[Munch]

Just want to mention that I wasn’t countering what you read. Just wanted to clarify the difference. I have no doubts with the different articles you read that the 4 speed tranny it has, with the ratios that is in the tranny, that it was a poor highway performer.
I was just wanting to clarify that it’s more in depth then just “Oh well it has a 4 spd on it….no way is it gonna be good for highway”. More to make any purchaser of any bike not just ask how many gears…..but how tall are the gears (or short) and will the final gear be able to get up to and maintain highway speeds safely.

[Munch]

“mainly due to the four speed transmission”
Not a factual representation of the limits of the bikes abilities.

“these reviews wasn’t the engine but rather the transmission and its poor gearing.”
Better and closer description of the limitations.

My point being that how many gears a trany has does not indicate it’s abilities or lack there of. Rather the gearing ( gear ratio) in the set number of gears. In other words say a bad set geared tranny:
1st 0-5 mph
2nd 5-20 mph
3rd 20-40
4th 40-55

Good trans:
1st 0- 15
2nd 15-35
3rd 35-50
4th 50- 75 or above.
You can have both transmissions on the same bike it’s just on how the gearing in each trany is set up. Both have 4 gear trans but the latter is better set up for highway purposes.
I just hate to see the statement getting blanketed to where a non mechanically inclined person would turn down a good beginner bike because of the Gear count rather then the trans set up.

[Munch]

Want to clear something up. Gear amounts should rarely be used as a gauge on speed, or top speed limits. Doesn’t matter. If the bike, car, or whatever have you has a set number of gears those gears probly have the necessary ranges to do the job it’s intended for.
HD’s now have a 6 speed tranny….. yay for them, from this thread that should mean that they should out distance and speed me. Not hardly ever the case.
Now lets look at bigger vehicles. Some of the older muscle cars have a 5 spd tranny, compare them to newer sports cars with 6 speed trannies and the track times are close but the 5 spd can easily beat it.
Heck an old Dodge duster at one time had only a 2 spd auto that would destroy anything in it’s class.
It’s not the gear count, its the range of each gear and what the bike is set up to do. In most cases more gears usually mean shorter ranges and more shifting to cover the gap, vice versa for the lesser gear boxes.
So the whole argument above made based on “how many gears” is not anything to do with which is better. IF you are concerned over why one had four rather then 5….. or 6 even… go to spec sheets and look at each gear range and see how “tall” or “short” each one is. Then make your decision.

[Munch]

Nice….make sure to give us a report on how it went!

[Munch]

Definitely hard to say for sure. Not to mention the labor rates are different in various areas. If all you need is a good cleaning and air/fuel adjustments then it shouldn’t be to bad. If your needing to get it re jetted for what ever reason the price will go up. Again that all depends on your skill level or if it exists.
Make sure to check the fuel lines and everything for good volume. Not to be confused with pressure. You can have pressure and not volume.
If it’s been sitting up for a long time I would get it professionally checked.

[Munch]

I have a pair of Gor-Tex and even though they delay the cold it’s not by much. I tend to ride most of the year even into the 20 degree mark. My gloves are the Gore-tex that Alpinestars has and they really aren’t up to the task much either. When it gets really cold and I want to ride I just go to Lowe’s or Home Depot and grab some of their hand warmers. You know the little packets that look like the “therapeutic warmers” for your back and stuff. Does the job well enough.
The hand guards will work well to as the wind getting through the glove material gets them frosty. However do a mental check while riding about the toastiness of the rest of your body. Remember the outer extremities are sacrificed first when needing to keep the core warm. Meaning you can have all the hand protection in the world, if your body is having the notion that heat needs to be redirected, no glove or warmer is going to stop those fingers from going cold.

[Munch]

I know I have said it lots on here, but never forget that if you find a bike that you like there is usually lots you can do to make it better fit you as a rider. New riders especially seem to think it’s just strictly about the bling, but you can get plenty in the way of ergo’s. Different handlebars, grips, risers, back rests, forward controls for longer legs etc. Same is true for sport bikes even. Depending on what year your dad bought it it very well could have been the 800 or earlier the 750.

[Munch]

“:Now I ask: Are there exceptions to this small bike rule? I have worked out that my first ride had too tall a center of gravity and was underpowered. Is there a beginner’s bike that has a low center of gravity and enough low end torque to not be dangerous in traffic?”

Suzuki S40
Kawasaki Vulcan 500 ( used )
V-Star 650
Honda Shadow
and various other “retro” cruisers that have been out but forgotten.

[Munch]

I kept my 500 for quite a few miles before even considering up grading. Even then most of those miles were spent in parking lots and in town practicing and polishing everything I could. With the 500 I got to where I could easily bang a U-ey without worries in the span of 2 parking spaces….. some times even less. The V500 once you get skilled with her can get you from 0-100 and a decent amount of time leaving you catching your breath of “Oh wow!”, however work your way up to that carefully. Like I said the 500’s throttle is solid all the way through with no surprises. Lay into her though and she goes where you point her without hesitation. If I remember correctly the 500 is about 6inches shorter in length then the 900. The handlebars are definitely closer together giving you plenty of arm swing for control. The only down side I ever had with my 500, which I had bought new, was the company that put her together had pinched a fuel line and there were some stalling issues. Once we figured it out…no other issues and none before that either.
Don’t get me wrong, a V900 is not so terrible that it couldn’t be learned on. However it’s learning curve is a little unforgiving and if done should be approached with caution. My V900 is brand new ’09. You can see pics here in the forums under Munch’s 900. The bike is very much in excellent condition and I have done some recent mods to it to suit my needs. Even with my experience on the V500 you sit on the 9 and has a much bigger feel to it. You will feel the weight difference the first time you have to back her up. Handling at slow speeds feels sluggish at first to as the wide grip I mentioned before. Just imagine yourself trying to hug a century old oak. Oh yea another thing. If/when you get the V500 make sure you practice counter steer. The 500 is light enough where you can lean and make her turn but the 900 will require counter steering for anything sharper then a mild sweeper.

[Munch]

I will gladly give any feed back. You are only an inch taller then me. A V500 would be the perfect beginner for you. Especially used. Re sale is fairly quick to I got rid of mine 2 days after it went up for sale.
A V900 is a temperamental beast of sorts…oh and don’t worry about the cramping myth on a Sportster, Elwood is 6′ something and rides his comfortably.
OK Back to the 9…. first the low end torque…….when learning to downshift to match your speeds for say a light, it can be unforgiving, drop to low a gear and that bad boy will drag a rear tire quick and scare the bajeezus out of ya. At speed yes she is well balanced. Slow speeds not so much, you will need to have good muscle memory so you can focus on making her go where you want to and not where gravity pulls you. The Front brakes are really good for stopping….and pulling you down should you forget to use your rear brake at slow speeds instead. Make no mistake about it to that this bike needs both front and rear brakes to stop it at speeds above 55 mph also. The fronts are good but you have a lot of weight pushing you.
I am 5’10” and 175 give or take. I am also a mechanic and ex farmboy/bull rider. I came close to dropping her twice and was able to manage man handle her back up. If your not really strong in the upper body it will carry you with her unless you let her go. Another aspect of the 9 that I feel makes it harder for a beginner is the span of the handle bars. They have a wide wingspan and will no doubts endanger a beginner still having to keep in mind to relax your throttle hand , especially on full lock left turns.
Ummm for now thats all my distracted mind can think of….fire away with questions.

[Munch]

I really disagree passionately about the V900 being a beginners bike. I have one and I can promise you it is by no means a beginners ride. The torque on the low end is well more then the 500’s is and considerably heavier. You will need to get you some experience on a lighter bike before you tackle the 900’s slow speed maneuvering. The only reason I can think they would even think such is either A) they have forgotten what it’s like to be a beginner they are looking for the up sale. Does it honestly make sense to you that they would not recommend a 883 (Sportster) but they then try to turn you on to a 900?

If you have any questions about the Vulcan 900 I can give you heads up on that to as it is my current ride.

[Munch]

Sam is correct I did get my start on the Vulcan 500.
The rake and trail on this bike in particular are not that long and especially does not make the bike hard to maneuver. Though it is heavier then the 250 and even some sport bikes it is very light and agile, at least for my time learning on it. Granted some members felt it top heavy, I never seemed to get that feeling. The V500 will turn on a dime with change once you get comfortable to do it. It has good low end torque to get you off the line in good spirit, however it is very controllable. The input you get is the result you expect. You have to lay into the bike to get her to her potential, and she has potential. Remember it is the same engine as the Ninja 500 just geared down for more torque on the low end and predictable power through out the throttle and gears.
For me in my limited opinion the Vulcan 500 is the best beginner bike out there that can offer you highway speeds, maneuverability and great cornering/tight turning capabilities.
There are other alternatives also such as the Vstar 650 and Honda 750. One thing you need to also think about that cruiser style bikes are different that of a sport in the cc range and abilities. Cruiser are topically set to …well…. cruise….not rocket off into the great white lined yonder.
Any specific questions on the V500 I would be happy to answer just ask. As far as the Sporty goes….. a little bit closer tuned to a sport bike type performance (hence the name) but still giving the cruiser aspect that some of us think is cool. It is quite a bit heavier and not for the feint of heart to learn on. It’s very do able as Elwood has pulled it off, but it will take a determined amount of dedication to basics before progressing through each step of the learning curve.

[Munch]

A mental thing like that is not easy to over come. Even though it was low drama in your words obviously it had a huge impact on your survival instincts.
Same as a horse when something bad happens to it. You will have to work long and hard to get a horse to cross the same path twice where something “scary ” happened to it.
Keep at the dry runs to get your confidence up but your going to have to find a secluded are to practice the “wet” turns to get your brain pass the event that happened to you. If you notice your “fear” really doesn’t bubble up until you get near those points. Your going to have to force yourself to work on those especially hard to get back into riding shape.

[Munch]

Go back to MSF basics, let go of the brake. Of course as quick as it happened you probly didn’t think on it, but burn it in your brain. Let go of the front brake to let the tire roll over the rock…your back brake was already applied so it would have continued your braking to keep you from shooting into traffic.  Remember , front traction/brake problems….let go and re apply. Backs….. stay on it.

[Munch]

Congrats! Always nice to get outta that 4 digit column aint it. May you log another amount 10 times taht much and then some event free.

[Author]

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