I'm trying to figure out if I can actually use a motorcycle before I commit myself to taking safety courses, getting DL endorsements, and buying a starter bike. I'm not talking about physical ability to ride... I'm in my early 30s and figure that should be only the usual problem. I want to at least pretend this is a practical alternative to a car. 95% of the driving I do is commuting alone to/from work, and I'd like to be able to ride at least one or two days a week. The other 5% usually involves carrying 2 passengers.
The problem? My workday commute is about 100 miles round trip... 70 miles of interstate (65/70MPH speed limit), 29 miles of highway (55MPH), and about 1mi of surface streets. A few steep hills but no real twisties. 50 minutes each way by car on a good day (bad traffic on a Friday night and I don't get home until 1:30 in the morning....but that's another story).
Is that way too much of a ride for a beginning rider? A beginner bike? I don't have much opportunity for shorter rides, except maybe going for lunch on a week day and I can't really leave my bike at the office so that's marginal.
I want to get something in the 250cc range to learn on, but everything I've read says they are totally marginal for that sort of commute. I've seen the HUGE jump in insurance rates as bikes go up in performance... as in a 250cc might cost $450/yr, and a 500cc $2000/yr. I take that as another warning not to get in over my head.
I already own what will be my second (maybe third) bike ... neighbor busted the transmission on his bike a few years ago. I paid him $200, found a $50 blown engine for parts, and fixed the 2nd gear shift fork over a weekend. It is in pretty good condition, but the implications of 75HP and ~570lb empty weight are obvious even to a newb like me.
I have enough self restraint to keep the 1100cc Yamaha (XS11) in the garage. It now has company... A friend recently abandoned her 2000 BMW F650GS next to it (she didn't have any place else to store it while she traveled). I suppose it is cool to be able to look at these bikes... but I want to actually ride something for a change!
