Need help with motorcycle decision
 

Hi,
I plan to get a motorcycle but I've never driven one. I've rode on one only one time. What made me come to the decision of getting one is because of gas prices and my trip to work. I have a 79 Bronco with a 466/c6 so you can imagine what my gallons per mile is.

I'm planning to take the learners motorcycle test this week. I'm just undecided on what bike I want to get. I plan to go to a local dealership since I don't have all the money for one yet.

I'm in my early 20's, 6'4ish,230ish lbs, size 15 foot, good driving record that I know of, have CDLs, no wrecks, premium member discount with multi-vehicle insurance under Progressive.

So basically I'm a big guy. I had a crotchrocket in mind but people say I would look weird on it. Plus they won't feel good when driving a long distance. I'm thinking of getting a Harley style bike (Yamaha, Suzuki, etc) butbdontbknow what to get.


Anyone got any suggestions? Thanks.

Hi ManfredVonRichtofen!

Well, I can say from experience (and my dad was fonzie- literally).....
To start with, by the time you add up the initial price of a bike, gear & insurance, IMHO, it will take years (literally) to see any cost benefit gain....and that's if you don't hit the ground in the 1st few years.....Here's what I would highly recommend.....
1. Attend a formal motorcycle training school.....there are things you will learn that unless you have someone who is a very experienced & trained rider, will never know until it's too late.
2. Buy the best helmet, gloves, jacket, pants & boots/shoes you can....remember, it's not if you hit the ground it is you will & when is the real question
3. for your 1st bike, (with limited freeway/highway time) I would recommend something in the 250cc range.......drivers expect you to be able to pick up the bike to get out of their way........while you certainly can't pick up a 250, it does provide very good braking, accel & handling (especially at low speed) to get out of the way.
4. In terms of brands....IMHO I have always felt MBW has the best engines but, just like the cars, they are expensive to work on........Honda's & Yamaha's are IMHO (in general) are the best overall handing, accel, braking for the $.......Harley & American indian are building some very nice bikes but, like a crotch rocket, you really need a bike that is nimble & easy to handle....and the Harley & AI is not the one to get for a 1st bike.

Well I drive my 79 bronco to work (30 mile round trip) at 9 mpg...I see the motorcycle will usually get 40-50 mpg.


Thanks for the tip.


How much damage does it put on the bike if you tip it over.


Thanks for the help.

Well, I rode a bike to work for years, but mostly because I liked it.

Something to remember -- when it rains, you get wet. Plus handling starts to suck. Not to mention visibility. (with or without a windshield). The right clothes make it better ( I never had them), but I don't think that anybody will say it's fun.

There are also some temperature issues. At my best, I wouldn't ride below 40 degrees. Many are hardier than me.

2x on the school. They didn't have them when I learned, but I've heard good things about them.

As for what to get, I'd go for a 500cc minimum. Hondas and Yamahas are both good reliable bikes. Harley Sportsters are also pretty nice, and they used to be fairly reasonably priced.

You might want to look for something used. That way you won't cry when you drop it -- and most people do, at least once.

As far as money goes, you'll save around $8/day at 30 mpg. It doesn't really get a lot better -- if you get 60 mpg, you'll only save $10/day. ( based on $4/gallon). $8/day is $2000 a year (going to work only). It will take a while to pay off a bike.

FWIW, I wouldn't recommend this unless you really just want to ride. A small care is more practical (IMHO), although good cheap ones are hard to find these days. But, riding is a blast .

All of this is just my opinion -- good luck,

hj

Well I thought it would be nice to ride.

I could take road trip without hurting my wallet. Heard guys say they put in a full tank and run on it for a week or more. In my bronco..I'm spending about $40+/week to go to work.

I would drive my bronco on wet days or when I want to drive it. Drive the motorcycle mostly until I'm ready to drive the bronco again.


Thanks.

I know a guy I work with who rides..he said he would help me. I'm looking for a bike in the 2k-4k area.

He's right, don't ride to save money, ride because it's fun. Something like a Suzuki Bandit would be a good bike for your size. Enough power to get out of your own way but not hard to control. Good handling, sporty but a upright relaxed riding position.

Why not have the best of both worlds? Save gas and enjoy riding. Thanks for the help guys.


I mean I would save a lot of money driving the motorcycle around and enjoy riding it rather than watch my bank account balance go down on every tank of gas I put in my bronco.

I'll check out the bikes y'all and see if I can find em.


I like the Kawasaki Vulcan look.

There's an old saying: It takes 250cc to move your body down the road; the rest of it is to move your ego.

That being said, a 250cc bike is a joke for anyone who is large. The bike itself simply isn't big enough to be comfortable, regardless of whether or not the engine is capable.

When (not if) you drop it, you'll tweak the handlebar(s), probably break off a footpeg, and bend a muffler. None of these are financial dealbreakers to replace. The expensive bits are the body parts for sportbikes, and chrome for Harleys.

I used to recommend mid-80's Honda/Yamaha/Suzuki/Kawasaki 500-700cc bikes because they were docile, and parts were easy to find. They were good learner bikes while still having some room to grow on. The problem now is that you can't find parts any more, and good-condition examples are almost impossible to pry out of the hands of their fanatical owners.

IMHO, large singles and vertical twins aren't the best bikes to actually GO where on. The vibration will wind up driving you crazy. V-twins that aren't 90 degrees apart are only marginally better. An inline 4 will give you a much better long-distance riding comfort, and modern 90-degree counterbalanced V-twins are only slightly more buzzy.

-blaine

Well I got a quote today for a 1999 Kawasaki Vulcan 500 (just seeing how much one one cost me in insurance) and for full coverage it would be $220/yr. Liability would cost me $129/yr.


So basically what bike would be worth getting?

Whichever one is worth it to you - it's subjective - there are different bikes for different people...

Find one that you feel comfortable riding and run with it...

Just my 2-cents...

I miss riding and I had thought about getting another bike but then, I look at the idiots driving around while not paying attention, and I decide otherwise...

Good luck with your decision.

True...especially them teens driving.

I'll ask and see if he can get a Vulcan....they look nice.. I just wonder which has the best gas mileage hmm.

Maybe this will help.

Kawasaki Vulcan 500 LTD MPG Reports | Fuelly

You can also look up other bikes on that site, but I'm not sure which ones they'd have listed...

Edit: There's a tab at the top of the search page where you switch back and forth between cars and motorcycles - turns out, they have quite a lot of different bikes listed...

For your size, I would say look at the VTX 1300 or 1800 retro. I am your size and the smaller bikes were uncomfortable to ride. I looked like an escaped circus bear riding on most of the smaller bikes. The 1800 and 1300 are the same length and height. 1300 is carbed 1800 is F.I.

I only averaged about 30mpg on the highway/25 in town.

I used my bosses dressed Harley to get my endorsement. It was much easier to make the turns than my vtx would have been. A vtx is a huge bike for a huge guy. Most bikes, my knees are way above the top of the gas tank, this causes cramps in the pelvic area. I had a crashbar with highway pegs to stretch out on. This helped tremendously.

Comfort plays a huge part in being safe on a motorcycle. If you are jammed up on a small bike those size 15's are gonna be hard to move smoothly. When I get another bike, I will get another 1800. It is the semi of motorcycles.

Just keep in mind that there is nothing safe about a bike. You can be the safest person on 2 wheels, it is the 4 wheels that tend to damage you the most. Also, do not get anything to pretty in the beginning, you will fall.

Good luck and watch everywhere around you on the bike. Stay steps ahead of others and always try to leave a secondary path to stay upright when those distracted drivers come over on you.

I was distracted for a few seconds and paid for it with a broken leg. Need surgery to make it correct again, but I can not see that happening anytime soon. The bike and I never went down cause my right leg played kickstand at 45 mph to push the bike back up. I never stopped and rode 6 miles or so home with it broken. I parked the bike, stepped off, took three steps, and fell over.

My hard head thought it might be a bad sprain and waited 4 more hours to go to the hospital. Drove myself and barely was able to get from my truck to the desk. Tore the ACL in half, tore the miniscus in the knee, and pulled ligaments in my calf. I am still climbing ladders and roofs and have no limp, so I consider myself pretty lucky.

I've never owned or ridden a motorcycle on or for the roadways or freeway. I can see the "fun meter" pegging out every time you start it up and get going. It looks like a blast and it looks like it can be quite dangerous.

That's my former 25 year old self arguing with my current 51 year old self.

It seems to me that for a similar outlay in cash or financing, one could get a good used 4 cylinder car for commuting and achieve a respectable 30+ MPG's and have some safety and protection from the elements.

However, if one is dead set on the bile idea, then X2 on the driving school, high quality gear and a mid sized bike to start with. Good luck and be safe, please.

Cars get boring. Motorcycles bring women. ;)


Thanks for the info guys.


I'm looking for a Vulcan, Vs tar or others that yall mentioned to me.


Thanks.

I own a 2003 VTX1800. It is a big bike, but someone of your stature should be OK with it. I'm not sure about recommending it as a beginner bike though. And you are looking at 36 - 38 mpg on a v-twin with pistons the size of coffee cans.

Eh yeah I was hoping for something with a 50 mpg + and maybe a little - if that's all I could get.

For that kind of mileage you need a moped. A friend of mine gets 83 mpg on his ruckus and top speed of 47 mph.

At your size and my size, I do not see any reason a larger powered motor makes a difference. If you are going to ride, ride what fits you. You have to get familiar with what you ride regardless of engine size. Respect the bike and the power it has and you should be okay.

If you were 5foot 5 or 5 foot 10, a smaller bike would be fine due to the variety of bikes to choose that will fit that stature. Tall wide guys with floorboards for feet, need a large frame bike. This is why I am saying the 1300 or 1800 works best for me. The 1300 is the smallest engine for the large frame bike.

A meanstreak is 1500 cc but is a small frame bike compared to a vtx. I am jammed up when I have ridden my friends. I love Harleys, I just can not go more than a few miles without getting cramped or a sore lower back.

10-4.

I tell the dealership guy to find me

A VTX, Vulcan, or V star.

One other suggestion would be to go to your local bike night. You can shop all brands of bikes and get a feel for size and shape. Some people may even let you sit on the bike to see how you feel on it.

Bike night here is on Wednesday night. All cities vary. Lots of good people willing to help a fellow rider.

We dont have bike night. A guy I work with drives his Yamaha V star..it seems comfy.

That sucks. Tonight There are about 100 down the street from me.

Yeah. People have motorcycles here but they dont meet up.

Basically you have to get what you feel comfortable with and can afford. If you go with a smaller bike frame, look into forward controls on ebay.

My brother rides a honda 1100 with homemade forward controls. He is larger than me. He is around 300 pounds and 6 foot 4.

The further the controls will go without interfering with the front wheel turn radius, the better.

Depending on the bike and your mechanic abilities will determine the cost to add the foot controls. I had 7 inch controls on the old ace 750 that I had. That was back in the circus bear days.:D

http://ts2.mm.bing.net/th?id=H.47758...81013&pid=15.1

I see alot of bikes that I am interested in on Craigslist from $2000+ and in good shape. Just don't have the money.

I probably will take the Motorcycle Permit exam this Friday and go on and have them.

What is this "forward controls"?

You take the stock foot pegs, shift lever, and brake pedal off. You then add a bracket that bolts to the frame and you re attach the factory parts back on the new bracket. They come with all needed parts for moving them. This will let you ride more comfortable and get your knees down more level with the gas tank.

This will give you an idea. These were what I had on the 750 ace.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Honda-Shadow-ACE-8-750-FORWARD-CONTROLS-EXTENSIONS-KIT-paint-or-polish-ready-/251224973975?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3a7e2ce297&vxp=mtr

Ah, I see..interesting.

Years ago when my dad still rode, he had the 750 Vulcan. It was a pretty fun bike to ride on (at least my 10 yr old self thought so). He had it straight piped and you could hear it coming a mile away.

The other bike that I know a fair bit about and might fit you is the Harley Davidson Electra Glide. My manager at work is slightly smaller than you, probably about 6'2. He has a mid 2000's electa glide with the 88 cube engine (1450 CC), and often takes multi state trips. He says it is very easy to ride, and he doesn't get worn out, partly due to the mounting style of the forks.

As far as gear, you'll want to invest in good stuff. It can make the difference between life and death if you dump the bike at speed. Get some quality leathers for warm weather, and quality rain gear for, well, rain. My suggestion is getting a one piece for in the rain. Less chance of water seeping in. Trust me on this one; I live in Washington :P


Anyway, good luck on your search!
Jameson

Got my motorcycle permit....just trying to figure out what to do about a motorcycle now.

Get a small engine cheap bike first. There are two kinds of motorcyclist:
- Those that have dropped the bike
- Those that will

I had a 500cc for 2 years and grew out of it when I started taking passengers frequently. With close to 300lbs on board it was annoying to lose that ability to pass other cars quickly on country roads.

I'm just 5'8 and felt right at home on a VFR 750. This would probably be too small for you.

For my next bike I'd like an adventure type bike such as BMW F800GS but they are too high for me; I'd need a lowered seat and possibly lowered suspension.

Look for anything made to go offroad. They are built high for rocks but that will make them perfect for tall guys.

Would you consider a dual sport bike?

The reason I ask, is I recommend them to anyone who is interested in starting to ride - They are

• available cheap
• usually designed to be dropped (if its your first bike, it is going to happen - better it happens with a bike that can withstand it)
• 650 singles usually have enough power to get you going, enough to cruise at 70-75 on the freeway, but not that much that they are dangerous
• Really reliable, and parts are really cheap
• Their upright seating is comfortable to ride for some distance
• Can fit taller guys really well

I would look at a 2008+ KLR650

That's a great suggestion BigF350. I agree, look into a KLR. To add to his list of benefits the fuel economy is pretty good too. After a year or two when you're more experienced and have better idea what you want/need in a bike you can upgrade.

I've got a Victory cruiser type bike and got tired of driving past logging roads etc and wondering what was up them so I bought a KLR 650 and so far I really like it :)
It is much easier to ride around town, and more fun, than the Victory.
It also seems to get really good gas mileage and is way cheaper to insure than the Victory.
With a set of crash bars such as from SW Motech you can lay it over without doing much damage.
Like they say there are 2 kinds of riders ...... those that have crashed and those that are going to so make sure you factor in buying a good helmet, gloves, boots etc.

Well I never thought about a dual-sport bike. Hm...


I did go out and test drove the guy I work with Yamaha VStar 650. First time driving a bike. The clutch was an issue because I kept stalling BUT I finally got a handle of it. I got up to 45 MPH. I can say it was a little heavy. I had a time going up a shoulder though when I was turning around. The grass was slick and I kept rolling back..kept stalling the bike too but I finally got up the hill. I need more practice though.

Folks said I need to go take the Beginners Course for $250..I'm considering it BUT I do want a bike. I like it.


People say get a car but it isn't fun to me. I'm a tall guy and cars make me feel cramped.

Jeep wrangler is very similar to a bike. I have plenty of room and get great mileage with the 4 cylinder. Park it almost anywhere.

A motorcycle does not like offroad. The tires are made for on pavement. Dirt roads are very uneasy also.

The KLR is good advice. Very lite and easy to maneuver.

First Today, you silly Rabbit, Jeeps are for Girls.



LOL.




I'm considering a Dual Sport since they can be used off road (since I will drive down dirtroads as well)

You know... That is what a mechanic friend of mine says. He drives a big blazer with 400 horse motor. He also drives a Lexus sc coupe.

He is always telling me it is a girly jeep. I laugh and tell him, "Look how many women want to ride in my Jeep, no one asks to ride in your Lexus or blazer."

I just bought another Jeep last week to flip for cash. He threw a fit that our friend did not call him first. Last night he was on the phone using my Jeep as a phone booth. Looked like a little kid making vroooom noises behind the wheel.

Just a suggestion, but if you want a GREAT bike at an affordable price, look into a Yamaha FJ 1200/FJ 1300 or some variant of them. They have been around forever, are dead reliable, get great mileage (my '86 FJ1200 once got 52 mpg freeway @70+, but typically got 45mpg @70+) and are quite comfy. They made them for years and they have a low center of gravity for nice low speed manners, look sporty and they made enough of them over the years that they are quite affordable. Plus, most were purchased by adults, so they were usually babied. They also have a very, very linear torque curve which makes them sooooo easy to take off at stop lights with no fuss and ride like a luxury car. The pegs are low enough to be very comfy, the bars are perfect and the seat is wide and comfy. I emptied the tank in one sitting on mine many times with no "monkey butt" ever. They are absolutely worth a look.

Sooooo glad I do not look like that.

I did ride a ruckus the other day though. I would rather a few people push me down the highway on a barstool than ride one of those everyday. The seat was below my knees.