New member from Lynnwood, WA
Hello everyone,
I am about to take my WMST course (Washington Motorcycle safety Training) and plan to purchase my first motorcycle. I almost jumped the gun and bought a Ducati 2003 monster (620) last week, but the owner strongly advised me not to since I was a newbie. He also took the time to offer me some advice and sent me a link to this excellent web site. I am excited and a bit apprehensive about the journey ahead of me, but ever since i was in my teens i've always wanted to ride. I'm now in my 40's and no longer hesitant about doing so. I've been looking into the Triumph Bonneville line and was wondering if they are good bikes to start on. I love the retro look and do not feel the need for speed. Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you for your time.
Welcome to the board. That
Welcome to the board. That sounds like a respectable dealership, one that turns away a sale in order to protect the new rider. Would earn my respect and future dollars. Was that the dealership in Seattle or is there another up up your way?
There are a couple of us on here in the Seattle area. I'm one of them and live downtown. Only 6 more months till we see sunshine again :)
I'm not so sure a Bonneville makes a good starter bike. The Suzuki TU250 has a similar look and might be more appropriate to start on.
Good luck with the course and let us know how you get on.
suzuki
Hey Eon,
6 more months.....maybe i should take the training in spring?..... thanks for the advice on the Suzuki. I did see one up close at a shop here in Everett (Power sports), but the salesman (super nice) showed me a 2000 Honda Aero 650. Beautiful bike, but looked heavy. I'd really like to ride upright due to my bad back, and i had read that riding a cruiser your tailbone absorbs a lot of the shock when hitting bumps.
I work in the downtown area (Capitol Hill) so my commute is quite far and i'm not sure whether the Suzuki has enough power on the freeway. By the way the Ducati I saw came from craigslists. Safe riding :-)
jayspot
I would go ahead and take the
I would go ahead and take the training now. Although our winters can be a bit wet it is rare you cannot go riding at all. I started about this time last year and rode all winter. By the time spring came around I had some experience under my belt and was able to go on longer rides and have a great time.
Cruisers have that reputation, mainly because your feet are forward and do not help support your weight. If you are not set on the retro style bike then all kinds of possibilities open up for you. Read through the posts here and you will quickly see numerous bikes mentioned. Eternal had a spreadsheet at one time that was a very handy reference. Would be nice if that was a sticky.
I'm not sure if the TU250 would handle the freeway rush hour traffic. I believe the Ninja 250 would but not all 250's are created the same. What kind of speeds do you get up to while commuting?
Man, you're hardcore - riding
Man, you're hardcore - riding in the winter, and a newbie to boot! I have no previous experience on a motorcycle other than riding a Honda scooter in my 20's when I resided in L.A. I don't recall ever being in inclement weather, so it was easy riding.
Now I commute on a Honda civic and average 60-70 MPH and drive approx. 21 miles from home. Luckily I work the morning shift (6 am) and get off at 2:30 p.m. so I avoid rush hour traffic. I will definitely consider taking the safety classes this Fall. Thanks for your input!
jayspot
Nah, I'm not hardcore. I
Nah, I'm not hardcore. I mostly work from home or walk the 1.5 miles into the office. I take a 15 mile journey twice a week to play soccer and that is sometimes nasty but that is as hardcore as I get. Other than that it's when it is nice out. Doesn't get too cold here so I can get by with a good winter jacket as I am sheltered from the wind behind my screen. Some heated grips would be nice though.
Good luck with the class and the hunt for a bike.
Fellow Seattle-ite
Hey there,
Eon's totally right. I ride all through the winter, and I don't even ride in the rain. Get yourself a good weather forecasting site (I recommend wunderground.com) and just make sure that there's next to no chance of precipitation on a day you plan to ride.
Manage that, and then all you've got to do is get enough gear to be warm in the cold. Once you've gotten more comfortable, you can be hardcore like Eon and get rain gear.
Welcome to the
Welcome to the group!
Eternal's handy-dandy spreadsheet can be found here:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=rU4QBnyJGHjHiCQAtii4KeQ&single=true&gid=0&output=html
It hasn't been updated for the 2010 models yet, but that sounds like a good winter project... :)
My advice on bike shopping is to go looking at what is available shortly after you take the MSF. That way you'll have a better idea of how the bike will feel. Also, on the tailbone thing, you can get aftermarket seats or cushions to improve the comfort. Some bikes are notorious for having hard seats standard.
Best of luck!
Owlie
"you can get aftermarket
"you can get aftermarket seats or cushions to improve the comfort"
AirHawk makes good ones.
****Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but, rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting "Holy Shit....What a ride!!!"****
Quote from Owlie
"It hasn't been updated for the 2010 models yet, but that sounds like a good winter project... :)"
I see what you did there...
No CFA to study for, I am
No CFA to study for, I am your research assistant at will. :)
Thanks everyone for the
Thanks everyone for the advice and welcoming me to the forum! I can't wait until I take the safety course. I'm sure afterwards I will have a good idea on which bike to purchase. I know for sure that in the near future the motorcycle I will buy is a Triumph Bonneville. It's all I think about and read about. They are pricey, so I'm setting money aside for it. Probably start with a Kawasaki Ninja 250 or a Suzuki TU 250 (preferably used).
jayspot