[WeaponZero]

I’m glad it happened. Dude needs to be out there doing what he does best, by building excellent street/sport bikes for the American buying public that have their own style.

[WeaponZero]

The Ninja 1000 essentially nothing more than a faired Z1000, which is not a bad thing at all as it is a FAR better street bike than the ZX-10R. My money is on it being the best all-around large displacement street/sportbike on the market now that Honda has turned the VFR into an outright full-blown sport tourer.

[WeaponZero]

Couldn’t have put it better myself.

The bottom line is that when you get into the weight realm where you weigh about as much as a normal rider PLUS a passenger, the rules change. And yes, at that point you can scoff at anyone who points you in the direction of a 250. And as much as losing weight is the best option, the truth is that can take a long long time and a lot of willpower. Not everyone has the willpower and not everyone wants to wait that much time.

As I said, when you’re in this situation, the rules change. 250s are no longer an option. But you also need adjustable suspension, something only found on high-end supersport bikes, and they’re still off-limits. So, what is a guy to do?

The truth is you’re going to have to make suspension modifications to virtually any bike you buy if you’re in this weight category. A new rear shock at the very least. Because the manufacturers wrongfully assume that the only people who need adjustable suspension on a motorcycle are sport tourers and track scratchers. Bikes aimed at beginners seldom, if at all, have adjustable suspension. The only one I know of that does is the Kawasaki Versys.

[WeaponZero]

I started riding at 335 lbs. Bigger bikes usually come with beefier suspension and you will need a 500 or so minimum. I know, I tried 250s back then and my fat butt bottomed them out. My SV650 even needed a rear shock upgrade.

[WeaponZero]

The Honda Super Cub 50cc scooter is the best selling motor VEHICLE of all time world wide, not just motorcycles/scooters. Seriously, check it out.

The most common bikes I see on the streets are late-model GSXRs and Harleys. I do see a fair amount of CBRs as well but not nearly as much as I do GSXRs.

Out of all the Japanese-built cruisers, the most common one I see is the Yamaha V-Star series.

[WeaponZero]

Your complaints about how the Rebel 250 performs at freeway speeds are generally true of all 250s. The Ninja 250 is really the only exception, which is why it comes so highly recommended around these parts.

Now for your gear…

Jacket – Looks are purely subjective but I agree about the looks. IMO brands such as Rev’It and Olympia that specialize mainly in touring gear don’t know how to make a good looking jacket. But then, as long as it’s functional, really no complaints. For your next jacket I recommend going to your local Cycle Gear and trying a bunch of stuff on.

Gloves – Very low-end perforated leather gloves. They don’t offer much in the way of protection. Personally I don’t like short gloves because of the protection they sacrifice over gauntlet gloves. I’d rather have my wrists sweat it out. But that’s just me. If you want some short gloves that offer more protection, look into the Alpinestars range. But if they’re comfy and you like them, stick with them. They do still offer a good measure of abrasion protection on your hands (assuming they’re not ripped off in the event of a crash, the main downfall of short gloves)

Helmet – Sounds like it’s fitting just right. The chin bar generally shouldn’t stick out or down enough to interfere with tilting your head forward.

If you want the most protective boots you can get for under $200 that DON’T look like race gear, Icon Field Armors are your best bet. About $130 and insane levels of protection. I’m also getting a pair of these http://www.cyclegear.com/spgm.cfm?L1=&L2=&L3=&L4=&item=FTL_SEB094-BB-7_G for my birthday. Very good level of protection for the street, race-grade. Good price. Only complaint I’ve seen is that the toe slider wears out quick and is not replaceable, but let’s face it. If you don’t plan on dragging knee at the track, that’s a non-issue. Tried them on in the store too, VERY VERY comfortable. Fit my foot much better than the Alpinestars boots I tried on.

[WeaponZero]

I agree 100%. A 400 would be the perfect size IMO, provided that it’s actually lighter and not just a sleeved 650 like the Ninja you mentioned.

Now that Kawasaki has abandoned the 500cc market it seems that the 500 market is dying as well. Suzuki’s GS is all that’s left of the 500cc motorcycle market and I’m willing to bet it won’t be around forever either. Soon beginners won’t have anything to choose from between 250s which may not be enough for some people (although more due to suspension capacity or physical size than engine) and 650s. We need SOMETHING in between there.

[WeaponZero]

The bottom line is that more and more areas are developed now to where there is no dirt to learn on. I grew up in an area where it was nothing but city for miles and miles around and dirtbikes were something only seen in movies. Learning in the dirt is nice when you have dirt, but the bottom line is that it’s simply not feasible for many of us living in an urban area. What would you have them do, buy a dirtbike only to have to trailer it a couple hours away just to ride it? Be realistic here.

Hell, my cub scout troop had to rent a lot at a local park just to do its camp outs because there wasn’t any actual wilderness or REAL parks for HOURS in any direction.

The bottom line here is that you’re the one who’s spoiled by having had the option to learn on dirt, by having nearby wilderness areas to be able to use a dirtbike. Don’t assume everyone else is so fortunate.

I don’t think you realize just how uncommon it is in today’s day and age for someone to have the luxury of being able to learn in the dirt, or having access to areas to ride a dirtbike. I certainly don’t expect any sympathy on this matter from someone who lives in a place known for its wilderness.

What I can say is this: For you to automatically assume everyone, or even most people out there have that same luxury you have, is the very DEFINITION of the word “spoiled.”

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/census/cps2k.htm

79% of America’s population, according to the census link above, lives in urban areas where they likely don’t have access to wilderness. So all you’re doing for the majority of us by spouting off this same lecture we’ve heard time and time again is insulting our intelligence. This is the second time you’ve made a post about this very same thing and you’re accomplishing nothing with it other than showing us just how spoiled you are.

There are a lot more of us than you realize who live in third floor apartments in the middle of the city, on the intersection of two major US highways where the posted speed limit is 45mph but traffic flows steadily at 50-60.

/rant.

Sorry, this hit a nerve. I’m sick and tired of hearing this same textbook lecture from people who clearly don’t understand what it means to live in an urban environment.

[WeaponZero]

id say go for a 500 at that size. Ninja 500R or Suzuki GS500.

[WeaponZero]

Problem is I’m not well adjusted socially. As a child I would go for days at a time without speaking which is why my mother had me tested in the first place. I’ve been trying to improve though but this revelation worries me because it makes me feel like my efforts are for nothing. This is going to sound totally pathetic and the only reason I’m even mentioning it here is because I’ll likely never actually meet any of you guys, but the problems this has been creating dating-wise are really getting me down. I’d explain further but it would venture into the realm of TMI and I’d rather not go there with you guys.

[WeaponZero]

Well the thing is, I’ve been running into a lot of problems in other areas of my life lately that can be attributed to this (relationship problems, problems at work, problems in general). And learning why is getting me down because it’s not something that can really be changed or *fixed.*

[WeaponZero]

That’s for sure.

[WeaponZero]

Never listen to a salesman who is trying to steer you away from a 250. They’re just trying for more commission. Unless you yourself are a HUGE guy (which you are most certainly not), a 250 will do you fine. The Honda Rebel 250 is a great bike for around town but it struggles at freeway speeds. It tops out in the neighborhood of 85-90mph which is the speed traffic flows at on the highways in South Florida where I was born. I think you should let that be what decides it for you. If you plan on hitting the highways often, yeah I would move up to something bigger, perhaps a 500. But if not, the Rebel will do you fine.

I can’t speak for elsewhere but here in Pittsburgh the sales are great right now. Dealerships are letting 2010 Ninja 650Rs and ER-6ns go for under 6k OTD. My local dealership has a 2010 Z1000 on their showroom floor that has a sticker on it for 7500 OTD.

[WeaponZero]

http://sportbiketrackgear2.homestead.com/EXO-1000.html

Scorpion EXO 1000. It is the only helmet on the market that has a drop-down sun visor and meets SNELL standards (although SNELL 2005, not current SNELL). They cost in the neighborhood of $300, however the Apollo graphic is on closeout for $199.

Your only other option is the Shark S900 which is both DOT and ECE certified. However, it is out of your price range. You won’t find much in the way of reviews on it as it is brand new to the market. However, Shark is known for high quality and high safety.

http://stores.sportbiketrackgear.com/Categories.bok?category=SHARK+Helmets%3AS900

Unfortunately, as ranette pointed out, sun visors are featured mostly limited to modular helmets, which, due to their basic design, can not possibly meet SNELL standards as they are technically considered half helmets since the chin bar is not fixed, and half helmets can not be SNELL certified. The only other Full Face helmets I know of that have a sun visor are the HJC IS-16 and HJC FS-10 which are pretty bottom-of-the-barrel compared to the other two I just linked and not even worth comparing to them. They are DOT certified only.

[WeaponZero]

Munch: I could be wrong but I believe the original Shadow was a 700 and there weren’t other displacement sizes available until the 1990s. So it’s a safe bet the one he’s referring to is a 700.

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