AggieDave 6 #76 May 13, 2005 I'm not a HD rider, but I'm a cruiser rider so I'll field a couple of thos equestions. Well, I spark my foot pegs pretty often, so I'm a bit off about the cornering comments... As for black T-shirts (I don't wear HD t-shirts), black works well to look ok after riding all damn day. There's also a histor behind black and motorcycles. Some early bikes had self lubricating chains, it slung quite a bit of oil. Black leather didn't matter if it got blackened oil on it. Just rub it in/off and go on with life. As for the do-rags...sometimes I wear them, with a half-shell helmet it helps a lot for comfort on long rides. It also works well for sweating in your helmet on long rides. That's literally the only time I wear one is on a long ride.--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #77 May 13, 2005 QuoteYour measurement of the risk is off, Dave. The vast majority of my mileage is commuting, and I'd guess that might mean 10,000 miles on the line. Same here, save riding on the line for me, its not the measurement of risk, its what I consider an acceptible risk. You don't rip 270s on landing do you? If not then youre measurement of risk is off. See my point?--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
popsjumper 2 #78 May 13, 2005 Holy Jeez! I was not expecting the response I am getting on this....just this morning and already over 75 replies....it's going to take me a while to catch up. Be back after catching up on the thread... Thanks to all so far.. . . OK caught up... thanks again to all who gave advice and suggestions...my bad for not including important info in the original post.... I'm interested in a cruiser. I am 6ft, 170lbs. I have no meaningful experience to speak of. I am not into extreme riding. (hell, I fly a Triathlon190 loaded at 1.05 and that suits me just fine!) Safe and sure is my goal. I am going to take the MotoSafety course for sure before I buy. I want it to get back and forth to work and to the DZ with an occasional trip to Z-hills from Atlanta. It needs to carry me, my rig bag and, maybe sometime later, one other person. I'll be buying the gear to go with it, too. Oh, and a low maintenance bike would by just great. JelloJay...knees under my chin???? Sounds like the general consensus for a cruiser is in the 600-750 range... All you guys and ladies have been just great....thanks again.My reality and yours are quite different. I think we're all Bozos on this bus. Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VectorBoy 0 #79 May 13, 2005 Someone stated to let your insurance do your shopping. And this speaks volumes. I'm in the same boat as you except I had the bike I wan't already picked out. One problem is that although I've done some riding here and there in my life I never got licenced. Even though I'm safe with perfect record in cars, 40 years old, married ,morgaged. Becuase of that fact They treat me ( rightfully so ) as zero experienced. In other words like a 16 year old with the ink still wet on my licence. And going by their stats ...... a dead guy in training on either a fast sportbike or heavy pricey cruizer. And forget about full coverage. I can get cheaper insurance for a complex twin engine aircraft than full coverage for most any bike. So now I get to find a cheapo bike to putz around on. With liability only for that little sucker will still be more than what I pay for my 4X4s. I hope your insurance situation will be different and alow more flexibiblity. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RfukfreeflyingW 0 #80 May 13, 2005 the solition is simple. dont carry insurence... maybe this is just a florida thing do other states require u to have insurence? anyone that knows let me know please. Im curious now..---- -God, you are the perfect amount of dumb... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gravitymaster 0 #81 May 13, 2005 QuoteQuote Most Harley riders can't ride at all; just watch their girly-man cornering. That is awesome!!! So true Sportbike riders will outride harley riders any day of the week. There, somebody had to say it I do have a question for all you harley riders..is it mandatory to wear a black harley shirt everytime you go out for a ride? Do those harley shirts help you with your badass cornering techniques? One other thing...whats with the do-rags? HA As opposed to those faggoty-assed flourecent lime green and orange Speed Racer-mobiles with all the plastic, Dale Earnhart style race crap? "OOhhh...."look at me, I'm a racer." And whats up with the color coordinated helmets and gay jackets with matching pants? Did Andy Warhol and Christopher Lowell pick out your wardrobe while smoking Magic Mushrooms with Martha Stewart? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TAndrews 0 #82 May 13, 2005 I have personally owned approximately 10 motorcycles. The size would depend on the type of bike you plan to buy. If you are looking to get a crotch-rocket I would recomend the 600cc range, because these bikes are capable of astronnomical speeds. If you are looking at a street and trail (enduro) bike look in the 650cc range. Anything else don't buy less than 750cc or you will never be happy! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TAndrews 0 #83 May 13, 2005 Oh and one more thing, If it's your first bike always buy used. That way when you dump it the cost isn't as high. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stumpy 256 #84 May 13, 2005 QuoteAs opposed to those faggoty-assed flourecent lime green and orange Speed Racer-mobiles with all the plastic, Dale Earnhart style race crap? "OOhhh...."look at me, I'm a racer." And whats up with the color coordinated helmets and gay jackets with matching pants? Did Andy Warhol and Christopher Lowell pick out your wardrobe while smoking Magic Mushrooms with Martha Stewart? I ride sportsbikes but thats pretty funny LOL Yeah yeah we all look like power rangers (actually my gear is all black but hey!) Still rather that than "Hells Accountants" Good quote i heard - "The V-Rod - bringing HD kicking and screaming into the 20th Century" (Incidentally - you cruiser people, V-Rod, Like or dislike?)Never try to eat more than you can lift Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JackC 0 #85 May 13, 2005 QuoteWell, I spark my foot pegs pretty often, so I'm a bit off about the cornering comments... Dave, cruisers just don't go round corners, get over it. When you only have 3" of ground clearance it's not surprising that you can get your pegs down. Just because you can do this doesn't mean you can do this or this. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hisgoofyness 0 #86 May 13, 2005 I used to get my Sportster down to a knee like that, but it has a lot more ground clearance. I get my Fat Boy down to the bolts of the floorboards all the time. Here is my take as a rider of both crotch rockets (i also have a GSXR 750) and HD's (cruisers): With my ability to "toss" my Fat Boy around corners,... well, as tight and as hard as the bike will allow; I can ride my Gixxer much more efficiently because of this ability. It takes much less effort for me to ring out the Gixxer through the mountains because of pushing my Fat Boy to its limits on the same roads. I actually scare myself from time to time on just how low I take my Gixxer... (thinking: God please don't let there be any loose gravel in that blind corner) Here is a scenario for ya: Take a cruiser rider who likes to push their bike to its limits and a sportbike rider; have them switch bikes. Now give them a nice curvy mountain ride (i.e. one of my favorites close to me is Deal's Gap in the Smokey Mountains). I would be willing to bet the cruiser rider on the sportbike would fair better than the sportbike rider on the cruiser. Tossing 900lbs vs 400lbs makes a huge difference... Of course, this is just my opinion... and I don't know shiat... Goudha is for Buddha, and that's good enough for me! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #87 May 13, 2005 Hey, I know my bike doesn't corner like a race inspired bike, I don't really care, that's not what the bike was made for and I don't race and have no grand illusions of being some sort of wanna be racer so I don't need one. It was more of a comment responding to "cruiser guys don't know how to handle their bikes."--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flyingferret 0 #88 May 13, 2005 ATTENTION EVERYONE: STFU!!! Quote I'm interested in a cruiser It needs to carry me, my rig bag and, maybe sometime later, one other person. That statement settle the debate right there. That determine cruiser over at 750+. Not gonna do it easily on anything else. Funks: I started to responsd, but Gravity Master did it for me. JackC: I know MANY sport bike riders that cannot corner like that. It is as much rider as bike. Hisgoofyness: Dead spot on. I completely agree with you. Do you guys really want to start this argument....again? Here is the summary: Cruiser riders accept that some of us suck, and some are excellent riders, and there is no broad measuring stick Sport riders think that a capable bike is a broad measuring stick and that every sport rider out there is a bad ass. I bit naive, don't you think.-- All the flaming and trolls of wreck dot with a pretty GUI. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ladyskydiver 0 #89 May 13, 2005 Quote Someone stated to let your insurance do your shopping. And this speaks volumes. I'm in the same boat as you except I had the bike I wan't already picked out. One problem is that although I've done some riding here and there in my life I never got licenced. Even though I'm safe with perfect record in cars, 40 years old, married ,morgaged. Becuase of that fact They treat me ( rightfully so ) as zero experienced. In other words like a 16 year old with the ink still wet on my licence. And going by their stats ...... a dead guy in training on either a fast sportbike or heavy pricey cruizer. And forget about full coverage. I can get cheaper insurance for a complex twin engine aircraft than full coverage for most any bike. So now I get to find a cheapo bike to putz around on. With liability only for that little sucker will still be more than what I pay for my 4X4s. I hope your insurance situation will be different and alow more flexibiblity. I've got insurance through Progressive and for a year's insurance, it only costs $115, and it's full coverage.Life is short! Break the rules! Forgive quickly! Kiss slowly! Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably. And never regret anything that made you smile. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gravitymaster 0 #90 May 13, 2005 QuoteQuoteWell, I spark my foot pegs pretty often, so I'm a bit off about the cornering comments... Dave, cruisers just don't go round corners, get over it. When you only have 3" of ground clearance it's not surprising that you can get your pegs down. Just because you can do this doesn't mean you can do this or this. And neither can most sport bike riders. http://www.big-boys.com/articles/fastbikecrash.html edited to add video link. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vdschoor 0 #91 May 13, 2005 Andy, After seeing your brother's bike... that would be a bad first bike honestly!! Regarding advice on what bike to buy.. I don't know what kind of motorcycle you're after, a race bike or a cruising kind of bike, but here's my advice.. Buy the bike you want and use your brain... Seriously I bought a CBR600 F3 as my first motorcycle ever.. drove it as a newbie first, and after a while I was able to hang with the "big boys" yes the bike had a lot of horsepower for a first bike, but it was also a very easy bike to ride.. You will regret buying the so-called "beginner bike" cause riding a beginner bike is not much different from riding a heavier (as in more horsepower) bike.. if you don't use your brain on either one, you're dead.. You seem like a sensible guy and so does your brother... listen to him, cause he's right Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flyingferret 0 #92 May 13, 2005 Oh yeah, that was the other thing I was gonna repond to. In some states (most I think, and Texas is one) you have to have insurance. Even if they didn't riding a $20K bike with a loan payment I would want it. That said I get full comp and collosion, etc on my fatboy for about $700 a year, and I am a 26 year old male. How much is twin engine plane insurance? My bike is a few $100 cheaper than my car per year.-- All the flaming and trolls of wreck dot with a pretty GUI. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hisgoofyness 0 #93 May 13, 2005 QuoteSeriously I bought a CBR600 F3 as my first motorcycle ever.. The first street bike I rode was also a CBR600F3. (not that I would suggest it as a first bike) Quote You will regret buying the so-called "beginner bike" cause riding a beginner bike is not much different from riding a heavier (as in more horsepower) bike.. if you don't use your brain on either one, you're dead.. I tend to disagree on this somewhat. With that reasoning I should be jumping a Cobalt 120 right now, because ultimately that's what I want to fly... Scenario... New rider on a 4 lane public road. Rider on left side. Car following closely behind motorcycle. Car on right of motorcyle. Car on right decides to change lanes to the left to pass slower driver in front of them and does not see motorcycle. Rider sees this happening and with "tailgater" behind, rider is forced to speed up quickly to avoid both car changing lanes and head on collison of oncoming traffic to the left. (Insert self) If i were to (panic) downshift and throttle too hard on my Gixxer, i would have my front end 3 or 4 feet in to the air (more panic for an inexperienced rider to find half of their control surface in the air); granted a situation i could handle, but maybe not so for a newb. Now, if I were to have the same reaction on my Fat Boy, I would merely speed up (much less chance of losing control). Here again... just my $.02 What do I know? Not a damn thing really, I am still learning every time I throw my leg over a bike... Take what I say with a grain of salt. Whatever you decide... Take the safety course. It helps. I took it after being a rider for several years and found out I had some bad habits... It also lowered my insurance (the real reason I signed up for the course)...... Goudha is for Buddha, and that's good enough for me! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #94 May 13, 2005 QuoteNow, if I were to have the same reaction on my Fat Boy, I would merely speed up You're assuming that a FatBoy won't wheelie easily... Ok, good assumption, unless you've got a really really really "big chick" on the back seat.--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hisgoofyness 0 #95 May 13, 2005 It's not an assumption... I have tried many many times to get the front wheel off the ground... "She just cant do it Captain" Now, I have been able to crank up the rpms going from 1st to 2nd, dump the clutch, and break the rear tire loose and kick it out sideways all the way through 3rd!!! That always gets a rise out of the crowd on the deck at Hooter's Bike Night!!! Goudha is for Buddha, and that's good enough for me! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gravitymaster 0 #96 May 13, 2005 QuoteQuoteNow, if I were to have the same reaction on my Fat Boy, I would merely speed up You're assuming that a FatBoy won't wheelie easily... Ok, good assumption, unless you've got a really really really "big chick" on the back seat. And what are the odds of a Harley Rider having a fat chick on the back of their bike? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #97 May 13, 2005 Quote It's not an assumption... I have tried many many times to get the front wheel off the ground... "She just cant do it Captain" Tell you a little trick if you really want to make it happen (please be careful). Stand on the passenger pegs.--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hisgoofyness 0 #98 May 13, 2005 QuoteAnd what are the odds of a Harley Rider having a fat chick on the back of their bike? Less than that of a lot of the sportbike guys around here!!!!! I have seen cheeks that look like they could wrap around the undertail... bwaaahahahahahaha FYI - my sportbike never has the rear seat on it... just the cowling... I only take ladies on the Fat Boy... It has a detachable backrest... much safer for the passenger... never forget the first time i saw a sportbike buddy take off from a red light in a wheelie and dump his chick... luckily she didnt get hurt... she was pissed and rode the rest of the day with me on my fat boy... thank god she was a hottie!!! Goudha is for Buddha, and that's good enough for me! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #99 May 13, 2005 See, this is the fun banter between sport bikes and cruisers that I like to see, the other bullshit is sad. We're all on 2 wheels damnit.--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hisgoofyness 0 #100 May 13, 2005 Unfortunately I don't have rear pegs... I have passenger floorboards to match mine... ...else I would have already tried that! Goudha is for Buddha, and that's good enough for me! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
