Street Motorcycles

[Car Doc]

Hey Rayster not trying to be a jerk I don't claim to be a motorcycle expert but I know a few and that is a nice bike no doubt but its not an FXS more like an FXD maybe an FXDWG? Just sayin I am surprised none of the Harley experts on here picked up on that not that it matters to the topic just wanted to point it out.

 

[MIKE7639]

I'd also give a big thumbs up to the Kawasaki KLR650 if you are tall enough to feel comfortable on one. Slap a day long saddle on it for a real comfortable ride.

The trunk on the Honda helix is a real plus. I also had Givi top boxes installed on our helix scooters. Amazing how much stuff you can carry with that configuration.

 

[Deere Dude]

I live in the woods in Western Pennsylvania and have a 20 mile commute to work each day. The road I drive is a divided 4 lane highway. Traffic is not too heavy, but there are a lot of trucks, mostly coal trucks that like to go fast.

With the price of gas, I am considering getting a motorcycle for my commute. I've always had a dirt bike, have road 4 wheelers, and older street bikes. I am about 5'8" 135 lbs.

I need a bike that has enough power to maintain 65 comfortably without getting blown over by the coal trucks. I am also thinking that the bike needs to be less than 500lbs or else it is too heavy for me to maneuver. I have about $2,000 to $3,000 to spend.

I am thinking a cruiser style bike. I've never road a sport bike, but they don't look comfortable to me, maybe they are.

Any recommendations or thoughts on the subject?

Thanks
Wes

With a small $2000 economy car you will have heat and air and leakproof. Also you can ride in it all year, and you don't have to worry about deer. A small guy can get great mileage and they ride fairly well. They can carry things in the trunk or in the seat next to you. We have a 1993 GEO Metro convertible and if we want the wind to blow through our hair we let the top down. My wife gets real high 40s and lower 50s on trips. I get low 40s but I'm 275# and push it. They don't drive like big cars and may make you look like a geek, but that would be your best bet. I had a 650 Suzuki at 65 MPG that I would drive quite often in Wisconsin but that is only a few months of the year and when the temp was above 50 and no snow or rain, but it was more fun to drive than the Metro. The small cars are more relaxing to drive, but safer and less planning for nasty conditions is involved.

Driving a motorcycle is more fun, but it will saty parked most of the time unless you are a real die hard biker, like Harley guys. They ride in anything and don't get cold.

 

[clovergamecock]

Go to the show rooms of all the makes and sit on them. When you find the one with the right balance and feel you will know. I am 6'6" 245 so I need a big bike to stretch my legs out. Good luck hunting. I think you will be able to find something in yout price range.

Motorcycles - Scooters, Dirt Bikes, Choppers, Sport Bikes, and Other Motorcycles for Sale - Cycle Trader.com

Wade

 

[Bocephous]

Driving a motorcycle is more fun, but it will saty parked most of the time unless you are a real die hard biker, like Harley guys. They ride in anything and don't get cold.

That made me chuckle.

 

[Bird]

Go to the show rooms of all the makes and sit on them.

In 1985, when I decided I wanted a big touring bike, Suzuki had just come out with a new one; really nice bike and I took one home, took the wife for a ride, etc., but wanted to also look at the others. I really thought I wanted the biggest Yamaha, partly because of the good luck I'd had with a small Yamaha and partly because of what I'd read about them in magazines. I also happened to personally know the owner of a Yamaha dealership, so I took my wife to that dealer. They had one of those big Yamahas on the showroom floor and my wife got on the back seat, promptly got off and said, "No." And that's when I bought the Honda Aspencade.:laughing: Didn't even take the Yamaha for a test drive.

 

[Piston]

Driving a motorcycle is more fun, but it will saty parked most of the time unless you are a real die hard biker, like Harley guys. They ride in anything and don't get cold.

Hahahaha. I seriously hope you were joking about that.

The sad part is, a lot of people do fall for that "image". It's actually quite the opposite.

 

[3930dave]

I looked at the dual sports and they seem great, but just too tall for me. I don't feel safe when I stop on them. I like to place both feet on the ground flat footed, not tippy toes. I love the idea of the VStrom , but the same problem it just seemed too tall and a little big, plus the price was a little more than I wanted to pay. I have never actually rode one though. No place around here rents bikes and the dealer that has them says insurance won't let people test drive the bikes.

If you can make the time to get near a large city, the dealers may be more friendly towards test drives. Or, maybe that is just a Canadian thing. It always comes down to what the dealer wants to get involved with, but up here, Honda , HD, and Yamaha often sponsor Ride Days at local dealers. AFAIK, all you have to show up with (pre-booking is a good idea) is the minimum safety gear, and a valid MC license.

If you can afford the time to go to a distant Ride Day, it may be a great way to evaluate a few bikes all in the same day.

Have fun, ride safe.

Rgds, D.

 

[xring100]

I'd have to agree with anyone that says a econo box car would be money better spent if your goal is to save money. I've ridden over 120,000 miles in the last ten years, would have been more but my 4 year old daughter got in the way of my ridding no regrets.
I currently ride an 03 GL1800 85000 miles (53000 miles 04 - 06) and 06 Victory Vegas 8 ball 24000 miles. The Gold wing will get 39 -42 mpg @75 - 80 mph on highway or in the city with premium don't like to run 87 or 89 to much spark knock under heavy throttle low speed. 45mpg plus if you drive below 65 mph The victory averages 42 - 43 mpg even at 80 mph on the freeway mine is only a 5 speed i don't have the 6 speed i run mid grade in it. Tires for the wing are about $400 per set and go 15 - 18 k miles Victory tires a little cheaper but rear only last 12 k miles and front 20K front is like $100.

My wife had a 1996 XL1200s sport steer that would get 50 mpg
1982CM400 40 -45 mpg
1971 CB450 low 40's
For my Saturn SL1 i get 38 - 40 mpg rural or highway with city no less than 36 mpg in summer this is only running 87 octane. My Michelin harmonys ran $550 for the set and last over 100,000 miles. My wife has a 95 SC1 that gets 40 - 41 mpg highway same deal with tires.

OEM Bike parts are atleast twice the cost of the car parts you can get a Carquest/autozone etc not much in the aftermarket world unless its a wear out item. Bikes are maintenance intensive especially anything chain drive.

 

[KYErik]

Like others have said, the motorcycle is lots of fun when the weather is nice, but they won't save you any money when you consider all of the other expenses.

I rode dirt bikes growing up as a kid and then had several different motorcycles while in college and since college. My dad sold his Virago cruiser around 2003 after a group of deer ran out in front of him less than 1/4 mile from his house- he had to lay it down but thankfully just ended up with a case of road rash.

Helmets are a must. When I was younger, a dog ran out in front of a guy I knew (his dad was a farmer and he was riding his dirt bike on a rural road to give a message to his dad) and he ended up with permanent brain damage. 30 years later, he talks and walks really slowly and has trouble using one side of his body.

About 6 years ago I sold my Nighthawk and then bought a smaller Kawasaki twin cyl. so my wife could get her motorcycle license (which she did). I ended up riding it more than her. I have always liked smaller bikes- they seem more maneuverable than the cruisers and I never was big on riding on the interstates. This little 305cc bike would get 60 mpg around town driving it easy and 55 mpg driving it hard.

In Sept of 2009, I got t-boned by an inattentive driver that pulled out into me from a side street when I was doing 40 mph on a 2 lane highway. Even though I had 25 years of riding experience, there is only so much braking a swerving that you can do within 1.5 seconds at that speed. If it wasn't for my helmet, I'd probably be drooling and staring at the ceiling right now (if alive at all). I ended up taking a helicopter ride to a hospital where I spent 7 days and had my right leg amputated about 3 inches above the knee (it was crushed between the engine block and car bumper). If I had a crash bar, it would have just folded up onto my leg and crushed/trapped it (unless it was made of solid steel- which I don't think they are). I have no regrets about riding motorcycles or how I reacted in the crash. I am really thankful that I still have my left leg (for working the tractor clutch pedal) and both arms. I get around well on my prosthetic leg and still ride a little 125 cc Honda dirt bike (off road) from time to time (I have to stand beside the bike to kick start it with my left leg).

If you get the motorcycle- have fun but always wear your helmet and watch out for loose gravel, wildlife and for other drivers. Keep in mind that you are very vulnerable if something bad does happen at any appreciable speed.