Cadre needs a bike. - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

cadre · 03-12-2007, 03:30 PM

So as the title says, I'm looking for a bike. The thing is that I'm having difficulties deciding what kind of motorcycle I should look for. This is why: I'm 5'3" and weigh 110 pounds, this is my first street bike, and also, I'm pretty poor.

So far, I like the Buell Blast the best, the 05 and newer ones are pretty reliable and I've riden them and I'm comfortable on them. It's decently fun for a small bike too, plenty of torque and really tall gears.(I really like the Ducati 620 but I'd kill myself on it and it's out of my price range).

I'm told there's a Suzuki that's decent? No Ninjas though, I don't like how boxy the smaller ones are and I'm told they're not very perky like the Blast is.

I'm looking for more sporty bikes, not cruisers but at the same time, not fully sport bike..if that makes sense. Any suggestions? Oh yeah the price range is up to 3k.

dirtyrascal7 · 03-12-2007, 05:04 PM

For your first bike, I definitely recommend getting a used bike that you are comfortable with. Don't let image or design cloud your mind too much... you can always upgrade later on once you're more comfortable riding and you're sure you'll use it enough to make it worth while.

I went ahead and shelled out for a brand new Yamaha, and I definitely regret it. Sure it looks awesome, but it was really expensive buying parts for it when I layed it down (and it IS likely you'll lay it down just starting out). And the worst part is that I don't ride it NEARLY enough to justify its price tag. Of course you think you will before you have it, but since it most likely won't be your primary mode of transportation... you might not use it as much as you envision.

kinsaj · 03-12-2007, 05:25 PM

What he said^

A used bike is the way to go and will likely end up saving you a lot of money in the end. At 3k, you can afford to check out a whole lot more types of used bikes than you could new. If you are not the more mechanical type, get a friend who is, and preferably rides, to go with you when you purchase in order to check for those things which you would not think to check. It is also important to not rush into anything when buying new. If it sounds too good to be true, it typically is.

cadre · 03-12-2007, 05:25 PM

Okay, I should have said this in the original post. I'm not looking for a new bike, I can't afford one. Used only. That said, anyone have suggestions on specific bikes or brands?

Just out of curiousity what kind of Yamaha did you get dirtyrascal?

kinsaj · 03-12-2007, 05:26 PM

Oh, and remember to ride safe.

cadre · 03-12-2007, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kinsaj

Oh, and remember to ride safe.

No worries there, I've been doing motocross for years. I know about safety.

kinsaj · 03-12-2007, 05:36 PM

Hondas in general are known to be reliable. Make sure to do extensive research on a model prior to purchasing, you can often find "known problems" or something of the sort which could help for the purchasing process. As far as the kind of bike which you are after... cosmetically, it seems that you are looking for a "naked" or "standard" bike. If you want to stay in the Honda line, the Nighthawk may be something to look into. Standards tend to be a little higher off the ground which may be a problem for your stature. Performance wise, it seems that you are after more low end torque. If that is so, a big single or V-twin is the way to go. Singles are mostly dual sports which may be something familiar for a motocross rider. Concerning V-twins.. if you liked the Buell, it may be your best shot.

Hope all that made some sense.

cadre · 03-12-2007, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kinsaj

Hondas in general are known to be reliable. Make sure to do extensive research on a model prior to purchasing, you can often find "known problems" or something of the sort which could help for the purchasing process. As far as the kind of bike which you are after... cosmetically, it seems that you are looking for a "naked" or "standard" bike. If you want to stay in the Honda line, the Nighthawk may be something to look into. Standards tend to be a little higher off the ground which may be a problem for your stature. Performance wise, it seems that you are after more low end torque. If that is so, a big single or V-twin is the way to go. Singles are mostly dual sports which may be something familiar for a motocross rider. Concerning V-twins.. if you liked the Buell, it may be your best shot.

Hope all that made some sense.

It makes sense thanks. I was just looking at the Nighthawk actually, it looks a little on the heavy side but I may go into a dealership when I'm back in Phoenix and see if they have one I can sit on or maybe even test ride. You're right that I am a fan of naked bikes, and the more standard riding position is probably better in the long run but at the same time I like a little bit of sporty styling which is where the Buell comes in.

I really would like a dual sport but I know that they really aren't good bikes unfortunately.

kinsaj · 03-12-2007, 07:05 PM

Why are they not good? most make excellent starter bikes and will be pretty damn reliable. I know someone with and have rode on a KLR 650 which was very fun to throw around and very forgiving. Sure it lacks the styling you are after, but it should deliver just about everywhere else.. except perhaps top speed. The newer one (coming out in '08 I think) is supposed to have looks more suitable to your wishes.. but that will not really fit your situation seeing as you would have to buy it new... too bad.

dirtyrascal7 · 03-12-2007, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cadre

Just out of curiousity what kind of Yamaha did you get dirtyrascal?

I have an '05 FZ6... which actually sounds about perfect for your preferences. It is very sporty, it has a slightly detuned R6 engine (still plenty fast though... 0-60 in less than 4 seconds), has the naked style, and you sit in a more upright position compared to the true sport bikes.

I've always been a big fan of Yamaha products... and I really do love this bike, I just should've been a smarter consumer when shopping for a motorcycle.

kinsaj · 03-12-2007, 08:00 PM

Good bike... (FZ6) I am looking at getting an FZ1 a couple years down the line. But it is questionable if he will be happy with the low end power. Also finding a used one for cheap may be difficult.

cadre · 03-12-2007, 10:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kinsaj

Good bike... (FZ6) I am looking at getting an FZ1 a couple years down the line. But it is questionable if he will be happy with the low end power. Also finding a used one for cheap may be difficult.

I'm a she just for the heads up. :P

Other than that, Yamahas are great bikes. That's what I ride offroad at the moment. I think the fz6 is a little bigger than what I'm looking for but I haven't seen on in person in a while so I'll have to check it out.

Kinsaj, the reason I wouldn't get a dual sport is that since they compromise to give you both uses the bikes don't usually excell at either. They ride like big dirtbikes and handle like them. And alot of them are actually really big, and tall, and have a high center of gravity. Which would be fine if I wasn't so short. But other than that I wouldn't be able to make it work well for the street since I would want to be able to use it off road (so no street specific tires or suspension set up or any of that) and the ones I've riden wouldn't be very comfortable for a long ride which is mostly what I'll be using it for. I mean, they could be made to work but it'd probably cost me a good deal of money and time (since I'd do alot of the work myself..cause I can)

kinsaj · 03-13-2007, 01:46 AM

A she eh?... you only need to worry about passenger pegs then.

Just kidding... not that much of an ass and appreciate women riders very much.. wish there were more.

That aside... I suppose the KLR was a little high for me, even at my 6 foot stature. Both feet flat on the ground is nice.. and could barely not do that. I suppose dual sports appeal to me strictly as a beginner bike. Doubt I will ever buy one. I have my dirt bike and my road bike and will likely always keep them separate. Guess that puts me back to square one. As far as the nighthawks go.. some of the older ones were pretty high up though I don't know about the more recent ones. If you are happy with the power delivery after test riding one, I can recommend the line.

cadre · 03-13-2007, 08:44 AM

When my father bought me my first bike he bought himself a dual so I eventually rode it. It appeals to me as a concept but not in practice. I may end up putting the lights and such on my dirt bike so it is street legal though. I don't own a truck to tow it around and there are a bunch of ohv areas pretty close to where I live. But that's a different subject.

I dunno about the nighthawk, it makes sense but I find it kind of ugly. I will have to go look at them before I rule it out though.. The thing about alot of the small engine standard and cruiser bikes is that they seem to have high centers of gravity. If you've ever riden a Harley Sportster you probably noticed. My dad wants me to get a Sportster but hell I would never be able to pick that up if I layed it down (not my style anyways).

Know anything about the Suzuki gs500? That might be an option if I could find a naked one. I don't know much about Suzukis though

kinsaj · 03-13-2007, 07:14 PM

GS500.. from what little I have heard, it is known to be a decent and reliable bike. It has a problem with with the coating on the frame, which causes premature rust etc. but if you live near/around Phoenix, that should not be a problem. have not personally rode much on the Suzuki line except some of the higher stuff, the most recent being a SV1000. If you can catch one in your price range, a SV650 would be worth checking out. Lighter and better power delivery and relatively naked.

cadre · 03-13-2007, 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kinsaj

GS500.. from what little I have heard, it is known to be a decent and reliable bike. It has a problem with with the coating on the frame, which causes premature rust etc. but if you live near/around Phoenix, that should not be a problem. have not personally rode much on the Suzuki line except some of the higher stuff, the most recent being a SV1000. If you can catch one in your price range, a SV650 would be worth checking out. Lighter and better power delivery and relatively naked.

Someone just recommended the sv650 to me. I think I'll go into a dealership next week or this weekend and check them out.

cadre · 03-16-2007, 12:21 AM

Okay well no street bike for me. Haha, that was a waste of the week. Thanks anyways for your input.

I'll probably end up buying a Blast down the road when I have the extra cash but right now I don't and I'm not willing to give up my dirtbikes to get it.

Katatonic · 03-22-2007, 07:51 AM

Hmmm, as if you're giving it up?

I commute on my bike every day.

I got for hill runs and soon track days (controlled environment).

You don't know what you're missing, then again, you are missing those cagers that are out there to kill us. US = Riders.

Anyway, if you look again have a look at the Honda 600 F4i.

It's just like the 600RR except the posture is more commuter friendly.

cadre · 03-28-2007, 10:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Katatonic

Hmmm, as if you're giving it up?

I commute on my bike every day.

I got for hill runs and soon track days (controlled environment).

You don't know what you're missing, then again, you are missing those cagers that are out there to kill us. US = Riders.

Anyway, if you look again have a look at the Honda 600 F4i.

It's just like the 600RR except the posture is more commuter friendly.

Ya know, I actually thought this thread was dead so I didn't update. I actually did end up getting a bike. The problem I had was that I couldn't afford to have both my dirtbikes and a street bike and I didn't want to sell the dirtbikes to get a street bike either. I also didn't have any money to put out. I ended up getting a loan so I'm now in debt but I ended up buying a 2004 Buell Blast. I looked at some of the other bikes that were suggested to me but they just seemed too big so I opted for the Blast. I'll move up once I get this one paid off though.

03-12-2007, 03:30 PM	#1 (permalink)
cadre The Worst Influence Location: Arizona	Cadre needs a bike. So as the title says, I'm looking for a bike. The thing is that I'm having difficulties deciding what kind of motorcycle I should look for. This is why: I'm 5'3" and weigh 110 pounds, this is my first street bike, and also, I'm pretty poor. So far, I like the Buell Blast the best, the 05 and newer ones are pretty reliable and I've riden them and I'm comfortable on them. It's decently fun for a small bike too, plenty of torque and really tall gears.(I really like the Ducati 620 but I'd kill myself on it and it's out of my price range). I'm told there's a Suzuki that's decent? No Ninjas though, I don't like how boxy the smaller ones are and I'm told they're not very perky like the Blast is. I'm looking for more sporty bikes, not cruisers but at the same time, not fully sport bike..if that makes sense. Any suggestions? Oh yeah the price range is up to 3k. __________________ My life is one of those 'you had to be there' jokes. Last edited by cadre; 03-12-2007 at 03:49 PM..

03-12-2007, 05:04 PM	#2 (permalink)
dirtyrascal7 That's what she said	For your first bike, I definitely recommend getting a used bike that you are comfortable with. Don't let image or design cloud your mind too much... you can always upgrade later on once you're more comfortable riding and you're sure you'll use it enough to make it worth while. I went ahead and shelled out for a brand new Yamaha, and I definitely regret it. Sure it looks awesome, but it was really expensive buying parts for it when I layed it down (and it IS likely you'll lay it down just starting out). And the worst part is that I don't ride it NEARLY enough to justify its price tag. Of course you think you will before you have it, but since it most likely won't be your primary mode of transportation... you might not use it as much as you envision. __________________ "Tie yourself to your limitless potential, rather than your limiting past." "Every man I meet is my superior in some way. In that, I learn of him."

03-12-2007, 05:25 PM	#3 (permalink)
kinsaj Psycho Location: somewhere out there	What he said^ A used bike is the way to go and will likely end up saving you a lot of money in the end. At 3k, you can afford to check out a whole lot more types of used bikes than you could new. If you are not the more mechanical type, get a friend who is, and preferably rides, to go with you when you purchase in order to check for those things which you would not think to check. It is also important to not rush into anything when buying new. If it sounds too good to be true, it typically is. __________________ boom

03-12-2007, 05:25 PM	#4 (permalink)
cadre The Worst Influence Location: Arizona	Okay, I should have said this in the original post. I'm not looking for a new bike, I can't afford one. Used only. That said, anyone have suggestions on specific bikes or brands? Just out of curiousity what kind of Yamaha did you get dirtyrascal? __________________ My life is one of those 'you had to be there' jokes.

03-12-2007, 05:26 PM	#5 (permalink)
kinsaj Psycho Location: somewhere out there	Oh, and remember to ride safe. __________________ boom

03-12-2007, 05:36 PM	#7 (permalink)
kinsaj Psycho Location: somewhere out there	Hondas in general are known to be reliable. Make sure to do extensive research on a model prior to purchasing, you can often find "known problems" or something of the sort which could help for the purchasing process. As far as the kind of bike which you are after... cosmetically, it seems that you are looking for a "naked" or "standard" bike. If you want to stay in the Honda line, the Nighthawk may be something to look into. Standards tend to be a little higher off the ground which may be a problem for your stature. Performance wise, it seems that you are after more low end torque. If that is so, a big single or V-twin is the way to go. Singles are mostly dual sports which may be something familiar for a motocross rider. Concerning V-twins.. if you liked the Buell, it may be your best shot. Hope all that made some sense. __________________ boom

03-12-2007, 07:05 PM	#9 (permalink)
kinsaj Psycho Location: somewhere out there	Why are they not good? most make excellent starter bikes and will be pretty damn reliable. I know someone with and have rode on a KLR 650 which was very fun to throw around and very forgiving. Sure it lacks the styling you are after, but it should deliver just about everywhere else.. except perhaps top speed. The newer one (coming out in '08 I think) is supposed to have looks more suitable to your wishes.. but that will not really fit your situation seeing as you would have to buy it new... too bad. __________________ boom

03-12-2007, 08:00 PM	#11 (permalink)
kinsaj Psycho Location: somewhere out there	Good bike... (FZ6) I am looking at getting an FZ1 a couple years down the line. But it is questionable if he will be happy with the low end power. Also finding a used one for cheap may be difficult. __________________ boom

03-13-2007, 01:46 AM	#13 (permalink)
kinsaj Psycho Location: somewhere out there	A she eh?... you only need to worry about passenger pegs then. Just kidding... not that much of an ass and appreciate women riders very much.. wish there were more. That aside... I suppose the KLR was a little high for me, even at my 6 foot stature. Both feet flat on the ground is nice.. and could barely not do that. I suppose dual sports appeal to me strictly as a beginner bike. Doubt I will ever buy one. I have my dirt bike and my road bike and will likely always keep them separate. Guess that puts me back to square one. As far as the nighthawks go.. some of the older ones were pretty high up though I don't know about the more recent ones. If you are happy with the power delivery after test riding one, I can recommend the line. __________________ boom

03-13-2007, 08:44 AM	#14 (permalink)
cadre The Worst Influence Location: Arizona	When my father bought me my first bike he bought himself a dual so I eventually rode it. It appeals to me as a concept but not in practice. I may end up putting the lights and such on my dirt bike so it is street legal though. I don't own a truck to tow it around and there are a bunch of ohv areas pretty close to where I live. But that's a different subject. I dunno about the nighthawk, it makes sense but I find it kind of ugly. I will have to go look at them before I rule it out though.. The thing about alot of the small engine standard and cruiser bikes is that they seem to have high centers of gravity. If you've ever riden a Harley Sportster you probably noticed. My dad wants me to get a Sportster but hell I would never be able to pick that up if I layed it down (not my style anyways). Know anything about the Suzuki gs500? That might be an option if I could find a naked one. I don't know much about Suzukis though __________________ My life is one of those 'you had to be there' jokes. Last edited by cadre; 03-13-2007 at 08:46 AM..

03-13-2007, 07:14 PM	#15 (permalink)
kinsaj Psycho Location: somewhere out there	GS500.. from what little I have heard, it is known to be a decent and reliable bike. It has a problem with with the coating on the frame, which causes premature rust etc. but if you live near/around Phoenix, that should not be a problem. have not personally rode much on the Suzuki line except some of the higher stuff, the most recent being a SV1000. If you can catch one in your price range, a SV650 would be worth checking out. Lighter and better power delivery and relatively naked. __________________ boom

03-16-2007, 12:21 AM	#17 (permalink)
cadre The Worst Influence Location: Arizona	Okay well no street bike for me. Haha, that was a waste of the week. Thanks anyways for your input. I'll probably end up buying a Blast down the road when I have the extra cash but right now I don't and I'm not willing to give up my dirtbikes to get it. __________________ My life is one of those 'you had to be there' jokes.

03-22-2007, 07:51 AM	#18 (permalink)
Katatonic Upright	Hmmm, as if you're giving it up? I commute on my bike every day. I got for hill runs and soon track days (controlled environment). You don't know what you're missing, then again, you are missing those cagers that are out there to kill us. US = Riders. Anyway, if you look again have a look at the Honda 600 F4i. It's just like the 600RR except the posture is more commuter friendly.