Author Topic: Thinking about getting a motorcycle, need some input (Read 462 times)

gofaster · « **on:** March 30, 2004, 08:48:53 AM »

Gas here is getting to be almost $2 a gallon and I drive a 1998 Toyota 4runner cranking out about a 100 miles a week. My baby is getting a bit expensive to operate every day. Winter is over and the Summer rains haven't started yet. And I read the "Chernobyl Today" URL that Ripsnort posted up with a girl tooling around on her motorcycle and it got me to thinking...

Maybe a motorcycle might be a good alternative for the morning commute. It's city traffic, no faster than 40 or 50mph, stop lights every quarter mile or so, about 20 minutes each way. I've seen people on scooters and they can't keep pace so I'm thinking a small motorcycle would be the better bet (plus I could take it out on the too-expensive toll expressway on weekends for kicks). I want something light and quick. I was thinking of something along the lines of the small Kawasaki Ninja 250R. I'm 5'8", 170 lbs so I don't need much to get me around. With a MSRP under $3k, it looks pretty attractive. Of course I'd get the matching helmet and leather jacket w/ armour for safety, plus bags, so I figure total out-the-door of around $4k.

Now amortizing that price, how long will a motorcycle last? What will be my operating expense annually? Would it be worth the money?

Incidentally, my wife just paid the premium on a $100k life insurance policy on me.

lazs2 · « **Reply #1 on:** March 30, 2004, 08:52:38 AM »

they are a toy... you won't get your money out of it and about 60% of the time you are on it you will be uncomfortable.

If you love motorcycles get one... get a big one that will run a long time and enjoy it. If you don't love em stay away from em.. you will be misserable most of the time... lose money and possibly get maimed for life or killed in the bargin.

lazs

Swoop · « **Reply #2 on:** March 30, 2004, 09:00:09 AM »

No no no no no!

Not a Kwack 250. BAD idea. A small block 4 stroke that's trying to be a sportsbike like that needs to rev to stupid numbers (WELL into 5 figures) to get anywhere. Losta revs all the time means poor reliabilty.

A mid range commuter bike is what you want. Something like a CB500, insta-grunt at the back wheel when you need it instead of a few more horses at the top end once you've screamed the nuts off the engine.

After looking around US web sites and some British sites.........there's way better stuff available in Britain for new bikers than there is in the US. In the US it seems to be either a 125 or straight up to 600s. If you can get one look for a Honda CB500:

or a Suzuki GS500:

or even the venerable Kawasaki GPZ500S

All are solid, reliable bikes with enough power to get you out of trouble but not enough to get you in too much trouble.

If you really want a small engine there's the Honda nighthawk 250 at $3,395, the diff between this and the Kwack 250R is that this one isn't trying to be something it isn't:

Plus there's one more thing to remember........in Japan there are some quite stringent laws on motorcycle licences. The reason there are so many really good 250s and 400s that come out of Japan is that for a lot of Japanese riders that's the biggest they are allowed to ride. Therefore, the Japanese motorcycle industry caters for this need in the form of some really cool 250s and 400s............but these 250s and 400s are designed for fella's who're 5'6" and weigh 120lbs wet.

And yeah, what Mason said.

mason22 · « **Reply #3 on:** March 30, 2004, 09:12:06 AM »

what ever you do, please take a motorcycle safety/instructional course. Even if you "know" how to ride or "think" you're an expert, if you don't do it for yourself, do it for the rest of us....

gofaster · « **Reply #4 on:** March 30, 2004, 09:40:55 AM »

Yeah, I definitely want to take an instructional course. There's a local program here that provides Buell motorcycles if you don't have your own bike. I think they charge $350 for the class, which sounds like a pretty good deal to me.

Swoop, thanks for the info and the rec's. The GS500 and GPZ500 might be the better way to go, if I decide to go with a motorcycle at all. They cost a bit more than the smallest bikes but you raise a good point about engine size/performance. Before I do anything, I have to run it by the House Appropriations Committee for approval.

LePaul · « **Reply #5 on:** March 30, 2004, 10:02:42 AM »

Once you pay for the bike, the registration, the insurance and the upkeep, you willl gain nothing, economically.

You will, however, get wetter when it rains and there's a bigger chance if you ding someone, you'll die or be disfigured.

Now if you want a bike for FUN...ignoring economics, my suggestion is to learn on a dirt bike. Check the local paper for an on/off road. Learn to ride, if you can handle the bumps and such of the back roads, then you've learned to handle the bike. Then try the street and you'll see how cars literally have a bounty out for motorcycles.

After the dirt bike, get whatever is comfortable to you. Dont go low on CCs. Start with a 600 or, if you are a bigger guy, a 750cc. Stay away from the 900's up until you can handle that sorta power.

I like the cafe bikes, so I had several Ninja 600s, FZR 600s and Zx-7s as I was learning. Insurance for these guys is pretty expensive if you are buying on a loan; they'll require full coverage.

You didnt indicate the style you like but there's some tips.

strk · « **Reply #6 on:** March 30, 2004, 10:07:54 AM »

Bikes get great mileage - but if you ride one long enough chances are you are going to come off of it at some point.

1. most important investment is in your helmet, get the best you can afford - also leather or the newer padded protective jackets, gloves, BOOTS not shoes, and sturdy pants (at least jeans) - I once wrecked on the turnpike at 65mph - I walked away from it b/c of good leather, helmet and a lot of luck

2. Rubber - get the best tires you can afford -

3. Get a mild, stable street bike, not a crotch rocket.

4. if gas mileage is your main concern, why not get a hybrid gas/electric car? their mileage is as good or better than most bikes

Maverick · « **Reply #7 on:** March 30, 2004, 10:09:04 AM »

I second the vote that you are likely to spend more on the bike, insurance and license / safety course, that you are likely to save in gas.

If you are really set on it be prepared to drive like EVERYONE on the road is out to get you, because they are wether they intend to or not. Secondly weather is a factor. In order to save you will have to ride in all weather and have additional clothes available for business wear after arrival.

If you do get a bike look for an absolute MINIMUM of 350cc's particularly with your size. Then invest in reflective garments, a vest and reflective tape for your helmet. You DO intend to use a helmet doun't you? Lastly get a living will, or current will and fill out the donor cards. This is dependant on the traffic conditions you will be driving in of course but still good advice. Lastly consider the chances of providing for your family if you are disabled or killed saving the amount of gas youare considering.

If all this is worth it to you, have at it.

BTW I am not a bike hater, I just rode professionally for more than a decade in severe to horrendous traffic.

loser · « **Reply #8 on:** March 30, 2004, 11:13:09 AM »

Couple other things I dont think anyone else mentioned. Just little things I have noticed in my short 9 odd years of riding on many different bikes.

1 - In stop and go traffic, like a stop light/sign every 1/4 mile where you might be spending a fair amount of time sitting in traffic waiting at lights, a liquid cooled engine is a must.

My air cooled nighthawk 650 would heat up like a "child born out of wedlock" in anything over 80 degree weather in those exact same driving conditions that you intend to use your bike. It had a cheesy, almost non-functional, oil cooler that didnt do squat.

Of course a liquid cooled engine requires a touch more maintainance and it is one mroe thing to go wrong, but I wouldnt buy another bike that was air cooled.

2 - Some of the smaller bikes that have been mentioned here have drum brakes even on the front wheel! Stay away. Dual hydraulic disc brakes up front are a must. I dont really have an opinion on rear brakes either way because you should be using your rear brake for 25% (or less) of your braking "power."

I guess a hydraulic clutch is a good thing to mention but i dont know of many bikes that dont have them anymore. Can't think of any off the top of my head.

3 - A good helmet was mentioned, but I will go a bit further. Make SURE you get a full faced model. I only have two friends that have dumped their bikes. They both were fortunately wearing full faced helmets. The damage to the helmet was very, very severe on the chin area of the helmet. If they hadnt been wearing full faced helmets they would prolly stil be eating through straws.

Also in rainy conditions a full face helmet is a must. You would not believe how much rain actually hurts your face at anything over 50 MPH.

(Incidently I refuse to wear full faced helmets unless Im riding in heavy rain on the highway. I fairly claustrophobic. Hope i dont end up paying for it someday.)

4 - Im sure you can find a bunch of bike dealers in your surrounding area. Hit all the demo rides you can. Of course you have to have a motorcycle liscence first, but borrowing a bike shouldnt be too hard to do or the courses that were mentioned prolly give them out at the end of the course. $5000 or more is alot of money to plunk down without trying out all the bikes you can.

You want to make sure you like the "feel" of the bike you are going to buy, not just the way it looks or the MPG you can expect to get. I remember wanting to purchase a Shadow 750 twin a few years back because of the way it looked and sounded. After taking it out on a demo ride it had to have been the biggest POS I had ever ridden. In short, try before you buy.

5 - Buy a Honda

6 - Whatever you end up getting, be sure to lock it up.

AKCasca · « **Reply #9 on:** March 30, 2004, 11:28:38 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Maverick

If you are really set on it be prepared to drive like EVERYONE on the road is out to get you, because they are wether they intend to or not.

Absolutely Right on. Advise to live or die by.

mora · « **Reply #10 on:** March 30, 2004, 11:41:31 AM »

I'd get a 600cc dirt bike. They're quite comfortable for commuting and off roading is serious fun.

gofaster · « **Reply #11 on:** March 30, 2004, 11:54:04 AM »

Thanks, guys.

I intend to go with a full-face helmet. I'm not out to prove how tough I am. I also plan on buying and wearing a jacket with armour reinforcements. I have adhesive reflectors for the helmet from my mountain biking days and velco reflective straps for wrists and legs left over from my running days.

Here in Florida we have cyclical weather, meaning that in a given year we will have a dry Summer, then a somewhat wet Summer, then a really wet Summer, then a somewhat wet Summer, then a dry Summer again. Last year it rained every day at any time for hours on end (a really wet Summer), so I'm expecting a somewhat wet Summer this year. In other words, it will rain every day, but only between 3pm and 7pm, the prime time I would be driving home from work. I would drive my 4runner when the rain season starts so I'm basically just looking to ride a motorcycle between now and June, then weekends for sport, then September to January.

I want a 4-stroke water-cooled engine because we have 80-degree-Fahrenheit days all the way to Christmas.

The Honday Nighthawk styling is just a little too plain. It looks like they took it off the assembly line too soon, before the guy at the end of the conveyor belt could bolt the fairings and windscreen on. The Suzuki frame looks racey, and the Kawasaki Ninja looks fast just standing still.

Saddle bags would be a must, so that eliminates the motoX bikes.

I like the looks of the sport bikes, even though I won't be taking them over 50mph. Off-the-line accelleration should be good, but not so hot that I lose the bike in an accidental wheelie.

I'd considered just going with a used economy car, like a Civic or Corolla, but we really don't have a place to park it. I can squeeze a motorcycle into the garage between the lawn mower and my crates of military history books.

Or I can just learn to deal with dropping $20 a week in gas.

qts · « **Reply #12 on:** March 30, 2004, 12:45:22 PM »

One thing that hasn't been said: make sure you carry an organ donor card.

gofaster · « **Reply #13 on:** March 30, 2004, 01:01:55 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by qts
One thing that hasn't been said: make sure you carry an organ donor card.

Already done.

Vipermann · « **Reply #14 on:** March 30, 2004, 01:07:26 PM »

I couldn't imagine sitting in traffic, in Florida, in my full face helmet and leather suit without dying of the heat.

I was out riding a couple years ago with a buddy wearing all my gear. He was wearing a tee-shirt and jeans. After about an hour I stopped at home and stripped down to a tee-shirt and jeans cause I was just too hot in my suit. We went back out to ride. At a light he pointed out a girl in a jeep about 3 cars up. The light turned green, he was ahead on my left, he decides at the last minute to follow the girl without putting on his turn signal. Turns right in front of me. I slammed on the breaks and just caught his back tire, but it was enough to send me over the handlebars and sprawling into the intersection. Ever since that day I will not ride without my gear.