OT: Getting a Motorcycle

[amg]

Brian,

MV Agusta, oh, now you've got me excited! As an Italian (came here as a kid) I totally get the Italian "thing" when it comes to bicycles, motorcycles and cars. I would one day love an MV, but I must work up to it. BTW, which model do you have? If you haven't seen it, National Geograhic did a series on MV that's currently on YouTube - Mamma Mia! I going with the family to Umbria in two weeks, I may make a wrong turn and go up to Lake Varese just to say hello.

Antonio

[amg]

Jitahs,

I very much appreciate your comments. Yes, I must balance the excitement with the realities and appreciate hearing the downside as well as the upside.

Antonio

[amg]

Brutale 1090? Che bella!!

[burgess1108]

If you're referring to me: duh. The inevitable 97% cheerleading comments will tell the OP what bike to buy. I'll be the 3% with a dose of reality.

No, my comment wasn't directed at you at all. I've just heard cyclists say how much more dangerous motorcycles are than cycling which I think is a fallacy.

[rabo]

When I bought my new bike 2/97 I went for the Suzuki Ducati clone, when there was a slightly used 916 for sale.
Regret it until today. My birthday is even 916.

[jscottyk]

Lots of good discussion on this topic in The OT sub-forum in this thread. Motorcycles.

[SteveP]

redundant for sure. be careful out there. stuff happens fast in a motorcycle.

[Derek]

Dear Forum,

I need your collective advice and opinions: I'm thinking of getting a motorcycle. Here's the background: I'm turning 40 and right on time, my mid-life crisis hits! Being a good planner, I've taken the MSF course, gotten the motorcycle endorsement on my license and have been riding a scooter to the train station for work and around town for two seasons now. I have a new Moto Guzzi V7 Stone in mind, though something used would fit the bill as well. I'm prepared, though honestly, scared to purchase something that could potentially do a lot of harm to me. Thoughts, suggestions?

Thanks,

Antonio

The Stone would be a great first bike. Light-ish, low, zippy, and classy. Handles very well.

Don't be afraid of bikes. They're perfectly controllable, given time and some experience. Take it easy, one day at a time. Try renting/riding a dirtbike for a weekend as well. You can learn a lot about yourself and motorcycles in very little time. I've been riding since the age of 5, and I wouldn't trade the experiences for anything else on this earth.

Here's my bike, BTW...2007 Multistrada.

[Philster]

I think you'd be better off with the most minimal car you can think of. Turbo Miata?

[Bobonli]

I'm going to be a little contrary. Learning to ride and making the purchase is the easy part. Finding the time to ride and build proficiency is another matter entirely. Take into consideration that--if you have a family or loved one(s) or a career--your plans to ride around the world like Ewan and Charlie can get off-track really fast; hell it can get difficult to find time for a leisure ride.

I've been an on and off motorcyclist for several years. Last year I bought a lovely Bimmer to take long weekend rides and commute on....etc etc. It was great until I realized the camping trips and long rides weren't happening because of family obligations. Then my work responsibilities changed. I'm left with a few precious leisure hours a week and I'd rather spend them pedaling (healthier!). As such I have a precision motorbike sitting unused. Sad but it should've been foreseeable.

I say this not to discourage you but to offer a reminder that life can get in the way of your plans. If you have this all sorted out then go for it. ATGATT and promise yourself to take some training each year.

[maunahaole]

I think you'd be better off with the most minimal car you can think of. Turbo Miata?

Pinto.

As far as bikes go, that Guzzi sounds like a good choice. Sharp ride.

[WadePatton]

Depends on whether you have any dependents.

Cars are too fast now, people impulsive and inattentive in them, road maintenance pretty poor on highways around here. No.

This is exactly what a local, my age, moto riding man told me. Or close enough. So i'm waiting until i move to a state with only one area code. or closer to a racing track... yes tracks are safer, and you don't go out with flops and a ball cap to the squishy mart.

and also, i've already spent plenty of my life at 100+ mph and lived to tell of it. a moto would not help. i'll need it governed to about 40.

[Lickety Split]

3 years ago returned to cycling and bought a Suzuki M50.
800cc cruiser.Fun,easy way to get back into it.
Sold that and got a HD Low Rider.
Thanks to the high revving motor the Suzi sounded like a pissed of lawn mower over 60mph.
It served it's purpose for two years.

[devlin]

I'll throw my opinion in there. Import a mint Yamaha TRX850 from UK/Europe and enjoy a forgiving bike that rewards a skilled rider. I'll let you do the research but start at www.trx850.com

[amg]

Well said, Bobonli. I have a family and work obligations and the reality is that I'll likely have about 2-3 hrs/week to ride at this point in my life. I'll likely spend a lot of time (1st season) just riding around my quiet, low traffic community just practicing the basics over and over. It may be awhile before the long trips come into the picture. I'm taking a very long term view with this.

I'm going to be a little contrary. Learning to ride and making the purchase is the easy part. Finding the time to ride and build proficiency is another matter entirely. Take into consideration that--if you have a family or loved one(s) or a career--your plans to ride around the world like Ewan and Charlie can get off-track really fast; hell it can get difficult to find time for a leisure ride.

I've been an on and off motorcyclist for several years. Last year I bought a lovely Bimmer to take long weekend rides and commute on....etc etc. It was great until I realized the camping trips and long rides weren't happening because of family obligations. Then my work responsibilities changed. I'm left with a few precious leisure hours a week and I'd rather spend them pedaling (healthier!). As such I have a precision motorbike sitting unused. Sad but it should've been foreseeable.

I say this not to discourage you but to offer a reminder that life can get in the way of your plans. If you have this all sorted out then go for it. ATGATT and promise yourself to take some training each year.

[dogrange]

Had a multistory a and liked that a lot. Sold it during a $$ crunch, as well as some safety once runs and not enough time to ride it. Really lusting after the new KTM duke 690 - like a better-looking, more powerful DRZ. Unlikely to pull the trigger anytime soon, though, as I still don't have enough time to IDE it to justify the purchase!

[David Tollefson]

Just one quick thing and I'm out: the gear lulls you into a false sense of security and there's nothing intellectually to prepare you for what really happens out there. Low side slide into a tree at speed -- you're a bag of jelly in leathers.

Safety is all about what you do BEFORE the unscheduled get-off. Gear is about damage control AFTER the unscheduled get-off. Gear isn't about safety.

[jitahs]

This is exactly what a local, my age, moto riding man told me. Or close enough. So i'm waiting until i move to a state with only one area code. or closer to a racing track... yes tracks are safer, and you don't go out with flops and a ball cap to the squishy mart.

and also, i've already spent plenty of my life at 100+ mph and lived to tell of it. a moto would not help. i'll need it governed to about 40.

A very fast friend on the track, when asked why he doesn't ride road moto, once said in a high girly voice, "Are you crazy?! That's dangerous."

You'd love my GB500.

[jitahs]

Safety is all about what you do BEFORE the unscheduled get-off. Gear is about damage control AFTER the unscheduled get-off. Gear isn't about safety.

Risk compensation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[andys]

I love motorbikes, greatest thing ever. The best thing to do on one IMHO is to sport tour. Getting away for a few days camping with friends on bikes is about as goood as it gets. Throw in some twisty roads along the way, some unscheduled adventures (weather, get-offs, crazy locals, drunk women) and you are all set. Equally fun is dual sport riding. A few hundred miles off road over a couple of days is so much rowdy fun it is ridiculous. Forget that DS MTB, a KTM enduro is where it is at.

Best bikes:

Triumph T100 (the Thruxton has a poor overly long cafe position)
Suzuki SV650 corner carver
Suzuki Bandit 1200 - a little plain but well done, can tour, can carve, low seat, great power when needed
Suzuki DR650 - commute, carve corners, or dual sport
Honda CBR600 F4i - a few years old now but a refined do it all sport bike, push the button, point and shoot
Honda VFR800 - -get this and be done, exotic, sport tour, sport, whatever - greatest bike ever
BMW R75/6 or R75/5 - go retro on a bike that works reasonably well and has a huge following

Oh yeah, you can get killed or maimed. You can also be smart about how you ride, when, where, and how many risks you are willing to take. A lot of the risk you can control. Just like in cycling you can't control everything. It is a choice you make. IMO the risks are worth it. Once you become a biker and get experienced it is hard to ever consider being without a motorcycle. Good luck.

Andy - 1971 Kawasaki H1500, 1998 BMW R1100S