- This topic has 8 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated 13 years, 10 months ago by Jeff in Kentucky.
Hi There!!
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June 22, 2010 at 2:07 pm #4057skippersusieParticipant
Hi everyone,
My name is Susan and I have been around motorcycles for years, however I never really learned the correct way to ride.. i.e. I never felt safe riding up front. A midlife crisis has me taking the safety course here in the SF Bay Area and I’m looking for my first bike. My uncles ride H-Ds but they aren’t the greatest when it comes to giving advice.
I am looking for a cruiser in the 650 range: Vulcan, Blvd VStar or Virago. Being 5’3″ standover height I find it difficult to decide.
I really enjoy this site. There is a lot of great info in here, thanks to all of you that have contributed your knowledge… it is much appreciated! Hopefuly, I won’t overpost asking for our opinions as I go forward.
Cheers!
SusanJune 22, 2010 at 2:59 pm #27130MunchParticipantWelcome Susan. The Vulcan under a 650 range you will have to find used as I believe the ’09 was the last year to make ’em. Excellent starter bike for anyone and enough under the saddle to keep you having fun for quite some time. Not to mention once you get enough confidence in it…. you can likely leave you uncle scratching his head at the line. The V-star 650 is better for shorter folks I think as the seat dips a little further into the frame. Best thing you can do though to help your decision process is to go and sit on them and see which one fits you best.
June 22, 2010 at 4:38 pm #26543eonParticipantHi Susan, Congratulations on the decision to move to the front of the bike. I’m sure it’s going to be so much more fun up there. I can’t comment on which cruiser to get, Munch is your man for that.
Riding bikes can be scary but it is my believe that through education you can manage those risks effectively. I don’t see the point in learning the hard way as that tends to hurt and costs more than training classes, books and dvd’s. I found the book Proficient Motorcycling a good read and invaluable in highlighting all the ways bad things can happen so that you can avoid them. The MSF class is a great way to start but once you have some miles under your belt look out for more advanced classes. I’m approaching 2 years and 18,000 miles and have plenty to learn yet but having sooo much fun doing so.
Good luck!
June 22, 2010 at 6:09 pm #27103EddiepowerfmParticipantHi Susan, I agree with Munch. I have ridden the V-Star 650 and I own a 2007 Vulcan 500. I am 5’5″ so i am not much taller than you. The Vulcan engine is a little smaller than the V-Star but it is liquid cooled and the V-Star is air cooled. Liquid cooled is nice for me being in the Texas heat. Our temps are around 100 this week.
Both are fine choices unless you wanted to go smaller for a wile with a Honda Rebel or 250 V-Star. If you plan on riding 70+ mph soon the 500 and 650 will do fine.
Keep Rockin!
June 29, 2010 at 1:32 am #27241skippersusieParticipantI really appreciate the feedback, nice to know I’m on the right track. I don’t plan on doing any freeway riding just yet. I’m able to commute on the backroads, so I figured I’d do that to build up my confidence and practice. I rally like the Vulcan. It feels really comfortable and I really would like to have a liquid cooled engine as I have a few steep, but gradual inclines on my planned route. Right now it is 95 outside, it was over 100 this weekend.
I found a local shop that was dialed and I’m planning on taking whatever I end up with down there for a safety check. I was amazed that out of the 5 shops within a 5 mile radius, these were the only guys to take the time to tell me what to look for and help tell me what it may cost to do most of the common repairs. I was thinking buying from a dealer was the best way to go, but know I think I am going to be checking Craigslist out on a regular basis.
Thanks again for the advice on the MSF classes. I have sailed & taught sailing for over 25 years and I’m constantly amazed at how much I still have to learn!! Trying to have the same mentality with this. better to put the money out up front than to pay for someone to have to reteach me the alphabet!
You guys are awesome!!! Thanks again.
June 29, 2010 at 6:27 am #27243madjak30ParticipantIf you will be riding with any of those uncles, you will not want to start with the 250cc cruiser bikes. They won’t have enough “poop” to keep up with the Harley’s…not that Harley’s are the end all be all, but if your uncles are die hard Harley fans, I’m betting they done ride the 883 Sportsters…a 650cc in a twin or a single (Suzuki) will be good enough to learn on and not be too powerful that it will hamper your learning curve. I have only been riding for two months (midlife crisis myself), but I have researched the cruisers and an 800cc is about the equivalent of the 500cc sport bikes…(please no one take offense to this) the performance of the Ninja 500, or the GS500 is similar to the 750cc to 800cc cruiser bikes…the cruisers have more style, but the sport bikes have better performance…I still haven’t decided which way to go myself. I own a GS500 and like the sporty feel, but the style of the Suzuki M50 or M90 is very tempting over the Suzuki Bandit GSX1250FA…
I find that the sporty bike makes me feel like I should be riding faster, and I do…but I really like to just accellerate quickly to the speed limit and “cruise” along…I will wait for another year before making the decision, but my Suzuki dealer keeps offering me a “test ride”…make me nervous…I’m very impulsive…
Like Munch said…go to the dealer and sit on them all…but I would say do it a few times before making the decision…you can never be too sure…
Remember, this is fun and the bike you buy should be comfortable above all else…don’t limit yourself either, sit on the sport bikes, the touring bikes, the adventure bikes and the cruisers…you may be surprised which one feels the best to you.
Later.
June 29, 2010 at 11:24 am #27249Jeff in KentuckyParticipantI think this is a great second bike, if you add a better aftermarket seat to it. I only like the black one, or the blue and white one with all of the white parts repainted flat black. I would also take off the ugly silver plastic frame covers above the main footpegs:
http://hellforleathermagazine.com/2009/04/suzuki-gladius-vs-i-405.html#
June 30, 2010 at 2:09 am #27254EddiepowerfmParticipantI went to a shop to chek out the 2010’s in person. I was quite pleased with the feeling of the Gladius, it really surprised me. I agree on the black one.
Man I keep meeting people with sport bikes and am kind of wondering in my mind now……
July 1, 2010 at 9:54 pm #27288Jeff in KentuckyParticipantA sport bike is really for someone that does at least one track day a year. A naked is plenty fast enough for the street, but not the best choice for riding 500 miles in one day.
Ideally, I would have a Suzuki DRZ 400cc Supermoto for my usual 22 mile loop on twisty country roads going 65 mph or less (an Aprilia supermoto if I struck it rich) , a 150cc scooter for my 9 miles to work, and a big sport tourer for my annual pilgrimage to Deal’s Gap, Tennessee and to visit my family 600 miles away in New York State. The problem is too little money and too many choices, and my wife might crap a brick if I came home with another bike- then she could afford fewer shoes and clothes and vacations.
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