BIKES N CARS

motorcycles/motorbikes - keep it flooded!User NameRemember Me?PasswordSearch ForumsShow Threads Show PostsGo to Page...Page 2 of 4vbmenu_register("threadtools");10-07-2007, 03:57 AMvbmenu_register("postmenu_13066", true);So shallow I love my C30Join Date: Jul 2007Location: Newcastle, AustraliaPosts: 770Great looking bike__________________Black RodMY08 T5/SA Calcite Scotia Prem +6 stack KeylessBlack Rod10-12-2007, 10:58 PMvbmenu_register("postmenu_13627", true);Swedish C30 lover in USAJoin Date: Jul 2007Location: Irvine, CAPosts: 142Looks like I might be the only person with a love for cruiser bikes... Currently my primary mode of transport is this little weakling:I would love to have a Triumph America... but I went for the C30 instead... good choice, no? The bike can come later. :-)mrpeachum10-14-2007, 07:52 AMvbmenu_register("postmenu_13700", true);So shallow I love my C30Join Date: Jul 2007Location: Newcastle, AustraliaPosts: 770Quote:Originally Posted by mrpeachum . . . good choice, no? . . .Looks like a Yamaha XV250 "Virago"? I rented one back in 1994 when I was getting back into bikes after many years of being sensible. I wanted to know if it is true that you never forget how. And, fortunately, it is true, I hadn't forgotten. It was a lot of fun and very practical machine in a big city.On the same afternoon I also rode a Yamaha 600 cc sports bike and was amazed how much bikes had improved inmy absence. I couldn't believe how hard they went, how well they cornered and that they now had brakes that actually worked quite well. In my view, there are no bad bikes. It's a bit like red wine (and boats), there are good ones and better ones but none that aren't worth a try.__________________Black RodMY08 T5/SA Calcite Scotia Prem +6 stack KeylessBlack Rod10-14-2007, 01:40 PMvbmenu_register("postmenu_13717", true);C30WORLD SJoin Date: Jul 2007Location: Southern KaliforniaPosts: 311It's really a fine line with cruisers. Some are functional and safe being an old design, while other (choppers) are mostly "art" that doesn't belong on public roads. Not sure about straightline acceleration, but they can't turn and can't brake. I'd be scared to ride one in traffic. Being so vulnerable, the bike really has to exceed cars' agility in all three aspects: accelerating, braking, and turning, to be safe.Alex R10-14-2007, 09:05 PMvbmenu_register("postmenu_13747", true);So shallow I love my C30Join Date: Jul 2007Location: Newcastle, AustraliaPosts: 770I'd love to say all (big especially) cruisers are crap but, with the exception of the sweet little Virago, I've never ridden one. I've avoided Harleys and their immitators for many reasons including the ones Alex refers to. The biggest objection I have to Harleys though is having to wear the H-D "uniform". This comprised of unsuitable/unsafe riding apparel and making a racket that would wake the dead in a "look-at-me" sort of way while pretending in some way to be a rebel. Baloney, I think is the (polite) American expression. more likely.__________________Black RodMY08 T5/SA Calcite Scotia Prem +6 stack KeylessBlack Rod10-16-2007, 04:10 PMvbmenu_register("postmenu_13881", true);in need of a euro hatchJoin Date: Nov 2006Location: Northern VAPosts: 52i really like the idea of making mine own street fighter bike. Looking at prices, it doesn't seem to outrageous, but its certainly not cheap (if you are picky). Using a CBR f4i as a base, its not very cheap.. but cheaper than a ducati or triumph equivalent. It'd just be nice to learn a lot about the bike along the way.zer0_thirteen10-16-2007, 05:26 PMvbmenu_register("postmenu_13890", true);C30WORLD SJoin Date: Jul 2007Location: Southern KaliforniaPosts: 311Buy it used with rashed fairings and it'll be cheap. You don't need plastics anyway. Check out the new KTM 690 Duke. That'd be my choice. Underbelly exhaust!!!Alex R10-16-2007, 09:06 PMvbmenu_register("postmenu_13908", true);So shallow I love my C30Join Date: Jul 2007Location: Newcastle, AustraliaPosts: 770Quote:Originally Posted by zer0_thirteen . . . Using a CBR f4i as a base . . .013, the CBR600 is a high revvin' sport bike that, to enjoy, you need to be a fairly experienced rider. You have to push it quite hard to get the best from it. The KTM Alex mentions has the right style of engine with low end urge but may be a bit tall in the saddle. Obviously, we don't know your stature, but you probably need long legs for a Supermoto style of bike. Right Alex?BMW used to make a 650 "Funduro" which is a great all rounder but may also have a relatively high seat height.But, I think you were on the right track with the SV650 as a better basis for an unfaired street fighter - don't forget to fit some hero blobs!Attached Images__________________Black RodMY08 T5/SA Calcite Scotia Prem +6 stack KeylessBlack Rod10-16-2007, 09:22 PMvbmenu_register("postmenu_13911", true);C30WORLD SJoin Date: Jul 2007Location: Southern KaliforniaPosts: 311Did I say SV650? And then edited it? :) Yeah, this is pretty much the iconic easy to ride v-twin: extremely popular bike. All of those naked models look the same to me, sorry. So honestly I don't know how SV is much different from Monster stylistically. It's just less expensive, way more reliable, and has enormous aftermarket support. SV would require suspension mods (GSXR front-end swap, etc.) after you start getting serious (like in a year), but by then you may crave something else. The KTM I recommended has 65hp which probably means 45 at the wheel whether F4i has about 100hp. There's a trick though. I4 bikes like F4i only come to life after 10K rpm, so they have less power in the midrange you typically use on the street. That's the major difference. Try both. As a beginner I bet you'd like v-twins or singles for their even and predictable pull.Last edited by Alex R; 10-16-2007 at 11:56 PM.Alex R10-16-2007, 11:29 PMvbmenu_register("postmenu_13928", true);So shallow I love my C30Join Date: Jul 2007Location: Newcastle, AustraliaPosts: 770That KTM looks gerat - as modern as tomorrow! Seat could be a bit thin? Muffler could double as a toe-warmer?__________________Black RodMY08 T5/SA Calcite Scotia Prem +6 stack KeylessBlack Rod10-17-2007, 12:03 AMvbmenu_register("postmenu_13933", true);C30WORLD SJoin Date: Jul 2007Location: Southern KaliforniaPosts: 311I don't have much luck with linked pictures today. The seat looks OK to me. It's the easiest thing to change anyway. I don't know how anyone can buy another naked bike after looking at the new Duke. You gotta really hate [very subtle] MX styling to not like that bike. And owning a KTM I can attest to the highest quality. They're like BMW cars: addictive. Not to mention they're way more reliable than Ducatis on average though European bikes (and cars) of course don't compare to Japanese in terms of reliability. I also totally forgot about the upcoming RC8. It's outside of my price range, but I'd totally get it over any high end Ducati or MV.Alex R10-17-2007, 12:26 AMvbmenu_register("postmenu_13935", true);in need of a euro hatchJoin Date: Nov 2006Location: Northern VAPosts: 52seeing the pricing of the sv650, and then hearing them in person, i think they are probably the best choice. v-twin would definitely be the way to go (for me!), but one of my good friends has a CBR and really enjoys it. Not to be lame, but I think its too "sporty" for me. I don't really want to be crouched (or reclining for that matter!). Not yet anyways. Motorcycle Safety Class before anything though!zer0_thirteen10-17-2007, 03:32 AMvbmenu_register("postmenu_13944", true);C30WORLD SJoin Date: Jul 2007Location: Southern KaliforniaPosts: 311Yeah, MSF is a must. Then full leather gear. Jeans are not acceptable. End of discussion.First you need to take it easy as it's a lifetime journey. And second: be serious about this hobby. I've been extremely serious about sportbikes, but not supermoto lately. Obviously due to lower speeds. I've crashed both several times (on the track). High-speed sportbike crashes never resulted in any injuries (see above about gear), but my recent 20mph supermoto lowside caused me a broken ankle. Just be serious. Crashes do happen, but for the most part they're avoidable, at least on the street.I personally prefer Japanese sportbikes (inline fours), but I rode my friend's SV on the track and loved it. It was fully built, but that's relatively simple and not expensive at all. It's a very nice smooth forgiving bike. And fast too. Contrary to popular belief 600cc I4s like F4i are not torque monster. Neither you're crouched down. Squids and posers do that. You don't have to. It looks silly on public roads. Those bikes are civilized versions of race machines. Modern Japanese bikes have excellent ergonomics. Ducati superbikes don't being designed for the track. I've done 400+ mile rides on my 600RR (which is more aggressive than F4i) with no problems. Stopping only for gas. As far as power, don't worry about it too much. I4s don't make much power down low or in the midrange. If you're ham fisted or generally not attentive/alert person, or for any other reason don't have the right mindset for motorcycles, you'd injury or kill yourself on any bike, even Ninja 250 highly recommended for newbies here in the US. There are primarily two aspects to starting this hobby: being safe and learning. If you get a bigger faster bike it doesn't mean you'd go down. You'd learn slower, that's all. I started on a Thundercat and I didn't drop it within the first year like the statistics say. See, it's your choice to be part of statistics and averages. You should strive (and believe) that you're above average and those statistics don't apply to you. Don't blatantly ignore them; just believe and try as hard as you can. Believing is everything in this hobby. Primarily believing that you're in control. The bike does what you want it to do: accelerates, stops, and turns where you guide it. You are in control. Always. Nothing can make you lose control. You plan your path and the bike follows.Now to the second part: learning. A faster, but more than anything heavier bike will affect your learning big time. So you'll learn slower, big deal. But in exchange you will go through fewer trade-ins on your way to the bike you always wanted. Learning time is largely irrelevant. You have your whole life in front of you. Like I said above, take your time. Don't rush things. They'll come. Guaranteed. And learning never stops. Every minute in the saddle you're learning something. The main point is to enjoy it, not to try to learn everything quickly. If you're not enjoying every minute in the saddle, just sell the bike.Weight is very important as it affects your turning. Heavier bike will resist cornering and you'd find yourself turning wide and even possibly crossing the double yellow. They'll teach you at MSF that the bike follows your vision, so you need to look where you want to go. Heavier bikes don't do that (ridden by beginners). I don't care about the power, as we all have basic hand coordination for safe throttle management. But please do your research and try to find the lightest bike that you still like. One more thing. If you're buying new, especially a sportbike, get the latest model, not some stale design like F4i, Thundercat, or ZZR even though they're still in production. The newer sportbikes are smoother, lighter, have better brakes and compliant suspension. As a result they're easier to operate and safer. Don't worry about power too much like I said. You won't drop it. The worst that can happen to a mature level-headed person is that you'll learn slower.Sorry for the late night post whoring. Hope it was helpful.Last edited by Alex R; 10-17-2007 at 03:45 AM.Alex R10-17-2007, 05:40 PMvbmenu_register("postmenu_14029", true);in need of a euro hatchJoin Date: Nov 2006Location: Northern VAPosts: 52Your post was incredibly helpful Alex. There has been some good literature on the topic lately (new york times even) and the thought of getting a motorcycle seems pretty attractive, I know its definitely worth the $100-150 on MSF. I may even find its not for me (which would be best to do without any kind of heavy investment). I'll make sure to get the proper gear too. Just out of curiousity, you mention that heavier bikes affect the speed of your learning. What would be a good starting weight bike? Obviously, the Ninja250 weighs about 300lbs and that would be "lightweight" but a SV650 or a 599 weigh about 430lbs are these starting to be "heavy" or heavy enough that impede turning?zer0_thirteen10-17-2007, 07:13 PMvbmenu_register("postmenu_14044", true);C30WORLD SJoin Date: Jul 2007Location: Southern KaliforniaPosts: 311Ha-ha. That's what I thought before the MSF too. What if I don't like it or I just can't learn it, blah, blah, blah. Not that I wanna brag about myself, but see, I’ve made it safely that far (minus the recent ankle break), I enjoy it, and continue improving my skills (and lap times on the track). I only started it four and a half years ago. You have exactly the same mindset, so connect the dots. You’ll do well both in terms of safety and performance. Motorcycles ARE for you. Don't worry and don't let anyone affect your confidence. You already have the right mindset and that’s the main thing. MSF is kinda hard for first-timers, but almost everyone passes. I must confess I struggled with it. Consider it an introduction to the sport. Riding a motorcycle requires a lot of effort compared to driving a car (even with manual transmission). An introduction to that effort may be shocking at first, but everything will quickly become automatic.The "lightness" of the bike is defined both by the weight and geometry (front forks rake angle, rear swingarm length, etc. etc.) The weight of course is the main thing that affects it. There are two characteristics of bike's handling that don't apply to cars and you'll struggle with them at first because of that. It's stability vs. flickability. I didn’t know SV is over 400lbs, but it feels light due to wide handlebar (and thus the leverage). Yes, at 430lbs (450-460 wet) they’re starting to get heavy. 3200lb (real-world number) Ninjai 250 is flickable no matter what. Modern flickable sportbikes are around 380-400lbs wet. The SV650 I rode was fully built (including lighter components) and had different geometry due to the GSXR front-end. It felt very light and nimble. As you can tell from my numbers Japanese companies play with theirs: both power and weight. Read an unbiased third-party comparison review with real-world “wet” weight, but more than anything bike’s feeling tpo the tester: does it resist turning or not. Motorcycle-usa.com has those comparos. There’s no weight threshold you should obey religiously; 500lbs maybe. Overall it’s more important to buy the bike YOU want. To fully enjoy it. So if you have several choices, just pick the lightest, that’s all.It’s not like the bike would not turn at all, but it’s very unnerving when it refuses to cooperate at the exact moment needed. Let’s say you’re approaching a 90-degree turn. So you plan your path with your eyes. A lighter bike would instantly start turning at this moment like it reads your mind. A heavier “stable” bike would continue going straight and you risk missing your turn-in point. So you panic, as you have no space left and the bike keeps going straight. The less space you have, the sharper you need to turn to make it. Then you finally fight the panic and recall what to do (push on the inside bar), but you don’t know how much you can push safely. You’ve never been at this frightening lean angle before. All of this wouldn’t happen if you didn’t mess up the line by missing the turn-in point. And you wouldn’t miss it if everything happened automatically without any conscious effort (pushing) and occupying your mind worrying about it. You just approach the turn, look, and the bike turns. Pushing does become automatic even with heavier bikes, but you’d rather struggle with it less in the beginning. The bike’s handling (stability, flickability, etc.) can be greatly manipulated by suspension as both the geometry (think of car alignment), the range of movement (sag), and stiffness/plushness are adjustable. Maybe you shouldn’t rush to upgrade the suspension immediately, but at least go to the specialist and get a good baseline setting to match your weight(sag) and suit your riding style. That’s another consideration: pick the bike with more modern higher quality suspension that allows for greater adjustability.