My first bike...

[MSHardeman]

If you like the CanAm Spyder (and I do) then you have GOT to check out the Trirod.

http://www.trirodmotorcycles.com/

Talk about unique and nasty....this thing is SWEEEEET!! It's a bit pricey at $50k, but it is basically a custom chopper.

[ojmagg]

Sweet Jesus, that thing is flippin' smokin'...but $55k...ouch!

[Dallas4u]

If you like the CanAm Spyder (and I do) then you have GOT to check out the Trirod.

http://www.trirodmotorcycles.com/

Talk about unique and nasty....this thing is SWEEEEET!! It's a bit pricey at $50k, but it is basically a custom chopper.

Whoa... I think I just shat my pants!

[ISCE]

Something else to consider for a first bike is the 250R Ninja. It's a great starter bike and they hold their value great when you are ready to sell it in a year or two and upgrade.

http://www.kawasaki.com/products/Detail.aspx?id=200

I rode dirt bikes growing up and consider myself a good rider. When in college I had a serious street bike accident and ended up with two screws in my left knee. Didn't ride again on the street until 2 years ago. Ended up just picking up one of these 250R Ninja's for the gas mileage and to ease me back into riding. The plan was to sell it and upgrade to a bigger bike. The thing is though I love the bike, and now just planning on keeping it. It handles great and I am close to some great twisty roads where this little bike keeps up with my friends' much larger bikes no problem.

For your commute distance though it may be too small as it's not all that comfortable on longer trips. I work out of the house now, but when I go downtown for meetings it's typically less than 20 miles and the bike is perfect for that.

Like the others said, take the riding courses and become completely comfortable on the bike. There are a LOT of idiots out there who have no problems trying to run over you. You want to be able to do anything you need to on the bike to get out of the way. This bike is low cost and I just filled up and got 62mpg.

[nfpgasmask]

This bike is low cost and I just filled up and got 62mpg.

That's just it. The cost savings is starting to get sway me even with the safety issue....true, your life isn't worth any dollar amount, but its getting damn close!!!

Bart

[Knigh7s]

This is what i've been looking at Buell 1125r. I'm already signed up for some classes out here, but not till sept when it gets cooler. But as a starter bike, I most definetly will be getting a ninja or something and work my way up to the 1125r. No point on getting myself killed in return to never being able to ride it again!

My dad has a Honda ?CB750? late 70's or 80's model that he bought back in Japan. He is almost finished restoring it. Looks pretty clean, I'll have to take some pix of it later and post...

[cyronman]

AFTER the class is when I would start looking for something to buy. It doesn't hurt to look around right now if you are serious about it, but I wouldn't buy anything until after passing the class. Think of it as a gift to yourself!!! Definitely look at a used bike. You won't feel as guilty about dropping something you know has been used and that you didn't pay retail for.

First, think about what you want from your motorcycle, i.e. cruising, sport, comfort, distance, etc. Don't just go and buy a bike you think looks cool. Once you get all those in your head, THEN go looking for a bike. Find a few that would really meet your needs. Once you do that, then you should buy the bike that best suits your visual tastes.

[kpaske]

Thanks for all the great tips, everyone. I actually have already taken the safety course and got my rider's license, but it was about 10 years ago, back in Maryland, and I never ended up buying a bike. So I would almost certainly want to take it again here in Washington to get a little practice before heading out into my first morning commute in Seattle area traffic. I have spent quite some time riding mopeds around Thailand if that counts for anything...

I didn't realize the Buell Blast was so small - on the web site of course they all pretty much look the same size. That Spyder is bad*ss, but I guess it's more of a "trike" than a "bike". I'm definitely more partial to two wheels, and I'm thinking a cruiser between say 500 and 800 cc is probably about right for my purposes.

[Spyder]

Where I work, one of my many jobs...

We sell the Johnny Pag.
$4,000 for a chopper, 300cc water cooled.

[Bulldoggie]

I don't know if you found one yet.
I found two.
Earlier a bought a clone of a honda Trail CT70.
Mine is a 90cc 4speed, but you can get as high as 160cc.
The kind with the folding handlebars. It fits in the VX
But I'm going to make a carrier for the hitch.

Yesterday, I came home with a Suzuki Intruder.
11k miles on a 1997 with 1400cc (70hp)
It's a beautiful beast

[taylorRichie]

I have an original 71 CT70... They're fun...

I've always liked the intruders. Remove the back rest (if it has one) and they look great.

[tomdietrying]

This is a question for you motorheads. What's your opinion of the Harley Sportster XL1200N? Here's one on Ebay I found.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Motor...ayphotohosting

Peace.
Tom
012009

[MSHardeman]

Tom,

I love the looks of the Nightster (XL1200N) and I was looking at getting one, but when I went to my local Harley dealership and sat on one it was just too small for me. I felt cramped up with the foot pegs at the middle of the bike, and even when I sat on one with forward controls (foot pegs out front) it still felt too small. Now that was me, but I have a feeling (and no offense here because we've met and I know how tall you are) that it would be just perfect for you.

It's a great bike. Very torquy engine and still small enough to whip around turns so it should be a blast.

Hope that helps.

Mark

[taylorRichie]

That Nightster is very cool... I have no experience with it, but I do like the look.

If I were to get a harley (not anytime soon) it would be the VRSC though

[Bulldoggie]

I have an original 71 CT70... They're fun...

I've always liked the intruders. Remove the back rest (if it has one) and they look great.

Here is a pict. of the CT70

I wish I took a picture of it in the back of the VX.
If your '71 is in nice shape, keep it. The Honda's are collectable.

Here's one of the intruder:



My daughters love the back rest, so I'll keep it.
I do not have the little rack behind the rest, it's ugly.
This bike was made for the Highway