Motorcycle Guys, "Startup" Questions...

[cphilip]

Well it is lovely but its not for me. Thats a Lay down position bike. Sports bike as it were. Again not my idea of fun after a while riding. I take an upright position cruiser any day.

But also since I am into Scooters I might be tempted to buy this one. 600 cc Silverwing ABS but not in this color though...

[AFRaven]

I would go with Honda. Reliability in small engines since they started. My family has 2 Honda Dirt Bikes a Honda Lawnmower, and 2 Honda Cars. We love 'em. As for helmet advice: Get as much protection as possible. Not to disturb you, but some helmets have fake "DOT Approved" stickers on them. Let alone the fact that the DOT will approve a cardboard box as a helmet. A much better standard on helmet safety is the "Snell" certification. For more info on Snell, visit www.smf.org . The site is unflattering, but the tests are rigorous.

[pputkowski]

Originally posted by cphilip
Well it is lovely but its not for me. Thats a Lay down position bike. Again not my idea of fun after a while riding. I take an upright position cruiser any day.

Old Fart

haha...just kiddin Phil.

My Dad was saying the same kind of thing actually, he wants a newer Honda Shadow. I'm deff. in the market for a "lay down" position bike b/c that's just what I want.

Other than that, has anyone had any experience with this bike?

[cphilip]

Originally posted by AFRaven
A much better standard on helmet safety is the "Snell" certification. For more info on Snell, visit www.smf.org . The site is unflattering, but the tests are rigorous.

True but to date SNELL does not rate flip up full face helmets. They just have not developed the standard for them. They want to first figure out how to test the latch and then do it. So if you want a flip up you got only one choice for standards and that DOT. Someday they will start doing them. But just not know. There are no Flip up full faces with Snell ratings. However they are made the same as the rigid full faces. Just cannot mark them as such with the flip up.

[cphilip]

Originally posted by pputkowski


Old Fart

haha...just kiddin Phil.

My Dad was saying the same kind of thing actually, he wants a newer Honda Shadow. I'm deff. in the market for a "lay down" position bike b/c that's just what I want.

Other than that, has anyone had any experience with this bike?

Oh yea its true. I admit it. And the older you get the more you appreciate comfort. And a sports bike gets old after a hour or so. But if thats what you want and you not going to drive cross country then by all means! get it!

[Caffiend]

No experience with the F4i, but I have a '99 F4. Mines just not fuel injected and some cosmetic differences.
F4i would be a good beginner and you'll be able to ride it a long time, meaning you won't be able to out ride it for a long time, if ever. Be sure to respect it, it'll get you in trouble in a blink of an eye and kill you even quicker. I'm (along with everyone else I'm sure) not trying to scare you, just want you to respect it.
As for helmets, get full face! I prefer DOT and Snell approved, but that's just me. It's your head, protect it however you wish. And don't forget the jacket, gloves, pants, and boots.
I took the motorcycle course, the MSF one. The beginner one lets you use their bikes and you get your M class once you graduate. I had my M class already, needed the MSF indorsement for the government.

[pputkowski]

Yea, im not looking to drive long distances...I am kinda in that stage where I have to spend money on something so I figure it would be better to spend it on a bike than on parts for my car.

It's like, I can put some money into my car's engine to make it go a little bit faster or I can buy a bike that will end up going much faster, won't void the car's warranty, will be much more fun and enjoyable to drive, and looks cooler .

Also, when you put parts on a car it does nothing to the car's re-sale value...so it's like what's the point? I'm fairly young and won't be keeping cars for very long periods of time(more than 5-6 years) so I figure buying a bike would be much more fun and in the end a way better choice.

Originally posted by Caffiend
Be sure to respect it, it'll get you in trouble in a blink of an eye and kill you even quicker. I'm (along with everyone else I'm sure) not trying to scare you, just want you to respect it.

Edit: I know it's not the same in many ways but I have learned to respect machines. I live on the lake and I have a 01 Yamaha GP1200R watercraft...155 HP on the lake. If you have ever hit 70-75 MPH on the water then you know what I am talking about. Scary stuff. I have also ridden ATV's on numerous occasions including my buddies Raptor (went almost 90). So I know how you have to learn how far you can safetly push a vehicle safetly before it bites you.

[AFRaven]

Yeah, CPhillip is right. As long as you get a full face helmet, you can get the Snell cert. Otherwise, (3/4 helmet, skullcap etc.) DOT will have to do.

[cphilip]

Might not be too long though raven. Snell was saying they were going to try and develop testing standards for the movable chin part of the Flip chin full face ones. I hope they do. Would like to see how they hold up.

[virus]

IMHO... i would go take the MSF course... i took it last april and had a blast.... though i did ride about 2000mile from the october before to then... so i went into the class with a little exp on a bike.... my bike was a KZ440ltd, pretty much a standerd style bike...

the MAF course will supply, if you take it, a 250 to use.... out my way it was a choice of a suzuki gs250 or the honda nighthawk 250.... i took the nighthawk... and had a lot of fun on it that weekend... now i'm 6'0" 240lbs on a little 250 ripping around their (the msf) course....

another advantage to the course... is some states will, upon completion of the course count that as your dmv test... so you can go into it with just a permit and come out with a lic.

now as far as what is a good beginer bike/gear....
1st bikes... go sit on everything you can.... feet on the pegs and all... and stay on it for 10-20 mins.... you would be suprised how something that felt pretty good to start off now all of a sudden is pinching, chrushing, cutting off blood flow.... and just the oppisite didnt feel quite right to start off with and then feels really great.... so sit on everything you can..... this is a little esaier on the crusier style bikes... on the sport bikes i tried it on... after 10 min my joints hurt, my arms were tierd of being used to support my upper body... so those are out for me...

now as for gear... helmet stlye is up to youand i suggest the same thing for helmets as bikes try'em on for a good 15min shake your head every which way and see if it moved in a way it shouldn't etc...

boots... anything over the ankle and leather, perferibly with a rubber sole

jeans are always good.... chaps over jeans very good... shorts... not good... chaps over shorts... good but feels oh so wierd.... so at the very least jeans

gloves, jackets... leather is good... textile bike jackets also good...


now myself... i use a beaine helmet when it starts warmin up... my fullface when i know its gonna rain all day or its too cold out for the bennie... boots always, gloves always (weather light perferated for summer, deerskin, full warm gaunlet), jacket.. .well i rode in one way or another so i'll just list'em ss tshirt, ls tshirt, sweat jackett, jean jacket (also a combo or the last too), fleece pullover, leather jacket, textile jacket... heck even on on day last summer just my jacket from my rain gear....

for the most part depending on where i am going will influence what i will bring/wear... if i know where i am going and the route i'm takin really well in the summer then its beannie, sunglasses, and not much else... if it somewhere i have been but am not sure of the roads/traffic what not i gear up appropreiatly (yup i can spell) so again it comes down to a matter of choice and what you feel comfortable with... and what the law sayes you need (mostly in the case of helmets)

well that enough from me but here is a link for you its for the MSF homepage... even if they charge for it its money well spent

http://www.msf-usa.org/

[grw4w34]

This is a pretty dumb question, but something that ive wondered sence i was a little kid. How do you know how much gas you have left in the tank on a motorcycle? I mean ive never seen a gas gauge on one or an odometer. Just something that would be nice to know if i ever get a bike.

[cphilip]

sure they most of them got odometers. Street legal ones anyway. Depends a lot on the year of manufacturing though. DOT phased in requirements for thinks like Odometers and even Gas guages eventually. So depends on how old your Motorcycle is and if it was street legal or not if it will have some or all of those. I think gas guages became required in the early 80's on all street legal bikes. I even have one on my non street legal ATV for that matter.


Also even prior to that there was a requirement for a Reserve setting to the fuel tap (sometimes called Fuel Petcock). this gives you a percentage of fuel left when the main inlet runs out. Some european bikes may not have a reserve fuel tap so be aware of that.

However I have hardly ever seen a float type Gas guage work very well on one. Often they are way off. My ATV one reads too low. Like it says 1/2 tank whne there is 2/3 in there. But that not too bad. My old Vespas do not have a gas guage at all. Pre-requirement. I check em before I go out to make sure. And my newer Bajaj has one that reads a little low so I check it when it says its getting around a quarter tank. By opening the gas tank and looking. You can see the level easy. Most people kind of learn thier guages error margin if it has one and more than not take the gas cap off before they ride and verify the level.

But for the most part you ride till you get worried or it sputters and you switch over to reserve and go find a gas station. And bikers more or less fill up first thing every ride. Top it off so to speak. And they sort of know the length of time or miles it will go before they need to get worried and check or refuel. After a while.

[f3rr3+]

motorcycles... ima have to try that sometime

[Zumina]

I don't know if I'm too late, but get yourself an older standard bike. Considering your size, a 250 is out, and your inexperience, the F4i is definitely out. Get yourself an inexpensive standard bike. They're cheap, plentiful, have decent power, carry inexpensive insurance premiums, and aren't something you'll be kicking yourself about should you wreck it. I'd reccomend any yamaha or honda 650.
That aside, I'm glad to see someone interested in becoming a rider. I've been riding (offroad/onroad) for the past 12 years, and I currently own a 2004 ZX6R, 1985 Nighthawk 650, 1985 Yamaha V-Max, and a 1987 Ninja 250 track bike.

[pputkowski]

Actually, not too late at all Zumina.

I got a fast driving award recently and that kinda set me back a few months as far as getting a bike.

So can you give me some year/models that I should look at as far as a good older begginer bike?