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Having the hardest time deciding if I want to go through with getting a motorcycle or not. Still need to take the class. Would just be getting a bobber. These super sunny days lately make me want to ride.
Toasty.Having the hardest time deciding if I want to go through with getting a motorcycle or not. Still need to take the class. Would just be getting a bobber. These super sunny days lately make me want to ride.
As fun as it is, it's so fucking scary if you live anywhere even semi-urban. People just don't give a fuck and just about anybody on the road thinks it's 100% justified to run you off the road and kill you for anything you may have done that they didn't love. Also learning and consequence has a very steep curve. Unless you grew up on dirtbikes or have riding for a while, the skills you'll have when you're out there learning are usually not up to standard to what it may take to not die in certain situations, no joke.
The best way to learn is on a dirtbike. If you can get down the clutch, handling and shifting of a dirtbike, you're good to go but as they are far more finicky and less refined but I'd still take a training course. If you are too impatient to get a dirtbike first, DEFINITELY take the learner's course anyways though. DO NOT learn out there on your own in the streets because you passed the permit course at the DMV, know what I mean? Shit is dangerous. I've been T-boned, run off the road, cut off dozens of times where 80/20 saved my ass and chased on my bike and let me tell you- shit is on another level when there's nothing between your femurs and the other guy's bumper and they're raging hard for who the fuck knows why.
It's not all wind in your hair and bugs in your teeth.
I dont suggest it for your first bike. Bobbers are bikes that are built in a garage. If you arnt building it, it has probably been built by some guy named billybob. Things are guaranteed to break, fall off and fail. You will always be fixing it and working on it. You will need a vast assortment of tools and a good knowledge of machining skills and the bike itself. Being a new rider, you will want a spedo, tach, shift light, mirrors etc, and a bobber by definition does not have that.
Basically, they may look badass. But it comes with a price.
They are more of a project then a reliable motorcycle.
For your first bike, i would get a unmodified sportster, enduro, or smaller bike. Something easy to control and very reliable
Both of you brought up really good points^ I dont think i will go through with it as soon as I would like, but hopefully sometime soon. It just seems like a lot of money for everything at the get go. Kinda how everything is though.
I started on and ride a 1995 katana 600. For all you out there who say don't start on a 600, my bike is old and super heavy compared to ss 600s of today. It's "sports touring" so insurance is cheap. If you're tall and lanky like me, I'd recommend it to a beginner. Only negative is the weight. I got mine for $1,700
So I've pretty much made up my mind that next spring/summer I am going to get my bike license and am starting to look around at bikes.
I'm a pretty big guy (6'3"-4" and more than 250lbs), so I legitimately don't fit on a lot of smaller, 'beginner' bikes. I really don't want a Harley, but am not completely closed to the idea of some kind of cruiser. I live in a pretty small community, so there will be some commuting to work, but most of my riding will be longer rides (a few hours at a time) so as much as I would love a street bike or cafe racer, those are out.
In a perfect world, I would get one of these (yes. I am aware they would probably kill me, but still...):
Vmax
Ducati Diavel
or (something a little different)
Indian Scout
In reality (unless I can find a solid deal on one of the above), I'm looking at something like:
Triumph Bonneville T100 Black (really leaning towards this)
Older Vmax (early-mid 00's)
or (something a little different)
Buell Ulysses
Any thoughts, ideas or suggestions for us bigger dudes?