Calling all motorcyclists! I want one, need advice...

[sandor_]

Re: Calling all motorcyclists! I want one, need advice...

1. Would a Ninja 250 make a good beginner's bike as compared to the Nighthawk?
2. Do I need a NY State Driver's License in order to have a Motorcycle License?
3. Is insurance mandatory like for cars?
4. Is it possible to ride a bike in the rain? How about on a freeway in the rain?
5. Can I use headphones and an iPod in my helmet while riding? Is this illegal?
6. Anything about maintenance? How many miles before I have to check belts, chains, change oil, etc?

1) never rode either, so i cannot say

2) http://www.nydmv.state.ny.us/license.htm#Motorcycle

3) of course. anything you need a license for needs to be insured (at least liability in most states)

4) yup, i ride in the rain. just stay out of the middle of the lane - this is where cars drop oil, making it super slippery in the rain, take hard turns slow, and be careful at the beginning of the rain storm - that is when the oil first rises out of the tarmac.

5) varies by state, but usually you need to keep one ear empty for safety.

6) this would vary by manufacturer. get a service manual off the bat.



personally? i would start with a scooter (i'm very biased by the way) something like this -

http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/mcy/203940983.html

much less intimidating at first, it seems like you have a very short commute so it will be great. direct drive, so no belts, gravity fed fuel, carbed, easy electrical, single cylinder, air cooled, etc.



I would also HIGHLY recommend this:

http://www.nydmv.state.ny.us/mcmanual/safety_program.htm

as a way to get your license. the Motorcycle Safety Foundation's classes are excellent, and you get to ride their bikes, so you dont have to worry as much.

 

[sandor_]

no? hmm, that's the reputation it has over here

every biker has like that little extra respect for the rd, the monster from their young days

and of course once in 3rd gear, the R1 will be long gone, but those rd's seem to be insane on powerpickup and takeoff

never driven one though (a friend bought one a while ago, but took the engine right out to put under his banshee)

Back in the olden days it was a monster, but that was 20-30 years ago. When the RD came out the only bikes with that much power weighed at least 50 kilos more, so basically the rd was a racebike for the road.

But it can't be compared with modern bikes, even sports bikes from the late '80s will smoke it. The RD took almost 5 seconds to get from 0-100km/h, almost every sports bike made from 1985 till now does it in between 3 and 3.5.

But still, in real life it doesn't really matter, you can have just as much fun with a 15-20 year old bike, just just have to take good care of it.

a stock '73 RD350 will still give a stock Carrera a run for its money. there is no better way to spook the toupee wearing douche in a 911 then show him up on a scraggly looking 30 year old bike.

 

[Redliner]

An RD350 is a good bike indeed, but the engine is a little tricky for a begginer...the violent nature of the 2-stroke might get a learner off-guard.
Personally, I would buy a little bike (around 200cc FOUR STROKE), ride it around for a while until you feel like you completely "outlearned the bike" and then move to something bigger.
I did that, my first bike was a Honda Strada (200cc-19hp woohoo) and it was much fun. Since it was small, I could screw up most of my rding and still get away with it. After a year riding it, I bought a Suzuki GSXF750 (750cc-106hp) and I honestly think I would have killed myself If I got the 750 first.
If it suits your taste (I don't like it), a cruiser might also be a good choice, they usually have big lazy engines with truckloads of torque.

 

[avanti]

a stock '73 RD350 will still give a stock Carrera a run for its money. there is no better way to spook the toupee wearing douche in a 911 then show him up on a scraggly looking 30 year old bike.

Of course, I never questioned that. Motorcycle vs. car is not the issue here, it was rd350 vs for example GSX-R750. There is as far as I know extremly few road legal cars that do 0-100km/h in less than 3.5 seconds.

 

[bone]

i think sth like this looks ubercool as well (loose the mirror though)

(i love those small wheels)

 

[sandor_]

a stock '73 RD350 will still give a stock Carrera a run for its money. there is no better way to spook the toupee wearing douche in a 911 then show him up on a scraggly looking 30 year old bike.

Of course, I never questioned that. Motorcycle vs. car is not the issue here, it was rd350 vs for example GSX-R750. There is as far as I know extremly few road legal cars that do 0-100km/h in less than 3.5 seconds.

oh, we're most definitely in agreement that today's bikes far outshine those of 30 years ago.

...but just imagine if they made a 1000 cc 2-stroke.... :? i think the aprilia rs250 went 0-100 kmh in 3.7.... imagine... though definitely a pro's bike. i would kill myself on anything even remotely that fast (why i stick to vespas)

 

[duh]

Have a look at this 2 beauties!! They should cost around 8-grand where u live.

 

[avanti]

Have a look at this 2 beauties!! They should cost around 8-grand where u live.

I don't think those two are very good beginner bikes.... :shock:

 

[bone]

^why not? if you go down with one of those you won't be ruined caus all your panels broke
and campared to a racer they allow some other ways of fun besides going fast

and it all depends of the engine you put in there, i wouldn't suggest a 600cc, but a 250 should be available as well
and if not, make one yourself, it's basically a dirt bike with small wheels and road tires
(then you even will have a set of rims + tires if you want to go off roading)

 

[BlaRo]

Heh, I wish I had 8 grand to blow on a bike.

I'd love to have something like this:

Of course, if I got one now it'd probably kill me somehow. That, and it's also 8 grand. Aw, shucks.

 

[bone]

is that a buell?

 

[avanti]

is that a buell?

Its a triumph speed triple

^why not? if you go down with one of those you won't be ruined caus all your panels broke
and campared to a racer they allow some other ways of fun besides going fast

and it all depends of the engine you put in there, i wouldn't suggest a 600cc, but a 250 should be available as well
and if not, make one yourself, it's basically a dirt bike with small wheels and road tires
(then you even will have a set of rims + tires if you want to go off roading)

Because those two motards are about as hardcore as motards come, nothing for beginners. Plus they are extremly uncomfortable.

The Aprilia comes with either a 450 or 550 cc engine, the Husquarna has 600 cc. And I don't think building your own is a good idea either, first of all because I don't think a beginner has the knowledge, plus it will be a pain in the ass to get it approved.

If he wants a motard he should buy a old Suzuki DR 350 and put road wheels on it.



And another thing, why does everyone say, "if I get one of those I will kill myself"?? Motorcycles are not dangerous, a sports bike is not dangerous, you don't have to push it to the redline all the time and drive like a maniac. A statement like that says; I can't control myself, therefore I don't drive motorcycles

 

[sandor_]

is that a buell?

<choke>

...is that a buell? what kind of mockery is this?!?






i'm all about the speed triple - the new ducs also hit a chord with me -

 

[sandor_]

...



And another thing, why does everyone say, "if I get one of those I will kill myself"?? Motorcycles are not dangerous, a sports bike is not dangerous, you don't have to push it to the redline all the time and drive like a maniac. A statement like that says; I can't control myself, therefore I don't drive motorcycles

correct on all but one thought - i DO ride motorcycles and other two wheeled vehicles, but i dont trust myself on something over about 350 cc (picked 350 because that is the largest displacement mid-70s RD made =)

personally, i know how i ride and drive. i know how far i take my 177cc kitted out, piped, wide-ass carb'ed vespa. i can only hit 60 mph, but i can beat a stock mustang red light to red light. and i know i shouldn't allow myself on a large displacement bike. i don't trust my right hand.

 

[klutch]

DON'T go out and get a newer 600! Its a much steeper learning curve. I kind of regret getting the R6; had I bought something older and slower, I'd be able to ride it to its (lower) limits, and learn a lot faster. Granted, I'm having a ton of fun, but I'm one of the lucky ones that's still alive after a beginners riding season on a supersport.
If I had the chance to make my purchase all over again, I would have fought the temptation to go with one of my intial interests, a Ducati Monster 750. Still a very fast, beautiful bike, but nowhere near as high strung. Ideally, I should have bought something from the early to mid-90's, in decent shape, but something I wouldn't mind dropping too much. You can easily pick up a bike for around $3000 in good shape, in the off-season. Find an older Yamaha or Suzuki, whatever size you want, and strip off the fairings and unecessary bits. You can get the frame polished pretty cheap, get some agressive tires and a mean exhaust and BAM! You've got yourself a wild naked; it'll get the chicks, have the sound and performance to back up the looks, and you'll be at a third of the cost of a newer 600 SS.

 

[bone]

plus it will be a pain in the ass to get it approved.

do you have strics rules according to bikes?

over here they are extremely strickt on cars, but don't even look at bikes, you're allowed to do EVERYTHING (no MOT type of test what so ever). as long as you have lights and a licenseplate, they leave you alone

 

[Redliner]

DON'T go out and get a newer 600! Its a much steeper learning curve. I kind of regret getting the R6; had I bought something older and slower, I'd be able to ride it to its (lower) limits, and learn a lot faster. Granted, I'm having a ton of fun, but I'm one of the lucky ones that's still alive after a beginners riding season on a supersport.
If I had the chance to make my purchase all over again, I would have fought the temptation to go with one of my intial interests, a Ducati Monster 750. Still a very fast, beautiful bike, but nowhere near as high strung. Ideally, I should have bought something from the early to mid-90's, in decent shape, but something I wouldn't mind dropping too much. You can easily pick up a bike for around $3000 in good shape, in the off-season. Find an older Yamaha or Suzuki, whatever size you want, and strip off the fairings and unecessary bits. You can get the frame polished pretty cheap, get some agressive tires and a mean exhaust and BAM! You've got yourself a wild naked; it'll get the chicks, have the sound and performance to back up the looks, and you'll be at a third of the cost of a newer 600 SS.

Very good advice and you are right about the learning curve. Start small and learn to ride it to the limit before moving up.

 

[BlaRo]

UPDATE!
I went over to the NY DMV and got an NY Driver's License as well as a Motorcycle Learner's Permit after taking a really easy 20-question test that I hadn't planned to take on the spot but passed anyway. Too bad the local community college's Learn 2 Ride safety course is all full until Feb. 2007 ( ) but I'll see what I can do. But it's one step closer to not having to take the bus like a middle schooler.

One quick question: What year did motorcycles stop coming with carburetors? I'm assuming after 1980 for most Hondas and Yamahas?

 

[Ultra_Kool_Dude]

^ Even new 250s/500s have carburetors I think.

 

[Redliner]

Eletrocnic fuel injection for bikes is relatively new.
As UKD said, even today we have a lot of simpler bikes with carburetors to keep them cheap.