Talk me into buying a Motorcycle!

In My Humble Opinion
1

That’s right, I want you to talk me into buying my second ever motorcycle! (I’ve got the “talking myself out of it” portion taken care of). But first nitty-gritty background info:

Last summer, at the ripe age of 21 (and wet weight of 195lbs), I took a motorcycle course, just for the hell of it. Well, clearly I enjoyed it, because I bought my first bike (a Suzuki GZ250) about two weeks after graduating, and things were good.

I rode it for about three months and put a little over a thousand miles on it, if I recall. Sadly for my bike, but fortunately for my wallet, I was accepted at a company I long wanted to work for, but it meant a move across country, meaning I had to leave my bike behind. But it sort of worked out, as I could tell I was already outgrowing it – although I loved my 250cc, it wasn’t exactly comfortable, or really even safe on freeways (it pretty much topped out at 60, and don’t even get me started on driving at that speed up a slight incline!). Plus it wasn’t exactly a babe-magnet, but hey, it was a starter!

Anyway, it’s been about 6 months since the move, and with the weather starting to get really nice, I’m in the mood for a new bike. Now, if I were to get said bike, it would definitely have to be larger than a 250, particular with the much steeper gradient of freeways in Cali, and the aforementioned babe-factor.

However, I’ve run into a problem. I’m scared! (which, granted, isn’t too hot with the girls either). I know I was pretty competent with my 300lb 250cc bike, but I’m worried how well I’ll be able to handle a heavier bike such as Honda’s Shadow Spirit 750), which is 750cc and around 500lbs (dry weight). In addition to the weight difference, I’m also worried how my seven months of bike inactivity might carry over.

Granted, when I flew home during Easter, I was able to take my bike for a quick drive and found I took to it like, well, a bike. I had expressed my concerns to my dad beforehand, which is why we took it out to a parking lot, but the moment I sat on the bike, I felt right as home and was back on the streets within a minute.

Anyway, I guess I’m looking for advice/anecdotes/whatever your thoughts may be on this matter. Have you gone from a 300lb bike to one almost double the weight? Did you notice a big difference? How about having a six month lull in riding? And any general thoughts about the Honda Shadow Spirit 750 I chose? Any other bikes I should consider?

2

A 750 like that shouldn’t give you any problems. I started riding on a Honda Shadow 600 and I can’t imagine the power difference between the two being that much different. You’re not going to notice any weight difference until you are stopped, and even then 100 or even 200 pounds more probably isn’t noticable.

As for the six month non riding, you either take it easy when you first get back into it, or take the experienced course. Or better yet both. I’ve been riding for nine years and have over 100,000 miles riding, yet when I take the winter off I’m always a bit sluggish getting back into riding. That’s normal and tells you to take it easy until you get back into riding.

I’d say if you like the honda go for it, it’s not going to be to big or heavy for you, and it has more then enough power to get you up to speeds to keep up on the highway no problem. I don’t know enough about other bikes in that class though to give you any other hints on which ones to look at.

3

The 750 Shadow is a pretty docile bike, you would do alright on it. If you’re looking into cruisers, anything in the 600-800cc range should be fine. Bikes in that range have enough power for the freeway without being too heavy. I’m fond of Triumph Bonnevilles myself, if you want something with a classic Britbike look. Trust me, it’s the bike that’s going to stand out in a sea of cookie-cutter V-twins.

I’d be more concerned about the 6-month break. I commute daily by bike year-round, and I notice even a 2-week break starts to take the edge off just a bit. Take it easy at first. Stick to quieter streets for a bit.

As for talking you into riding, like I said I commute by motorcycle. If I take the car to work, then I have to drive home at the end of the day. If I take the bike, then I get to ride home. If you understand what I mean, then riding is for you.

4

I think you will find that a larger, and heavier machine is both more comfortable to ride, and actually easier.

You will find that it soaks up bumps better and does not get knocked offline in the way a small bike does.

You will not have to worry about being pushed over to the side of the road by faster traffic and you will be much more able to hold your own.

The brakes will be much much better, not just in strength but also in smoothness, and the bike will almost certainly behave better when under heavy braking.

I would not be inclined to get anything less than something like a 500CC twin such as the Kawasaki ER5 or the Honda 500 twin. These are very easy to maintain, you can do most of it yourself, they cost peanuts to run and insurance is low.

The Honda 750cc Shadow would be an ideal next step, it has an easy clutch and the power comes in smoothly, no sudden steps, and in style terms, you can go down the sportbike raod if you wish, or move to the cruiser style, it sort of gives you the choice for the future.
Personally I’m not for the cruiser style for day in day out commuting, the regular roadster is ideal.

5

Thanks for the reassurance guys; I’m pretty confident I’ll be picking up a bike soon. But i just needed to hear some of these reassurances.

Speaking of bikes, I want to make sure I don’t out grow my next one anytime soon (as I did with my 250). 750 should be ample, right? From what you guys have stated, it sounds like I won’t be begging for more power when trying to pass someone on the freeway, for instance. Am I right?

Also, on a purely aesthetics note, how powerful does a 750 typically sound? I’m not looking for one a bike that makes people go deaf as I drive by, but definitely something a bit more meaningful than my 250 could squeek out. Will a 750 sound a lot more impressive?

6

No, a 750 isn’t something you’re going to outgrow right away. A 750 will sound a lot more powerful than your old 250 did, and you can always put a set of new pipes on if you want to change the tone.

7

Hey, RB, have you looked at the other Honda 750s? I’ve sat on all 3, the chain drive one (which I think is actually a 600) and the two shaft drives (the Spirit CT2 and the Aero) and I definitely prefer the Aero. If I get one (and I’m about in the same boat as you, riding-level-wise) it’s probably going to be the Aero. It’s definitely the most comfortable for me. I just wish their color selection was better. There’s not a red or a blue in the bunch.

8

So, Red Barchetta - You’se gona buy a motorcycle, or is my Associate Guido gonna have to have a woid wit you in the alley?
(was that any help? :D)

9

I could not have said it better myself. Even when traffic is bad, I still get to ride home.

10

Haha, there we go.

Thanks everyone for the replies. As for the Aero, I’ll certainly take a look at it! Any other comparable bikes I should check out?

11

I have owned a 2006 Aero for about 1 1/2 years and love it. It gets about 65MPG but has plenty of power. I weigh 140 pounds and have no trouble controlling it.

12

The other two I know if the price/size range are the Suzuki M50 and the Yamaha V-Star (Custom or Classic, I can’t remember which).

13

I’ve been on an '83 Honda Nighthawk 450 for the last seven months or so. A friend of mine who has had a fairly big hand in my riding enthusiasm is about to loan me a '98 Kawasaki Concours that I believe is a 1000 or 1100cc engine. I am really excited about the idea because I am feeling like I have outgrown the current bike a bit, but I’m also curious to see just how huge a difference it is to ride such a comparitively large bike.

Red Barchetta, I’m looking forward to hearing about your experience when you upgrade as well!

14

Absolutely; I’ll be sure to report back. Hopefully I’ll have a bike soon; real soon. I’m just narrowing down exactly which one I want. And speaking of which, I think I’ve narrowed it down to two bikes: The Honda Aero and the Kawasaki Vulcan 900 classic (both in black).

I hope I’m not getting to far ahead of myself, but the Vulcan seems to offer a bit more horsepower (900cc) for a comparable price to the Aero, without coming at the expense of much additional weight.

What do you guys think between the two? I love the way both look, so I’m torn, but I’m leaning toward the Vulcan for the aforementioned reasons. Your thoughts?

15

The Connie is a 1000cc bike, mine’s downstairs now. You’re going to notice a huge difference, at least for a bit. You shouldn’t have too many problems though unless you really dump the clutch. They are heavy bikes though so try not to have a full tank when you first get it.

Red Barchetta, you shouldn’t have a problem with a 900cc bike either. I would say that most of the cruisers under 1100cc will not give you any problems. I think you’re worrying a bit too much about weight as well. My Connie is a heavy machine, but after awhile it’s not so bad. I don’t think you’re going to have any problems holding up most any bike, the times the weight becomes a problem is when it starts to fall and you try and catch it.

16

With a name like Red Barchetta, I’m surprised you’re not looking for something more European. As Jet Jaguar mentioned, Triumph has some beautiful retro bikes that would be high on my list if I was shopping for a fourth bike. You were asking about how some bikes sound, and it doesn’t get much sweeter than an Italian twin. Ducati Monsters are light, nimble, and can be had relatively inexpensively.

17

Above all else, avoid the blind spots.

18

Yeah and just assume that you’re invisible and nobody sees you. Always have an escape/avoidance plan.

19

Thanks for this – I assume that by “dumping the clutch” you mean letting off of it too soon while on the throttle; I just haven’t heard the term before.

And with that, I will end my inadvertent hijack of RB’s thread! By the way, RB, the Honda Aero was pretty high on my list when I was dreaming of buying a new bike as well. I live just a couple of miles away from what is supposed to be the world’s largest bike dealership, and I’ve sat on one. Felt just right, I have to say.

20

That’s the way I’ve always understood it. I’ve gotten the front wheel off the ground a couple of times, usually by giving it too much gas, letting it rev up and letting go of the clutch. It’s very interesting to do in the middle of the night on a hill having never gotten a wheelie before.