[eternal05]

If you anticipate riding in rain, get some textile gear. I for one don’t, and I make positively sure that I won’t get caught in the rain before I leave the house.

Weather Underground and their hourly “probability of precipitation” is your friend.

http://www.wunderground.com

[eternal05]

You just say “Yo! Eternal, make that list already!” Then I go and make a list of bikes, their horsepower, torque, power-to-weight, engine type, etc., and then forty people tell me “You forgot this bike” or “You forgot that bike” and so I add those too.

Then we go through and we argue incessantly about ones we think would be good beginner bikes, the mark a few others as “maybes” depending on the rider (things like the Ninja 650R / SV650 / YZF-M1…ok ok kidding on that last one). Then maybe we can offer it up to a moderator or something.

[eternal05]

Obviously this is for motorcycling purposes. I love Seattle in just about every other respect.

Pros:
– Great places to ride as soon as you get out of the city.
– When it’s clear, it’s freaking beautiful and perfectly temperate (picture 75 degrees, sunny, with a cool breeze). Summer is fantastic.
– uhhh….

Cons:
– It’s never clear. Ever. No seriously. It’s overcast/drizzly/rainy from October to late April.
– Tons of BIG hills. Then again, I did just move back from San Francisco…
– Really weird roads in some parts. Intersections can be confusing. This is a problem for the idiot drivers that almost kill you as a result, more so than for you as a rider.
– Traffic. I’ve lived in Los Angeles, so I can’t say it’s THAT bad, but it’s still really bad.
– Pardon the french. THE SHITTIEST ROADS ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH. I swear to God. I’ve ridden or driven in LA, San Francisco, Berkeley/Oakland, Palo Alto/Mountain View, Boston, New York, Wellesley, Pittsburg, Portland, Phoenix, and on and on, and I’ve never seen a city with roads so systematically crappy as Seattle’s. Specifically:

1) Every single road I regularly ride needed to be repaved ten years ago. They’re all ridden with gigantic potholes, cracks, tree root damage, and phat ruts where car tires go (I’m talking 4-6″ deep, compared to the center of the lane). There is virtually no smooth asphalt anywhere.
2) We had a “bad” winter here (aka there was a bit of snow) this last January. Every idiot and their mother was out on the road with snow chains on, long after the snow melted. As a result some roads are so destroyed that they’re literally unrideable (unless of course your family jewels are made out of impact-resistant material).

[eternal05]

Engine displacement is one of those things that everybody focuses on but that, like you’ve said, doesn’t mean jack in the long run. A few years ago, the MotoGP displacement limit for a four-stroke was 990cc, but now it’s 800cc. These 800cc machines are MORE powerful than their bigger ancestors as a result of being more advanced and more refined. You could also think of a 5-liter Hemi in a pickup vs. a 5-liter V10 in a Lambo. World of difference. Yet MSF, insurance companies, and your mom all care about displacement over anything else.

Well, here are a couple of other metrics for you. All of the following descriptions are aimed at the “mechanically inept,” so don’t get all nit-picky on me if you’re a professor of mechanical engineer.

Horsepower: you can think of HP translating to the ability to accelerate. All else being constant, more HP means your vehicle can accelerate faster. This is a great single-metric approximation for how “vile” an engine will be to a new rider. Horsepower is USUALLY more plentiful at higher engine speeds (more revs).

For your reference (in order of increasing displacement):
– Kawi Ninja 250R: ~26hp
– Suzuki DRZ400sm: 39hp
– Kawi Vulcan 500: 55hp
– Suzuki GSX-R600: 108hp
– Honda XL650V: 53hp
– Suzuki SV650: 72hp (or more, I could only find 2006 stats)
– BMW F 800 GS: 85hp
– Yamaha YZF-R1 (1000cc): 179hp
– Harley Night Rod (1130cc): 115hp
– Harley Road King (1584cc): 65hp (no joke!)
– Kawi Vulcan 2000: 103hp (twice the engine, almost half the HP)

As you can see, while displacement is roughly proportional to HP for “normal” bikes, as soon as you start getting sporty (read SV650, GSX-R600, R1, etc.), horsepower jumps off the charts.

Reasonable HP “brightline” for first bike: < 55hp Torque: is a measure of the rotational force generated by the engine. The object being rotated is, of course, the crankshaft. If you were to think of the personification of horsepower being an Olympic sprinter, torque in human form would be akin to a powerlifter. Torque is what allows a bus to still pull its weight at 3 mph up a hill, even if it tops out at 80mph. Torque is also what you feel at first when you floor it in your car. Generally speaking, “normal” bikes often have as much, if not more, torque (and in a lower rev range) than their race-oriented brethren. This makes them easier to ride as you don’t have to worry as much about what gear your in. If I were to try to head up a hill at 15mph in 4th on an R6, it wouldn’t put up with me. Try that on a big Harley and it will probably handle it fine, even if it would rather have been in a lower gear. High torque numbers will generally not reflect as negatively on the bikes user-friendliness. Torque is generally more plentiful in the lower rev ranges. Engine type/number of cylinders: Here’s a rule of thumb. More cylinders per displacement => more HP. Fewer cylinders => more torque. This is why a Xcc V-Twin (two cylinders) is usually considered to be more palettable for new riders than an Xcc inline-four (four cylinders).

First-bike brightline: NO MORE THAN TWO CYLINDERS. PERIOD! (Even then you can still buy a Ducati 1198 superbike, so this is clearly a flawed metric.)

Power-to-weight ratio: I’d argue this is the best single metric with which to judge a book by its cover, so to speak. You can get a sense of how responsive a bike is (and you can do this to find a “friendly” bike or a “fierce” bike, alike) by simply dividing the horsepower stat by the bike’s weight. My car has 210hp, and it weighs 3,300lbs. It’s pretty zippy, though it’s no supercar. It’s just a tad slower to 60mph than my Ninja 250. A superbike (i.e. 1000cc sport bike) will usually have around 175+ horsepower, but can weigh almost TEN TIMES LESS. This is great evidence that power specifications alone don’t tell you how the vehicle will perform. Alright, enough beating of that dead horse. You get it. Some examples in increasing order (I used dry weight):

– Volkswagen Jetta (compact car): 170hp/3,230lbs => ~0.05 hp/lb
– Kawi Ninja250: 26hp/333lbs => ~0.08 hp/lb
– Harley Road King: 65hp/783lbs => ~0.08 hp/lb
– Audi S5 (sports car): 354hp/3,891lbs => ~ 0.09 hp/lb
– Kawi Ninja 650R: 71hp/390lbs => ~0.18 hp/lb
– Ferrari Enzo (supercar): 651hp/3,009lbs => ~0.22 hp/lb
– Yamaha R1: 179hp/381lbs => ~0.47 hp/lb

This is a perfect way to see how absolutely ludicrous supersport bikes are. A $12,000 Yamaha R1 (1000cc) has more than TWICE the power-to-weight ratio of this $650,000 Italian supercar:

Reasonable brightline for power-to-weight: < 0.18 hp/lb

[eternal05]

That’s a great article, SantaCruz!

For anybody that reads it, read the whole damn thing. Read the response from Snell (so angry!), and the response by Motorcyclist magazine to that Snell response.

Incredibly informative.

[eternal05]

That is unspeakably awesome. Now to justify dropping $60 on a 7″ R/C motorcycle…

[eternal05]

It all depends on the specifics of the pipe and the local laws. I know of some that do, and I know of some that don’t. A lot of people knowingly break emissions laws, and in the face of an emissions test, refit the stock equipment. I’m not sure how well that works, but it seems to be a chosen path for some.

The other thing to consider is that sometimes necessary modifications to the engine cause emissions to get worse. You won’t be jetting your Ninja 650 (it’s fuel injected), but I could see something like a power commander in conjunction with an aftermarket slip-on having adverse effects on your emissions status.

[eternal05]

I’ve definitely had days where I get in the car instead. If the mood’s not right, it’s not right to be on two wheels, and your feelings are evidence in that direction. There was a string of moto/bicyclist killings about a month ago that had me skirting the bike for a while. I, personally, didn’t feel comfortable on a motorcycle after reading about one more cyclist killed by a wayward driver, day after day. After all, we ride for transportation, for excitement, for fun, but not to die.

Like briderdt, courage in my book is perseverance in the face of fear, not the absence of fear. That said, you have to remember that pushing forth to your goal in the face of your fear should only be done when the goal is one you care deeply about. I would say that riding so as not to be overcome with fear is potentially misguided if riding a motorcycle is not an important part of who you are.

The fact: riding a motorcycle is very dangerous, but not because lots of motorcyclists die every year. As briderdt said, that’s largely a function of idiots behind the bars of bikes they can’t handle. It’s dangerous because in the event of an accident, your life is entirely out of your hands. If you’re in a safe car and you’re as vigilant as we motorcyclists have to be, your chances of dying by freak accident are very small. You might get in plenty of accidents, but the cage will protect you. Hell, I was rear-ended at a stop light by a retard going 50mph, and I stepped out of my car without a scratch.

I, personally, would also agree with the sentiment that now (I’m about your age) is the time to do your motorcycling. I don’t pass judgment on those who raise families while carrying on their riding careers, but I personally couldn’t bear the thought of taking any more risks than I had to while a new mother and young kids were waiting at home. Again, I know plenty of responsible individuals who have done so, but I’m not inclined to press my luck, and I think it’s reasonable of you to feel that way if you do.

That said, I ride a motorcycle. A lot. So despite all the semi-gloomy things I’ve said, it’s really all in the spirit not kidding myself. As cheesy as it sounds, you need to figure out what you really want, figure out how much that’s worth to you, and act accordingly. All of us here chose to keep riding in the face of any uncomfortable feelings. But that was our choice. Make your own.

Finally, as SantaCruz pointed out, experience, practice, and development of skills will likely allay many of your fears.

[eternal05]

Whether or not you listen to music is a debate for somebody else to have.

I can definitely attest to the value of sound dampening by whatever means. If you wear ear plugs (or headphones, or whatever), you will be bothered less by the very high SPL of most riding in traffic (especially at higher speeds). You’ll be able to concentrate more on what’s around you, and you’ll suffer less hearing fatigue (loud noises for long periods of time do wear on you). Everything is loud enough that even with -10dB to -30dB ear plugs you’ll still hear everything you need to hear.

[eternal05]

In general, the effect of ride height on your bike’s handling:

Higher: more agile, but less stable, less rear tire grip.
Lower: less agile, but more stable, more rear tire grip.

Too high: High-speed instability, poor rear tire grip, and instability under heavy braking.
Too low: Understeer under acceleration (think corner exit), slow to change direction, poor front tire grip.

[eternal05]

Depending on the ratio of the extra weight of the passenger to the overall weight of your bike, it can make a big difference. Riding with a passenger on a Ninja 250, for instance, is pretty terrifying at first. The weight of the riders is equal to the weight of the bike. If the rider knows what they are doing, the bike will become super quick-to-turn (the riders weight moving into the turn accelerates turn-in). In my early experience, this was to the point of being scary. If the rider doesn’t know what they’re doing, and resists the motion of the motorcycle underneath, the bike will become much more difficult to steer. Low-speed maneuvers also become much more difficult on smaller bikes. Can’t speak much for the effect of a passenger on a Gold Wing.

Definitely practice with some dead weight for a while. When you do go for a passenger the first time, I’d start in a parking lot. Go through your normal practice drills with the passenger until you are comfortable. Make sure you practice emergency stops, quick turns, and heavy acceleration. This is more for the passenger than for you. Depending on the bike, they may have a hard time keeping their weight from slamming into you from behind or from falling off the back, and they should be prepared to compensate.

[eternal05]

By “market price” I mean “fair market value” which itself is cryptic. An econ major would tell you that it’s “the price an asset would trade for in a competitive open market,” which really means “what it’s really worth, and what people should expect to pay.” For instance, Kelly Blue Book provides ROUGH estimates of “market value” for used vehicles. Here the suggested KBB retail price of a 2005 Virago 250:

http://www.kbb.com/motorcycle/retail/2005/yamaha/virago-250/82730

Be careful though. KBB and similar sources won’t help you argue your case, as they are estimates based on a number of highly variable factors, and can be easily brushed aside by aggressive salespeople. It gives you a good idea of the ballpark you should be in, however, when you’re trying to come up with a number to throw out.

[eternal05]

I just re-read my post and realized I was misleading about something. If you don’t know me and can’t hear my “virtual intonation,” you don’t realize the following was meant VERY sarcastically:

“At the end of a year of serious practice, you’ll be a pro…”

No, you will not. You won’t be anywhere near it. BUT, you will potentially have enough skill not to get yourself killed on a bigger bike, IF you’ve put in the time.

Don’t jump the gun.

[eternal05]

Could be an issue. As Munch said, you need to sit on the bike. I’m also 6’4″, and I definitely had to get adjustable footpegs (ask me if you want to do this; I’ll help you out) and adjust my rear brake and shift lever to their lowest setting to make riding the Ninja reasonable. I did make it work, however.

Honestly, the comment about riding the bike on a long road trip is true. You won’t be comfortable on the 250. Period. This is especially true given your height. Then again, sport bikes (even though the 250 is semi-standard) are not made for long-term comfort. The 650R might be a little better, especially with respect to wind protection and ergonomics, but it still won’t be too comfortable (at least not compared to a cruiser).

Also, I do think it’s possible to be ready for say, the Ninja650 after 3 months on the bike. If you put in a ton of practice time on the 250, get your throttle control, body positioning, and general control of the bike down, the 650 won’t be a huge hurdle. What people are worried about is you: if you don’t have the patience to put in the time on a reasonably beginner-oriented bike, are you really going to be ready for the bigger bike when it comes along? Are you just going to spend your time gassing it up without ever learning how to take a corner at speed or brake at the threshold?

If I were you (which I’m not, so make your own decision), I’d get the 250. I’d keep it for at least a year. I’d spend free time in parking lots learning how ride in a straight line at 1mph, getting your body in the right place on turns, learning to put your weight on your knees and feet and not in your hands, reading books, watching videos, etc. At the end of a year of serious practice, you’ll be a pro, and you’ll be ready to START doing the same thing with a GSX-R. I guarantee you that the longer you spend on a 250, the better you’ll be as a rider. You’ll be able to use the full capabilities of the bike, and really learn how to ride. That won’t happen if you jump too soon.

[eternal05]

If one was ever warranted, now is the time. Then again, we’re not internet meme douchebags here.

[Author]

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