, but scare me in their riding. Way to fast, not enough gear, potentially skid marks on their bikes, and occasionally big scars visible under their t-shirts. They wave to me, but I wouldn't ride with them.

Then there are the "TRUE" bikers, where the hell they come from I don't know. The didn't wave when I was on a cruiser, they didn't wave when I was on a sportsbike. But I know they see me. They all ride Harleys, have dirty, scuffed, patched leathers, gleaming chrome, and shorty helmets. They all sport scruffy beards and mustaches, long hair or crew cuts and have the obligatory straight pipes. I've got NO clue where the hell these guys come from. They don't live around here, that's for sure, and there's no reason to be riding through town to get to anywhere... so I'm at a loss.

Of course these are overarching stereotypes based on the types of people I usually see. There are exceptions, but in my town/hamlet WHATEVER, this is what you'll see 90% of the time.

And then there's the newbs... I met a guy today on a suzuki sv650s. It had that sexy little fairing. I was a car behind him, and one to the left at a red light and watched him take off. Sorry, straddle the bike and run to get started. He planted himself right in the middle of the lane, then proceded to meander back and forth from side to side. At 20 over the speed limit. Suffice to say I stayed WAY back from him.
Pulling up to the next red light, I found myself beside him. Though in a different lane, I stopped did a shoulder check and then glanced over at him and smiled. When the light went green, I did what I always do, work up through the gears smoothly, and waited. When he took off past me after about a minute he was way over the speed limit. I slowed down a little and gave him some room. At the next set of lights I changed lanes so that I only had one car in front of me, as opposed to his 4. I haven't seen him since, and hope I never do.
Can't hold a straight line, cannot get started at all. Both feet down at the lights, and trying to race me at the stoplight, when he can barely hold the bike up. We need less bikers like this. Not more!

[Telesque]

And i KNOW that in the local economy and culture i swim in, most HD's are piloted by too-much-too-soon 'buying in' FAKERs

$15,000 and 15 miles does not make you a biker, and that, of course, is no matter what you ride.