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Thanks Jack, Pete, and Blue.

This last week has been exhausting. Susi hurt her hand in her crash last Saturday but I took her to a specialist this morning and she is going to be fine. All of the tendons and ligaments are still attached, no broken bones, and it will only take four to six weeks before she is back to normal. It was her right hand so she did not want to drive my truck around as it has a manual transmission. I have had to chauffeur Mrs. Hanson all over the place including trips to three different grocers, three shoe stores (she wanted a pair of slip on sneakers without shoe laces), a beauty parlor so she could get something she called a "fill" and she had her eyebrows "waxed" (I think they practice some kind of evil black magic and that place smelled really bad. I am never going back.), two trips to the bank, a trip to the cleaners, the pharmacist, some store where she had some paper items laminated, no less than five separate trips to Sonic for unsweetened ice tea with exactly 4 little pink packets which I think where some kind of artificial sweetener, and a trip to the pet store where she purchased cat food, dog food, some kind of treats for the finches, live crickets for the lizards and filter media for the fish tank. I now know exactly why I am always broke as Mrs. Hanson approaches shopping as if it is a competitive sport.

I have not written much about my two day MSF basic rider class because I have had a challenging week.

The instructor was something of a bully, not that I cared, but I kept thinking about how someone like B2C would feel with him yelling at her, or anyone else without an emotional skin as thick as a tyrannosaurus. At first I was put on some little Suzuki 250 but with my frame all compressed on the bike I could not physically lift my right toe high enough to get it on the rear break pedal because the peddle was angle up significantly from the foot peg. I asked if he had a different bike and he made a rather rude comment about not having time to adjust all the controls for all of the riders and then swapped out the Suzuki for an even smaller Kawasaki 125 Eliminator which actually fit me somewhat better as the rear brake control was not angled as far from the foot peg. I am 6'2" with long legs, and the instructor only came up to about my arm pits and I think it likely that he had adjusted all of the controls on all of the bikes to be comfortable for himself.

Even after all of this, I did truly enjoy getting on a bike for the first time in more than thirty years and I learned quite a few things. I learned that I hate duck walking a motorcycle. I have bad hip joints and my hips where literally sore from the duck walking. I learned to put on calf high boot socks before I put on my moto boots as the top edge of each boot had chaffed the inside of each of my calves by the end of the first day. Other than that my boots worked out really well and I am happy with them. I learned that my moto gloves are just a little bit on the small side and they are hard to take off and even harder to put back on. I learned that I can not take off my helmet without first taking off my just a little bit on the small side moto gloves. I learned that I can in fact drink cold water without taking off my full face helmet with the primary defect in my technique being that I am simultaneously taking a cold shower.

I might have even learned a little bit about riding a motorcycle, but most importantly I learned a lot about the rather limited size of my personal riding envelope, that is I learned just how significant are the deficiencies in my motorcycling skills.

To survive on a motorcycle one must have a safety margin which I like to think about as comprised of three components. One must ride with a safety margin with respect to the current environment such as road conditions and traffic, at the same time one must ride within their own personal performance envelope which is defined by an individuals riding skills, and finally one must ride within the performance envelope of the motorcycle they are riding.

I now have only two payments left on my truck, so what is next?

I called my Farmers insurance agent to get some quotes for full coverage including uninsured motorist, comprehensive, collision and liability just to get an idea of what my total cost of ownership is going to be on a range of motorcycles I am considering.

Honda CB500X - $679.
Suzuki V-Strom 650 - $888.
Yamaha Super Tenere - $1529.

I think it is Doc that has some experience in the insurance industry and I would be most grateful for any comments he might have about these insurance rates.

A few items on still on the list...

Riding jacket.
Riding pants.
I want a moto friendly gps and mount - I am thinking a Zumo 390 with tire pressure monitors.
A mount for my Spot 3 tracker.
Audio system for my helmet.

I hope to purchase a motorcycle by the end of summer and I need at least the jacket and pants before I get a bike.

Safe Travels,
Richard

p.s. I apologize for the long winded posts but perhaps some other older rider returning to this sport will find my experiences helpful.

That was a good post.

As for "the fill" and the "waxing"...we women endure a lot for men.

That instructor you described is in the wrong business. When people are learning something...especially something new....bullying is not acceptable.

Kudos to you for putting up with it....and..for sticking up for yourself.

JackoftheGreen wrote:

Congrats Hanson!! Awesome, I'm glad to hear it. I know it's been a journey for you already, but now the real fun begins.

Does your endorsement cover all engine sizes, or is it a tiered license like here in Utah?

Jack,

Texas is a natural selection state meaning that inexperienced and foolish motorcyclists who pass their basic riding course and a rather trivial written test can go out and purchase any motorcycle they can afford.

I am looking hard at three motorcycles, the CB500X, V-Strom 650, and the Super Tenere. I am agonizing over whether or not I will act intelligently or emotionally. I want a motorcycle for long road trips and motorcycle camping and our windswept west Texas highways have posted speed limits of 80 mph which means that traffic will be moving along at a brisk 85. The Super Tenere weighs 578 pounds with 109 horsepower (5.3 lb per HP) while the CB500X weighs 430 pounds with 47 horsepower (9.1 lb per HP). I am either going to start on the Tenere or I am going to get one of the other bikes and then trade up to a Tenere in a year or two. If I don't just get a Tenere, then the choice between the CB500X and the V-Strom 650 is largely dependent on how long I think I will be stuck on that bike, but between the two it is most likely that I will purchase the Honda.

From all I have read, almost everyone who has moved from the V-Strom 650 to the S10 prefers the handling of the S10 as the S10 has a lower CG with good mass centralization and significantly better suspension components. There are numerous comments about how easy it is to ride the Tenere. Moreover, I have read nothing but great reviews about the quality of the S10's ABS system and traction control and the S10 has two ride modes, touring and sport. A lot of Tenere test riders have complained that the S10 is a bit of a dog, but most test rides are taken in touring mode and with the default traction control mode selected which allows for almost no rear tire slip under heavy acceleration. There is also an ECU flash that improves the fuel mapping on the S10. Flash the ECU, select sport mode, turn off traction control and the S10 is a different bike.

Can I safely ride an S10 in "dog" mode as my moto skills are developing? That is the very question that most often occupies my mind of late.

I want an S10, it fits my long term moto goals perfectly, but I am apprehensive about this big motorcycle. The CB500X is a lot less intimidating, but it is also a lot less capable of performing exactly the type of riding I most want to do.

Someday, not this day, but someday I am going to go out to my garage, load up my motorcycle, and ride the Dalton to Deadhorse Alaska and then I am going to turn east and ride on over to Goose Bay just for a grin.

Safe Travels,
Richard

Hi Richard,

Interesting bike choices for your first bike. If you asked me I'd suggest not getting a V-Strom or a Tenere as your first bike, they are just not (at all) new rider friendly (being too tall for one). I owned the 650cc V-strom myself as my 3rd bike after owning a 650cc previously to that for 5 years (and a 400cc before that). I'd recommend a 500cc as an "advanced beginner" bike for a new rider if after the course you are skilled enough for it.

Also if I may add, you shouldn't at all be looking at "hp per lb" ratios, ever, unless you are going to do some semi-pro/pro track racing. hp/lb does not indicate fun per lb nor anything at all about how good a motorcycle is. All you will end up doing is buying waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much bike that you will never use nor push (which is the fun part). That kinda sounds harsh but it's the truth, even 20+ year riders can't push a 1000cc supersport to the limits on the street. I own as my 9th bike a 750cc, 50hp, 380lb bike (which sounds like a starter bike in stats) which I can keep up with a 1900cc bike. It isn't the bike, it's the rider of it.

The best advice is, buy a bike that you are going to use 80% of, not one you might use 20% of or you bought the wrong bike. And you will find your learning curve will be very shallow and your buddies who bought 250cc's will outride you in 1/3 the time which I'm sure you don't want.

Welcome to the world of riding, take it slow, enjoy the ride, after all, that's what riding is all about.

Mike

Hi Mike,

All good advice even if I might not be wise enough to follow it. Time will tell.

I am looking at hp per lb ratios, not in an effort to maximize performance, but rather to quantify just how foolish I am for even considering a Tenere.

The CB500X does look to be the smartest choice for a new rider.

Safe Travels,
Richard

P.S. After I finally get my moto, perhaps I can ride down to Houston and we can have a bite of lunch?

Hanson wrote:I want an S10, it fits my long term moto goals perfectly, but I am apprehensive about this big motorcycle. The CB500X is a lot less intimidating, but it is also a lot less capable of performing exactly the type of riding I most want to do.

As a slightly larger alternative to the CB500X, check out the Honda NC700X.

Super Tenere is not, **NOT** a bike for beginners. That doesn't mean you can't get away with it, but your skills might not develop as quickly or completely as they would on a smaller bike. Smaller is better for a first bike. Lighter weight encourages you to push and find out the bike's (and your) handling limits, without the "oops" of pushing past the handling limits. A noob on a big, heavy, expensive & shiny first bike too often tends not to push his/her envelope, so skills never develop.

E.g. I ride a Triumph Trophy 1200, a fairly powerful, heavy chunk of a bike. But I learned to take curves at speed on a Triumph Bonneville.

jstark47 wrote:

Hanson wrote: As a slightly larger alternative to the CB500X, check out the Honda NC700X.

Super Tenere is not, **NOT** a bike for beginners. That doesn't mean you can't get away with it, but your skills might not develop as quickly or completely as they would on a smaller bike. Smaller is better for a first bike. Lighter weight encourages you to push and find out the bike's (and your) handling limits, without the "oops" of pushing past the handling limits. A noob on a big, heavy, expensive & shiny first bike too often tends not to push his/her envelope, so skills never develop.

E.g. I ride a Triumph Trophy 1200, a fairly powerful, heavy chunk of a bike. But I learned to take curves at speed on a Triumph Bonneville.

I have had a hard look at the NC700X, and I am still looking. It is an interesting bike with a few significant advantages over the CB500X but one big disadvantage in that ABS is not available as an independent option in the United States. I have even taken the time to do a bit of research about how hard it would be to import an ABS equipped NC700X from Canada, but in the United States ABS is only available as an option bundled with Honda's Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT). I am never going to purchase a motorcycle with an automatic transmission.

The NC700X is more highway worthy than the CB500X, it is a bit better on fuel consumption, and it has the "frunk", the 21 liter lockable storage compartment. This last feature would be great for locking up my Sig when I go to work as I will be using my moto as my daily commute. The engine on the NC is rather unique and not at all like most motorcycle engines in character, but it does have good torque. I don't know if I consider the NC engine a benefit over the CB or not, it is just different. In some markets, Europe, Honda is providing an updated NC750X with a more refined engine that produces a bit more power and even better fuel economy primarily because of the addition of an oxygen sensor in the exhaust. What I would love to purchase is a Euro-spec NC750X with ABS... alas... it is not to be.

How important is ABS? I intend to ride all year round in all types of weather and I have had a conversation with Mrs. Hanson where I expressed my views that ABS was one of the most important check boxes on my list of features. It is true that her eyes glazed over as I droned on about normal forces, static and dynamic coefficients of friction, and weight transfer, but I am almost positive that Susi took my comments about ABS as an implied promise to purchase a motorcycle so equipped. Even then there is that little voice in the back of my mind that keeps telling me "people did just fine without ABS for generations". I order this voice banished, but it persists just like that other sinister voice that keeps whispering Tenere, Tenere, Tenere.

If I where to order my options on a personal stupidity scale, then it would be my qualitative assessment that purchasing a Super Tenere with ABS would be substantially more moronic than opting for an NC700X without ABS for a rider with my obvious lack of riding experience.

Thanks for sharing your wisdom.

Safe Travels,
Richard

I just tuned into this thread since it has some new postings..... quite the long-term project!

It's fun to shop and read the internet about every little nuance of what's best and worst and so on but at some point you have to get out and do it.

Since Mr. Hanson mentions IDPA I'll use that analogy. Consider the newbie who shows up to a match for the first time. He's overwhelmed at the skill shown by literally everyone else there (except the buddy he brought with him). Then he starts trying to figure out the gear. And that's the wrong path! It's not the gear - it's the shooter! You KNOW this if you've been at it for awhile. But so many people take the trip to the gun/holster/ammo/cargo pants/hat/sunscreen of choice to get just a little better when all the old hands will tell you to spend your money on ammo for the gun you own. Practice - not gear. (I shot IPSC for a few years. Single-stack .45. Stock. From an Uncle Mike's nylon holster. Beat many a race-gun guy who'd hoped to buy his way to a higher rating. Those things jam a lot

So- with that, let me suggest that it's too early to shop for the perfect bike for all your imagined future adventures. Sure, you can imagine the S10 taking you everyplace you can imagine. Work, grocery store, Namibia, Yellowknife -- anyplace you can imagine a rider of sufficient skill can go.

But you need to put in some saddle time to hone your skills. Burn some gasoline in something less specialized (dealing with the weight is its own specialty) and raise your skill level. Get lots of saddle time before committing too much.

I suggest buying USED in the 650cc range. It almost doesn't matter what it is. You want to use it to learn on. Learn what you like. Learn what you don't like. Learn how to ride better. Learn to make the most of that bike. Work the daylights out of it in low speed parking lot drills until you are the total master of the machine. THEN move to your dream machine. (or two). Buying used reduces your risk of making a mistake in choice and you can bail out of that choice at lower cost.

I've ridden every year more or less since 1979. I'd still be very wary of climbing onto a new S10. I'd have to work up to it. Even though, in theory, I'm sufficiently proficient to be able to just go ahead and do it.

One can also make analogies to guitar playing. It's not the gear, it's the practice time that makes the player.

(I have some airplane flying analogies to use some other time.)

Enjoy the journey. If I could, I'd like to forget I ever knew how to ride in order to learn all over again. It's fun!

Lots of good advice from GS_in_CO.

ABS is still a controversial topic among motorcyclists. (Don't believe me? Google motorcycle+ABS+"threshold braking" and read the flame wars on the 'net!) I'll never critique anybody for wanting ABS, but personally I'm glad I learned threshold braking without the extra complication of the ABS kicking in too soon. I don't miss ABS unless it's raining, and frankly I don't ride in the rain all that much. On clean dry pavement I'd rather "do it myself" when it comes to braking, and on gravel ABS is useless anyway.

Hanson, dude...... you're worrying too much about horsepower. All those bikes you mentioned, even the 500cc, has enough power that, if misapplied, it could scare a noob silly! Like GS said, get two wheels under your butt and get out there riding. Until you ride several bikes, and ride them some serious miles, you really don't know what you want. It's the old "you don't know what you don't know" factor. A Super Tenere is a big investment to find out it's the wrong bike. Get something smaller, lighter, and more generic. Like this: http://houston.craigslist.org/mcy/4292191713.html (looks like a sport bike but is really a standard.) Ride the pi$$ out of it for a year, THEN decide what kind of bike you want.

What is it with this ABS thing, do you think it will make you a better rider. I don't think so. Do you think it will make you safer, I don't think so. There is no substitute for experience and training. ABS will not stop you quicker, but it may just make you believe you can by short cutting proper training and thinking that the tech will do it all for you, it WON'T.
All ABS will do will prevent the wheels from locking up. It won't prevent them from sliding out from under you if you have no idea what you are doing.

That NC sounds like too much bike for you, even though it is the most forgiving, even tempered bike in it's class. Go do your MSF, go hire some bikes and then come back and talk some more.