never

Hey D, do you still have that helmet?

dminor 

The Moto III or the 2nd-gen Star? Actually I still have both around somewhere.


Can't find my steel shoe (hotshoe) anywhere though.

Moozh

Love the mo'sickles! Plan to add more to the stable..

slow hand

Sorry...forgot to post some pics of my rides!

Moozh

Get thee a naked bike, more pointedly a "streetfighter". Essentially a race bike with the farings stripped off and upright bars instead of clip-ons! All the manuverability (and moreso) than a repli-racer, with the benefits of a more street friendly-comfortable riding position and no need to crack 130mph for the fun to begin. Downside...windblast once you crack the ton.. Thinking only a b-king can satisfy is unfortunate. Naked bikes suck at high speeds but are sublime under 100mph IMO, you dont need a Hayabusa engine for a naked bike IMO...

They dont make the B-King for the US market anymore but I suspect you can hunt about and find a used one for sale.

Ducati Monster and Streetfighter
Aprilia Tuono
Kawasaki z1000
Honda 1000r (not in US tho)
BMW K1300R
Triumph Speed Triple
MV Agusta Brutale
Yamaha FZ1 (fazer)
Yamaha VMax (I suppose..muscle bike, not so much naked sportbike but power and torque in abundance)
If'n I mention the VMax..gotta mention the Triumph Rocket III Roadster (Gods own torque curve, but again...more muscle than sport)

Bikes mentioned above are in the liter class and above, there are middle-weight models for some of these, generally between 600-800cc..phenominal fun and will still kill you with a thoughtless twist of the wrist.

samburger

Wow, that helps a lot! Every single one of those bikes looks amazing. What do you think of the Kawaksaki Versys or Suzuki V-Strom though? I still don't even have the slightest clue where I'll end up in the Army because I haven't even enlisted yet (& I won't find out where my PCS is until half way through AIT), but if I end up somewhere within a few hundred miles of home I'll be looking for something that works fairly well as a light touring bike for those drives back home for birthdays & holidays & such. But I'd also still like something that can zip around town & fly down the interstate when I need it to (at speeds no faster than the speed limit, of course) Seriously though, I don't drive incredibly fast so uncomfortable at 100+mph isn't a concern for me.

Moozh

Let me first lend balance to the bikes I suggested earlier. I obviously dont know how much riding experience you have but if you dont have much the bikes I mentioned in my prior post are not ideal candidates. They are all very, very bad choices for a unseasoned rider. They are powerful bikes that will out accellerate all but the top-tier of super cars. Not top speed (they are naked) but accelleration..If you do silly or thoughtless things they will kill you quick!

That said, the Versys is a fantastic bike. I actually had the opportunity to test ride a demo three years ago (the introductory year..was it four?) and thoroughly enjoyed it. I found it the kind of bike that had me thinking if I had a need for such a bike I would love to have it in my stable. For the tasks you mentioned I think its perfect. It has a new 800cc parallel twin which puts out very decent power and torque. Parallel twins are an engine configuration that lends itself to straightforward maintenance, balanced cooling (V-twins rear cylinders tend to be hotter than the front), very sensible mechanically and monetarily to maintain and at 800cc is the perfect displacement to give you all the power you will want without getting crazy. It won motorcyle of the year when it was released the general community was so impressed with it. They have since been mildly restyled since it's intro and I believe the engine is even smoother than before. The seating position is very comfortable, neutral and upright, I felt like I could ride all day on it and you cant say that to most motorcycles.

The Suzuki Vstrom has been about for some time. It is the grand-daddy jack of all trades. I believe folks use it for commuting, light off road (fire road), adventure touring, touring. Doesnt the military use this bike in some guise or other? It's been about for some 20+ years as I understand. Not too much has changed mechanically with it over the years which I suppose is the point of this particular bike. Not the looker or the horse-power king but it's not supposed to be that. It's a tall bike, looks somewhat off road in nature but thats typical for the category. Last I recall (a couple of years) it was still carburetted, not a good or bad thing..just "ole skool".

I personally like the Versys, admittedly just because its new, more modern looking and I've had seat time on it to have something solid to say about it. Nothing wrong with the V-Strom, that it's been around for as long as it has speaks volumes. As always, find some time to get to a dealership and get a look, sit and feel of them. Alas, most dealers dont allow test rides, Harley and Triumph do (check out the Triumph Tiger!)

samburger

I'm all but a veteran biker. I learned the basic on my friends 250cc dirtbike, but that was years ago. On the other hand, I know the Army does use the V-Strom in some instances, though I'm not absolutely certain for what. But when I do join I'd like to be a motor transport operator (88M) & with any luck would get at least some light training with motorcycles. I would also take some sort of motorcycle training course (probably at a Harley dealership) to relearn what I need to know. I'd like a bike in the 600-650cc range because I think that would be light enough to learn on but powerful enough not to get bored with after a few months. I'm really liking everything I hear & see about the Versys though. But like I said, it just depends on where I end up & what feels best.

dminor 

That was why I suggested the more tame but still plenty capable Nighthawk.

Commodus

I've had a bunch, still have an old Katana all done up (yosh pipe, big bore, flat slides, etc), a 78 GT550 and a 08 Guzzi Breva 11.

I don't ride them anymore...I found I just really like to pedal. I won't sell the old ones because I won't get any money for them anyways, and I don't know what to do with the Guzzi. I got such a good deal on it, and it's so beautiful and perfect that I just couldn't turn it down. Maybe I'll ride it across Canada next summer...except that I'll probably end up on my bicycle. Oh well. I know my girlfriend likes the idea, maybe she'll talk me into it.

Here's the problem with motorbikes: When you ride a motorbike really far, or really fast, what you have you really done? Did you go really far or fast, or did you just sit there and hold on while the bike went? When you have to pedal, you went. And that's better, because it's better to do things than have them done to you. Well okay, not always - get your mind out of the gutter.

samburger

Well we'll see. Like I said, I have plenty of time & a lot more education to complete before I can make a responsible decision. But the reason I'd like to go a little higher than my comfort zone straight out of training is because I hate upgrading. To me, upgrading is the result of not thinking a decision through beyond how it presently makes you feel. So after I really learn to ride I'll assess my comfort zone & use that to determine if 600cc is too much.

samburger

As MNRon said earlier in the thread, "Love two wheels of any sort..." It's the same for me, & a bicycle isn't exactly practical for getting to & from Atlanta (45mi via I-75) every time I want to hang out with my brother, or driving to Augusta (over 200mi) to see my best friend already serving at Ft Gordon.

cryptid01

I presume you're speaking of riding on the street, an exercise which I too find to be unfulfilling and only marginally enjoyable. If you had ever done any serious offroading (steeps, tech rocks, tight trees, axle deep mud, competition) I suspect you wouldn't have asked those questions, as you would already have known the answers.

Re-Cycle

SV650 but log more pedal then put-put miles

Moozh

Aint no problems with motorbikes. Simply some of the best fun to be had on two wheels! First and foremost they are simply another means of transportation so getting from A-to-B is an obvious objective. Just sitting there and holding on gives the impression you've only ridden on the super-slab and likely on a cruiser or tourer. As a motorcyclist, even an ex-motorcyclist you know there is more to it than that, cmon.

Personally myself and other folks I know relish going out and finding the twisty bits, the occasional track day and the honest to goodness comeraderie to be had amonst the like minded.

And sorry, If I need to hike over to New Jersey, I aint pedalling! Much as I enjoy it, nosir! The backroads on the mo'sickle is what I'll chose.

Actually riding a sportbike in it's intended arena is pretty physical stuff. Turning those fast-light bikes at speed demands your physical efforts.

Commodus

Oh lord save me from noob tire-biters and their presumptions.

I've raced scrambles, motocross, in street races and road races, logged hundreds of hours and multiple thousand-mile days on everything from a GasGas 200, various Honda CR250s (why I don't know), a '06 Busa, Bandit 12S, GSXRs in all the various flavours, etc., etc., etc. Hell I even have a half dozen or so frame-off restos under my belt. Motorbikes are half the reason I became a machinist.

I've been into bikes my whole life, and I doubt y'all have anything to tell me regarding the 'experience'.

I've been so tired after races that I've vomited into my helmet and couldn't pick up my lithe crosser. I am not saying and never did say it is not a physical endeavor.

I did say, and am saying now, that regardless of how tired you may be at the end of the day; it was the engine that did the doing. Of course you were involved, you're involved in a car too. Drive a car far enough and hard enough and you can get tired. Sit on a couch long enough and your arse can get tired.

On a bicycle, when you go somewhere, you did the going. And that is my only point.

aero540t

I'm in! 1993 Yamaha FZR600. Been riding it 3 years and loved every bit of it.

samburger

Meant no offense brother! Just saying that for me, motorcycles are like a whole new ball game of adventure. Always wanted to ride them ever since I was a little kid, but never could because my dad was too practical to ever own any vehicle he didn't absolutely need. But I'm (technically) an adult now & will be starting my career soon, & I look forward to learning & experiencing everything I can on motorcycles. Though I still love to pedal. Nothing like that feeling you get after a long, gruesome ride (whatever that may be for you..still only about 10-15 miles for me) & you just feel like you've done something you can be proud of.

cryptid01

Yeah but if you coast down a hill, what have you really done?

Sorry you're burned out on motos but you're not gonna steal my stoke.

dminor 

^^

j944

As the wife says. ' I love anything w/ wheels". Havent really rode either in several yrs but dont want to part w/ them either and later regret selling.

mcoine

thirdgenbird

this is the first summer in a while i have not bought a wrecked or older bike to fix up and flip. my last two projects:


this one i actually built to keep but ended up selling
triumph daytona 600
gsxr1000 taillight in a custom undertail (a friend and i made this off another one we saw)
carbon pipe
deleted fairing and custom headlights



this one was bought with the motor swap done, i just cleaned it up and modified it further
honda cl360
2004 ninja 250 motor
ninja harness/temp gauge/tach
aprilia radiator
sv1000 can (gutted)
bsa lights
buell turn signals
red bull can
clubman bars and so forth

Re-Cycle

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ verrrrrrrrry cool scrambler

thirdgenbird

it was a fun bike. you could ride it like a moped, but if you got on it a little she turned into a handful pretty fast. depending on the available traction, it could brake the back wheel loose or 12:00 very fast. the unassisted drum brakes were also a little slow to shed speed. it was a great bike, but if i still had it, i would have sourced a cb360t front wheel/disk brake assembly