[Munch]

First and foremost….. of course your too big for the 250 the commission is too small for his wallet. He has a valid point for new vs used. However if you find someone knowledgeable with bikes to help… or if the or a shop offers a pre purchase inspection you can take the appropriate steps to avoid the pit falls. Anyone buying a bike needs to remember that THEY the seller is in it to make money….your in it to purchase and will be dealing with your decision for the rest of the time you own it. You know your skills and mindset err on the side of safety and sensibility.

And by the way……. most everyone will be looking to upgrade one time or another. Its the grass is always greener syndrome.

[Munch]

For me and everywhere I ride in ….no …. you won’t need to lift your butt off the saddle. I would contend that if you get caught in a situation where you think you would need to your not looking far enough ahead to avoid or following too closely to avoid. Train tracks are a non issue. Most cruisers are designed for a more comfort standpoint. Meaning the rear suspension is adjustable for varying weights and ride feel. Also tire pressure adjustments can be made to help further the adjustments.

As far as your knees go I would Highly recommend a bike with floor boards because as I said earlier …it allows you to move your legs and feet in different positions. Thus alleviating the pressure on your knees. Pegs tend to leave you in a stagnant position and though you can rotate your legs from one side to the other redistributing pressure…. it won’t resolve the issue for long.

The seat thing is a personal preferrence and I suspect a body type thing to. If you have a bad case of the “Goneass” then yea your putting a lot of pressure down in a solid area…. if you got more …. padding to spread… the better off you may be. I am 5′ 10′ at 180 lbs not exactly solid but don’t have far to go to push that category. I have no issues with my seat and it is the stock seat. Sit on them …like it was your first bike and see whats comfortable.

[Munch]

Congrats…. def can’t wait to see the pics. Don’t worry much about the extra …. power. Just make sure you take you time learning the bike at your own pace and always remember not to have a death grip. Other then that it will all come together … easier each time you go out consistently. Just spend extra time on day one to learn where everything is. Sit on the seat and find the reserve switch…. find it sitting up and then repeat reaching for it without looking. Will save your butt if you forget when the last time you filled up was and your hauling it down the road.

[Munch]

#1 Interesting with the knee pad thing… Though I am haven’t found too much issues with a sore rear after riding I will have to keep that in mind when it happens.

#2……. ummm….. never have I or would I try that.

#3 Accurate…..very…. Cruisers were made to do what their name states. Though just because you hear a scrape… don’t panic most if not all manufacturers have the pegs/floor boards on a hinge to give you a little more if you should need it. Its when you scrape the hard parts is when you have your oh shit moment.

[Munch]

Might just be me but if your riding on your tailbone on a cruiser. Your posture needs a bit more work. I know I have read this over and over and especially on this forum so I paid attention to it the past week or so. Not once does my tail bone come into play to have any pressure on it. Now I am sure if I am trying to look all OCC on it and have my legs stretched straight in front of me and my arm so far out that I look like a cartoon that just slammed into a fence I could see where the tail bone comes in with the style of seats most cruisers have. Because at that point your using the rise in the rear of the seat to keep your butt in place.
Riding a cruiser is no different to me then say sitting in an office chair. Its even better if you find one that offers floor boards. Like with my V900, and you can even add a back rest for the driver (odd calling it a driver….anywho) to make it that much more comfortable. The floor boards will offer you a range of positions for your legs and feet. On mine I can stretch them out to where my heels are resting at the furthest forward part to get that pain in the back OCC look…or …if I am feeling a bit squidish I can pull them under me to more of a standard position……. or for the first weeks of spring do it to get under my fairing during June Bug season.

[Munch]

Yup…. as you say …to each their own. Just felt the need to add some info so as to not mislead folks into thinking leather cannot be waterproofed or be a wasted option for “protection”.

[Munch]

Yes I agree with you that some…again …some laws out there should be and are effective. Well effective as deterring those that are law abiding and a measure to punish those that care not to and get caught. I exaggerated the point as dramatization usually gets the point across in most cases. Reading your response I know likely we sit in the same state of mind for most points, just maybe not in the presenting of it.

Your second to the last paragraph is an absolute podium I take up every chance I get. It agrees, as we seem to be doing, on the point of educating the nature of cause and effect. Teach them nothing….they learn nothing. Experience nothing…you learn nothing. I concede some of my exaggerations are maybe a bit far out in the field. However I stand by them more on the examples of the very reason you agree we are in a nanny state of life.

I meant to try to be less identifying in my response as I didn’t want to come across debating agreement. Guess as my kids would say…. phail. My intentions were to show the other side of the coin in a manner to get some folks to stop and think. I would like to think in most situations common sense would rule the day…. but as a teacher from the past would say “Common is only defined by which tribe you hail from”.

[Munch]

If we were to take what you state to heart on any level may as well just live in a bubble and pray it does not pop. Any tragedy, drama….or anything that does not have the end result of a smile will negatively impact someone. With the rationale of that then we need to just go ahead and outlaw all motorcycles, planes, trains, and automobiles. There’s bound to be a wreck and lord knows we Don’t want to risk that. It amazes me how willing some seem to be to give up their freedoms for the sake of a sterile, non risk taking, boring life. Do you honestly think the government would stop at just helmets? Next will be our bikes…… because their is just to much risk involved. Then maybe your car………oh and may as well paint everything beige since it is a neutral color…..wouldn’t want to risk your eye sight would you? Oh and any and all music….since that requires speakers and could potentially destroy your hearing.

Sounds extreme I know, but every freedom you give up leaves a slippery slope to another gone. Let people live and make mistakes to learn from and there is progress made in growing. Make the decisions for them and you stagnate learning, progress and the joy of living. Best example……. ask a teenager a question and see how many times you hear the response ” I don’t know” before you get pissed. No experiences to learn from, whether it be theirs or someone else’s, and it will become the worlds motto.

Instead of freedom killing legislation. … educate, inform, and then step back allow life to progress. I wear my helmet always…no matter the state….. Its to great of a risk for me personally not to, but if someone else is cool without it…it is not upon me to dictate to them what to do because I deem it appropriate.

[Munch]

Welcome…….the. 800’s are a standard platform for bobbed projects. Quite a few of the members on kawasakimotorcycleforums.com has done it. Basic thing you need to is make friends in the sheetmetal Fab world. The rest you can do yourself.

[Munch]

Whatever your personal choice of gear is. One thing should remain constant. The freedom to make your own choice…… the airbags ARE optional as with ABS. I’ve said it before… focus on what you do while your riding your ride……everyone else’s risks are their own.

[Munch]

of the 2 -A is the no brainer…. would not even consider B. However….. before you jump in with both feet…. might want to check parts houses and catalogs for availability if something happens and you need to repair it. Also need to check local shops to make sure they can/will work on what you cannot. Some local shops here will not go any older then 10 years back.

[Munch]

Likely it is very adjustable. Usually there is a nut that you can loosen on the shifter shaft to remove the lever and rotate up…. 1 or 2 teeth should be well more then sufficient. In other situations where it may not be you may need to find a shoe that is slimmer in size at the shift point. Like going from a boot with re enforced toes or steel toes and change to “riding boot” or shoe.

[Munch]

Not sure why you would feel the need to get a “water proof” liner. It amazes me that folks still insist that leather cannot be weather proofed. I guess coming from a horse back riding back ground and wearing leather a good majority of my life in one form or another and forgetting some never do.
Leather is easily “water proofed” through quite a few methods and their are companies out there even specific to motorcyclists. You can find silicon sprays…. Conditioning “rubs” and even go as simple as CampDry from your local Wally World.
Really makes no sense to me to say that leather is highly abrasion resistant but “Oh go don’t get it wet it will ruin it”……what!?

Granted it costs a touch more…and especially if you throw a very popular brand name on it. And yes…. if your day is more spent more in air conditioned buildings then outside it will make you hot especially compared to mesh … some textiles out there are just as hot…but water is not going to ruin it like it’s some kind of alkaseltzer material.

http://www.leathertherapy.com is a good place to look. Just click in their motor sports section
Other places to look are any equestrian store or shop. Or “country/western” store.

[Munch]

Went darkside….. and tbh ….few differences in riding feel. I haven’t scraped floorboard yet but have gotten close and feel no lack of traction in the turn. Little over 1k on the tire and running awesomely!

[Munch]

Welcome Susan. The Vulcan under a 650 range you will have to find used as I believe the ’09 was the last year to make ’em. Excellent starter bike for anyone and enough under the saddle to keep you having fun for quite some time. Not to mention once you get enough confidence in it…. you can likely leave you uncle scratching his head at the line. The V-star 650 is better for shorter folks I think as the seat dips a little further into the frame. Best thing you can do though to help your decision process is to go and sit on them and see which one fits you best.

[Author]

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