Motorcycle

[Desert Fox]

Guys i want to get a bike, anyone have a bike and have forums or tips to get me started?

I'm thinking of a honda CBR or yamaha R6, basically a bike like that under 10,000 bucks US. Thanks

 

[HandyAndy]

Kawasaki Ninja 250 is a good beginner bike.

 

[MCristo]

Get a ninja 250r to start it's only 4 grand, plenty of fun, and a great learning bike. You'll need experience starting out and it will ease you in a lot nicer than an R6

 

[HandyAndy]

Yeah man an R6 is way to fast. You dont even need to be going that fast in the first place.. the ninja is a good starter bike

 

[Bible_Belt]

I have an R1:
http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x252/dotheopposite/R1crop.jpg

My first bike was a Suzuki GS500E:
http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x252/dotheopposite/MyFirstMotorcycle.jpg

I am also helping a friend sell an R1, he wants $4K:
http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x252/dotheopposite/4sale_blackr1.jpg

There are a lot of 500 and 600cc bikes to be had for under $4k. You should start on one of those. Do not get a litre sport bike like an R1. At the most, get an R6 or CBR600. A lesser bike would be fine, too. You might as well get one that has been dropped - a lot are - because you will probably drop it yourself. Buying one with some cosmetic scratches takes a lot off price; plastics are expensive.

Take the motorcycle safety course:
http://www.msf-usa.org/

And don't be a squid. Ride with gear.
http://www.rideicon.com/

 

[Kerpal]

I've always been interested in learning how to ride a motorcycle too... looks like fun.

What is a squid?

 

[Desert Fox]

Thanks for the tips guys. Basically I want a nice bike I can have fun with, but mostly to take me to work in the mornings and get me home.

I was going for the CBR look since a lot of the reviews said it was the best. Where can I get these cheaper scratched CBRs? I guess I will probably have to actually go to a dealer to look at those and not online eh? Or maybe ebay has something.

 

[Bible_Belt]

A squid is a rider who does not wear protective gear. The word originates from either the Navy sailors of the San Diego area in the 1950's, who were famous for reckless zooming around town, or the manner in which the human body tends to separate at the torso when it hits pavement unprotected at triple digit speeds, the torso dragging intestines behind it resembles a squid.

I typically buy bikes and cars off craigslist. Both of those R1s were bought on craigslist.



edit, maxed out 10-posts again:

The Ninja 250 is a great beginner's bike, a good sport bike to learn on. Don't buy a new one, though. They depreciate quickly, and you can find a nice used one for two grand or less. Look on cragslist and cycle trader.

As for gear, these are the choices you have to make. Gear is hot, sweaty, somewhat uncomfortable, and not especially cool. But I typically ride at triple digit speeds, that R1 does 0-160mph in about seven seconds, so I wear a ton of gear. Here's what I wear:

Helmet:
http://www.kneedraggers.com/image_storage/5/ac/5ac6504e81a2c1251412ff91c993290c_rough.jpg
Jacket:
http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/ProductImages/300/2007_Icon_Accelerant_Jacket.jpg
Gloves:
http://images.leatherup.com/imagesproc/47789_H_SH315_MW355.jpg
Armored Shorts under jeans:
http://www.ascycles.com/images/products/F/FAS-P_forcefield_actionshortspro.jpg
Knee Guards that also fit under jeans:
http://indysuperbike.com/img/Icon/fieldarmorleg.jpg
And some riding boots:
http://www.jsaccessories.co.uk/Picts/Stock_193100000001.jpg

I like Icon Gear:
http://www.rideicon.com/

And Scorpion helmets:
http://www.scorpionusa.com/

Do you need all of this? Probably not. But if you crashed, you would be thankful for whatever you had on. At a minimum, you need a helmet, jacket, gloves, and at least reasonable long jeans and shoes. I like Icon as a reasonably-priced brand for gear. Scorpion helmets are a good deal as well. The helmet is not something to skimp on. You don't have to get a $400 Bell, a $200 Scorpion will work just as well, but don't wear something junky you got at a yard sale for five bucks.

 

[Maxtro]

I'm considering getting a Ninja 250r in the near future. The 2008 looks pretty sweet. When the 2009's come out shouldn't that cause the 2008's to drop in price?

As for it being slow. Here are the stats from Wikipedia

0-60 mph - (0-100 km/h) - 5.75 s
1/4 mile - 14.6 s @ 88 mph
Maximum speed - 105 mph (169 km/h)

It's not a rocket but it still seems pretty fast. Also I don't plan on going over 100. I'm not that crazy anymore.

What looks best about it is that it gets between 55-75 mpg.

Eww on the squid part.

If you're riding just to school and back and around town how much gear should you wear?

 

[Maxtro]

The Ninja 250 is a great beginner's bike, a good sport bike to learn on. Don't buy a new one, though. They depreciate quickly, and you can find a nice used one for two grand or less. Look on cragslist and cycle trader.

How odd, looking on craigslist the cheapest 2008 250r is $3900. All others were above $4k. What gets me is that the MSRP is $3,499 with including tax in California is $3,788. Is it in so high demand that people are trying to sell it for a profit like what was done with the Nintendo Wii?

I have seen several new 250r's on cycle trader for MSRP. Do dealers typically mark up prices on motorcycles?

As for gear, these are the choices you have to make. Gear is hot, sweaty, somewhat uncomfortable, and not especially cool. But I typically ride at triple digit speeds, that R1 does 0-160mph in about seven seconds, so I wear a ton of gear. Here's what I wear:

Helmet:
http://www.kneedraggers.com/image_storage/5/ac/5ac6504e81a2c1251412ff91c993290c_rough.jpg
Jacket:
http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/ProductImages/300/2007_Icon_Accelerant_Jacket.jpg
Gloves:
http://images.leatherup.com/imagesproc/47789_H_SH315_MW355.jpg
Armored Shorts under jeans:
http://www.ascycles.com/images/products/F/FAS-P_forcefield_actionshortspro.jpg
Knee Guards that also fit under jeans:
http://indysuperbike.com/img/Icon/fieldarmorleg.jpg
And some riding boots:
http://www.jsaccessories.co.uk/Picts/Stock_193100000001.jpg

I like Icon Gear:
http://www.rideicon.com/

And Scorpion helmets:
http://www.scorpionusa.com/

Do you need all of this? Probably not. But if you crashed, you would be thankful for whatever you had on. At a minimum, you need a helmet, jacket, gloves, and at least reasonable long jeans and shoes. I like Icon as a reasonably-priced brand for gear. Scorpion helmets are a good deal as well. The helmet is not something to skimp on. You don't have to get a $400 Bell, a $200 Scorpion will work just as well, but don't wear something junky you got at a yard sale for five bucks.

Thank's for the gear recommendation. I understand that the purpose wearing riding gear is to not have any skin at all showing.

 

[Desert Fox]

dammit with alll that gear this turned out to be more exppensive than i'd imagined... time to save more money

 

[Bible_Belt]

I know. Gear isn't cheap. But neither is health care.

Watch racing some time, and you'll see guys walk away from 100mph crashes all the time. They just slide to a stop and walk away. Granted, there is no oncoming traffic to slide into, but those same crashes would be deadly, or at least very ugly without the gear. The Icon leg armor can be a pain in the ass, but every time I almost don't wear them I think of a Harley guy I met at a party in Tampa. He had basically half a knee, from doing a baseball slide across an intersection while wearing only cutoffs. He had a half-dozen surgeries to graft parts of his butt onto his knee to build it back - that is a bigger pain in the ass than any gear.

 

[HandyAndy]

Hmmm....

Expensive gear or your life.....you decide

 

[Desert Fox]

I know. Gear isn't cheap. But neither is health care.

Watch racing some time, and you'll see guys walk away from 100mph crashes all the time. They just slide to a stop and walk away. Granted, there is no oncoming traffic to slide into, but those same crashes would be deadly, or at least very ugly without the gear. The Icon leg armor can be a pain in the ass, but every time I almost don't wear them I think of a Harley guy I met at a party in Tampa. He had basically half a knee, from doing a baseball slide across an intersection while wearing only cutoffs. He had a half-dozen surgeries to graft parts of his butt onto his knee to build it back - that is a bigger pain in the ass than any gear.

yeah I knew a guy who was going fast and the front wheel of his bike went in this big ass hole and he was thrown from his bike..he had gear on and was beat up pretty bad but the doc said he would've died instantly w/o the gear.

i'm definitely waiting until I have enough money to get me some top notch gear and protection before going on there or getting a bike. thanks for all the links

 

[Maxtro]

Helmet, $200
Gloves, $80
Boots, $90
Knee guards, $65
Jacket, $165
Total cost of gear, $600

Not dieing or getting seriously messed up when you wipe out, priceless.

 

[wolf116]

A squid is a rider who does not wear protective gear. The word originates from either the Navy sailors of the San Diego area in the 1950's, who were famous for reckless zooming around town, or the manner in which the human body tends to separate at the torso when it hits pavement unprotected at triple digit speeds, the torso dragging intestines behind it resembles a squid.

What, a squid is a crap rider who can't take corners but tries to ride fast by making up time on the straights. I comes from the fact that squids cant turn fast but are fast in a straight line.

At least thats how the guys use the word were I come from.

 

[Kidfabulous]

People can throw squid stats out all day, but this site will have the biggest impact. Scroll down to all the accident photos/news clippings. It makes you think twice about those "cool" guys on the sport bikes and harleys.

http://home1.gte.net/res0ak9f/bike.htm

 

[Bible_Belt]

"Squid" is also used more generally as a synonym for "ignorant," I agree. That guy riding that way is usually wearing shorts and flip-flops, and no helmet if not required by law.

Nice site with the gory crash pics. Every rider should see those.

 

[Desert Fox]

damn i'm scared now...gonna get myself a ****in IRON MAN suit

 

[Black suit]

Sick doctors have a different name for bikes: donorcycles. Beware.