Lets talk motorcycles

[tailchaser]

This. Sorry to seem like a Debbie Downer, as I love riding and recommend it. Just not to a new rider considering commuting in a metromess.

Go ahead and get a bike. Take the safety courses. Ride on weekends, out in the country, at speeds you are comfortable with. Still dangerous? Yep. But safer by 100x

Bike riding is great auto-x practice. Talk about "looking ahead"...

Yet 45% of fatalities are single vehicle accidents... I don't think one should learn to ride in commuter traffic as there is too MUCH to learn while also driving on behalf of every motorist who has a vector on you, especially if you haven't already learned to do that part in your car, but all the folks I (used to) know who left the planet during their first year riding did it all by themselves on rural roads. I'd also like that number to not grow any higher, so... nobody else start riding, and that'll take care of itself.

[boisking]

BR, I respect your decision.

Sixace, I agree that learning to ride in low traffic situations is a good way to "wean" yourself into the sensory overload that is motorcycling. I once read that a motorcyclist in traffic uses similar amounts of cognitive resources as a fighter pilot. I don't know if it is true, but I did brag about it when I was riding that GSX-R.

If my daily travel requirements did not suit a bicycle, I would get a motorcycle again. This especially includes the type of traffic that Dallas suburbs have. I can't imagine trying to pedal myself down Preston Rd without cringing a little.

[Billy Blaze]

I have been ridding since 1978, here's some stuff I have learned.

Its better for your center of gravity to be low, the closer to the ground the easier to control.
There are 2 kinds of bikers, those that have been down and those that are going down.
Wear protection!!!!! Full face is the way to go.
Ride with a windshield. your back and face will thank you.
Suzuki makes the cheapest cruiser style bike and they are reliable.
(probably a used intruder or S50 would suit your needs.)
Ride like everyone else is drunk.
Anticipate the worst all the time, be prepared for people not to see you.
LOUD PIPES SAVE LIVES, its easier to crack the throttle than to hit a hoirn that cant be heard anyway.
distribute braking with front and back brakes, your main stpping power is in the front but you need to get comfortable in using both for maximum stopping.
When you go down learn from it, and get back on it.

Be safe, let me know if you need anything. :)

[VFR750]

LOUD PIPES SAVE LIVES............this is a crock, unless you are in stop and go traffic nobody has a clue where the noise is coming from and once up to speed this is so far from wrong its not even funny............Loud pipes piss off car drivers and are seriously hurting the public perception of bikers.

[Billy Blaze]

you are mistaken, you can hear my pipes from wayyyyy down the street in front of me , behind me, beside me it doesnt matter.
at least once a week I crack the throttle when someone comes into my lane, and they correct their mistake and as mentioned before I have been ridding for many many years as my main source of transportation for most of my life. I KNOW what I am talking about here.
BR believe what you want, the horn on a bike is useless!

People who disagree are usually old and loud noises scare them....lol

[Hard Drivin Johnny]

I just sold a TW200 that was really fun, and I had plans to put road tires on it and putt around, but then moved farther away from work and never rode it. The people in cars nowadays scare me badly. I've been riding on the street since 1989, and I love and miss motorcycles but I just don't want to suffer because someone else is not paying attention. Even other people on motorcycles are acting like idiots. Just a few nights ago, a group of sportbikes passed a guy on his Harley on 121 in Lewisville, and knocked the Harley rider into the median off his bike. One of the sportbike squids got killed. It's a shame.

[black roadster]

Took my boys to the Yamaha dealer. They wanted to look at quads and dirtbikes. Wife's idea to take them. Big mistake on her part. :) Saw a Yamaha V-Star 250 and the bug is back! This bike had 0.7 miles on it and asking price was $3999. I think it may have been a "new" 2010 model as that is the broshure he handed me. This is exactly the type of bike I was looking for. The Honda Rebel 250 looks like it might be as well. Thoughts on these bikes?

I am going to look into a safety course to see if riding is something I'd actually enjoy and if I do get a bike, enjoy it on the weekends on back roads to get my fix. Might drive it on occasion to work if I'm comfortable with it.

First thing though is look into saftey courses and get that life insurance policy set up.

Recomendations on safety gear? What can I expect to spend on the gear?

Btw, didn't mention this but I drove a Honda Elite when I was in my teens for a while. Loved it but did feel vulnerable. I think that is a good thing though. Your attention is on high alert. I also took a spill on my friends Spree in a dumb move on my part. Took a corner in gravel, scooter slipped out and I was wearing only shorts and a tshirt. Good life lesson there with the scars to prove it. I don't go into this lightly. I understand the risks but life is full of them. Not taking chances is not living. Just be responsible about it.

[boisking]

Yamaha and Honda have been making bikes for a long time. Both are good brands. 250 bikes are easy on gas and light on power. Do you plan on traveling on the highways at all?

As for gear, there is a big range. Helmets run between $75 and $650, depending on your tastes. Look at HJC and Scorpion for a decent lid on a budget. Removable liners are a plus, so you can wash the funk out.

Someone will eventually ask you what your head is worth. Your head is worth a DOT sticker and the most current SNELL M2010 sticker. Anything beyond that is vanity.

Your ears are worth something. Research helmets that are quiet in wind. If chin protection is a concern to you, skip the modular helmet. The jaw-bar on a modular helmet is for wind blocking only. Snell officially recognizes modular helmets as "open face helmets" (see above link). If you want one of those, that is fine. Just know what it is and what it isn't. My final word on helmets is test-fit. Some brands are better on round heads. Some are better for oval heads. Go to a store and wear a helmet around the store for at least a half hour before you buy it. Try on at least 3 brands to compare fit. If a store doesn't like you to wear helmets around for a long time, walk out and go elsewhere. Don't buy a helmet online that you haven't tried on first.

Jackets have a big price spread, too. At the very least, I recommend a textile jacket with a removable liner and zip-open vents. This is versatile enough to work between 40*f and 85*f. Leather is great, but pricey and less versatile. I can personally vouch for the abrasive protection of a quality textile jacket, after sliding in one at about 35mph.

This is the tip of the iceberg as far as gear goes. There are lots of other items that various people will claim as "necessary". I think the only other thing you need is a pair of leather gloves. They don't have to be MC gloves, though the MC ones are nice. The roper/ranch hand gloves at Home Depot are fine for protective hand covering for $10.

Soon this conversation will be like the towing debate. If your motorcycle doesn't have trailer brakes and you aren't wearing at least three layers of ballistic cordura and two layers of leather with appropriate application of bubble wrap, you will surely die. Even then, when the aircraft carrier that is towing Trey's Miata runs you over in the alley, what's the difference?

Honestly, get a helmet, gloves, and a jacket. Don't break the bank, but spend just enough to get decent quality gear. Expect these three items to set you back $300-500 combined. The MSF course will provide you more safety than any gear will. Your own proactive caution and situational awareness will provide even more safety than the MSF course (still take the course).

[redmenace]

For that kind of money I'd look for a used V-star 650 or Shadow 750, or a Virago 535 for a little less -- all have more room to grow, not to mention shaft drive for lower maintenance. If you prefer the 250s then I'd still go used, as the Rebel and V-star 250 (previously named Virago 250) have been made since the late '80s and are all over CL for under two grand asking. But...

If you can be a little more open-minded (remember WHY you just went to the dealership?) you owe it to your family to consider a dual sport like a DR250/350, TTR225, CRF230, KLX/KLR. Something also capable of going off road, where you can learn priceless low-traction bike handling skills at lower speeds and practice/play away from traffic.* It won't cost any more than a small cruiser, is arguably more practical (designed for abuse, thus often cheaper to drop), and might be a little less selfish (if I'm not reading too much into your post).

Take the MSF. I think they may even have loaner helmets, in which case, take the MSF *now*. :)

There are a ton of helmet reviews on webbikeworld.com. They are suspiciously light on negative reviews but make an honest effort to quantify noise and ventilation.

Buy a proper full face helmet. Look at Gary's ugly mug and imagine how much worse that would've been if he'd been wearing an open face or modular. (Sorry, Gary.)
DOT = legal for road use
Snell = crash tested/certified domestically
ECE = crash tested/certified in Europe


______
*This is some advice I really REALLY wish I had received when I first started riding.

[modernbeat]

You need boots that will protect the ankle and foot. Not kidding. I get the bug to ride about every five years. I've had some hard offs on the highway and street. My minimum gear for a motorcycle would be:

Closed face helmet
Gloves
Jacket with armor for the shoulders and elbows
Boots that protect the ankles (from the bike) and feet (from debris like rocks)

I've just about given up on street riding on surface streets in town. As a rider, I've been spooked too many times. Now it's road trips, track days and off road or back roads.

My offroad safety list is a little longer
Closed face helmet either with goggles (for dirt and mud) or Arai XD (for longer dual sport stuff)
Gloves with knuckle protection
Either jacket with shoulder, elbow, back and chest armor, or pressure suit (currently Alpinstars Bionic 2) with armor in the same spots
Textile pants with hip and knee armor
Sidi MX boots

I also agree with getting some seat time on a dirt bike before you start street riding. You'll fall off a lot in the dirt. It will be at slower speeds and a more forgiving surface with less traffic than the street.

[trickyrix]

I also took a spill on my friends Spree in a dumb move on my part.

So that's where it all started...?

But seriously... I got the itch many years ago and took the MSF class. Two days, they provided the bikes. Lots of fun screwing around in a parking lot. And then? I guess I chickened out. Never got a bike. Part of that was from following my friend home on his new Harley from Lewisville to Knox-Henderson. I thought he was going to be flattened into a grease spot about 10 times. He was nonchalant about it, but he didn't ride much at all until he moved down to College Station. A couple of years ago he got married and got out of bikes altogether.

Sometimes I still think it would be fun on the back roads, but you gotta drive through the city to get there... but maybe not so much where you live.

[Radio-Active]

I took my motorcycle safety course when I was 16. After a couple of close calls and a compression fracture on a ski slope, I quickly decided that skiing and bikes were off limits for me.

My cousin Kirt made the Sherman news this past October. He was coming back from Kansas and a 18 wheeler decided to make a turn across highway 82 in front of him. He didn't have time to stop and hit the tandems on the trailer. The troopers and tow truck driver did not even scoop up his belongings. It was a week later when my other cousins came down for his memorial service that the stuff was picked up off the highway.

[aalvarez04]

Get all the gear you can afford. Boots are supposed to help keep your ankle together, I saw a picture of a guy with out boots who had an accident and his bone was sticking out the side of his ankle, needless to say i bought boots with ankle protection. I wanted a bike when i was 18 but saw a video like this that stopped me from getting a bike....for a few years...
http://youtu.be/45hvFqzo8PY

[modernbeat]

...He was coming back from Kansas and a 18 wheeler decided to make a turn across highway 82 in front of him. He didn't have time to stop and hit the tandems on the trailer...

That pretty much describes my first big accident. Except I was at full song on a '65 BMW at the top of a hill on Ranch Road 32 (The Devil's Backbone) and the 18-wheeler was turning across the entire road from ditch to ditch. I had about 150 feet of downhill road to scrub off some speed before the impact. I was wearing all the gear and with a little luck I walked away (with a limp) from the accident. The bike was a total.

[black roadster]

Get all the gear you can afford. Boots are supposed to help keep your ankle together, I saw a picture of a guy with out boots who had an accident and his bone was sticking out the side of his ankle, needless to say i bought boots with ankle protection. I wanted a bike when i was 18 but saw a video like this that stopped me from getting a bike....for a few years...
http://youtu.be/45hvFqzo8PY

Dammit Andrew! Way to kill the bug! Jeesh this sucks!

[modernbeat]

Dammit Andrew! Way to kill the bug! Jeesh this sucks!

But, wear boots and keep your bones in your body AND get to have fun on the bike.

[jbh]

I would also suggest looking at a non cruiser bike too. Standard style (old nighthawk, KLR, Vstrom) or even slightly sporty. There is a world of handling difference and fun factor for me. The cruiser does fine in straight line but turning is very strange for me with feet forward. The standard bikes feel MUCH more fun and are easier to control in tighter turns, and the seating position for me is much more comfortable on long trips. The MSF course had both so I could compare back to back. My first bike was a cruiser and all my other bikes have been dual sport or sport touring since. Kinda like driving a cargo van vs a sports car.