Question for the motorcycle nuts.

Mitica100 · Aug 28, 2006

OK, here it goes...

I rode a bike for 6 years many moons ago. I'm thinking about getting my b*tt in the saddle again, I live in a state where weather is not a safety
issue and I crave again for that special feelin'...

I am taking a safe driving course in motorcycle driving soon, hopefully get my license as well.

Now for the question(s):

A) which bike should I look for: (I have to tell you that I'm interested solely in cruisers, 1200cc and above)

Harley
Honda
Suzuki
Titan (lots of $$$ that I don't have)
Kawasaki
BMW

B) if you owned one of these, how much was it in the shop (for repairs/tune up and so on)?

Right now I'm leaning towards a Harley but I've been known to have changed my mind based on a sound advice.

Oh, one more thing, I won't ride it every day, just on occasions like every other weekend or so...

Advice?... :wink:

bace · Aug 28, 2006

Orgnoi1 · Aug 28, 2006

First of all I would go to all the dealers and see what type of deals they are offering you. Dont get too hell bent on a name because everyones bikes are so close in comparison these days that it comes down to a few other things now such as customer service and such. Sit on each bike and see how it feels to you, talk to the salesperson and see how knowledgable they are and what they can do to wheel and deal with you. Check out the service department, remember this is where you will be bringing your ride in for service and you dont want it to be some S$%&hole place.

Mitica100 · Aug 28, 2006

Bace... I wish, man! :lmao:

Mitica100 · Aug 28, 2006

Org, really good advice there... I was planning to do that, start with the dealers and check some bikes out. There is a HD dealership around the corner, I might do that 1st.

My main concern with the HD is the rumor that it spends a lot of time in the repair shop, for many reasons. Also heard they do leak quite a bit. Any truth to that?

JDS · Aug 28, 2006

I've heard the same thing about Harley's. I've never owned one (And don't want to..) so I can't tell you for sure.

I asked my uncle about it once (He owns a Suzuki/Honda shop in NC - There are some nice Honda cruiser's BTW...). He used to own a Harley. He said it's basically just a matter of taking care of it, just like anything else.

DepthAfield · Aug 28, 2006

Mitica100 said:
My main concern with the HD is the rumor that it spends a lot of time in the repair shop, for many reasons. Also heard they do leak quite a bit. Any truth to that?

Harley will never be able to live down the “oil leaker” myth. Older H-D’s were actually designed to drip oil onto the primary chain (between engine and transmission) for lubrication… Since the primary case was not sealed, excess oil dripped out the bottom of the case and onto the ground. Not pretty, but that was the design.

As much as I love the sound and look of H-D, I don’t think I’d own another. Mine was very dependable, but there are far more refined cruisers being built today by the Japanese. If I were in the market for another bike, a Honda dealership would be my first stop.

How about one of these? http://powersports.honda.com/rune/

Mitica100 · Aug 29, 2006

DepthAfield said:
How about one of these? http://powersports.honda.com/rune/

Whoa... That's a beaut! Price is up there though...

ShutteredEye · Aug 29, 2006

I've always ridden Kawasakis. I've had an 800 Classic and a 1600 mean streak. The Mean Streak was a GREAT bike. Look it up, you won't be disappointed.

If I had to choose now though, I might end up with a Victory though....

http://www.polarisindustries.com/en-US/Victory/

Mitica100 · Aug 30, 2006

So, I am taking a motorcycle course, a refresher if you may, in a couple of weeks. That should enable me to pass the written text and only worry about the riding skills test. I already signed up and can't wait to do it.

DepthAfield · Aug 31, 2006

Mitica100 said:
So, I am taking a motorcycle course, a refresher if you may, in a couple of weeks.

Kudos to you for taking a refresher motorcycle safety course! All motorized two-wheel enthusiasts should take your lead, and do the same. Motorcycle riding is the most fun one can have while still wearing clothing

Unfortunately, many riders wind up injured (or dead) because they dont understand or have forgotten, basic control and traffic avoidance.

If I were King of the Planet Earth, I would require a refresher course for motorcycle endorsements every 4 years. :wink:

Mitica100 · Sep 11, 2006

UPDATE: Today I took the first of two days of safety riding. I rode a Honda Shadow for about 5 hours, all sorts of maneuvers. Courses are taught by retired motorcycle cops and it was really fun to have that feeling again! Tomorrow we have another 5 hours of riding and then a test. Wish me luck!

Oh, BTW, it all came back to me, even after 30 some odd years of not riding. A bit rusty in the beginning but fine after the first 30 minutes.

Xmetal · Sep 12, 2006

Kinda like riding a bike really...you never forget.

Let us know when you're heading off to the dealership, Dimitri!

Mitica100 · Sep 12, 2006

Latest update: Passed both tests! I will have now the M (motorcycle) endorsement on my DL. On top of that, most insurance companies offer some 10% off their rates for the completion of this course. Cool!

And yeah, I saw a nice HD Sportster that kinda sparked my interest.