The new 950 V-Star is …hopefully gonna be my next bike. I have 12 payments left on my current V-Star which, I too, love.
And yeah, I would kill for a 6th gear on that thing. Even 50 miles at freeway speeds is a bit tough.
My dad had a V-Star and we would occasionally switch bikes (or I would just take his out for a spin). It’s a really fun cruising bike but definitely not fun on the freeway, even with an aftermarket half-windscreen. But for easy rides and cruising around town, it was a lot of fun, as long as you didn’t have to corner too hard. Riding it through some of the desert state parks was a blast.
Yeah, taching 3 grand going 55 is just crap.
Yep. Budget got slashed, so I ended up with a 1983 Honda XL600R – a big-ass old skool dual sport.
Had it for about 6 weeks, but on maybe 30 miles. Just sold it for $100 more than I paid for it. I decided that it’s best to wait until my budget allows for a better bike. That thing sucked.
Buells aren’t their Japanese counterparts, but that’s exactly why I want one.
I was debating on getting a little KX100 two stroke to play around with in my yard, anyone have any experience with that model?
Arise!
So, after last year’s debacle (never finished the class because they kept rescheduling ad infinitum) I’m back in the market. I know that I want something like a BMW, extremely reliable and functional, no look-at-me gewgaws, etc. etc. Is there another company that makes an equivalent bike that isn’t also some monstrous tourer like the Gold Wing? I really like the various 1200 models, although I’m not sure if the Enduro GS series is too offroad-oriented. I can see myself going offroad occasionally, but not often enough to make big sacrifices in comfort. What I want:
- Bike that isn’t a mobile barcalounger like the Gold Wing
- Bike that rarely if ever breaks down
- Comfortable for long distances
- Has good range
So, recommendations appreciated.
H.
I don’t have any personal riding experience with it, but I have a friend with a Suzuki V-Strom that he uses for light to moderate touring.
If I could pick any bike AND had the budget, the 1200 GS would be my choice.
I went by the BMW dealer today, I think I might grab a 650 GS for now, and upgrade once I have some ability to the 1200. They’re running a $1,000 off promotion right now, so I might be motorized quickly!
H.
A 1200 GS is a monster for a beginner. If you have experience on dirt bikes, I wouldn’t just take a $12,000+ machine off road for shits and giggles.
What kind of riding are you doing, realistically? You looking to tour? Sport? Cruise? Dual-sport?
Here’s a quick Google result of some alternatives:
http://www.advrider.com/Bikes/Bikes.html
I’d probably go with a Triumph Tiger for some individuality, but only after getting my first 12-18 months of experience on something like a KLR650 or KTM or DR650.
Mostly tour/travel, but you missed the part where I said I would be getting the 650 first, and learning on it. I agree that the 1200 is too much bike for a beginner. The 650 looks like it handles well despite the smaller engine, and works for long distances when needed. I’m tempted to go for the 800 and see if it’s the best of all possible worlds, but the 650 seems perfect and very resellable after a few years.
My main concern is that I want to learn on the bike I get while still being able to use it for some longer rides this year, 300-500 miles. So I don’t want anything that is too cumbersome while I’m practicing low speed maneuvering (or costs too damned much when I flop it over) but can still make the long haul in relative comfort. The 650 seems like the guy.
H.
Hmm, now after researching it looks like the 800 is the perfect bike for everything and everyone, ever. Tempting, tempting.
H.
Woops, didn’t catch your post after the image.
Yeah, the whole BMW line gets huge amounts of praise, but for any real first bike I would say… buy used. Find something with 10k miles made a couple years ago, then you don’t have to worry about dropping a fresh bike into a mudpile and kicking yourself in the ass.
Don’t falsely equate larger cylinders with a heavier bike, either. I’m not savvy on the dual sports, but in the sportbike world a Yamaha R1 (1000 cc) weights only a couple of lb heavier than the Yamaha R6. With what you’re looking at, center of gravity is very high on that whole range of bikes, which is what is going to make low speed maneuvering challenging. The maneuvering capability of a Ninja 250R at 360lb dry weight versus my 500R at 405lb dry weight is essentially the same.
Triumphs would be a decent alternative to a BMW if you feel like testing out something else. Either the Sprint ST or the Tiger are nice sporty touring bikes with an upright riding position.
<sigh> This thread is making me sad. I wish the stars would align for me to get a bike, but I have a truck payment and vehemently non-supportive family members working against me.
I wish I could remember the model of that used Triumph I saw last year when I was sort of looking at bikes. It was a beautiful charcoal gray color. Reminded me of a British military bike and sort of got me out of my cruisers rut.
EDIT: Ah, I found my spreadsheet. The 2002 Triumph Thunderbird - beautiful.
That thunderbird is a really nice looking bike. It’s been completely replaced by the bonneville now though which also looks good but is not really ont he same style path.
Not to derail poor Houngan’s thread completely but if I were to buy a bike today it would be the Thruxton SE
But to come around to topic again, here is the Tiger which is a similar bike to the BMW.
Houngan, apologies for the further thread de-rail, but someone here probably knows the answer to this:
During one of my previous motorcycle-shopping kicks, I ran across a bike on Craigslist that was an adult-sized motorcycle with balloon tires for off-road use. The tires are similar to what you’d see on an ATV. I am pretty sure it was made by one of the big Japanese brands - Honda or someone. It might have had a big cat name, like Cougar or Cheetah or something. I’ve since been unable to find it.
Anyone know wtf I’m talking about?
Are you talking about sand tires?
Those?
Or were they more a dirt/street hybrid tire like these dual-sports:
http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/2/29/393/1/0/0/DEPARTMENT/Dirt-Bike-Motocross-Dual-Sport-Tires-Tires.aspx
Or… actual dirt bike tires:
http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/2/29/391/1/0/0/DEPARTMENT/Dirt-Bike-Motocross-Motocross-Tires-Tires.aspx
Not sure about that, but googling for 2-wheeled ATV (which this was) takes you to Rokon’s off-road bikes, which is exactly what I’m talking about. I’m pretty sure what I saw is NOT a Rokon, but I could be wrong.
I second this, particularly if you’re short/have short legs. I’m 5’6" but I have a really short inseam (~28") and my starter bike was a Honda Nighthawk 750 - I dropped it a lot. Fortunately it was used (1991 model bought in 1998).
I sat on an R1200GS a couple of years ago and I couldn’t even come close to lifting it off the sidestand. My ex-gf bought a V-strom 650 while we were dating and I never even tried to ride it. Speaking of…
The Suzuki SV650 is a great starter bike that you won’t outgrow for years, if ever. The same universally-praised engine is used in the V-strom 650 which is an adventure-tourer style bike like the beemers you seem to favor. Kawasaki has a model almost exactly like the V-strom 650 that is a relatively new model (introduced in the last 3 years) which I can’t remember the name of. I don’t think Honda or Yamaha have an entry in this niche. One sweet thing about these littler twins is that they get GREAT gas mileage, in the mid-40 mpg if I remember correctly.
One big thing to keep in mind if you go away from the Japanese brands is cost - it will likely cost more than a similar Japanese model, and it will cost more to maintain. Beemers in particular are NOT cheap. And all motorcycle maintenance is more expensive than equivalent car services because of economies of scale. I had my oil changed on my Ducati at the dealership and it cost me something like $120.
If you can find a Honda VFR that was made anytime in the last 20 years these are great all-around bikes that have won numerous awards. I have a '98 that is absolutely great at everything on pavement.