[Matt]

They make neoprene neck guards you can put around the base of the helmet that pretty much seals the underside. You might want to look for one of those (my local dealership sells then for $20).

Also, try various head angles and seating positions. Depending on how I sit adn how I tilt my head it makes a huge difference on the amount fo wind coming up my helmet.

—
“The two seconds between ‘Oh S**!’ and the crash isn’t a lot of practice time.”

[Matt]

Motorcycles require motorcycle oil. It is a different weight than car oil, and some car oil additives (notibly in automotive full synthetics) will damage the motorcycle transmission.

That said, motorcycle oil is not hard to get. Walmart usually carries it. And for any of the bikes you listed, you won’t need anything exotic- Castrol (what my local Walmart here carries) will do.

Bikes also use model specific oil and air filters (not all bikes have air filters though).

Oil and filters can both be purchased very easily on the internet. I’m not sure I’d buy oil because of the shipping weight, but filters sure. And if you are in a crunch, the shipping for hte oil won’t be terrible, since bikes use much less than cars.

As for maintenance. I don’t know if you need to remove the fairing to change the oil on that bike. Removing a fairing is remarkably easy – literally just a bunch of screws. I’m sure there are plenty of photo and video instructions you can find online for the entire oil change process for the GS500 (it is a very popular bike after all).

The sportster is likely easier to work on, but significantly harder to learn on, and parts cost more. Between the two, the GS is generally considered the better starting bike if you like the style.

The Versys has less clading around the lower part of the engine, but it is water cooled (more tubing, more potential for things to go wrong), and a generally more complex design. It is also a less friendly starting bike, and has a very different seating position from the other two (very tall bike, I would not recommend it if you have short legs). Remember – sit on any bike before you buy it!

You cannot bring a motorcycle to any old automechanic and expect him to have a clue how to maintain it. Though many “small engine” shops (places that deal with boat motors, lawn mowers, and ATVs) that can do it.

I would look around locally, despite a lack of dealerships there are most likely private shops that can work on bikes.
If know a local with a motorcycle, ask him/her where they get their stuff done.

With no place local to have bikes worked on, have you considered where you’ll buy your gear, or take your MSF course?
I highly recommend the MSF course, even if you have to take a weekend get-away to do so (make it a vacation ).
And gear, well, we are talking about your life here. And to paraphrase Chris Rock “People say life is short. No it isn’t. Life is long. Life is very very long. Especially when you need to live with the consequences of a stupid mistake.”

—
“The two seconds between ‘Oh S**!’ and the crash isn’t a lot of practice time.”

[Matt]

While direct categories haven’t been laid out, it is discussed that cruisers and sport/standard bikes make power in very different ways. And as such, they are recommended differently.

The 250 size (either Ninja or Cruiser) is discussed as the lightest easiest to use.

Having ridden the 250 Ninja a fair bit (one year and 4000+ kms), and dabbled with a 600cc Honda cruiser (less than an hour), I will say that the cruiser is slower, but still harder to learn on. Yes the cruiser weight is lower down, and at a stand still is as easy to hold up than the Ninja, but things get very different once you start talking about low speed maneuvering and man-handling the bike during parking.

I think the Ninja is a perfectly fine first bike for someone who wants a sport/standard, regardless of daring or natural talent. I don’t feel the same for the 450+ pound cruisers. Sure the 500-650 cruisers will never surprise you with their power, but the weight is not something to be discounted. A confident rider on a Shadow 600, I have no problem recommending that. But not a timid rider or a risk averse one – because when you lean it over in low speed maneuvers (which you will have to at some point) there comes a point where you need to be confident or she’ll go down and take you with her.

Someone around said that bikes are like dogs, they can smell fear, and react very badly to it. I think that is the perfect description. And as a bike gets bigger, that tendency increases – regardless of style.

The 500-650 class of cruiser is, I think, closer to the 500cc sports. Both are recommended for people who for whatever reason consider a 250 too small, and both are harder to learn on than their smaller counterparts, but not so much that they are unsuitable for any beginner.

Once you get above that, other design considerations take precidence. Bikes like the Ninja/SV 650 or 750 cruisers are designed with general street friendliness in mind, but they are still meant to be used by people who already have the needed skills. Learning on one of these bikes takes more effort than a smaller bike for reasons beyond simply power or weight (speed reacting to inputs, braking, etc).

Now, as for creating a matrix, it isn’t a bad idea, but there are a lot of issues that need to be addressed, and the rider’s own personality will affect each of those a great deal. Simply put, a matrix made by one person will not be the same as by another – and for a host of different reasons. I guess I’m just old school and think people whould read all the reviews for bikes they are interested in, speak with riders who know them (MSF instructors are great sources for personalized recommendations!)… matricies often make things look far more black and white than they are – but then I guess I’m not giving enough credit to the people who will be reading that matrix.

hmm, sorry for the ramble… Friday mornings do that to me.

—
“The two seconds between ‘Oh S**!’ and the crash isn’t a lot of practice time.”

[Matt]

The rear brake is, as stated, between 25 and 40% of your stopping power, but more importantly, it allows you to load up the front brake faster, allowing you to use more front brake sooner.

The amount I stomped on the rear brake was not more than I have in the past without locking up the wheel. It was faster and less progressive than I’d like, but not to a level that I think it would have caused the lockup on its own.

The more I reflect, the more I think the sudden loss of grip was caused by having the tire right near the limit of adhesion and then catching some oil – especially given how smoothly the bike slide once it locked up (having locked up the tire several times in the ERC I do know how this bike feels when the back is locked and sliding, and this was waaay slicker – puppy on fresh waxed kitchen floor level of smooth slidding).

—
“The two seconds between ‘Oh S**!’ and the crash isn’t a lot of practice time.”

[Matt]

An oil spot is very possible.
If I missed noticing the yellow right away, I’ll fully admit I could just have easily missed a spot of oil on the otherwise dry road. It would also explain the suddenness of the loss of tracking (my bike is pretty good about telling me how the tires are handling).
—
“The two seconds between ‘Oh S**!’ and the crash isn’t a lot of practice time.”

[Matt]

A V-Strom 650 that isn’t ugly!

New:
Triumph Thruston 900
Honda VFR 800
One of the BMW 800s (not sure which one… each has its appeal… and my goodness that engine is perfection)

Old:
Honda Interceptor 500 (that still has life left in it)
Ducati Monster 620 Dark or 696
Suzuki Bandit 400

—
“The two seconds between ‘Oh S**!’ and the crash isn’t a lot of practice time.”

[Matt]

You found the ZZR 600 comfy?

I found the forward lean to be so-so (nothing like a CBR, but not as suited to me as the ZZR-250 or Z750S – but that is all personal taste), but what got me was how high the pegs were. My knees were really bent on it…

I’ve heard the ZZR-600 refered to as “the fastest couch ever made” for how comfy it is at speed (even with a passenger). But I think whoever said that a) had much shorter legs than me, and b) was more accustomed to sportbike planks than real padded seats

Oh, and Jmango, I’m guessing you aren’t looking for this as a first bike?
As a first bike it would be lousy. As softened as it is, it is still a very powerful and fast-reacting bike. It is simply an older ZX-6R with some changes to the geometry to make it more road worthy.

According to the local dealership, most ZZR-600s go to guys moving away from supersports. They’ve had their fun, but now want a bike that is easier on the body while still providing the thrills (including track days) as their ZX-6Rs and CBRs (“90% of the track worthiness for only 10% of the discomfort”). Guys looking for a sporting road bike, coming from road oriented bikes, tend to go with the 650R.

—
“The two seconds between ‘Oh S**!’ and the crash isn’t a lot of practice time.”

[Matt]

Have her sit on and look into a Honda Shadow VLX (and possibly the larger 750 Aero).

The VLX is a very smooth engine compared to the sportster imo.

Since she’s had a spinal fusion, a cruiser is probably not the ideal bike for her. The seating setup on most cruisers (certainly any with a forward foot position) puts a lot of load on your spine during bumps. Having her feet directly under her would be the best and easiet thing for her. I honestly don’t know what other cruisers are setup this way.

Look into the Triumph Bonneville as a smoother bike, with better seating position, and all the classic class of the sportster.

—
“The two seconds between ‘Oh S**!’ and the crash isn’t a lot of practice time.”

[Matt]

I have a set of Olympia waterproof cold weather gloves. Nice leather, fleecy inside. Hi-vis yellow gauntlet. Very nice.
I keep meaning to do a write up of them and my summer weight gloves.
—
“The two seconds between ‘Oh S**!’ and the crash isn’t a lot of practice time.”

[Matt]

Yes to both your questions.
Your high beam is aimed pretty squarely at their eyes, and blinding (or even just forcing them to conciously avert their eyes) on coming traffic is never a good thing.

Besides, if you wait just a bit longer to dim your beams than you would in a car, the noticible change in the headlight should get the attention of the other driver (same principle as a headlight modulator).

—
“The two seconds between ‘Oh S**!’ and the crash isn’t a lot of practice time.”

[Matt]

Harder is a purely relative term… I have 4000kms under my belt so far this season, in a mix of all conditions; and this was in a parking lot with no traffic.
I really noticed the extra (already pretty high by my standards) effort and skill required to turn the heavier bike at low / slow-traffic speeds. I think the fear of running wide in a turn is a very real one for me with a passenger at the moment.
With some practice in a controlled environment I’m sure we’d get used to it fairly quickly; but it would require that practice before I felt safe on the road.

Once up to speed, and in fact getting up to speed in a straight line, I think the lowly Honda 600 had ample power (I think the bike has 35hp and 35ish torque, but it makes almost all of that torque right off idle). In fact, having heard so much about how you need a massive bike to handle two-up riding I was really expecting the bike to have to work harder.
I think the biggest limitation for the Shadow as a two-up bike is the rear seat. If it had a wider rear seat with a back rest like many of the bigger bikes do (Do any of the small cruisers have that?) I think it would be a fine bike for two-up riding so long as you weren’t trying to bring multiple days work of gear with you.

P.S>
I think a 250 AND a box of chocolates, cause really, they’re chocolates!

—
“The two seconds between ‘Oh S**!’ and the crash isn’t a lot of practice time.”

[Matt]

Lots of iron butt approved Ninja 250s out there. I think the only thing the last gen one really needed was a Corbin seat and it was pretty much iron-butt ready.
—
“The two seconds between ‘Oh S**!’ and the crash isn’t a lot of practice time.”

[Matt]

Love the photos

Very nice bike good sir.
—
“The two seconds between ‘Oh S**!’ and the crash isn’t a lot of practice time.”

[Matt]

I always lock it, just a good habit – like locking your doors.

It won’t stop a determined thieft, but it’ll dissuade a casual one.
—
“The two seconds between ‘Oh S**!’ and the crash isn’t a lot of practice time.”

[Matt]

First person to talk to is of course your Doctor. They’ll be able to tell you whether or not a herniated disc could safe on a bike at all, and what you can do to protect it. I was thinking a construction-worker style back support would be helpful.

As for type of bike I think a dual sport is the way to go. Especially if you deal with rough roads.
It’ll have you sitting up in as close to proper posture as you’ll find, it’ll take a lot of the rough edges off the roads, and it will be fun (if slow compared to the CBR). Of course, it may be ugly as sin depending on your eye for beauty.

I’m guessing at 5’10 your inseam is 30″-32″ which will make flat footing a 650cc dual sport a challenge (at 6’0″ and 32″ inseam, I can’t). But the 250s should be no problem. The DRZ-400 might work as well.

Aircooled engines are at work all over the world, particularly in hotter equatorial countries where lower income means aicooled (cheaper to build and maintain) see a lot of sales. If you want an air cooled engine for a hotter climate, buy it there, don’t import it. I know a set of Honda 150cc bikes used by my BRC were imported from Brazil specifically for the safety school, and they aren’t happy unless it is 85F, but will work just fine up at least a humid 105F. Apparently those bikes were tunned specifically for Brazil’s climate, and so they don’t really like Canada’s.

Now, if you plan on being stuck in traffic on the bike, I’d recommend a water cooled bike. You’ll be cooler and more comfortable.

—
“The two seconds between ‘Oh S**!’ and the crash isn’t a lot of practice time.”

[Author]

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