|
|
| *Vultures Knob>>>Sport Bike |
Needs lots of Feedback, Picking a Bike? |
My situation: about to buy my first bike which will be used for travel around San Luis Obispo and to travel back home from College *roughly 3 hours*. I'll need a very reliable bike around 5 to 8 maybe 9 thousand, and I would like to know what brands are best *advantages and disadvantages*. I'm looking mostly at sport bikes, but standard/sport bikes are an option. Comments Please, Thanks Wow! Sounds like you want someone to do all your research for you! How about going to Yamaha.com, Suzuki.com, Honda.com and Kawasaki.com yourself. You can compare models side by side at these sights. Have fun with your research. You didn't say new or used. Forgive me for saying this, but it doesn't sound like you have a lot of experience with bikes. This is a recipe for disaster. Rather than getting the most bike you can afford, I'd suggest spending about 2 or 3K on a beater that you can learn and get some experience first. Then graduate to a larger sport bike. Also. Please, please go to MSF training. See link below. http://www.msf-usa.org/ Paul - I hope you do not mind a little up-front speech... Youre obviously inexperienced. Repeat after me: recipe for disaster. You have no need for a modern sportbike - trust me. Besides, sportbikes are not fun for commuting, especially on 3+ hours freeway trips... So, you need to consider what kind of riding you are doing, as well as your experience level, insurance costs, etc. If you ask me, your first choice should be a used bike - buying new will cost you for insurance, not to mention the cost of the bike itself. Pretty much, any of the Big Four manufacterers are reliable for bikes - as long as they are well maintained. So, you need to look for worn/rusted chains, cracked rubber hoses or tires, fork seals not leaking...this can pretty much tell you if the bike was used and abused. (Wheelies tend to blow out fork seals and stretch chains...) As for what brand is best - that is personal opinion. I myself ride only Kawasakis, although I have owned a Honda and Suzuki in the past. But, really, it is up to you - you are the one who is going to be riding it. If you want my suggestion, Id buy a used Suz SV650 and ride it for at least one year....when you do that successfully without tossing it down the road or (more likely) dumping it in a parking lot, then go out and blow $8K on a new bike.... modern four cylinders have WAY too much power for a noob like you (no offense) - I recently got a Z1000 after riding a ZX750RR for years - and almost got ripped off the back the first time I grabbed a handful of throttle.... BMW K75. About as dependable a bike as you will find. K75RT for weather protection (but costliest), K75S is sportier, pr a "standard" K75 is the cheapest route but most boring. You won't be disappointed (unless you really really want a sport bike). I've got a commute that's around an hour and a half each way. I make it on a Suzuki GS500F about as often as in my car. This bike has held up pretty well so far. It's one that I would recommend in your case. You may also want to check out other 500s like the Kawasaki Ninja 500 and the Buell Blast. A 500 has a pretty good mixture of beginner friendly handling and power to keep up with traffic, and it will be an absolute hoot to ride on the Pacific Coast Highway. There's two big things to watch out for here. Most of the 600 cc sport bikes have around 100 hp or more, about twice what I'd say is a good amount for a beginner. Not quite Darwin Award territory for a first bike, but it's enough power that you will have a hard time getting to the point you can really trust the bike and push it to its limits. The other thing to watch out for with your long trips is that some bikes in this category have you leaned forward with a lot of weight on your wrists. That's going to HURT after an hour on the road if the riding position is too extreme. Be sure to sit on the bike for a while and make sure the riding position is comfortable for you. Lastly, I recommend taking professional lessons like those offered by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation or similar groups. You'll learn a lot about riding and pick up some valuable tips for street riding and what to look for in a bike. the Kawasaki EX250. at most motorcycle safety schools these bikes are used to teach new riders how to ride. brand new they MSRP at 3,000, but you will want to buy used, so it will cost you between 1500-2500 for a used one. you can get the bike(brand new), training course, gear, and full coverage insurance for a year at just over $5,000. if you think size and weight are an issue with this bike, check out the links below. I am a 210lb 6'0" male, 22 yrs old, and full coverage for the year cost me just over 1200. the Kawasaki EX250 has also been largely unchanged since 1988, so parts are fairly cheap when you lay it down. this broke college kid knows from experience, the bike is cheap to maintain, and a crash isn't going to threaten your tuition payment. the bike is 50 state interstate legal, the smallest sport bike to have the claim, and its pretty quick, just check out the YouTube video below. also I rode mine 1600 miles from upstate NY to Southern MO to bring it home, I never once got "sore-bum-itis" from the bike. got a little cold next to the great lakes the first night, but thats about it. the links below will give you more info. |
| Tags |
| Pocket Bike Mini Bike Chopper Bike Pit Bike Dirt Bike Sport Bike Street Bike Exercise Bike Stationary Bike Recumbent Bike |
Bike Categories--Copyright/IP Policy--Contact Webmaster |