are salespeople paid to over sell

[2kSC]

My first bike was a 1982 GS650L Suzuki. I baught it used in 97 from an individual, rode it 2 years and sold it for what I had paid.

My second bike is a 250 Kawasaki Super Sherpa (dual sport). I still have and ride this bike

My third bike is a 92ci Victory SportCruiser. 700 lbs! I love that bike but I could not recommend it as a first bike.

My recommendation: Buy an older 750cc inline 4 japaneese bike that is in good mechanical condition. Ride it a couple of years and take a riding course.

At your size, you will want more bike before long. You will have riding experience with which to evaluate the next "bigger" bike with.

Finally, buy used from an individual if possible. You can get a feel for how they care for things by their house, car, etc...

[Wizzard]

Finally, buy used from an individual if possible. You can get a feel for how they care for things by their house, car, etc...

That's basically true , however as far as my cage goes (Camaro) ya couldn't tell that by me . My car stays dirty but I don't even start my scoot until I have cleaned and polished it . And I do that on a daily basis .
Regards, Wizzard

[Kal]

Theres a post around here somewheres where Zootech mentions riding a 500's with a buddy for a while on the interstate as a 'newbie'.

The M1 and a lot of other motorways around here are offically 70mph roads, I'd say the average speed travelled is a lot closer to 90, so when I start using those roads I will stop riding my 125 for the more all-rounder 400, with a few easy mods she will be good for 115-120mph, depite being 22 years old.

Certainly choose the Bike that actually feels right to you, without hesitation or doubt because you are the one that will be riding it. If you have doubts about the bike then you will probably not be in the correct frame of mind for riding it.

I'd say the principle factors to bear in mind are the ergo's, maintainence, power and weight of the bike. Weight can make a bike an absolute pig to maneuvor at low speeds such as turning in the road and getting it out of the garage. Most drops admitted to by the experienced riders on the UK Honda forum are low speed drops like this, and even low speed drops can be expensive.

Zootech and I usually present opposing view points on Bike size, which I guess makes for a balanced view point between the two of us

Bikes like tools are built with different purposes in mind, Trailies are good for in town and off road, Cruisers for putting in cross-continental journeys, Sportsbikes - even 125 Sportsbikes are built to play on the track and standards are built to be all round any purpose hacks. Different models perform secondary functions differently.

So listen to as many people as you can, including Zootech, sit on as many bikes as you can - including going pillion, decide on two or three models to research as much as you can and then decide what is going to be your first ride.

Buying a bike isnt like getting married, in the same way that your first car is likely to be your first car and not the car you drive for the rest of your life, this will be your first bike. If you choose right you will love it, ride it everywhere and eventually replace her with another that you have fallen in love with. Even Zootech admits that the Meanie isnt his last bike and eventually he will be trading her in for something else he has fallen in love with.

[chris66]

no doubt there are a lot of chuices when looking for a first bike. Used would definately be a good option but the only used bikes that I see on cycle trader for my area is 15 - 20 grand harley's. Hell its cheaper to buy a new one than a used one. The good thing is I'm not buying till spring so hopefully there will be a few more decent cruisers for sale, but there is a question I wan to ask the vulcan 800 classic is $6500 and weighs in a bit over 500 lbs. the vstar 1100(actually 1049cc) classic is $8700 and weighs a hundred pounds more. my thought is that the extra 100lbs offsets the extra 250 cc's and I save 2 grand any thoughts on that

[ZooTech]

Theres a post around here somewheres where Zootech mentions riding 500's with a buddy for a while on the interstate as a 'newbie'.

That is correct. However, I am 3-1/2" inches shorter and 100lbs lighter than this guy. And my $800.00 CX500 was infinitely more tippy than my Mean Streak, a fact I wouldn't be aware of until three years later.

Zootech and I usually present opposing view points on Bike size, which I guess makes for a balanced view point between the two of us

Well said.

So listen to as many people as you can, including Zootech

Thanks for the vote of confidence!

Even Zootech admits that the Meanie isnt his last bike and eventually he will be trading her in for something else he has fallen in love with.

This is true...though I am honestly hoping to simply add to the Meanie, rather than trade it away. I'd like to see a sport tourer, a standard, and a dirt bike parked next to it in the next ten years (boy is my head in the clouds!).

I think the Mean Streak (or V-Star 1100, VTX1300, C90, etc) would be good for such a tall and heavy rider since the addition of forward controls would allow the guy to stretch out, an option not available on most of the highly recommended newbie rides. Even my 700SC, the quintessential UJM, was rather cramped, even for someone with only a 32" inseam like me.

there is a question I want to ask the vulcan 800 classic is $6500 and weighs in a bit over 500 lbs. the vstar 1100(actually 1049cc) classic is $8700 and weighs a hundred pounds more. my thought is that the extra 100lbs offsets the extra 250 cc's and I save 2 grand any thoughts on that

That can be a factor, but it'd be a shame to base your purchase decision on such a variable. If the V-Star 1100 fits you better, it may be the way to go. if you're considering bikes in the 800cc class, check out the C50, M50, and S50 before making any decisions.

[wally hooker]

ok, I'm new here, and a somewhat new biker, but I'll chime in here. He's 6'2" 320 pounds and looking at cruisers. A 500 or 750 will seem way too small within an afternoon or two of practice. As someone 6'2" myself, long legs and more body weight give a big advantage in bike handling at slow speeds and stops. When you get squirly at a weird stop sign on a hill or other funky situation, long legs make it way easier to plant down and get it stable. Someone shorter is going have the bike lean several more inches before they get a foot planted, by then it's too late and the bike weight takes over and they topple.

I started with a harley 'big twin' (1450cc) and haven't dumped it once, knock on wood!

Wally

[iwannadie]

ok, I'm new here, and a somewhat new biker, but I'll chime in here. He's 6'2" 320 pounds and looking at cruisers. A 500 or 750 will seem way too small within an afternoon or two of practice. As someone 6'2" myself, long legs and more body weight give a big advantage in bike handling at slow speeds and stops. When you get squirly at a weird stop sign on a hill or other funky situation, long legs make it way easier to plant down and get it stable. Someone shorter is going have the bike lean several more inches before they get a foot planted, by then it's too late and the bike weight takes over and they topple.

I started with a harley 'big twin' (1450cc) and haven't dumped it once, knock on wood!

Wally

you think its easier to stick a foot down to steady the bike until the speed and weight of that bike snaps your ankle when you actually try it...

i see alot of new riders doing this, going 10 mph and the bike starts to lean so they drop their foot to try and stop themselfs, just doesnt work that way. sure if you do it right it might help but thats not something you can really practice. too many bad things can come from trying to steady a heavy rolling bike with your foot.

[ZooTech]

you think its easier to stick a foot down to steady the bike until the speed and weight of that bike snaps your ankle when you actually try it...

i see alot of new riders doing this, going 10 mph and the bike starts to lean so they drop their foot to try and stop themselfs, just doesnt work that way. sure if you do it right it might help but thats not something you can really practice. too many bad things can come from trying to steady a heavy rolling bike with your foot.

eh?

[Kal]

I think I get what he means.

I *think* he is saying that its a bad idea to have your foot down with a bike while it is actually moving as the difference in momentum can make your foot attempt to rotate over itself, forcing the ankle to bend in ways it wasnt designed to.

Its an event that can happen with some warehouse machinery too.

[ZooTech]

Yeah, I got the part about not sticking your foot down while the bike is moving, but am having trouble figuring out how it correlates to the discussion of bike size. I wouldn't stick my foot down on a Ninja 250 either. I'm recommending well-balanced bikes, regardless of size, in an attempt to address that very issue. The assumption that the smaller the bike the better the balance is misleading, as anyone who's ridden a '78 CX500 can relate.