Motorcycle nuts, get on in here.

[katwalk]

Damn those damn Ninjas are still calling me. I started wanting one in middle school

[smib]

I love seeing a girl on a motorcycle (crotch rockets specifically), freakin hot as hell.

[Blind_Io]

Originally Posted by bone

i agree on the 50cc thingies, but i went on vacation to spain this year, and there, everyone is driving around on one of these



those thing pack some punch! i've seen one doing powerslides
and they look soooo comfy

if i were living in a crouwded city, i'ld get one of those
(and a supermotard to play with )

I saw one of these at my dealership, it's sweet! It's a 500cc V-twin sport scooter with a top speed over 100 mph. It has sport tired, dual front disc brakes and a disc rear.

This is not your typical scooter.

[tianluo]

A Gilera GP800 is also very popular maxi scooter over here. I've been lusting for one:



800cc and top speed of over 100mph. Very stable, very linear power delivery.

[bone]

what transmission do they actually use on those things?

it's still vario like 50cc scooters? or do they have an auto box or sth?

[smib]

Originally Posted by tianluo

A Gilera GP800 is also very popular maxi scooter over here.
*snip*
800cc and top speed of over 100mph. Very stable, very linear power delivery.

How is that not classified as a motorcycle?

[Censport]

The Suzuki GS500 and Honda 250 Nighthawk are good calls, but don't be afraid of bikes over 500cc. Just because a bike has a big engine doesn't mean it's unmanageable. My 72-yr-old father just got his motorcycle license and bought his first bike - a used Suzuki 650 Savage. It's 650cc, as the name suggests, but it's all in one cylinder. It sounds like a big air compressor.

The GS500 is still in production, but it now has a fairing and is called the GS500F. It retails for $5200.

http://www.suzukicycles.com/Products/GS500FK8

The Suzuki SV650 is another good choice, but finding a really nice used one might prove difficult, as they're popular with the young'uns.

The basic SV650 lists for $6,000, and an ABS-equipped one is only another $600 more.
http://www.suzukicycles.com/Products/SV650K8
http://www.suzukicycles.com/Products/SV650AK8

Standards are starting to make a comeback, and good ones to buy on the used market are the Honda CB600F (called the Hornet in Europe), and the Yamaha FZ6 (known as the Fazer in Europe). I bought a used FZ6 recently with 3300 miles on it for $5,000:


(I'm 6'-0", and 183 lbs, by the way. Girlfriend is 5'-6" and 115 lbs. The bike handles both of us just fine.)

My girlfriend will be getting her motorcycle license in a couple of weeks, and will soon be shopping for her first bike since she left Vietnam over a decade-and-a-half ago.

[avanti]

Since most of the bikes under 500cc are quite boring dare to be different and ride around in style!
http://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/mcy/813930871.html

[tianluo]

Originally Posted by smib

How is that not classified as a motorcycle?

It is classfied as a motorcycle, but most don't see it that way because it's a step through.

Originally Posted by bone

what transmission do they actually use on those things?

it's still vario like 50cc scooters? or do they have an auto box or sth?

Its CVT like all other scooters and "auto" motorcycles, only Honda does it differently in Europe with the Hondamatics and the new HFT in the DN-1.

[jayhawk]

Thank you for the tips and info. I do want to clarify though.

I consider anything with fairings or have to lean forward more than 30 degrees a crotch rocket. You have to consider that my back cannot handle leaning forward, nor can my wife handle anything over 400 pounds. We am looking for a traditional motorcycle, something upright, like this:
http://powersports.honda.com/motorcy...delId=CMX250C8

For got to mention that we are looking for a bike that can keep up with traffic and ride on the interstate for no more than 50 miles. We could care less about speed, all I care about is that it can keep up with the flow of traffic.

[Censport]

Ah. That's a cruiser.

A motorcycle's weight isn't as important as its balance. For example, this past weekend my girlfriend and I rode to the local Triumph dealership. She sat on several bikes, but found a used Harley 883 Sportster (the smallest of the Harleys, typically known as "the wife's Harley") to be the hardest one to balance, or even stand up from its sidestand. But the abso-frickin-lutely-huge Triumph RocketIII (which has a 2300cc engine - half a liter bigger than the engine in my Miata) was no more difficult to balance than the Triumph Bonneville.

If you want to keep up with traffic, a 250cc might not cut it for you. A Honda 250 Rebel typically has to be downshifted on any decent grade. Here in Middle Tennessee, which has pretty mild hills, some 250 Rebel riders tell me they have to shift all the way down to 2nd gear.

I have a bad back as well. Too many years of bending over the engine bays of Porsche 911's. My FZ6 is about as leaned-over as I can take. The wind helps take the load off my lower back, while the fairing keeps most of the bugs off me. I've got a touring windscreen (2.5" taller) ordered.

[katwalk]

Originally Posted by smib

I love seeing a girl on a motorcycle (crotch rockets specifically), freakin hot as hell.

And this is where the idea was from
10 year old who thinks the motorcycle could have made me a superhero

[BigDaveDogg]

Jay, I've got a chipped bone in my L3 and it bothers me once in a while when sitting awkwardly for extended periods or standing for extended periods, but it doesn't give me any issues on my bike. What is the issue with yours? It might not be as concerning, or discomforting as you may think, but then again I don't know your situation. The riding position will make other areas sore, so for a leisure ride you probably aren't up for that. Obviously you aren't in the market for a sportbike, but don't rule out a slightly more aggressive ride (unless your back is a really big issue). Anyway, I rode around on my buddy's Shadow 750 a few times, it's a nice ride. Might be something you should look into.

[Ottobon]

Originally Posted by Blind_Io

There are lots of used Ducati Monsters out there, they run about 70 hp for the smaller ones.

The 620 has 62hp and it seems to be plenty for my buddy who owns one. Their not retardedly expensive either, and i think the baby Ducatis are rather good when it comes to reliability, atleast in comparison to the older Italian bikes. Not sure if thats your thing though, although i would give you a e-hug if you went for it.

[tigger]

Hey Jay, have you considered a small displacement dual-sport motorcycle? The seat heights aren't too bad and they have a very upright seating position. Plus they're generally cheap and fairly tough. Not the most stylish bikes, but they are fun.

Originally Posted by smib

I love seeing a girl on a motorcycle (crotch rockets specifically), freakin hot as hell.

A few weeks ago at a gas station this girl pulls up on an all black R6 with a pink mohawk thing on her helmet. I think I looked like this .

[Peter3hg]

Originally Posted by Censport

and the Yamaha FZ6 (known as the Fazer in Europe). I bought a used FZ6 recently with 3300 miles on it for $5,000:

I also have an '06 FZ6 and the riding position is sit-up-and-beg rather than leant over like on a sports bike. Don't be put off by the bit of fairing, it just makes it a more pleasurable experience at cruising speeds.

[bone]

Originally Posted by Censport

Standards are starting to make a comeback, and good ones to buy on the used market are the Honda CB600F (called the Hornet in Europe), and the Yamaha FZ6 (known as the Fazer in Europe). I bought a used FZ6 recently with 3300 miles on it for $5,000:

used to be called the hornet, but the hornet is a plane as well, and honda can't use that name anymore

that being said, the CB600F is a very good bike, everyone i know who had one, can't say anything bad about it

[Redliner]

Originally Posted by bone

used to be called the hornet, but the hornet is a plane as well, and honda can't use that name anymore

that being said, the CB600F is a very good bike, everyone i know who had one, can't say anything bad about it

Here in Brazil it is still called Hornet.

[Censport]

Originally Posted by bone

used to be called the hornet, but the hornet is a plane as well, and honda can't use that name anymore

that being said, the CB600F is a very good bike, everyone i know who had one, can't say anything bad about it

Ah, didn't realize that about the name. I rode one a few months ago, and it was a very nice-riding bike. The only reason I ended up getting the "Fazer" instead was the lack of touring accessories for the Honda (never thought I'd see that).

Another thing, jayhawk, is that while the Suzuki GS500 now has a fairing, the handlebars are still in the same place they were when the bike was naked. So it still has the same ergos. But if it's a matter of your Harley buddies giving you grief for riding anything that resembles a crotch rocket, just tell them you'll ride any bike they cough up the big $$$ for.

And to follow up on tigger's previous post, dual-sports can handle rough roads very well thanks to their abundance of suspension travel, but the seat height may be a challenge for you and the missus.

[jayhawk]

Someone at my work just bought this:

http://www.triumph.co.uk/usa/Scrambler_5334.aspx

That is cool as hell, and just the right height! A little pricey, but I have always wanted a Triumph or Norton.

Actually, I am digging the Triumph Bonneville, too.

As far as seat heights go, should I use the inseam length of my pants as a guide? I wear 30 X 30 pants.