zero Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 Ok guys I am looking to get into motorcycles and I want some advice as to what direction to go in. I had my jersey motorcycle permit, but have since moved to VA and have to go through the process again. I currently own (but haven't registered) an 82 gs750 that I got for pennies. It runs, or ran about 6 months ago when I parked it, but it has a charging issue and may need the carbs tuned. It is also 240 miles from where I currently live. It is a bit heavy but a reasonably good bike. I am not sure whether it is worth putting too much money into, as it isn't what I ultimately want, but could be a good learning bike. I think the sort of bike I am looking for is a naked bike that looks good, possibly modified to have a somewhat more aggressive riding position. I am thinking just a bit closer to that of a sport bike than most come with as standard. I have been toying with the idea of buying a ducati monster in the 600-700cc range. I love the style and they seem like they wouldn't be so fast that I would immediately kill myself. My only worry with the small monsters is that they are just that...small. I am 6'2'' 190lbs and am worried about it being too small for me. I am also wondering whether buying one new for ~ 9k, or picking one up used for 4-6k would be the best idea. I know bikes require quite a bit more maintenance than cars, but I don't really have any long term bike ownership experience. I am open to other naked bike (and some sport bike) selections like the triumph triple etc. What are your suggestions? Thanks guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S130Z Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 Well I work in the Motorcycle bussiness and I would recomend the Suzuki SV650/1000. They are great bikes at a great price and look dam good to me. We had one in our shop with no fron couling with a double headlight setup that look amazing(wish I had a pick to send to you). If you have any questions, let me know! I work with Yamaha, Suzuki & Kawasaki. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aarang Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 I have been riding street bikes for a long time. I have owned alot of different old standard and sport bikes. My favorite bike of them all is the SV650 which I still have. From a beginner to an experienced rider, the SV is a fantastic bike to have IMHO. They are dirt cheap used as well. Your old Suzuki is a good bike, but I found parts for the older Japanese bikes are getting harder and more expensive to find ( just like a Z!) Don't get too caught up in what you eventually want. I have seen lots of beginners get brand new GXSRs or Ninjas just to wreck them within a week. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aliphian Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 If I bought a naked bike today, it would either be the SV650 or the Triumph Street Triple. I am 1/2 inch shorter than you and both of these bikes are comfortable for me. You could also go the other route and convert a sport bike into a naked bike. Here is a picture of a Yamaha R6 converted to naked. BTW, I used to own an R6 and they are badass! I put about 10K on mine and never had a problem. Then I had to sell it This pic is not mine, I just found it on the net. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeinCA Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 Start with a cheap, but mechanically sound motorcycle. Something that you won't be scared to drop. Take a Motorcycle safety course. You do not want something that can bring the front tire up until you have lots and lots and lots of experience, and even then, you should still keep the front tire down. I personally avoid Snell approved helmets. see here : http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/gearbox/motorcycle_helmet_review/index.html Get good riding gear. Good protective gear is a MUST. Be anal retentive about maintenance. Catastrophic parts failures will kill you. Other drivers can kill you, you can kill you. I rode a motorcycle every day for years. I commuted 45 miles each way in peak traffic to san francisco for a long time on a cbr954. Riding a motorcycle is many times more dangerous than driving a car. Get life insurance, and dont use it. So, my vote is to buy a small, 800cc or less, non sport bike. Something that you are confortable on. Or go get the old one you already own, take a road trip with a buddy that owns a pickup truck. Good luck, and be safe out there. Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aliphian Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 Start with a cheap, but mechanically sound motorcycle. Something that you won't be scared to drop. Take a Motorcycle safety course. You do not want something that can bring the front tire up until you have lots and lots and lots of experience, and even then, you should still keep the front tire down. I personally avoid Snell approved helmets. see here : http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/gearbox/motorcycle_helmet_review/index.html Get good riding gear. Good protective gear is a MUST. Be anal retentive about maintenance. Catastrophic parts failures will kill you. Other drivers can kill you, you can kill you. I rode a motorcycle every day for years. I commuted 45 miles each way in peak traffic to san francisco for a long time on a cbr954. Riding a motorcycle is many times more dangerous than driving a car. Get life insurance, and dont use it. So, my vote is to buy a small, 800cc or less, non sport bike. Something that you are confortable on. Or go get the old one you already own, take a road trip with a buddy that owns a pickup truck. Good luck, and be safe out there. Joe I agree about safety. I used to a full leather race suit when I rode with gloves and boots. I was in central CA at the time (110* in the summer) and other riders would say "Dude it's way to hot to wear that ♥♥♥♥." I would tell them "I would rather sweat than bleed." I never went down but I saw a few of them do so. Not pretty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoCalJack Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 DRZ400SM!!!! Solid motors, cheap on gas, and when you (or your buddy) wrecks, its is super cheap and easy to fix. I love mine, although it hasnt been getting much ride time since I got my 09 ZX6R.... I agree with the others about the SV. I have one as well, and know many many other people that love theirs. A very good overall bike, especially for the price. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aliphian Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 ^Kawasaki, ewwwwwwwwwwwww. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S130Z Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 DRZ400SM!!!! Solid motors, cheap on gas, and when you (or your buddy) wrecks, its is super cheap and easy to fix. I love mine, although it hasnt been getting much ride time since I got my 09 ZX6R.... I agree with the others about the SV. I have one as well, and know many many other people that love theirs. A very good overall bike, especially for the price. Hell yeah girl! I have a brand new DRZ400SM on the floor and I want to take it SOOOOO bad! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stravi757 Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 If your new to riding I would definitely not get a 9k bike. I dropped mine within the first 2 weeks I had mine, it would just be a damn shame to buy a new one and have something happen to it. My first crash was due to be inexperienced and me being on a road that I didn't belong on. If I were you I would start with a 600cc. I have had one for 6 months and Im not tired of it. Make sure you invest in some good saftey gear as well, this isnt somewhere you want to go cheap. The thing I like most about mortorcycles other than they are cheap, fast, ridiculous gas milage, can park anywhere, traffic doesnt apply, you look awesome and girls love em, and easy to work on is cops seem to leave me alone when im riding vs. my car in which I get pulled over every five minutes. I think you should go with a japanese bike though, from what ive heard from other people is that ducatis are way more expensive to fix even if you do the work yourself vs. japanese. But if you have the money, then it doesnt matter. Just be careful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted December 3, 2009 Author Share Posted December 3, 2009 Well I am about sold on the SV650. I think I'll try to find a post 2003 fuel injected one. I think ideally I would get a SVZ650s and take the front fairing off of it and put a round light on. I like the square tube frame on the 's' and I would love a bike that looks like this The only trouble seens to be that these aren't the most common bikes in the world, and finding one with low miles and for the right price reasonably locally might be tough. Thanks for the help guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S130Z Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 That is very similar to what I had in the shop. If you end up getting one and need some parts, I'm in the bussiness! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShaggyZ Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 Well I am about sold on the SV650. I think I'll try to find a post 2003 fuel injected one. I think ideally I would get a SVZ650s and take the front fairing off of it and put a round light on. I like the square tube frame on the 's' and I would love a bike that looks like this The only trouble seens to be that these aren't the most common bikes in the world, and finding one with low miles and for the right price reasonably locally might be tough. Thanks for the help guys. The SV is exceedingly common. From 2003 to present, they've hardly changed at all except in color so parts availability is incredible. I've been rockin' my '03 SV since 2004 when I bought it new and it's about to roll 35k miles of sport-commuting, riding the Dragon, track days, and now 4 crashes (last one was this weekend on the track). The SV650 is generally a fantastic starter bike (Ninja 250 is always a good starter bike but the SV650 is too big and too much power for some. After a period of time, you'll probably begin to think you've outgrown the SV's power - when you get to that point, remind yourself you've still got a lot to learn. Take it to a track day and learn to destroy all the fancy, high-powered supersports; I'm not kidding when I say I've been outriding folks on bike with literally 100HP more than mine just because I've learned to ride it. The horsepower those bikes have is a poor disguise for poor riding. Last I checked, the SV650 is as powerful as the Duc Monster 800 and far more reliable. The only maintenance I've done on my SV: tires, oil changes with Rotella, chain/sprocket clean/lube/replacement periodically, coolant/spark plugs/air filter at 25k miles. I suggest checking out http://www.svrider.com; it's a high traffic site but there is a lot of good info there, though some of it has really been muddied for various reasons. I'm 6'1", 185lbs and I look a tiny bit large for it but that's really just how motorcycles go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJBrian Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 I'm currently looking for a similar style bike. But since Im taller 6'4" Im looking for a more upright riding position. I currently ride a DRZ400SM. It is SO much fun to ride the twisty canyon roads. Im just an average rider but is so much fun to beat up on the sport bikes and makes them look slow. Until you get on the freeway and the bikes is to slow and unsettled above 75 mph. So here are the bikes I have been considering. More affordable My number one choice is the Kawi Versys then... Kawi ER-6n Suzuki SV650 Suzuki Gladius Yamaha FZ6 If you have the Ducati budget. Check out these Aprilia Dorsoduro Aprilia Shiver KTM Duke KTM Super Duke Check out this website and see if there are any shows in your area. I plan on going to the Long Beach show this weekend and trying a few bikes on the free Demo Rides. http://www.motorcycleshows.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoov100 Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 Honestly man, I bought an R1 as my first bike and while it is fun as hell all ways through, Still doesnt have the freedom of an enduro or motard and the cost of them adds up quick, with tires being almost $300 a set and oil changes being about $45, I had the dealer change my plugs and adjust my valves once and the tally was about $450 afterwords. Not to discourage you, but buying the bike is one thing, being able to afford the maintenance is another. buy something cheap, thrash it, learn your lessons and move on to something bigger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timh Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 I'm happy with my ZRX1200. Much bang for buck. My 2002 was $3500 with 5800 miles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caszboy Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 I live in VA too. I don’t own a Z car anymore but i have owned three in the past. I’m always looking for another ;p BOT, I own a r6 and LOVE IT! So I’m going to suggest the Yamaha FZ6. It's a detuned R6 and can be turned into a "street fighter" bike pretty easily. Here is a pic: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aliphian Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 If you have the Ducati budget. Check out these Aprilia Dorsoduro Aprilia Shiver KTM Duke KTM Super Duke I agree 100% with the Super Duke. I got to sit on one (not ride it ) and it fit like a glove. Good looking bike too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJBrian Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 Gotta love a SM in the twisties!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShaggyZ Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 Gotta love a SM in the twisties!! I'd find it funnier and more telling if that was a real sportbike instead of a Hayabusa. Still, I'd like me some motard action. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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