[Dagger]

I have the jacket and a pair of boots from them.

As far as the jacket goes, sizes run a lil small so buy a size larger than what you think you’ll need. As for the quality it’s been pretty good over the past year. The only problems I’ve had is with the zippers. One of the pocket zippers broke and the pull tab on the main front zipper broke off. I ended up sliding a key ring through it and it works great. Even easier to grip with my gloves on now.

http://www.leatherup.com/p/Mens-Motorcycle-Jackets/Men%E2%80%99s-Executioner-Armored-Black-Racer-Motorcycle-Jacket/54615.html

As for the boot, I love them. Since I ride to work every day I pretty much live in them with next to no discomfort. My only problem I’ve had is with the Xelement logo on the side of them. The “X” has sharp points and tends to get caught on my pant legs.

http://www.leatherup.com/p/Mens-Motorcycle-Boots/Mens-Advanced-Motorcycle-Lace-Up-Biker-Comfort-Boots/41688.html

Hope that helps!

Dagger

[Dagger]

What’s this snow stuff you all keep talking about?

Hmmm…

[Dagger]

I still say to check out the Yamaha V-Star 650 as well.. I liked it much better than the Shadow myself.. Sat a lot better.. Less weight I believe.. And they handle great.

Dagger

[Dagger]

Congrats! So far I’ve done just over 5k in 5 months on my new bike.. Got it May 30th with 2100 miles on it and I just hit 7400… But I do a lot of 300mile rides with my MC.. Usually one or two a month.. I should look at my odometer on the 650 and see how many miles I have since I started riding last October.. Wow.. Come to think of it.. I’ve been riding a year now.. Isn’t this when I’m supposed to crash? *knocks on wood* Forget I said that.. Keep up the riding!

Dagger

[Dagger]

Very awesome! Wish I was closer to come by and check it out. One of these days I’m gonna have to make a trip out your way.

[Dagger]

I agree with Munch. The bikes he listed are all great starting cruisers with a low center of gravity and plenty of power so that you don’t feel like you’re going to be run down by the car behind you. I went with the V-Star 650. Mostly because I got an incredible deal on it. Some guy had dropped it and dented up the tank and tweaked the handlebars a bit. I threw on some new handlebars and forward control extensions to fit my legs better and I had a blast learning to ride on it.

The best thing to do though is to get out there and at least sit on the bikes but better yet take them out for a ride if you can. You’ll know which one is right for you when you sit on it.

Dagger

[Dagger]

I still think my V-Star 650 was a great bike to learn on as far as cruisers go. You can pick up a used one really cheap ($2kish) and it’s a light bike for it’s size. The only draw back for me was the forward controls but once I put some extenders on it I was a lot more comfortable riding (6’1 185lbs).

The Sporty is a nice bike but as far as learning goes, for the price of a Harley (Unless you come across a great deal on a used one) I’d suggest starting off with something cheaper. You can always sell your bike later and move up to something else. It’s not a life long commitment.

[Dagger]

A couple of years ago I had to edit a movie using FCP.. Found it to be a little frustrating and slow compared to what I’m used to but it got the job done. For the price though it can’t be beat and a lot of shows here in LA are being edited with it now.

Nice job on the video.

[Dagger]

The next show I’ll be at is the Long Beach Internantion Motorcycle Show Bob mentioned. My club will be there on Dec. 5th. Seems like a lot of bike rides and shows have been canceled lately. This past weekend I was supposed to do the Love RIde here in LA and after 25years they canceled it due to lack of funds. I also heard Honda canceled their big get together this year as well. I hope this isn’t a trend. I really look forward to the larger runs and corporate sponsored events.

Dagger

[Dagger]

Most bikes jump from 250 to the 500-650 range.. The main thing to keep in mind when going with a cruiser is the weight IMHO.. The lighter the better when starting out.. It will get you the confidence to get on any sized cruiser later.. I started out on a Yamaha V-Star 650 Custom. Great bike to learn on.. Light weight as far as cruisers go and handles wonderfully.. AT the time it felt massive to me.. Now after moving up to a 1900cc Roadliner, it feels like I’m on a moped when I take the 650 out. Will probably be giving it to my gf as her first bike once she takes the MSF coarse.

[Dagger]

The main thing you have to do is relax.. The more you stress about it, the more mistakes you will make. Most new riders will have stalls at lights and the such.. Yes it’s reasonable to worry about being rear ended by a car when it happens, but don’t worry about holding them up.. If you have your wits about you, you can restart the bike and be off in a few seconds and the cars behind you will survive. I remember one of the first times it happened to me I freaked out and was so flustered I couldn’t get my bike to restart.. I had to push it to the side so traffic could go by while I calmed down and restarted it. In the grand scheme of life, being held up at a light for a few extra seconds is not going to kill anyone.. And despite what most people say, most car drivers are not going to try to run you over.. They’ll stop and wait for you.

Like Capt Crash said.. Try taking it out early mornings on the weekends and try to get out of the city a bit if you can.. I know the SF traffic can suck at times. Good luck and just remember to stay calm..The worst drivers are the unsure drivers..

Dagger

[Dagger]

btw.. Rode my buddy’s Triumph Speed Triple the other day.. That thing is scary fast.. If I had that bike I know I wouldn’t be alive very long..

[Dagger]

I have insurance through Geico on both my bikes, V-Star 650 and Roadliner.. Both bikes together come to $650 a year for full covereage.. Guess it pays to be old and have a clean driving record..

[Dagger]

Glad to hear things are going good for ya.. If you’re ever covering any events in SoCal let me know. The bike is looking great (Even if it’s not a Yamaha)

Dagger

[Dagger]

Buells are good bikes.. And I definitely suggest picking up something like a Blast if you’ve never ridden before..

[Author]

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