Greg if you get serious about a bike check out the value/dollar with the metric cruisers. Big V twin Vulcans with a few thousand miles will go between $5-6K. With Harleys you get the name and a piece of the attitude. I tried on numerous Harleys at a friends shop here in Cottonweed and never found one I was comfortable on. My Mean Streak is another story and fits me just fine. It will definitely get out of its own way even with a big guy like you on board.

Oh, and congratulations on the bike Andy. Once you take the course you have to go buy a bike. There isn't any way out of it. You got a nice practical machine that will do everything you want to do. I predict you WILL be upgrading though within about 6 months. Don't laugh about the airhorns, Kuryakyn makes an airhorn for motorcycles. It's pretty darn important to at least be heard even if your not being seen on a bike.

You buy a bike before I have time to read your thread. 4 pages in 4 days, lot of happy people........

Congrats Andy. I haven't done much street riding myself. I like the sand dunes though...forgiving on falls and all.

I'm kind of partial to Enduros and Motards myself.
http://www.suzukicycles.com/images/ProductImages/logo/500/DRZ400SMK9.jpg

quote:

Originally posted by Senior:, Kuryakyn makes an airhorn for motorcycles..

I suppose they're more compact w/o the small compressor( the ones I found look like electrics), but just about any $20-$30 set of air horns for an auto can be used. Besides, he's got that fairing to hide them in.

When I had my RD250 Yama years ago, I mounted them pointed forward on the front fork. Just a pair taht I picked up at PepBoys.

Scared the piss out of peeps, more than once who thought they could turn in front of me.

Well, I stopped yesterday morning to gas up the bike after 149 miles on the odo. Took about 2.9 gallons to fill it.

50+MPG right out of the gate. Not bad.

Looked back over the thread and can't seem to find out what you bought? What did you get Andy?

When I lived in the L.A. area (and weighed around 120 lbs.)(I know, I was very skinny), I use to own a Honda Hondamatic 500cc. Wasn't much but it got me around, 0-60 in 8-9 sec.

Flipped it once going into a parking lot (4am and it was dark and I thought I saw the driveway, but it was a 1' curb instead), and laid it down once due to hydro fluid a tractor had laid down on the road after it's rear double tires got knocked off by a car. All I can say, is alway wear a helmet and even though its HOT here, have protective gear.

Oh, and don't piss off cars while white lining, they like to chase you... oh, shouldn't be white lining anyhow in Az.

Bob, it's a Suzuki GS500F in this color.



I am wearing a helmet, but not a jacket. Never have I been so alert to what other cars are doing.

quote:

Originally posted by Garbacho:
Congrats Andy. I haven't done much street riding myself. I like the sand dunes though...forgiving on falls and all.

I'm kind of partial to Enduros and Motards myself.
http://www.suzukicycles.com/images/ProductImages/logo/500/DRZ400SMK9.jpg

This gets my vote, cept I want the dirt tires.

quote:

Originally posted by Desert Rat:
I am wearing a helmet, but not a jacket.

There are some really affordable jackets on www.newenough.com. Awesome customer service too. Do you have gloves? The first thing to hit the ground is usually your hands.

It's riding in 100+ degree temperatures that has me not wearing a jacket.

It's uncomfortable, but the potential benefits of wearing a jacket far outweigh the benefits of not wearing one.

But I bet 120+ degree asphalt feels better on the skin than 80 degree asphalt, probably scrubs out easier too.

I know what you mean, I would come to Phoenix to visit when living in Ca. and it was unbearable, but after laying down my bike that one time (and I was only doing about 20-30 mph), the only reason I have skin on my arm and shoulder today is because my leather jacket took most of the road rash. Gloves are worth every penny too. Sorry to go on... but I am a safety guy when it comes to riding bikes.

Glad to here you are enjoying your bike, you will like it much more once we hit the 70-80 degree range.

Yep. I guess I'm a "gear nazi" as well.



My back got the same treatment, luckily I was wearing a jacket. I'm guilty of having ridden without a jacket and gloves before(have always worn a helmet), but after I wrecked, I will always wear a helmet, jacket, and gloves when riding. Just glad I didn't have to learn the hard way, hopefully you don't either.

I need to find some lightweight gear for riding my motored bike. At minimum a decent helmet.

The new bike will hit 40-50mph.. scary for a bicycle.