i'm 25 and have been riding for 5 years, mostly on a honda shadow600 and more recently on an old 1000cc bmw averaging about 20k/year... i like to ride.
i'm finishing school and starting a new job, and my bike was just stolen so i'm looking for a major upgrade in a bike. price really isn't an issue as this will be essentially my only form of transportation and my only hobby... my surfing buddy moved away. i live in hawaii now, but plan on moving to oregon for better pay and to start med school.
i'm no hooligan but i love the twisties and tend to ride fast. there are long curvy roads between me and the hospital i work at, so i'm looking for a bike that will get me there with the biggest smile on my face.
most days i will need to bring along equipment (laptop, emg machine, change of shoes) so i would probably want a bike that can be fitted with bags.
i'm 6', 150lbs and my wife is 5'4", 110. when we can find a baby sitter we like to go around the island on back roads.
i dream about something like an rc51 but it's probably not too practical.
all that long winded stuff said, i want to know the difference between inline4's and v-twins as far as quality of ride on country roads. also, when is it a good idea to move from a smaller 600 to the liter bikes?
also, does anyone know of any website that gives Consumer Report type statistics on motorcycle reliability?
Welcome to the forums Kevin .
As far as the inline 4's and the V-Twins I've had all types even some you didn't mention . Each bike stands on its own merits .
However I am sure you will get some different opinions before too long .
Kind regards, Wizzard
"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, throughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming --- ' WOW, WHAT A RIDE!!!! ' " - Author Unknown
Sounds like you are looking for a sport tourer. Maybe something like a Honda Interceptor. BMW makes a lot of sport tourers as well. Might also check out triumph.
Sport tourers pretty much do what you want, you can blast down backroads on em and be comfortable commuting, and even go on a long trip (many sport tourers have removable hard bags).
This style of bike is popular with riders who dont want a full on sportbike but want something that is comfortable and can still carve canyons like a sportbike.
Yup, a sport tourer is what you want. Have a look at the BMW boxer engines (flat twin) they're reliable, and best of all easy to do your own maintenance on - if you're so inclined. Oil changes, and even valve adjustments and throttle body syncing are a piece of cake (yes, I've done all that myself and I'm NOT mechanically adept).
I've got an R1150R Rockster. With removable hard side cases. (I could add a top case if I wanted to). It is a serious fun ride! Check out this site:
VTR1000. Fun in the twisties and not as completely painful to ride as the VTR-SP. The big advantage over a 600cc 4 cylinder is the torque. A 600cc multi will be faster at full tilt, but the VTR pulls hard through the rev range....
It sounds like you're actually after a sport tourer, more or less. But to answer one of your questions, I own a Honda 750 Nighthawk (inline 4) and a Buell S3 Thunderbolt (v-twin). Most of the difference has to do with torque and where each engine produces it. V-twins have a tendency to make a lot of torque on the bottom end where fours like a bit of revving. As an example, I like to run the Honda at about 3,000 rpm where the Buell is a bit happier around 2,000. The Honda is most definitely smoother than the Buell, most notably at idle (not that I expect you'll spend a lot of time idling, I don't either). With your time with your 600 Shadow, your probably pretty familiar with the way a v-twin vibrates although, again, Hondas have a tendency to be smother. Ultimately, it comes down to preference. The fact is I enjoy both bikes for what they are designed for, but the Buell is definitely more fun to ride. An extra 453 cc's will do that for you. The Honda has been rock solid since the day I bought it (brand new) and will never leave my stable.
All that being said, BMW, Honda, Buell, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha all make bikes that would suit your purposes well. I am partial to Buells and Hondas, but I'm also partial to anything that will do the job I want it too, Triumph Triples, a Horex Regina, an old Moto Guzzi if it runs well.
As far as upgrading is concerned, if you have somewhere above 40,000 miles, your probably more than ready for a larger bike. Keep your head about you, don't get too froggy with that throttle (at least in places where it's inappropriate) and you'll be fine. And believe me, I know what it felt like the first time getting on a much larger machine for the first time. After you and "she" get to know one another, you'll figure out what the pair of you can do.
Now, riding two up. My S3 simply isn't up to that task as she sits right now. The suspension just wasn't built for it. She's fabulous for just me, but with and my wife, the suspension just won't take it. The new Ulysses might, but I haven't had a chance to check one out. However, Honda ST1300, Yamaha FJR1300 (help me out there, guys), Honda VFR800, almost any BMW Boxer (more hlep there and my brother swears by his 1150GS). I'm sure I can think of some more.
Ultimately, it comes down to what your gut tells you about the bike. Reliability, comfort, power, handling, two up capability, all of that.
Someone not too long ago said there aren't any really bad bikes out there anymore, just bikes that do some things better than others. No bike does absoultely everything, but some come close. Do your research, do some butt time in the saddles, and you'll find what you're looking for.
I have a V-Twin at the moment and can tell you what I've noticed.
First off, the V-Twin through the turns is spectacular, at least on the SV. You don't have to worry about what gear you enter the turn in, because the bike will still have enough torque to pull you through it. You can enter in the right gear, one up, or one down, and you will have no problems in either of them.
Second, the powerband is much smoother and constant than a I-4. I ride my friends GSX-R 750 sometimes, and you really don't get power until 8 or 9,000 rpms, and then it just rockets. Under that it has no power, compartively. On my SV, I can hit the gas at full throttle nearly anywhere and I will get sudden acceleration. It definitely is stronger up at 9-10,000 rpms, but plenty of power even down as low as 4,000 rpms. This helps eliminate constant downshifting to get your power. No need to downshift while passing cars on the road even, it pulls everywhere.
Third, the engine braking seems much stronger. I don't even use my brakes until I get under 10 mph in the city.
Fourth, the sound and the feel is great. You can really feel it thumping under you, and I still have yet to hear a I-4 that sounds as good as a great sounding V-Twin.
Perosnally, I had no bias towards either engine and took a chance with the SV. After riding 12,000 miles on her this year, I honestly can say I may never go back to a I-4 again. Maybe a triple though, just to see what it's like.
Hope this helps you out understanding the differences in engines.
As far as the 600 vs 1000 cc, that really depends on the type of bike you're looking at. My SV1000 has about the same power as a 600 cc I-4. As far as sportbikes go at least. There is much more overall power in the I-4s so going up in cc will make quite a bit of difference. The GSX-R 750's are much faster than the 600's, and I don't even know if I'd want to feel the power of a 1000cc I-4 sportbike. There is a very big difference in power.
