[SantaCruzRider]

I ride a couple hours a day and like to listen to music. So I wear noise-cancelling ear buds (in-ear headphones) that plug into my Ipod.
Visibility so far has been excellent — and I’m pretty particular about that. The shield is not polarized.
Not sure how the weight compares to the Bell, but the IS-16 feels light to me.

[SantaCruzRider]

The return route is probably not an option. The finance company doesn’t typically want that bike back. It may not be worth what you currently owe and it will also cost them money to sell it.
If you can’t afford it, your best bet is to try to sell it and use the money to pay off the note. You may be upside down on the loan and have to kick in cash. It sucks, but it’s how it works.
The alternative would be not pay and to wait until the finance company repos the bike. But they will then add ALL repo costs, legal fees, etc… This can add thousands to what you owe them. They could then sue you for the balance. At the very least, they will trash your credit for the next 7 yrs.
Sometimes it’s better to take your lumps and sell. BTW: I would not modify the bike if you have any thoughts about selling.

[SantaCruzRider]

I’ve got an IS-16 and love it. The internal visor is just dark enough for those morning and evening transition times — and also leaves plenty of room for sunglasses if it’s really bright mid-day.
Ventilation is also great. Decent amount of wind noise is made worse by the open space for helmet speakers, but it also leaves plenty of room if you use ear buds or head phones.
Got mine from NewEnough for just over $140.

[SantaCruzRider]

That $900 CL bike is like the free puppies that people sometimes give away in front of the local market.
On the surface, it looks like a deal you can’t pass up. But then you end up paying the vet $100 to deworm, $250 for shots, $50 for a license, $30 for a collar and matching sweater (OK, maybe you skip the sweater). Point is, free pups and cheap bikes are cool, but you need to be prepared for the extra costs that almost always follow. I know I’ve spent $200 on progressively larger tanks to house a couple “free” goldfish my son won at a carnival!
Be sure you have the cash (or wrenches) ready, know what the insurance is going to cost, etc, before you fall in love with a bike.
If you’re looking for a super deal, you’re also more likely to find one in the fall — and by then you should have more money in your hand. That should make the search feel like you have more options and less like there’s only one good deal out there.
Either way, best of luck with the search.

[SantaCruzRider]

First, a disclaimer: I don’t have any info specific to the Versys or it’s tires. There is a chance that they suck big time right out of the box, but I doubt it.
The sentiment that OEM tires leave lots to be desired is shared by lots of makes and models. What owners are typically saying is that when it comes time to replace your first set, there are many options out there that provide higher mileage, smooth ride, better grip, etc.
Better shoes will improve the handling, but I wouldn’t necessarily see it as a safety issue. The whole safety argument can be used for all the upgrades your credit card can stand (steel braid brake lines, upgraded calipers and brake pads, stiffer fork springs…). If your funds are unlimited, go for it. But otherwise, I think you could be confident that Suzuki built a quality bike and save the upgrade for when it’s time to replace.
As for the crosswind issue, I suspect it has more to do with the high profile of the bike.

[SantaCruzRider]

Admins may have other tips, but I’ve found that I can search the site by going to Yahoo! Search and entering “bestbeginnermotorcycles” and your other search term, such as “FZ6r”.

[SantaCruzRider]

I bought a used bike off CL and have been very happy with it. Cost me a fraction of new price and so far no issues other than cosmetic that was clearly visible at purchase.

But I totally get the attraction of new. As a compromise, you might see if there’s an area dealer who carries 2-5 yr old bikes or a local consignment shop for used bikes. Many of them offer financing (but be careful, as you hear horror stories about some unreputable 3rd party financers).

[SantaCruzRider]

My guess is that you already have the athleticism needed to give you whatever small edge is possible should your skin and bones ever be flung at an immovable object. But IMHO, the most important survival skill is one shared by many fighters, and that’s the complete refusal to surrender.
I have to admit having no MC crash experience, but I have been riding for years. Along the way I’ve learned to never, ever give up on the bike.
Blasting down a mountain road and lock up the rear wheel, don’t even give yourself the luxury of thinking about how to low side — stay on the brake, muscle the bars and ride it to a stop like you’re an action hero.
Find yourself WAY too hot on a cloverleaf on-ramp and drifting toward the wall, that’s no time to be thinking tuck-and-roll — dig deep, roll on slight throttle and lean, lean and lean some more and look through that turn to the exit.
Never give yourself the luxury of crashing.

[SantaCruzRider]

I get all suited up and look like Joe Rider, but it all goes to hell once I lift up the kickstand!

But next time I NEED a spendy new jacket, I’m going to try the “I need it to improve my stopping distance” reasoning

[SantaCruzRider]

Unless other info is offered, I’ve always assumed that questions on this site are being asked by beginning riders. In that context, I completely agree with Matt’s comment that accelerating out of trouble is asking for even more trouble. In the example of the big rig changing lanes on top of you, your lane of escape is larger to the rear than it is in front of you.
Conversely, if this rider had asked whether a Ninja 250 would be a great bike for a cross-country tour — there are certainly other bikes that offer more power at the top end and more all-weather comfort.

[SantaCruzRider]

The bike is tuned to run higher revs. Once you get used to it, you’ll find the power you need to keep the bike moving at well over legal highway speeds. If you put it in 6th before you hit 40 mph, you’re barely touching the throttle and probably below 4500 rpms.
Once you’re used to the bike, you’ll find 8000-redline is a better shift point. You should be able to cruise at 8000 rpms doing 70ish, and still have a few thousand more rpms for passing.

[SantaCruzRider]

That’s admirable that you stopped to check. My initial thought (which occurred about the time I was passing the subsequent set of cars was more along the line of “whoa, I should probably put some space between me the drive before he gets pissed and decides to chase me down.”

[SantaCruzRider]

Some snow and MC helmets are made from the same mold and the snow helmet could work fine for the road (emphasis on “SOME”).

I’d check to be sure that the snow helmet is DOT or Snell approved.

Other things to watch are whether the snow helmet will be too warm or noisy. They are typically built to work in cold and at lower speeds — but that’s always relative. I’ve heard of some MC riders who wear a snow helmet for winter road riding and then switch to an MC helmet in spring.

[SantaCruzRider]

If they’re in their teens (which I thought you said), they can probably go a couple hours w/o burning down the house

[SantaCruzRider]

Was there some recent report showing that child passengers are suddenly dying? Is taking a Saturday ride with dad now more likely to end in tragedy than having your kid hang with the local gang bangers behind 7-11?

This is typical non-sense — legislators trying to stay busy and satisfy a minority of constituents by addressing a non-problem.

If they really wanted to make it safer for kids, they’d do something like create passenger/rider training programs and make triple traffic violation fines when you’re carrying a minor.

Besides, what kind of ID is my 14-year-old supposed to show (library card??)?

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