[dcJohn]

I think you’ll really enjoy the Ninja 250. It should be perfect for bolting around Chicago. Many sportsbikes, including the Ninja 250, have a passenger seat/pillion that you can places bags or slings bags over. Check out the information page on bags at ninja250.org: http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/Saddle_bags

Now, if we’re talking really serious photography, and you’ve got lots of expensive lenses and a few camera bodies you want to carry around, I’d recommend going with one of the camera-specific backpacks available at most camera shops. I’ve got a Tamron backpack setup like this:

There’s enough room on the passenger seat of my Versys to lash it down to the top of the passenger seat using an inexpensive motorcycle bungee web, like this:

The Ninja 250 has a few less points to lash down a big backpack than the Versys, but I suspect it’s do-able, and there’s always the option of just wearing the backpack while you ride.

If you’re worried about visibility–and you should be–you should also consider the color of helmet you buy. White or other solid, bright-colored helmets might go a longer way for helping you be seen than the color of your bike: http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/abstract/328/7444/857

As for GPSes, it’s not cheap, but I love my Garmin Zumo 550, which was designed for motorcycle use (includes wiring and mounting; waterproof; works with gloves; option to integrate with bluetooth helmet speakers).

[dcJohn]

You know, while I think there are plenty of reasons to shy away from 650cc+ bikes when learning, fear that they’ll spontaneously jump into a high wheelie with a slight twist of the wrist isn’t one of them. I’ve been trying to pop a small wheelie on my Versys–a torquey and light 650cc bike that’s reportedly wheelie friendly and fun to stunt around on (not my plan)–and trying to get the front wheel up is tough on throttle alone.

Now, where I think the extra power could get you in a lot of trouble, and certainly a quick way to pull up the front wheel on the bike, is if you rev the engine up and roughly pop the clutch.

And yes, there’s a world of difference between a cruiser and a sportsbike (or a cruisers versus a standard or dual sport for that matter), I’m going to write this up in a longer post, but I just recently spent some time on my friend’s 1100cc Yamaha Silverado cruiser. I was leery of all the extra cc’s, but actually the torque and power–at least what I perceived–was a heck of a lot more mild and relaxed than on my Versys (the Versys is essentially a dual-sport Ninja 650). I’d read how the extra weight and dynamics of a cruiser make a difference in how bigger engine sizes play out, but I was amazed by just how different the power and ride was.

[dcJohn]

Glad you’re ok! I was in NYC over the weekend, walking around with the family, and I thought of you and learning to ride on those city streets. DC and Baltimore have their own flavors of traffic insanity, but neither reach the bad behavior and idiocy I saw by drivers and pedestrians in NYC. I’d say the move to a full-face helmet is a very good idea.

[dcJohn]

Yeah, but those low RPMs on the SV650 get you going a lot faster than they do in 6th gear on the Ninja. On the Ninja the RPM restriction keeps you down in the 30-40mph range and rowing through gears 1-5 in wildly fast succession when accelerating after every stop. (Actually, all that gear shifting is good practice, which is another nice perk of the 250 as a beginner’s bike.)

Anyhow, Jim already posted a link to the Ninja250 wiki, which is about to become your newest best friend. Short answer: there’s a big debate about RPMs, with reasonable arguments at both extremes (follow Kawi’s instructions to the letter vs. ride it like you stole it). Personally, I opted for a middle between the two–usually keeping RPMs low (though not always as low as Kawi asked) with lots of shits in RPMs, including the occasional revs up and down the range. Because I went this route, I also opted to get my 500 mile service at 400 miles, since I wanted to change the oil earlier sooner rather than later.

[dcJohn]

There’s pretty strong consensus that the FZ6 is a great second bike, but not a very beginner friendly ride–not just a view here, but on the FZ6-specific forums as well. While Yamaha has played up the beginner angle on the new FZ6R in its marketing, it’s not at all clear why the bike will be any friendlier to first-time riders.

It is clear where they cut some corners on the R to lower price. And the detuned-for-torque engine will put power further down in RPMs, where more casual riders are looking for it. The FZ6’s inline-four was known to give a sudden umph higher up in the RPMs that might get inexperienced riders in trouble, and the retuning of the engine could result in a more consistent and predictable throttle. But it’s just conjecture on the ride dynamics of the FZ6R–last I checked, they haven’t shown up at dealers and won’t for another month or two.

If you’re seriously looking at the GSX650 and FZ6R, I’d put the Ninja 650 in the mix. Yes, more power than the 500, but if you’re looking at new versions of the bikes, the new 650 has a lot of promised nice refinements, while the 500 has really been left behind in terms of development. Personally, I’d go with a used 250 for a few months and then go up to the Ninja 650. With the Ninja 500 it seems like you’re getting the worst of both worlds: a bike with power that can get a beginner in trouble and at the same time shy enough on power and updates that you’ll still likely want to upgrade the bike soon.

[dcJohn]

I’m a big fan of my heated FirstGear Carbon gloves.
http://www.firstgear-usa.com/fgweb3.nsf/Products/E47D91C2B739A8388625734D005B77E5?opendocument

Not cheap, and you’ll need a controller and wiring: http://www.firstgear-usa.com/fgweb3.nsf/Products/760EB3936F8F657886257340004D918D?opendocument

And heck, while you’re rigging that up, might as well get the heated jacket line that the gloves can link directly into from connections at the sleeves:
http://www.firstgear-usa.com/fgweb3.nsf/Products/BDE81FA82FD049C086257340005D8A7F?opendocument

Toasty.

[dcJohn]

I predict $700.

[dcJohn]

Thanks for the tip. I’m going to call Geico tomorrow and see if my AMA membership adds any extra discount to my insurance rate.

I just found out that my local Kawi dealer gives a 5% discount on their supplies (helmets, clothes, accessories, etc.) for AMA members. It’s probably always worthwhile to check.

[dcJohn]

I’ve often seen mfg. maintenance manuals for bikes available on ebay (often its dealers selling on ebay for a discount).

[dcJohn]

That is one gorgeous bike! I’ve still got several years ahead of me on the Versys, but I have a strong hunch that my next bike is going to be a Triumph. They’ve just got so many compelling bikes… the Bonneville is a classic (though I’d probably lean toward the HD Sportster in that category), the Thruxton is a beautiful bike that seems in a class by itself, the Daytona is a rare example of a sportsbike with character, and the Street Triple just seems like the ultimate hooligan bike.

I’m just hoping that, by the time I’m ready for my next bike, Triumph will have settled any lingering questions about reliability and will have updated some of their tech (e.g. get rid of the dual carbs and go to EFI).

[dcJohn]

Well, I wish they didn’t do it because because it freaks out motorists and creates ill-will towards motorcyclists (cagers are bad enough without adding malice to the mix). And increased risk leads to increased accidents which leads to increased insurance rates for the rest of us. Also, I can’t even pull a small wheelie, so I really don’t need them rubbing my face in it.

On the silver lining side, when I see people taking crazy risks like this, often without protective gear, it makes some of the more daunting safety stats about riding a motorcycle a lot easier to swallow. “Well sure it gets dangerous…. when you’re an idiot.”

[dcJohn]

That stinks! My guess is that someone decided to play tip the bike while drunk at night–either intentionally or they hopped on and had no idea what they were doing. Then someone else, later in the day, saw the poor bike laying there and decided to at least do the right thing and lift it up so it wasn’t still crashed over and (depending on the parking spot) easy to miss and be hit by someone carelessly parking.

Like ScottyJ, I also work at a university (prof), and while most college students are great, sometimes adding alcohol turns weekend parties into bad idea theater.

[dcJohn]

Well, I dunno, now that she has a few scrapes, keeping rust back is an even bigger issue. I guess I’ll need to redouble my efforts at working on that motorcycle oil jacuzzi for the backyard.

I haven’t gotten the final repair estimate yet, but I’ve already decided not to do every little thing to bring the bike back to showroom-new condition. All mechanical and the major cosmetic stuff is going to get fixed, but the bike is still going to have some permanent scuffs and character from the wipeout.

A day later I’m in much better spirits about it. I was skittish when first hoping back on the bike to ride it to the shop (having only one peg, no access to the rear brake, and a big rainstorm starting on the ride didn’t help). But now I’m actually just laughing about the whole thing. Lots of old riders I’ve talked too in the meantime have had “and then I bit it in the leaves” stories. And now crashing the bike isn’t some abstract concern, and I know from first-hand experience that it’s not fun, but it ain’t (or at least doesn’t have to be) the end of the world.

[dcJohn]

Oh, I just remembered one bit learned from the crash: spools are good. Just the other day I put spools on the bike to make it easy to use a stand, jack up the rear wheel, and oil the chain. Sure enough, the right spool doubled as a guard in the fall and prevented my swingarm from getting seriously scratched up. It has a couple of nicks, but thanks to the spool on that side the minor cosmetic damage was not enough to warrant replacing the swingarm ($20 to save a >$500 part). So… cheap, helpful for maintenance (assuming you don’t have a center stand), and good protection.

[dcJohn]

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