introduction

[wayne rhodes]

Hello,I'm Wayne,
I'm new to this site,So I will set back and try to chime in on cycle topics.Hopefully, and not make an idiot out of myself.I have loved cycles since I can remember as a little boy--Im 56 years old now and have not owned a motorcycle in a long long time.When I was young and in the army I bought a brand new Honda 360 1975 model I think.Latter after I got out of the Army I bought a Honda 450 for $100.00 dollars.The thing only had 100 miles on it but it was seized up from sitting out in the elements. I got it home and took it apart and had to bust the piston loose, and I bought new piston and rings put it back together and had a ball on it.Then latter on I bought a 650 twin cylinder Yamaha loved it also.Now that was 40 something years ago,and I have not ridden since.But I am fixing to buy a new cruiser for my wife and I for around town riding,And highway rides on occasions.I am a big man and my wife is a big women so we were thinking of buying a V Star 1300 cruiser, for back road cruising and etc.Please let me know what you think of the lite heavy weight bike and God Bless You All Wayne & Melody

[Johnj]

Howdy Wayne and welcome back to the riding world. Might I suggest you start out by taking the MSF Safety course to get back into riding a bike. Good luck.

[wayne rhodes]

Howdy Wayne and welcome back to the riding world. Might I suggest you start out by taking the MSF Safety course to get back into riding a bike. Good luck.

Thanks John for your good advice, I might just do that for my wife and myself sake. We both are big over weight people me 250 lbs wife 277 lbs. Would love to get the Star V Star 1300 Yamaha cruiser. This bike will carry more weight than any other heavy middle weight. Plus we both love the classic design of the bike,We will only be 50 lbs over the suggested total weight of the cruiser. Back in the day I owned a 620 Yamaha twin cylinder and between myself and my girl friend we both over tax the small 650 by a Hugh margin. I'm not really going to worry about the weight. Well give me your thoughts Wayne

[Johnj]

What are my thoughts, you ask? Wayne, you said you haven't ridden a bike in 35 or 40 years, and I don't want to discourage you or anything, but you might want to start out on a smaller motorcycle. One that is easier to ride than a 1300cc, 700lb, bike. Get your sealegs man. Remember this won't be your last bike.

[csspostal]

welcome

[wayne rhodes]

What are my thoughts, you ask? Wayne, you said you haven't ridden a bike in 35 or 40 years, and I don't want to discourage you or anything, but you might want to start out on a smaller motorcycle. One that is easier to ride than a 1300cc, 700lb, bike. Get your sealegs man. Remember this won't be your last bike.

John thanks for the advice, But you see we my wife and I are big people, I weight 250 lbs and my wife weights 277 lbs!! Do you get my drift? Even this size cruiser will be over loaded by at least 50 lbs or so. I can still ride my bicycle and I have not forgot how to ride. I will take a training course here in my area. We also were looking at the new Yam 950 but it is only 40 or so pounds lighter than the 1300. I'm open for suggestions on a bike to perchase

[jstark47]

What are my thoughts, you ask? Wayne, you said you haven't ridden a bike in 35 or 40 years, and I don't want to discourage you or anything, but you might want to start out on a smaller motorcycle. One that is easier to ride than a 1300cc, 700lb, bike. Get your sealegs man. Remember this won't be your last bike.

John thanks for the advice, But you see we my wife and I are big people, I weight 250 lbs and my wife weights 277 lbs!! Do you get my drift? Even this size cruiser will be over loaded by at least 50 lbs or so. I can still ride my bicycle and I have not forgot how to ride. I will take a training course here in my area. We also were looking at the new Yam 950 but it is only 40 or so pounds lighter than the 1300. I'm open for suggestions on a bike to perchase

Wayne- well, I just posted in your other thread over in the new bikers section, should have looked here first. Welcome to the forum, by the way. I kind of agree with Johnj- if you haven't ridden in 40 years, you're starting over again from scratch. Maybe reflexes will come back, maybe they won't, maybe you'll have to train those reflexes again. My advice: get a couple of thousand miles of solo riding under your belt before you consider riding two-up, especially if your honey is a big gal. For solo, you can be on a 500-800cc cruiser: V-star 650, Marauder 800, Shadow 750, something like that. Even if you're a big guy, those bikes have abundant power and torque, no fear. Get a used one, plenty of them around. Ride it for a few thousand miles (couple of months), get your reflexes back, then sell it/trade it for the bigger bike you want. Unless you live in the middle of nowhere, the traffic conditions motorcyclists have to cope with nowadays are insane compared to 40 years ago. You'll want your skills and basic bike control to be on autopilot before you consider taking a passenger. My $.02. Good luck.

[wayne rhodes]

Thanks Guys,
I think a motorcycle training course, And maybe a rental or like you say a smaller bike. Maybe a FZ-1 now thats a whole lot lighter and slower than the 1300 HA! We also thought about a standard cycle but I did not like the riding position. In all seriousness We do live out in the sticks here in Alabama where you can drive or ride for hours and maybe not see but a hand full of cars if that many. I have ridden my neighbors vulcan 900 classic I had forgot that I did ride it. It looks great but I did not like the gearing in the trans. Or the tube tires with spoke wheels. The wife said this will be my last bike so I think I will take your advice and ride solo for a while and then ride my gal latter on. The 950 stars are for newbies but probably younger newby's. Now I'm stuck between a rock and a hard spot anyway thanks for all the advice sincerely Wayne

[zeligman]

hi wayne - welcome! there are tons of great ppl here, with good advice (as you can see!). I only want to chime in and say that I am a bigger guy than you - and my first (and only) bike was a suzuki volusia 800 (now the boulevard). PLENTY of torque and power to move me around - even at highway speeds. No problem passing either. It's not even close to being fastest off the line, but a solid, forgiving performer that moved my body and soul!

at the end of the day, everyone has to ride their own ride! enjoy it!

-z

[wayne rhodes]

hi wayne - welcome! there are tons of great ppl here, with good advice (as you can see!). I only want to chime in and say that I am a bigger guy than you - and my first (and only) bike was a Suzuki volusia 800 (now the boulevard). PLENTY of torque and power to move me around - even at highway speeds. No problem passing either. It's not even close to being fastest off the line, but a solid, forgiving performer that moved my body and soul!

at the end of the day, everyone has to ride their own ride! enjoy it!

-z

If it is reflexes that concern you I have great reflexes. And I work out, and I'm really in good shape. I have raced cars and boats. etc. Just about everything. And I'm not afraid of anything. Especially no 67 or so horsepower star 1300! And even if I did get a 650 cc or something that small I would be tired of it by the end of the day! And as far as backing up a 668 lb 1300 into a parking lot thats not even a challenge. By the end of the day I will be riding just like I did my other three bikes I owned. My first bike was a Honda 360 and my second was a 450 Honda scrambler and my third bike was a 650 twin Yamaha. And I rode my friends Honda 500cc liquid cooled bike the ones that had there cylinders out at an angle on each side. A potent bike in its own rights. Like I said I do not fear nothing! And would not be afraid of riding a FZ-1 Yam. OK I may sound a little harsh at you but, I am still running and I'm not crawling or walking I'm running so don't underestimate an older guy. If it is concern for my safety then thats OK but don't email me little boy words that upsets me only a little Quote learn to crawl learn to walk and learn to ??? what ever. I don't like that kind of emails