The General Motorbikers Discussion Thread

My local moto-gear shop is importing Weise gloves from the UK. I think I might pick up a set.
 
I just stumbled upon this bicycle rack for motorcycles. Oooooooooo......kay....

Xzibit-On-Planking.jpg
 
Most the ones I see are on BMW GS1200 or GS650s.
 
Okay, so I've decided I'm pretty interested in getting a bike. So, I need to buy a cheap, perhaps project, bike to learn on.

What sort of thing should I be looking at? I don't want a postie bike (Honda CT110), more a 250cc road bike. It would be primarily for commuting over countryside blasts and that sort of thing.

I would like to pay under AU$2000, less than $1500 if possible.

I know Hondas are pretty much the ideal brand, but they carry a premium. Are the other Japanese bike brands really much worse?

There is this one which I quite like, a Kawasaki GPX250R.
http://www.bikesales.com.au/all-bikes/private/details.aspx?R=10902826&__Qpb=1&Cr=6&__Ns=p_PriceSort_Decimal%7c0%7c%7cp_Make_String%7c0%7c%7cp_Model_String%7c0&keywords=&__N=1432%20604%201430%201429%201626%201428%20679%2080%201480&SearchAction=N&silo=1400&PriceTo=679&seot=1&__Nne=15&trecs=13&__sid=1315D346CB36
 
No, all of the big four japanese bike manufacturers are overall very good. Each one may have some individual little problems or specific things in individual models (cue Spectre talking about the horrors of relays on Yamahas :p), but Honda is mostly regarded to have the best overall quality. Doesn't mean that everything else is worthless.

What sort of riding do you want to do? If you're mostly doing urban riding with some country roads now and then, a dual-sport bike could be a good choice as well. They're a lot of fun, with ideal handling characteristics for the city and mostly pretty forgiving to ride. Plus most of them are built to be rugged and stand up to abuse. Although I don't know if there are any avaible in that engince class is Australia. :dunno:

Edit:
Some examples:
http://www.bikesales.com.au/all-bik...&seot=1&__Nne=15&trecs=169&__sid=1315D41B3D00
http://www.bikesales.com.au/all-bik...&seot=1&__Nne=15&trecs=169&__sid=1315D41B3D00
http://www.bikesales.com.au/all-bik...&seot=1&__Nne=15&trecs=169&__sid=1315D41B3D00
 
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These ones look like dirt bikes to my untrained eyes. I don't particularly like them, and around where I live people who ride them are pretty universally hated. Of course, I'm open to suggestions, what are the benefits of this type of bike compared to, say, the Kawasaki I posted earlier?

It would be mostly urban riding with a bit of out-of-town stuff every now and then. To give you an idea, I really like the looks of the Honda VTR250. Basically a naked/sports road bike sort of thing.
 
The offroad heritage means that they are generally very light and agile, which means that they are often more responsive and easier to maneuver at lower speeds. Engines are mostly designed for low down power opposed to revvy sportsbikes, and the riding position is more relaxed - although the typical sportsbike ergonomics are often not as pronounced on the lower capacity bikes.
Drawbacks are generally worse high speed performance, such as slower top speed, not as good stability, and lack of wind protection (but that's a general point of faired bikes vs. unfaired). But if you're pootling around town, it doesn't really matter how the bike behaves over 100km/h.
In short, because they're made to go off road, they're designed in a way that makes them great for slower speed and offer forgiving handling, while still being a lot of fun. A good fit for a novice and urban riding.

But I can understand if you don't think that's the type of bike for you. Choosing a bike is much more a matter of preference than with cars, imo.
 
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Hmm, I'll be sure to take a look at some. But yeah, I don't really like the look of them. Also 250cc is not a requirement, I don't want a too powerful bike for obvious (n00b) reasons, plus I have to have less than 660cc as a learner.

Thanks for the help!
 
Tonight I took a fun back-road home, a route I haven't taken in weeks. I know the road very well; to the point that I know where all the shitty bits of pavement are well before I reach them. I guess the locals got tired of the shitty pavement. As I crested a hill, which I knew was followed by a long, decreasing radius right corner, I saw a strange sight ahead. Construction cones. A bulldozer maybe 100 feet ahead of me, sideways in the road. Road closed signs. And right as I thought, "FUCKING BRAKE YOU FUCK!"; I felt a drop and realized the road beneath me had turned to gravel. I somehow managed to stop my POS old VFR within a length of the bulldozer, slightly sideways, down from 40-45mph on gravel. Once stopped I briefly considered shitting myself, but decided it would be a better idea to just maneuver through the little construction area and continue on my way. The road was only closed for about the length of a city block.

I'll probably go take a look at it tomorrow, when its light out. Maybe I had more room to react than I think I did, or maybe there was old concrete under the gravel or something. Because honestly I don't know how I'm not unconscious next to an old bulldozer right now. Or spending the morning digging gravel out of my forearms.

I know you're not too keen on an enduro Hbriz, but they make great first bikes. My first street legal bike was a Honda XL250 (much like the one above) and I wish I'd never sold it. It got 60-70mpg just like a newer Kawasaki Ninja 250 and I could ride it anywhere. It was 30-40lbs lighter than a comparable street bike, geared shorter for brisker acceleration around town (and offroad obviously). The upright seating position, long thin seat, and dirtbike bars made it extremely maneuverable at low speeds. My opinion is that it was even more friendly around town than a similar displacement motorcycle or scooter. Plus you could run over curbs, not give a shit about potholes, ride up/down stairs ... basically take it anywhere you wanted because it's just a dressed up dirtbike. They're great fun and what I would go for when it comes to smaller displacement bikes.

But that's me. You ought to take a few bikes for a spin and see what you're really comfortable on.
 
I'd like to point out, that the upright driving position helps with spotting trouble down the road. I like to be able to see over the cars ahead of me and that's why I despise SUV's so much. I can look through most vans though.
 
Oh yeah, that's another thing I originally wanted to point out but somehow forgot. The high and upright seating position of dual sports really gives you a very good overview of the surrounding traffic.
 
I went to the Kyffh?user this weekend and someone made pictures. Not me though.
Alone and with passenger
We were four, one with a 750 GSX, another with a 900 Fireblade and me with the sister of the blader on my Revere. We left her taking pictures on the first run, which didn't turn out that well.
 
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That video has been circulating quite a bit. They do those law enforcement moto rodeos in the Dallas area several times per year. It really is amazing what you can do on a Road King or other similarly huge moto.
 
I am having such a dilemma with the Kawasaki H1 Triple that I own.
I absolutely love the bike, I've had it for years but because of fuel prices it's getting insanely expensive to ride. It gets 15mpg, maybe 20mpg if I ride it in such a manner that the plugs foul. So, 75 miles of riding would cost +/-$20, except I also have to factor in the cost of two stroke oil. It uses a quart of two-stroke oil every few tanks of gas, which costs anywhere from an additional $5-7 per quart. I recently went on a long ride on it, accompanying someone with a similar-vintage Corvette, and his day's running costs in his 'Vette were less than mine on a 500cc bike. I mean, I was able to blow the doors of his 'Vette but... :p

Basically, all I want to do is ride the bike but I can't really afford to anymore. Even if I do take it for a good ride, the thought of how much it's costing me takes away some of the enjoyment. I could sell it, and get a more modern bike (or another '70s bike that isn't a large-displacement two-stroke), but then I will have given up a Kawasaki H1 Triple that I was able to get for considerably cheaper than any I would ever get now. Which means I could make a profit on it now, but I would never be able to get one again in my original price range.

It's a tough call. Would you sell it, or store it in hopes that some day gas will be $.25/gallon? :lol:
 
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I'll just leave this here :dance:


AWESOME!!!:D



I am having such a dilemma with the Kawasaki H1 Triple that I own.
I absolutely love the bike, I've had it for years but because of fuel prices it's getting insanely expensive to ride. It gets 15mpg, maybe 20mpg if I ride it in such a manner that the plugs foul. So, 75 miles of riding would cost +/-$20, except I also have to factor in the cost of two stroke oil. It uses a quart of two-stroke oil every few tanks of gas, which costs anywhere from an additional $5-7 per quart. I recently went on a long ride on it, accompanying someone with a similar-vintage Corvette, and his day's running costs in his 'Vette were less than mine on a 500cc bike. I mean, I was able to blow the doors of his 'Vette but... :p

Basically, all I want to do is ride the bike but I can't really afford to anymore. Even if I do take it for a good ride, the thought of how much it's costing me takes away some of the enjoyment. I could sell it, and get a more modern bike (or another '70s bike that isn't a large-displacement two-stroke), but then I will have given up a Kawasaki H1 Triple that I was able to get for considerably cheaper than any I would ever get now. Which means I could make a profit on it now, but I would never be able to get one again in my original price range.

It's a tough call. Would you sell it, or store it in hopes that some day gas will be $.25/gallon? :lol:


Still got the Zuma right? Use that as your commuter and the H1 as the weekend warrior.
 
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