From what I can see (just looking at them) the dual sport looks more for the guy who rides dirt and tarmac. I don't think theres a significant difference between the two, probably more of just a looks thing. In my mind they look a bit goofy. If you're going to ride both surfaces go for it, if you're going to stick the road I'd get a normal one.
Also, when buying a helmet, don't be cheap about it. Higher end helmets like Shoei or Arai are more impact resistant, comfortable and aerodynamic. $400 may seem like a lot of money for a helmet, but it's pretty cheap insurance. Remember that you're protecting your brain here.
Agree on everything except impact resistance. As long as it's Snell certified there is no difference between a $900 dollar Arai and a $150 HJC. Obviously the Arai is going to be lighter, more aerodynamic, and more comfortable, but as far as your brain is concerned cost has no impact on safety. Source:http://www.smf.org/helmetfaq#aPriceDiff Seriously though, don't cheap out on your helmet/gear.
Finally got licensed! Won't be able to pick up a bike until I graduate college this year, but it's good to get that out of the way. Going to spend the year collecting various bits of safety gear. Also got a chance to sit on a few bikes and see how I fit. Unsurprisingly, I don't fit on a 250 or the ninja 300 (Not even close). I fit on ~50% of the 600cc bikes I checked out. Took my neighbors Fz6 out for a ride the other day and was very happy with how it handled. Operation was MUCH smoother than any of the smaller bikes i've ridden and the size and weight felt right. Conversations with him and a few family / friends who ride plus riding that bike have pushed me to look at picking up a used zx6r or cbr600 this spring. Don't really have any more questions, just STOKED OUT OF MY MIND.
I'm reviving a thread long dead... I've read through the whole thing and got some good advice, but maybe some people here could contribute. I am looking to start riding and will be taking the MSF rider course within a few weeks. I am super excited about all of this. I've had an itch for adventure lately and I think this is definitely it. I really like the way cruisers look and once I am ready, will buy a used one. I don't want to get a new bike because I feel like that's a bad idea. My question is about brands. Are there any brands that I should gravitate towards, or stay completely away from? Since I am so green with motorcycles, I don't know what I don't know. I like the way Harleys looks, but are they worth the price they command?
How tall are you? If you want a cruiser, I am partial to Hondas. If you're going used, go with a badass V-four Magna. Low slung (low, easy to touch the ground with your feet) and rolls corners like a mofo. Also, Shadow. Next, I would say a Yamaha V Star. Maybe the custom, but I think that's only a 650 - I've always heard for anything you're going to spend more than an hour in the saddle (and if you're looking at cruiser, probably so), you want 750 and larger. No, I don't think Harley's are worth it. YMMV. I would ask lots of questions to your instructor and fellow riders at the MSF course, sit on lots of them at dealers, find out if dealers are having rider days, where you can actually test ride some, and ask every friend you have with one if you can test ride theirs or at least sit on it. I am not an expert or expert rider by any means, but I have had four different Hondas, starting with an old CB360T, including a Nighthawk and now my '97 Magna as well as a small Kawasaki. I've ridden several Yamahas, Suzukis, BMW's, and a few Harleys. For a true Cruiser, Honda all the way.
Hondas are for homos. Just joking Rush, do not get your panties in a wad. Honda makes a fine motorcycle. They are just not for me. For the most part.
I'm 5'10 about 185. I had been looking at Hondas actually because they seem reliable and the price is right for a used one. I can get a nice Shadow for around 4 grand. My other problem is that I have one friend with a motorcycle and its a sport bike. I'm not sure how beneficial it will be for me to sit on it. I plan on taking the safety course in a few weeks and then moving on to getting one not too long after.
Well, I asked how tall, because whether or not a bike feels heavy has more to do with leverage and knowing how to balance it than how strong you are. I know several guys that are really tall that like the way higher center of gravity bikes feel, simply because their leverage points are more natural. I'm just over 6 feet, and several of my friends that are about your height really like the way my Magna feels. The Shadow is probably perfect for you. What size engine? When I got my Magna in 1997, I didn't like the smaller Shadow as much, and the 1100 had a substantially longer rake. It didn't handle as well to me. I haven't been on one of the post 1992 models. And, I say "sit" on them, for a couple reasons. I know sitting is not riding, but you can get a lot of important input for feel. Like any good gyroscope, all motorcycles in motion are going to feel stable. But, you're going to feel dumb at the gas station when you fall over sitting still. And, the angle of the handle bars, the quality of the grip, access to controls, where your foot hits, how far your thumb reaches to the blinker, etc. are all things you'll want comfortable on long rides. You can get an idea of those things just sitting on them.
I haven't decided on an engine size. It was recommended to me to get something 250cc. From what I've read, that seems on the smaller size of things. But I'm not counting it out. I think I read that a lot of Shadows come in 775, but I might be mistaken. This weekend, I think we are going to go to some places and look at bikes.
For street bikes, do NOT get a 250 anything, unless you a) never want to travel more than 55 mph; b) will never carry a passenger; c) will only be traveling around town for less than 30 mi at a time. Unless you're a girl, who weighs less than 100 lbs, you do not want a 250, even for your first bike. I think you could get a Honda Rebel or Nighthawk in 250, but I don't think there's a Shadow that small. I think there's an older 600 range, but most of the Shadows are either 700-800 cc or 1100 cc, iirc. I think the Yamaha Star series come in the 600-900 range, too. With the cruiser style, you can definitely handled a bigger engine to start out, simply because it's low slung. I used to ride a lot more, and most of the guys I rode with all had bigger bikes, but my Magna had no trouble keeping up. The v four has incredible torque all the way through the gears, but very smooth. I'm about 185 lbs, and I've wound mine out to 135 mph without blinking and have traveled multi-hour trips. One thing to consider, though, that a dealer or somebody with more knowledge than me could help you with. The Magna is a sport cruiser or a pefprmance cruiser. So, the tires are VERY soft, which means I have to replace them a lot more than I wish. I think the proper tires for Shadow and Star would last much longer. Obviously, I can put harder rubber on my bike, but would lose some of the cornering grip I love.
Its definitely something I want to ride out in the hill country(2-3 hours). So yes, much longer than an hour at a time. I'm not a speed demon or anything, but I would like the ability to get out of my own way if necessary. I've seen that most bikes in my price and size range have about 700cc or more. I want to feel like getting up to highway speeds is not a problem and I want to feel like there's a lot of room left in the throttle while doing so.
My first bike was an 07 XT225(enduro). I am 6' and 210ish. It was a great bike to learn how to ride, I am a speed demon(current bike 12 GSX-R750) and the 225 was more then enough speed to learn how to ride, but it did get slow really quickly after the first year i wish i had more speed, but i still had a ton of fun on it until i sold it three years later.
The enduro is my favorite dual sport bike after the BMW GS, mostly because it's smaller. I've never been very skilled riding on those - too used to low slung cruisers. So, yeah, if you don't go for a cruiser, something smaller is fine.
Do you know what bikes the course you're taking has? The course I took, and most that I've seen offer a range of bikes to try out. Usually some dual sports, a cruiser or two, and maybe a ninjette. My only advice is not to shoe horn yourself into thinking you have to ride a style of bike because you like the look of it. They all ride differently and you might hate riding a cruiser once you get on it. Good call on the used bike initially. That's about the only guarantee you get with a motorcycle, sooner or later you're gonna drop it. I also think Harley's are way overpriced and not worth the money.
I don't know precisely what bikes will be available to me but I'm sure there will be a variety of sorts. I like Harley's obviously, but I think people pay a lot of money for them to be part of the "club". Not that they are a bad bike at all. But name recognition is huge when you care that much about what other people think. I've been in touch with a guy who wants to sell me his 2004 triumph for pretty cheap after I take the class. I will go take a look at it when the time comes.
And a note to you boys and girls, if you are going to crash your motorcycle and you have already low sided it, don't try and correct it, just let it go. A guy a know, with a duc959(i think) went around a corner lost it, it was low sided tried to correct it, ended up high siding it threw him off the bike. Bike barely had any scratched on it even after the high side. He has 6 broken ribs, broken pelvis, broken collar bone and broken shoulder blade, pretty sure on the last two, know it is 9 broken total with 6 ribs and a pelvis. He would of walked away with his leathers just scrapped to shit but he tried to correct it, don't do it boys and girls. And it sucks, i am only 6' but i have an extremely long body for my height, so when i and trying to put my head on my tank to get out of the wind, i really have to crane my neck up to see, can only do it for a couple of minutes before it start to hurt to much.
Pretty sure i killed a bird on my motorcycle on the weekend, crusing around 140km/h when all the sudden i see a brown streak and WHAM! right into my left shoulder. Good thing it mostly hit my shoulder pad as it still stung.