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So young, too. That makes it even worse.

I learned about 30 years ago, riding my CB400F in Dallas traffic, that half the drivers don’t see motorcycles and the other half go after them.

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I had one just last week on the way home from work. Some yahoo in a brand new Ford Explorer pulled out of a gas station without stopping. I had just turned off a highway onto the street leading into our subdivision, going slightly uphill. I was wearing my white and red leather jacket. So much for visibility. The Explorer driver was looking right through me. I saw him coming and knew he wasn’t going to stop, and I wouldn’t have time to stop without hitting his truck, so I cracked the throttle about 3/4 open in first gear and pulled a nice wheelie* across his front side. When I set it down and looked in my mirror he was stopped in the middle of the street gripping the steering wheel with his eyes wide open. OK, I only imagined the eyes wide open part, but I do believe I got his attention.

*I do not condone wheelies on the street, but this was a matter of (cough) safety.

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…and i try not to be boring. I’m heading off this morning to take photos at a music festival in East Texas.

Ten years ago I was just beginning track days. I had a Triumph Sprint RS for a street bike and a Honda CBR600 F3 for a track toy. I started taking lessons on the track to replace a lot of self-taught bad habits with good techniques. I knew I had a lot to learn, but did not realize just how much until I had good instructors giving me tips. I’m now a much smoother, safer, and more confident rider than I was back then.

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And at your age you’re a better candidate for Litre Duc ownership that a 20-something beginner. Keep practicing with your mentor, but get some professional coaching ASAP. The MSF course is great for teaching people how to ride 250cc cruisers in parking lots, but does not prepare people for riding liter bikes in the real world of traffic lights, dogs, gravel in turns, and cars turning left without signaling.

Street survival requires handling emergencies. Do you know what to do if you keep your wrist a bit too high and find your bike getting away from your? How will you handle entering a blind corner and finding gravel at the apex? Do you know how to stop a bike quickly without locking the front wheel?

These are skills we all need. You can develop them on a large bike if you are careful and have good coaching, and as large bikes go your Ducati GT1000 is particularly benign. We’re talking about a lightly stressed twin here, not a Yamaha R1. And I know you’ll be careful, because the GT1000 is just too pretty to deface.

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http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/Article_Page.aspx?ArticleID=5256

Now that is one seriously fugly bike.

The FZ6R is probably a a good motorcycle, despite it unfortunate styling.

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No such thing.

The FZ6R looks like a very good motorcycle, but I’d recommend it as a second bike, not a first bike. Even with its user-friendly powerband and low seat height this is likely a 100+ HP motorcycle, capable of hitting 60 mph in under four seconds, and 100 mph a few breaths later.

Keep leaning toward the less powerful options for your first bike.

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It would be hard to find a better all-around bike than the Versys.

http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/features/122_0809_motorcycle_of_the_year/kawasaki_versys.html

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…for someone who has the experience and throttle control to handle the power. I bought one in July and love the bike. However, I have more than 200,000 street miles under my belt and have taken courses at some of the best riding schools in the country. The SV1K is not a beginner’s motorcycle.

For example: Cracking the throttle open about 1/8 turn and running the engine to 8500 RPM in the first three gears will get you to 100 mph in less than 1/4 mile. The redline is 11,000 RPM. Opening the throttle all the way in first gear will get the front tire off the ground. No bar tug or fork bounce necessary; just open the throttle and kiss the sky. I’m sure that slipping the clutch a bit while launching the bike hard will smoke the rear tire, but I haven’t tried it. I do know that 90 mph is a comfortable cruising speed on a country road. The bike is quite relaxed at the velocity and feels like it has plenty in reserve.

Go for the SV650 or GS500.

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I’ll probably get flamed for saying this, but you won’t be happy with the little Ninjette on the freeway. You will have it screaming at 8,000 RPM keeping up with freeway traffic. If I had to pick among your other choices for your intended use and experience I’d go for the Ninja 500. It has plenty of power for freeway cruising, but not so much that it will get a beginner in trouble. The SV650 is a good bike too bike, but the extra power may be too much for someone new to motorcycles. I’d scratch the Bandit 600 and GS500F from your list because it is air cooled and the maintenance, if you follow the factory schedule, will be much more expensive than the Ninja 500. Valve adjustments alone will negate any fuel savings.

If $3,000 is your budget I’d suggest you start buying gear now. There are plenty of threads here on riding gear. If you look around and buy closeouts from online retailers (newenough.com is excellent) you can get good gloves, helmet, jacket and pants for $500. Don’t forget eBay. I just got a pair of like-new Held gloves for $60 including shipping. Not bad for a pair of gloves that retailed for $280.

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Newenough.com has some good deals ($150) on the Teknic Chicane leather jackets. Check their Closeouts section. I have one, and it is a very good jacket for the money. Enough perforations to be comfortable in hot weather, and good armor too. The back pad is the weak point, but is good enough for street use and easily upgradeable.

I’m thinking of buying some Tour Master perforated riding pants ($220) to use with my Teknic jacket. Right now I’m using First Gear mesh pants (check the review on this site) because it is still 95+ degrees in Texas and black leather pants, even perforated, aren’t an option in this weather.

If your budget is higher, check out Vanson’s gear. Can’t beat it at any price, but it ain’t cheap.

After checking out the jackets and pants at leatherup.com (thanks Rab) it seems they have some good deals. Whatever you get, look for something that has good armor in the elbows, shoulders and back.

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and told me to add this.

You need to find out why your wife does not want you to ride a motorcycle.

Do you have children? Maybe your wife is afraid she’ll be a single mom.

Are you a major klutz who can’t ride a bicycle without getting hurt?

Do you have a bad driving record in your car?

As Bank suggested, sit down with your wife and talk.

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I was riding long before I met my wife. Her father is a retired airline pilot, and his hobby is building airplanes, so my wife is used to the idea of men doing dangerous, expensive things to relax. Even better, my wife loves motorcycles and wants one of her own, so when I came home after riding a friend’s bike July 4th and said “I need a motorcycle,” my wife did not skip a beat. Her response was “Go for it.”

I wish I had an answer for you. The big questions are: Which is more important, riding or your wife? Which would you regret more in 40 years, staying with your wife or not riding a motorcycle? Do you want to sit in your rocking chair regretting not going for the gusto while holding this woman’s hand and looking back on life with her?

Tough choice. The big question is, do you love your wife enough to give up your dream of motorcycling?

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Didn’t even buckle his helmet, then made a big production of pulling his useless sweatshirt sleeves down to his wrists. Then his friends celebrate his crash. Idiots.

Love the Squid vid, Elwood. Another idiot on a bike.

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Welcome!

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You can’t afford the bike. Riding without full gear is stupid.

You don’t have to spend a fortune. I recently bought a nice KBC full-face helmet for $135 from a local dealer. Newenough.com has Teknic leather jackets on closeout sale for $150. You can find good gloves for $40-$50, and decent boots start at about $100. You’ll also need some riding pant (another $100 or so). Budget $500-$600 for protective gear, to start. You’ll then find you need to buy different jacket and pants for summer/winter riding.

If you’re worried about looking goofy on a Virago then sell the bike and drive a car. With an attitude like yours you’ll end up seriously injured or dead. I didn’t get to be a 53-year-old motorcyclist by worrying about my gear making me look goofy.

If you are determined to ride, park the bike until you acquire the gear you need.

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