[RoadKill503]

Yeah, I've done a lot of reading and watching YouTube videos on those two bikes. I can see pros and cons to each.

I'm leaning more towards the DR-Z at the moment. I like the simplicity of the carb over fuel injection and they're more available and about $1000 less on the used market in my area. Not to mention the aftermarket seems to be a little more extensive on that bike as well.

Both hold their values really well from what I've heard, worst case if one doesn't work out for me I can change it up next season and not lose out too much.

Also after talking to one of my buddies, he's advised against the KLR for our trails around here. He's gotten into some situations where he would've prefered a leaner bike. Decisions, decisions...

I also need to factor in the terrain here, too. There's very little flat land around here. The torque of the DR-Z may be preferable

[Ski pro]

(06-12-2018 04:43 PM)RoadKill503 Wrote:  

Looking to get into adventure/dual sport riding. Never been on anything with two wheels and a motor in my life. Done plenty of ATV and mtn bike riding, some skills are transferable I imagine.

Any recommendations on a first bike? I've narrowed it down to DR-Z400S, KLR 650, and WR250R. I'm a little turned off by the KLR's weight, but I have two buddies who ride them as their first.

My plan is to get my bike and all my gear in order before I take my MSF course so I can immediately hit the road and hone my skills after being certified.

Little about me and the riding I want to do:

- 28, 6'2", 200 lb and fit.
- looking to ride mostly trails with about a 45-60 min ride to the nearest destination on 50 MPH or so county roads.

Any tips would be appreciated!

Get yourself over to advrider. They literally discuss this topic every day.

[Ski pro]

Rode over a mountain pass today go have lunch in Italy. Wentwith4 mates.

So many bikers out it looked like a bike convention at the top of the pass.

[Tex Cruise]

(06-24-2018 01:09 PM)Ski pro Wrote:  

So many bikers out it looked like a bike convention at the top of the pass.

This video is one of my favourite bits of road, note the brilliantly positioned Pie Shop at the top of the pass. You should see all the bikes there on a sunny weekend.

[Ski pro]

Looks like an amazing spot. Cool video.

[kaotic]

Went to the biggest biker event here on the West Coast USA - man if you're trying to save money, this is the worst place to go.

So much cool shit to look at, shit to buy, ideas for your own bike, from parts to paint jobs.

[Ski pro]

After my recent trip to Italy, I decided I needed a bike with a bit more power.

Upgraded my old one to a more recent KTM adventure with a bigger engine. Picking her up this week.

I now have two bikes. Not sure to sell the original or try to do a full restoration and then sell at a profit. Or just keep it.

[Spectrumwalker]

I was talking to my manager today about the Sturgis Rally. He's got a Harley. He was saying back in the day when he was young the rally only drew in 3,000 people. Now the crowds number half a million people in a 6,000 person town. That's insane. Had no idea it was that huge. He said you gotta go at least once in your life. Anyone ever been? Is it worth a trip solo? Crowds like that make me not want to go, but does look like a good time.

[Sidney Crosby]

(07-01-2018 01:36 PM)Ski pro Wrote:  

After my recent trip to Italy, I decided I needed a bike with a bit more power.

Upgraded my old one to a more recent KTM adventure with a bigger engine. Picking her up this week.

I now have two bikes. Not sure to sell the original or try to do a full restoration and then sell at a profit. Or just keep it.

I've always wanted a KTM 950/990, there are a couple nice mid sized bikes coming out soon though that I'm excited about.

[Ski pro]

Yup, mines one of those. On the test ride it seemed like a proper hooligan bike. Can’t wait

[kaotic]

(07-01-2018 03:32 PM)Spectrumwalker Wrote:  

I was talking to my manager today about the Sturgis Rally. He's got a Harley. He was saying back in the day when he was young the rally only drew in 3,000 people. Now the crowds number half a million people in a 6,000 person town. That's insane. Had no idea it was that huge. He said you gotta go at least once in your life. Anyone ever been? Is it worth a trip solo? Crowds like that make me not want to go, but does look like a good time.

Absolutely go, solo or with friends.

Most guys I know that have went trailer their bikes (put them in a truck or trailer) and haul them into Sturgis, then ride them around town.

You're going to have large crowds at all sorts of bike meet ups especially Harley ones.

It all depends on if you're willing to ride that far and the bike you've got.

[Ski pro]

(07-02-2018 12:39 PM)kaotic Wrote:  

(07-01-2018 03:32 PM)Spectrumwalker Wrote:  

I was talking to my manager today about the Sturgis Rally. He's got a Harley. He was saying back in the day when he was young the rally only drew in 3,000 people. Now the crowds number half a million people in a 6,000 person town. That's insane. Had no idea it was that huge. He said you gotta go at least once in your life. Anyone ever been? Is it worth a trip solo? Crowds like that make me not want to go, but does look like a good time.

Absolutely go, solo or with friends.

Most guys I know that have went trailer their bikes (put them in a truck or trailer) and haul them into Sturgis, then ride them around town.

You're going to have large crowds at all sorts of bike meet ups especially Harley ones.

It all depends on if you're willing to ride that far and the bike you've got.

Isn’t that a bit lame?. Reminds me of a story, I know a guy who is a Harley poseur, he was telling m about how he went to a Harley meet up in France somewhere.

I said to him, that must have been really cool, it’s an amazing ride from here to there over the mountain ranges. He told me he loaded the bike into the back of his vw work van and drove down there.

I laughed in his face. Why not ride your fucking bike there, or are you just playing dress up?

[kaotic]

Alot of guys aren't riding a big wheel harley or a custom bike out there - especially if it's a show, not go, sort of fabrication.

I would love to ride up there but that eats up alot of vacation time since you're stopping so much on the bike.

Some day I'll do it, for now I'll the river run and poker runs out here.

[Ski pro]

Picked up my new bike today. Love it so much already and that was riding home in the rain.

[Buck Wild]

Total newb here, but serious about this. Just got my motorcycle permit this week and registered for a motorcycle training course next month. Been planning on doing it for awhile now---have always disliked cars and find them confining, so this feels natural and exciting.

I'm looking at used bikes on craigslist and would like to go take a look at a few, but am worried about being taken for a ride. Any tips for newbies in my situation? What'd I'd really like is for a more experienced rider to come with me on a Saturday to look at a few of these bikes (I'm in the Boston area). If anyone knows someone who's interested PM me---I'm willing to pay for their time. Barring that, any advice you post will be helpful--thanks.

[ed pluribus unum]

Buck Wild;

there's a new online parts outfit here in Canada called Fortnine; they have good prices, good service and fast shipping. Fortnine

You may like their Youtube channel; some informative content, worth checking out.

[ed pluribus unum]

For anyone that's interested, I just replaced my bike chain with an EK o-ring plus their "screw type master link" (about 1/2 way down the page here); I believe they are the only company offering this type of attachment. I tried doing the clip-type master link once and I probably didn't do it right because it flew off after not too many km. I would normally be interested in investing in buying a proper chain breaking/riveting tool, except I don't think I'd use it more than once every 5+ years.

So I discovered this EK product and thought I'd give it a shot (ordered from Fortnine as per the above post, $113CAD all incl, free shipping arrived the next day). I followed the instructions to the letter and the install went very well, and quickly. The biggest skill set required is just following instructions and paying attention to detail; only tool needed was a 10mm wrench. I'm very satisfied with it and so far it's holding.

10/10, WRCWSA

(would replace chain with same again)

[RVF400]

(08-14-2018 04:32 PM)Buck Wild Wrote:  

I'm looking at used bikes on craigslist and would like to go take a look at a few, but am worried about being taken for a ride. Any tips for newbies in my situation? What'd I'd really like is for a more experienced rider to come with me on a Saturday to look at a few of these bikes (I'm in the Boston area). If anyone knows someone who's interested PM me---I'm willing to pay for their time. Barring that, any advice you post will be helpful--thanks.

Probably never been a better time to buy a used bike. Market is flooded with good bikes that are not selling for very much.

Have you narrowed it down to a few models? I personally like Honda's but pretty much everything built in the last 20 years is really good.

[Veloce]

(08-14-2018 04:32 PM)Buck Wild Wrote:  

Total newb here, but serious about this. Just got my motorcycle permit this week and registered for a motorcycle training course next month. Been planning on doing it for awhile now---have always disliked cars and find them confining, so this feels natural and exciting.

I'm looking at used bikes on craigslist and would like to go take a look at a few, but am worried about being taken for a ride. Any tips for newbies in my situation? What'd I'd really like is for a more experienced rider to come with me on a Saturday to look at a few of these bikes (I'm in the Boston area). If anyone knows someone who's interested PM me---I'm willing to pay for their time. Barring that, any advice you post will be helpful--thanks.

There's not *that* much to look out for IMO. I'm no mechanic but I know basic maintenance.

I'd look at a few things: mileage, make, obvious physical damage, and upkeep. These things seem obvious but you'll know what to look for once you get out and check out 5-10 bikes for sale.

For your first bike you probably want something reliable. That means Japanese: Yamaha, Suzuki, Honda. Especially Honda. These bikes can withstand some neglect and still run really well (so I've been told by my mechanic).

As far as mileage goes, with the abundance of used bikes out there I personally wouldn't buy anything over 10,000 miles. 10,000 miles might not sound like a lot, but 10,000 miles under poor maintenance is another story.

Physical damage: I'd inspect the bike to see if it was dropped. Any major dents, damaged or worn handlebar ends, turn signals, anything that pokes out of the bike. Again, there's enough bikes out there that haven't been dropped that this would be a dealbreaker.

Maintenance: I'd check the tire tread, the chain lubrication, and the oil. Those three alone will tell you how well the owner maintained it. You could check brake fluid and pop the seat to check the electrical but those first 3 are good indicators to what type of person owned the bike you're looking at.

Additional tips: everyone told me to buy used and don't spend too much, in case I drop the bike or run it into the ground. This is stupid. I haven't dropped it and I take great care of my bike (CBR650F). Make sure to get something with an appropriate amount of power. I weigh 205 and my bike makes about 80hp and I could definitely go higher. Not necessarily saying I should have gone with a more powerful bike, but don't be afraid to start on something with some muscle, as long as you have a certain degree of maturity and sense of self-preservation.

[Veloce]

One other thing I should mention:

Make sure your motorcycle is loud. This is not to be obnoxious, it's a safety measure. A stock cbr650f is super quiet, mine has an aftermarket exhaust that gives it way more volume, especially if I throttle it. Forget about bike horns, they're useless. If people start to drift in your lane or you realize that they don't see you, squeeze the clutch in and hit the throttle hard while braking. This will at least alert them that there's a pissed off motorcyclist nearby even if they can't see you.

Practice this move. In motorcycle class they'll teach you to do a quick stop. Practice these often as your bike most likely won't have abs. But on top of that, practice slowing down with just the rear brake while squeezing in the clutch and throttle it hard to make some noise. Practice making noise, it's a very effective safety measure.

[Ski pro]

^this is a good point. There’s some talk here about banning aftermarket exhausts on bikes and i realise that some are offensively loud by you do need that protection.

I just changed the twin cans from mine to something much more loud. They are really loud, too loud really but I’d rather have the safety aspect (and th popping and banging on the overrun)

[selfreliantman]

(08-22-2018 12:46 AM)Veloce Wrote:  

(08-14-2018 04:32 PM)Buck Wild Wrote:  

Total newb here, but serious about this. Just got my motorcycle permit this week and registered for a motorcycle training course next month. Been planning on doing it for awhile now---have always disliked cars and find them confining, so this feels natural and exciting.

I'm looking at used bikes on craigslist and would like to go take a look at a few, but am worried about being taken for a ride. Any tips for newbies in my situation? What'd I'd really like is for a more experienced rider to come with me on a Saturday to look at a few of these bikes (I'm in the Boston area). If anyone knows someone who's interested PM me---I'm willing to pay for their time. Barring that, any advice you post will be helpful--thanks.

There's not *that* much to look out for IMO. I'm no mechanic but I know basic maintenance.

I'd look at a few things: mileage, make, obvious physical damage, and upkeep. These things seem obvious but you'll know what to look for once you get out and check out 5-10 bikes for sale.

For your first bike you probably want something reliable. That means Japanese: Yamaha, Suzuki, Honda. Especially Honda. These bikes can withstand some neglect and still run really well (so I've been told by my mechanic).

As far as mileage goes, with the abundance of used bikes out there I personally wouldn't buy anything over 10,000 miles. 10,000 miles might not sound like a lot, but 10,000 miles under poor maintenance is another story.

Physical damage: I'd inspect the bike to see if it was dropped. Any major dents, damaged or worn handlebar ends, turn signals, anything that pokes out of the bike. Again, there's enough bikes out there that haven't been dropped that this would be a dealbreaker.

Maintenance: I'd check the tire tread, the chain lubrication, and the oil. Those three alone will tell you how well the owner maintained it. You could check brake fluid and pop the seat to check the electrical but those first 3 are good indicators to what type of person owned the bike you're looking at.

Additional tips: everyone told me to buy used and don't spend too much, in case I drop the bike or run it into the ground. This is stupid. I haven't dropped it and I take great care of my bike (CBR650F). Make sure to get something with an appropriate amount of power. I weigh 205 and my bike makes about 80hp and I could definitely go higher. Not necessarily saying I should have gone with a more powerful bike, but don't be afraid to start on something with some muscle, as long as you have a certain degree of maturity and sense of self-preservation.

There are plenty of quick guides on the net for evaluating a used bike... the above is all really solid advice if you're not too mechanical though.

I'd also like to add, buy from good people. There is a huge mix of dudes/ladies on craigslist selling bikes. First of all if you're buying from a woman it's more likely to be properly maintained (just my experience).

But if you call the guy up and have a chat, you should be able to get a feel right away if he's just some kid selling a bike he bought last year OR if he's 45, been riding and obsessing over bikes his whole life, and has to part with one of his babies for some reason or another.

If you don't know much, try and find a seller that seems like a straightforward standup guy who you could ultimately trust. If you show up there and you're not sure on the bike, take a look at the person selling it. I've walked away from deals simply because the person/situation was shady. And i've quickly bought deals from people that were clearly honest well intention folks.

It's an extra factor that isn't necessary for sure (you can find good deals from shitty people all over the place) but since your knowledge isn't advanced yet, you can hedge a lot of risk for yourself by sticking to sellers that are honest people. Just a thought, happy hunting and welcome to the club

[Buck Wild]

Thanks for the advice guys. Just made a handshake deal on a (used) 2005 Suzuki SV-650S and hope to pick it up this weekend.

Look forward to riding :-)

[ed pluribus unum]

(09-06-2018 10:27 AM)Buck Wild Wrote:  

Thanks for the advice guys. Just made a handshake deal on a (used) 2005 Suzuki SV-650S and hope to pick it up this weekend.

Look forward to riding :-)

Congrats dude! When my buddy was shopping around, I was advocating for an SV650. Simply put, it's a basic bike, nothing too fancy, good standard of build quality, modern Jap reliability, lots of them out there so lots of access to maintenance/repair and tons of aftermarket parts for customizing how you like it. Also, nice mid-size v-twin rideability.

Enjoy.

[Ski pro]

Cool bike. Makes a nice sound with a proper can on it too. Comfy riding position.