- This topic has 16 replies, 9 voices, and was last updated 13 years, 8 months ago by WeaponZero.
New and looking for info
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July 26, 2010 at 4:58 pm #4135oldmanjoeParticipant
Hi all –
I want to start motorcycling.
I’m an avid cyclist, but I’ve always had a passion for sport bikes. That may or may not be in my future, but if it is, I have to start somewhere.
I’m looking for tips on a beginner bike. But I’m concerned that many of the “beginner” bikes are carborated, as opposed to fuel injected.
The reason I’m concerned about this, is I live in / near mountains, which is where I want to ride. I can easily see a day where riding goes from 6000 to 10000 feet above sea level.
Is this something I need to be concerned about, and does fuel injection keep me from having to worry about that?
July 26, 2010 at 6:36 pm #27775WeaponZeroParticipantI can’t comment on whether or not it would be an issue as I’m not expert on the matter. However, if you do want a sporty bike and fuel injection is an absolute MUST for you then you do have options. You won’t necessarily find them in the 250-500cc bracket but there are “entry level” sport bikes in the 600-650cc category that are somewhat beginner-friendly. SV650s for instance became fuel injected in 2003 and have been ever since. Yamaha makes the FZ6R, Kawasaki makes the Ninja 650R/ER-6n (basically same bike just with or without fairing). They have a steeper learning curve than the typical Ninja 250R/500R/GS500F but are by no means off-limits to beginners. I started out on an SV650.
July 26, 2010 at 7:07 pm #27776TrialsRiderParticipantAssuming that you are buying new and looking at a future acquisition, it should become less and less of a problem, as I read; within a very few years emission laws in North America will follow current European standards by requiring catalytic whatchamacallits and improved fuel economy across the board, so without a doubt FI is on it’s way for everyone That should save you from pulling over twice a day to re-jet your carbs, because yes, modern FI is smart enough to adjust on the fly. ( which is actually at idle )
BTW: with carburetors your bike won’t quit from altitude change, it will simply not achieve peak performance and in the worst case scenario that would imply harder to start. Also; if your start point is 6000 and ceiling is 10000 that’s like from high to higher and your carbs could be jetted accordingly.
…If you come down to sea level we’ll recognize you as the smokey bike that keeps stopping at the gas pumps. …or the really hot bike that never stops for fuelJuly 26, 2010 at 10:49 pm #27777Jeff in KentuckyParticipantAnother option is adding this below to a bike with carbs, but each carb needs one and if you have 4 carbs the price is high to get 4 of the packages:
http://www.thunderproducts.com/dial_a_jet.htm
Note that I bought one for my single-carb bike, but I found it did not add enough fuel for both a new intake and a new exhaust near sea level, then I decided to add a regular Dynojet brand jet kit along with it, instead of the dually kit.
July 27, 2010 at 12:54 am #27778JtownJJAParticipantAs of the 2010 model, the Hyosung GT250R is supposed to have Fuel Injection, and it is a pretty cool looking sport bike. I’ve read that it’s seating position is even a bit more aggressive than the Ninja 250. Of course it depends on if you have any dealers around your area, and if you’re comfortable taking a chance with a brand that is not quite as well known as the others.
July 27, 2010 at 2:42 pm #27782oldmanjoeParticipantWhile MY preference is a sportbike, the wife wants to ride and does not want a sportbike. Which is part of the reason I’ve been putting off bikes. (Yeah, I want a Ducati, but those aren’t beginner bikes)
Altitude is something I’m vaguely aware of, but I don’t know the details. I live at about 7K and work at about 6K but I want to ride to the peak @ 10K. (Albuquerque, NM)
I don’t see “road” trips in my future with our dogs, but a couple hour rides would be wonderful. Between the wife and myself, we are about 300lbs. So I’d like to find a ride for me to learn and be able to take her for the occasional ride, including up to the peak.
Thanks again for your input.
July 27, 2010 at 2:48 pm #27783WeaponZeroParticipantRegardless of what bike you get, it’ll be a long time before you’re able to safely take passengers. Get the bike for you, not for the wife. Make her get her own or suck it up on the rare occasion she wants to get a bike.
If motorcycling is your passion, do not compromise it for someone else.
July 27, 2010 at 4:51 pm #27788eonParticipantI *think* he meant the wife wants to get on the back but I could be wrong. If so I certainly understand why she does not want a sportbike. But at the end of the day I agree with WZ. It’s hard to make a big compromise just for the occasional 2 up trip. But given that 2 up trips should be postponed till you actually know how to ride (you are thinking about her safety here), I would pick your first bike based on your needs alone. Once you are a competent rider you will have a better feel for what type of bike you really want and with some experience a whole new set of bikes suitable for 2up riding become good choices for you.
July 27, 2010 at 6:34 pm #27789WeaponZeroParticipantActually Eon I know exactly what he meant. And that’s my whole point.
The bottom line here is that it’s going to be a good long while before he’s in any position to be able to carry passengers safely, and even then he’ll probably be spending more than 90% of his time in the saddle solo. To make compromises in the bike he wants for that rare event when he will be carrying a passenger off in the distant future is just ludicrous in my eyes.
If she understood anything about motorcycling at all then she would learn to ride and get her own rather than make him buy a completely different type of bike than the one he actually wants just for her OCCASIONAL ride.
July 27, 2010 at 6:45 pm #27790CBBaronParticipantCarbs are not a huge problem with altitude. It may help to rejet initially for optimum performance but the bike will still function without it. Many a rider has done those passes with a carb bike. Even a Ninja 250r will have enough power to pull you 2up up the mountain.
However as mentioned there are some options and may be more in the future. Just avoid the supersports to start with as is mentioned several times throughout this site.
Craig
July 27, 2010 at 7:46 pm #27793eonParticipantStrange as it may seem some guys actually enjoying sharing their passion with bikes with their significant other. Take your two (hopefully) greatest passions and combine them and the sum is greater than the parts. And a 90/10 mix sounds about perfect to me. So for some people this may be a compromise, for others it would be a benefit. Once he has some experience the world of Sport-Tourers opens up and for most people that is not exactly a compromise.
But for just now, it is time to be selfish and concentrate on learning to ride. In a year’s time he will know having a passeger is something that will add to HIS experience or not.
July 27, 2010 at 8:20 pm #27794WeaponZeroParticipantThing about sportbikes is that you can’t ride them sporty with a passenger on the back. You can’t corner fast, you can’t accelerate quickly, you can’t do any of that stuff with a passenger on the back. You have to ride it as if it were a cruiser. In other words, to a sportbike rider, there is no such thing as sharing your passion with a passenger.
Yes, Eon, you’re right. Things do change when you get good enough to where full-fledged sport tourers such as the BMW RT series, Honda ST1300, Kawasaki Concours, and other similar bikes become a viable option.
But until then, OP, stick to what YOU want and tell your wife that if she wants to have anything to do with your bike at all that she needs to learn to ride it and get one of her own. Because you are not in a position to realistically and safely carry a passenger until you’ve reached the level to where those bikes DO become a possibility to someone of your proficiency.
In other words, forget about the wife until you can get a bike that is capable of combining the best of both worlds.
July 27, 2010 at 11:45 pm #27798gitchy42ParticipantThe 2010 Hyosung’s (all of them) are Fuel-Injected. The GT250 (Comet) is the naked version of the GT250R. Both are styled after Suzukis, not big surprise as Hyosung has been mentored by Suzuki for the last 30 or so years. The GT250 has a slightly more upright seating position due to having real handlebars as opposed to the clip-ons that the R version has.
Based on the reviews that I have read/watched the fit and finish is a little lacking, but the performance is comparable to the Ninja 250. The power plant is a 75-degree V-Twin, which mean a bit more bottom-end torque than the Ninja, which should help if the wife wants to hop on the back.
July 28, 2010 at 2:12 am #27800megaspazParticipantyou should go to a track day and see what someone who knows what they’re doing can do with a passenger…
July 28, 2010 at 11:26 am #27809TrialsRiderParticipantMost sport bikes are designed to carry a 100lb. gf carrying a clutch purse. … in total discomfort. That’s why the pillion seat and rear footpegs are mounted incredibly high Even the K100RS was designed for 1 up, just as the RT was designed for 2 up. You can still pull warp speed on the RS, but your passenger nearly blows off
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