First Bike - Need Some pointers

[blazedawg87]

A 250 Ninja is not the same animal as a 250 DS.

100% correct. They are totally different bikes for totally different purposes. I personally would like to have a DS just for comfort and how easy they are to maintain.

 

[roundhouse]

Got to love those trail 90's. I have been thinking about getting one and reconditioning it just for old time sake.
a group of 5 guys just did the transamerican trail on trail 90's. it was really cool following their progress on Facebook.

Can you post up the link ?

The trans am trail is on
My bucket list
Not sure I wanna do it on a trail 90 but
I sure put a lot of miles on mine
I rode coopers creek and wolf creek road
To roaring fork
Thru to bowers cove rd to owl town
Cindy cove and back to Vogel
With a passenger on board

Rode it to Suches and back almost ever day

The high/low range was great
The crentrifigal clutch was not so great
When it got hot from crawling
It would start slipping

But the neat part about it was when you came to a hill and had to downshift
You didn't have to back off the throttle
You just stomp the back end of the shifter

I could outrun any car on hwy 180
Sometimes less HP really is better

 

[SOLGardener]

Go with a 650 dual sport. All the power you will ever need to drive in any type of traffic, plus the fun factor on the dirt. As far as a helmet is concerned, just think of it this way, if you have a $50 head then get yourself a $50 helmet.

+1 on the KLR. I hit the same place as you a few years ago. I had never ridden, but wanted to learn, and wanted a DS. I bought a used KLR (or if you want smaller, there's the KLX250/DR250) for $1100. I bought a helmet and got a temp MC license. I learned to ride and took some short trips. It taught me what I liked and didn't like. I dumped it a couple times learning the basics, had a few close calls (sliding in dirt and small jumps while sitting). I sold it for $1700.

 

[07JKX]

I am leaning to used to start off with as recommended by several users. That being said, the KLR has piqued my interest as well. I am not worried (new or used) about laying it over, scratches and dents. Hell, I sank my jeep in the first mud hole at less than 1000 miles on it.

Its what they are built for and thats why I am buying it. Defintely not a show piece

 

[blazedawg87]

Do what you wish but remember:

#1) "Asphalt is one tough competitor"
E K

#2) Metro Atlanta is full of idiots who will, run you over from behind, pull out in front of you, change into your lane, and that"s when they aren't on the cell phone.

#3 When on the cell phone or texting they are even more dangerous than #2

#4 Many of the drivers in Metro Atlanta drive, Intoxicated, With no insurance, With no drivers license, With no legal residency, and if they hit you wont even slow down.

I have several lifelong friends who will never walk again because they stopped to make a left hand turn and were run over from behind. The driver said she didn't see them (2 bikes) as they stopped to turn left. They are lucky to be alive but were in so much pain they expressed a desire to die. I had a friend and co worker killed 2 weeks ago by a driver who inexplicably turned left in front of him while he was on his way to work. He left 2 kids and a wife behind He hit her pickup nearly head on and died almost instantly. His trip to work was less than a mile. I have another friend and co worker that was leaving work about 4 years ago when a car pulled in front of him. He died twice and was resuscitated once in the ambulance and once at Grady. He still has pain and a limp and has had many surgerys to piece him back together. I haven't ridden since 1982 when an uninsured motorist pulled out in front of me. I was going about 40 mph when she pulled out of a parking lot at the last second while looking right at me. I hit the drivers side fender just behind the front wheel. I was catapulted over the hood and landed in the road way with oncoming traffic. I was very lucky and only had road rash through my jeans and jacket and severe bruising of my legs back and arms and no one else hit me. the bike was totaled and in addition to being uninsured the driver was high as a kite and didn't have a pot to piss in financially. Guess where that left me? I have several more friends and family who have been hurt and injured and it would be a very long post indeed if i went into all of them.
There is a reason that in the hospital ERs and operating rooms that motorcyclists are known as organ donors and the machines are known as murder cycles.
Atlanta is no place to learn to ride, Its not IF you're in an accident, it's WHEN and how bad will it be.
I'm not trying to be a Nanny but how many vehicle accidents have you been in and what do you think the outcome would have been on a bike?
My advice to you free and worth far more than you paid to read it.
Get a dirt bike and stay in the dirt. At least there if you screw up you know who's fault it is and probably wont be repeatedly run over by 3000# of rolling steel..

Crash on dirt you normally bounce right up maybe bruised the next day. Crash on pavement your lucky to walk again and everything still be attached. Thats why i ride dirt.

 

[jburton3]

^^^ I know I am not the most popular guy on the ODT, but purposely trying to kill me before I leave the parking lot is not cool yo.

this comes to mind

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlQQfAz0fbM

That was funny

 

[DirtySouth]

I've had 30+ bikes in the past 10 years (I have a sickness), and can tell you that a Dual Sport is probably one of the better, if not the best, options to give motorcycling a try. They are generally cheaper as long as you stick with the single cylinder offerings, cheap to insure, best fuel economy other than a scooter, lighter than most, and don't break easily. When you do drop it, notice I said when because you will, the only thing that you'll end up replacing is blinkers and/or mirrors, which can be had at most any dealership. I've had 200cc dirt bikes, up to 1000cc sport bikes, and the Dual Sports have always been my favorite.

I commuted 60 miles RT on a DRZ400s year round, on 41 and I-75 and never had an issue with keeping up with traffic. The 250's may be a little strained at interstate speeds, but a 400cc or bigger will run all day long at 75-80 mph, and will do an honest 100 mph if needed. I rode a DR650 to Houston, TX and back (over 1700 miles) in a 3 day weekend, running the interstate the whole way. The DRZ400 was taller than the DR650, and put out about the same HP, but the 650 had a little more Torque and wasn't as high revved as the 400. The KLR650 is another single cylinder bike that I have had and liked. That bike has probably been around the world more times than any other bike. They can be picked up cheap as well, and are the Ruger 10/22's of the motorcycle world with all the aftermarket support that can be had.

Whatever bike you choose, I would definitely recommend getting gear. Having a nurse clean the rash from the asphalt is major suckage, trust me. The whole $50 helmet for a $50 head is B.S. A proper fitting DOT helmet is what you need. Granted a more expensive offering like Shoei or Arai may have some nicer features, but they won't necessarily protect your head anymore than an HJC or Bell. I personally have a Shoei helmet, but that's because I have a Shoei shaped head. The bare minimum you should get is a helmet, jacket, over the ankle boots, and gloves. I wore the whole shebang including the overpants with armor, but I wore textile gear. Look over at ADVRIDER for some more info regarding the bikes you are interested in, or feel free to pm me for my number. I'll talk bikes all day with you.

 

[GeauxLSU]

I rode a DR650 to Houston, TX and back (over 1700 miles) in a 3 day weekend, running the interstate the whole way.

Ok, my hat is off to you. but the woman I know that rode a Honda Helix from Atlanta to Mexico and back sitll wins.

 

[DirtySouth]

Ok, my hat is off to you. but the woman I know that rode a Honda Helix from Atlanta to Mexico and back sitll wins.

I'd love to do a coast to coast on a Honda Ruckus, but by the time I will be able to get the time off work for it, I'll be retiring at 85 and I don't know if my body will allow it.

I had a sheepskin seat cover and a windshield on the DR so it wasn't that bad going out. Coming back was a little more painful, but it always is.

 

[roundhouse]

keep the info coming... I am reading it all and researching it further. Thanks guys!

Looked in the ODT motorcycle ads
There are several good starter bikes listed there

I'd get one new enough to have hydraulic disc brakes but other than that
If its been taken care of age wouldn't be a concern

Also when you get a
Little more knowledge about bikes you can get some great deals at the scratch and dent auto auctions

I once saw a 18 month old BMW 1200
That cost about $17K new sell for $1200 cause it fell over and busted all the fiberglass fairings and bent the bars and dented the tank it ran
And rode fine