joining bikers...

[balactm]

so I'm seriously considering selling my mr2 and getting the money together to buy a bike.

I have a few questions though:
1. Is there a sport bike (i.e. cbr, yzf, etc) that will be as cheap to insure as a cruiser?
2. which would be a better bike to learn on? sport? or cruiser?
3. which would be more fun to have?
4. Is it worth selling a two seat mid engine sports car to have a motorcycle?

I sat on a friend's r6 and revved the engine and about creamed my pants and so I know I want a bike. I just don't know if I want one now (which means selling my baby ) or if I want to wait and have both. But I really hate waiting... That, and the mr2 is currently broken and needs a new short block ($600...ouch).

[G.Irish]

so I'm seriously considering selling my mr2 and getting the money together to buy a bike.

I have a few questions though:
1. Is there a sport bike (i.e. cbr, yzf, etc) that will be as cheap to insure as a cruiser?
2. which would be a better bike to learn on? sport? or cruiser?
3. which would be more fun to have?
4. Is it worth selling a two seat mid engine sports car to have a motorcycle?

I sat on a friend's r6 and revved the engine and about creamed my pants and so I know I want a bike. I just don't know if I want one now (which means selling my baby ) or if I want to wait and have both. But I really hate waiting... That, and the mr2 is currently broken and needs a new short block ($600...ouch).

1. Not really. Maybe a Ninja250 or some sort of sport touring bike could be that cheap but definitely none of the Japanese supersports. I hear Ducatis are cheaper to insure but they're more expensive to buy so it's a wash.

2. Best bike to learn on is something that is fairly light, doesn't have a ton of power, and has decent handling. So there are 'cruiser' type bikes like the Nighthawk that are good to learn on, and there are sport(ish) bikes that are good to learn on like the SV650, Ninja 500R, or CBR600F3.

3. Sportbike is more fun by far.

4. Depends on what your priorities in life are and what your transportation situation is. If your bike is going to be your only form of transportation you should:

A: Live in a fairly urban area
and/or
B: Have roommates that have cars that help you get everyday stuff done.

C: Be able to get around when winter rolls around or when it rains (hard)

Bikes are cheaper to maintain and operate but you've got to put a lot more thought into riding and are much more impractical, even than a MR2. The impracticality can be a particular pain in situations like when you need to go somewhere that is an hour or more away, but you're really tired. You might be able to swing it in a car but on a bike that is a VERY dangerous situation. Also keep in mind that while you can have 2 or 3 drinks and still be under the legal limit to drive, even 1 drink can impair your riding ability to where you are at high risk for a crash.

Bikes are a lot more fun that cars in a lot of ways but they are also a much bigger responsibility, can be a bigger inconvenience, and can punish you much more severely for mistakes than cars.

[PGK]

Neither a cruiser nor a sportsbike is the 'best' bike to learn on. The best bike to learn on is a standard. First things first though, take the MSF course and get some gear, before you get a bike. Gear can be had cheap, I bought my first helmet for $90. Don't think bling, think bargain bin.

When you start bike shopping, also think bargain bin. Don't go out of your way to spend more than $1000 on a bike. This will usually mean something made in the 1990's or earlier. Which is fine. It will be a lot cheaper to insure and you won't have to make payments and carry comprehensive coverage. There are many reasons to spend as little as possible, and as a new rider you should make several assumptions.

Assumption #1: You will crash, and sooner rather than later. Best to crash something with no fairings that you don't really care about.
Assumption #2: You may not enjoy riding. This is ok. Motorcycling isn't for everyone.
Assumption #3: You suck at riding, so take it slow, let it grow on you, and learn bit by bit.
and the most important....
Assumption #4 Every other person on the road is trying to kill you.

As for bike vs 2 seat sports car....your call. I wouldn't sell the car if I was you, and if you buy a bike for a grand or so you might not even need to.

[balactm]

Neither a cruiser nor a sportsbike is the 'best' bike to learn on. The best bike to learn on is a standard. First things first though, take the MSF course and get some gear, before you get a bike. Gear can be had cheap, I bought my first helmet for $90. Don't think bling, think bargain bin.

When you start bike shopping, also think bargain bin. Don't go out of your way to spend more than $1000 on a bike. This will usually mean something made in the 1990's or earlier. Which is fine. It will be a lot cheaper to insure and you won't have to make payments and carry comprehensive coverage. There are many reasons to spend as little as possible, and as a new rider you should make several assumptions.

Assumption #1: You will crash, and sooner rather than later. Best to crash something with no fairings that you don't really care about.
Assumption #2: You may not enjoy riding. This is ok. Motorcycling isn't for everyone.
Assumption #3: You suck at riding, so take it slow, let it grow on you, and learn bit by bit.
and the most important....
Assumption #4 Every other person on the road is trying to kill you.

As for bike vs 2 seat sports car....your call. I wouldn't sell the car if I was you, and if you buy a bike for a grand or so you might not even need to.

well said. thanks for the advice. and yeah i plan on taking the safety course. so, as a standard bike, what would be an ideal first bike for less than a grand?

[Ginger]

Whatever you can find

I disagree about the sportbike vs. cruiser topic, though. I hate riding my sportbike. It's no fun. It's tons of fun to commute on my "sport" tourer or motard, though. Sportbikes are uncomfortable, not practical to manhandle at sub-track speeds (although sportbikers will deny it, see how many of them have spent time on less "focused" bikes), and generally far more than you'll ever need on the street. I've got a sportbike, a motard, and a "sport" tourer now... and I haven't gotten the initiative to put the sportbike back together (it's been apart since December) because... it's just not as fun as I have on my other bikes. And I'd love to have some sort of scrambler. And no, you won't have problems keeping up

But sportbikes turn people on.

On a less cynical note: have you given proper thought to the safety considerations? Motorcycles are more dangerous than cars. You don't get to mess up. Please do yourself the favor and run that over - sitting in a hospital bed isn't a good time to do that. Not on a cynical or mean note - just throwing it out there.

If you choose to start riding, please remember assumptions 3 and 4. A lot of people say the first 6-9 months are the most dangerous period of riding. I think it's from 6 months to two years.... or longer, if, well, you know. Too many guys ride over their head because of group dynamics, the need to show off, prove they don't suck, maintain an ego, or just because they think they're better than they are. Don't succumb to that trap. I know a guy who's crashed his brand new 600 three times in just one year. On the street. I'm waiting to have to take him to the hospital one day, or worse.

[balactm]

yeah i think i'm gonna take the suggestion of buying a cheap bike..i found a 1980 honda cx500 that seems like it would be fun. and the only reason i would get a sport bike is if they were as cheap to insure, but from the research i've done, they're not. so that's out. plus i think i'll have more fun on a cruiser. ultimately i love the look of the 1986 honda shadow vt700. so classic. i just sat on a friend's r6, and revved it, and it made me wonder if i would want that 15 1/2 thousand rpm range...cuz it does sound good...

and yeah. i'm definitely considering the saftey aspects of it. i'll have a car to drive anyways. so it's not like i'd be on a bike only. and i've been in an accident before and it sucked and made me a really cautious driver. and now that i have a two seater sports car with no airbags, abs, or anything safe, i still really carefully. and i know that doesn't really mean much in terms of a bike. but i'm not looking to show off on a bike. i really just want one to cruise.

[CaptainHenreh]

CX500 would be a good choice. Watercooled, reliable as the sunrise, and "neat". Just watch out for the water pump if it's been sitting a while.

But take the MSF. Like, ASAP.

[Ginger]

Yeah, sportbikes are absurdly expensive to insure

Good calls on the bikes - I like them

[Sijray21]

i really just want one to cruise.

not to mention the awesome gas mileage. my old GS got around 55 mpg on the hwy

personal recommendation for a first bike: gs500e - cheap and great for learning

taking the MSF will help you decide whether it's for you or not

[CaptainHenreh]

personal recommendation for a first bike: gs500e - cheap and great for learning

You know, I haven't really found GS500E's to be all that cheap. I guess it's all relative, but to get one "right away" that isn't broken will cost you ~2000 bucks, and it isn't much bike for 2000 bucks. Maybe I'm just looking in the wrong place.

[.RJ]

Watercooled

I guess it's all relative, but to get one "right away" that isn't broken will cost you ~2000 bucks

And you can sell it for $2000 when you're done with it. I've seen quite a few go for $1200-1500 as well.

This time of year inflates prices too.

[Maengelito]

Gear can be had cheap, I bought my first helmet for $90. Don't think bling, think bargain bin.

I'm gonna disagree here. And I know that I dont ride so I probably dont have much room to talk but I think a nice balance of comfort, protection and visibility are paramount wether its for $90 or $900. I could get a pail from Lowes and it would probably be worth of a DOT certification. Just get what's comfortable without compromising protection or visibility no matter what the cost is. It is your head after all...

Assumption #4 Every other person on the road is trying to kill you.

I usually subscribe to this rule no matter if you're on a bike, in a car, riding a horse, etc.

[Ginger]

I'm gonna disagree here. ........ I could get a pail from Lowes and it would probably be worth of a DOT certification.

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DOT isn't quite as worthless as you might expect. For quite a while the DOT standard was more progressive than the SNELL standard (who, until very recently, wouldn't even admit that their research was more than 10 years behind the curve).

[Apoc]

This time of year inflates prices too.

I thought you didn't subscribe to that theory.

Gear can be had cheap, but after spending the money on a nice helmet I think it's worth it. I'm not saying a $150 helmet can't protect you as well as a $500 helmet, but that money buys you a lot in comfort before the crash.

[.RJ]

that money buys you a lot in comfort before the crash.

Yup. I wont go back to a cheap helmet again, not worth it.

[Ginger]

Agreed. I'll never buy any cheap gear again. Ever. Nice shit is nice to have.

[.RJ]

Nice shit is nice to have.

Who are you?

[CaptainHenreh]

And you can sell it for $2000 when you're done with it. I've seen quite a few go for $1200-1500 as well.

This time of year inflates prices too.

All I'm saying is that 2k isn't what I'd call "cheap", and yeah this time of year *does* inflate prices, but this time of year is also, you know, the time of year we're talking about.

[.RJ]

Your mom.

[Apoc]

All I'm saying is that 2k isn't what I'd call "cheap",

For a road worthy form of transportation? Maybe my perception is skewed but that's pretty cheap.