I need motorcycle help

[popeyefireman 0]

Okay, so do to recent gas prices I started riding my roomates Ducati 900. Lucky for me he is in Texis for two months and needed someone to drive his bike around for him. No I am traveling about 60 miles to work every other day so it has been a big relief on my wallet. I have always been around motorcycles, as long as I can remember there has been a Harley in my dads garage. So all I have riden was a "traditional" big (so my dad says). But I love this Ducati. So with the little experiance I have and the fact that I am going to be buying my own bike very soon, I was hoping for some input. What do you all like to ride? I can handle the shit my dad is going to give me, but i just feel torn.

"I Yam what I Yam"

I am not afriad to die, only to die without living.

[Anvilbrother 0]

GSXR 1000

Postes r made from an iPad or iPhone. Spelling and gramhair mistakes guaranteed move along,

[windcatcher 0]

can I have a ride??? ( go with the Crotch rocket!)

I just got a ride this weekend, not sure if I should be the chick holding the guy riding one, or BE the chick riding one. I think I'll choose the latter.

In the meantime, I am gonna scam as many motorcycle rides as I can!~!!!!

Mother to the cutest little thing in the world...

[efs4ever 3]

Quote

Okay, so do to recent gas prices I started riding my roomates Ducati 900. Lucky for me he is in Texis for two months and needed someone to drive his bike around for him. No I am traveling about 60 miles to work every other day so it has been a big relief on my wallet. I have always been around motorcycles, as long as I can remember there has been a Harley in my dads garage. So all I have riden was a "traditional" big (so my dad says). But I love this Ducati. So with the little experiance I have and the fact that I am going to be buying my own bike very soon, I was hoping for some input. What do you all like to ride? I can handle the shit my dad is going to give me, but i just feel torn.

Crotch Rocket wins so far, but I've had my Nighthawk 750 Honda for nine years, and it's been a pleasure. It's best classed as a "cruiser." I've ridden it on 350 mile trips, but mostly around town. I love it.

Uh, this is an "old" picture.

Russell M. Webb D 7014
Attorney at Law
713 385 5676
https://www.tdcparole.com

[FrEaK_aCcIdEnT 0]

i second that but 1K is bit 2 big for me. I like my 600. plenty of fun for me. 40 mpg average

ExPeCt ThE uNeXpEcTeD!
DoNt MiNd ThE tYpOs, Im LaZy On CoRrEcTiOnS!

[AggieDave 6]

For the kind of riding you do, you'd probably be best served by some sort of mid-level cruiser, something you can put a sissy bar on (for passengers and strapping bags to) and saddle bags.

I recommend you check out the 800cc ranged bikes, stuff like a Honda Shadow 750, Vulcan 800, Sportster 883, etc. Really, though, at the end of the day you have to decide what bike you like and what kind of bike you want. You can tailor any bike to your riding style, but some are harder then others to do so (or look like shit when its done...sort of like a crotch rocket with saddle bags).

Personally I ride a Vulcan 800, most of my miles are in town and short trips, never ridden more then about 700mi in a day on that bike.

Unfortunately that pic is a bit older, I've since chopped up the rear end and made a sidemount bracket for my license plate and a tail light, but you get the idea.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[gravitational 0]

figure out what you're going to be doing with it...Longer rides are going to be a bit nicer on the cruiser. I've got an 05 Shadow Spirit 750 and put just over 300 miles on it this weekend. Had my flight not gotten in so late on Friday, I would have ridden down to the water boogie at SDNM.

Let your dad give you all the grief he wants. I've only ever stopped to help a harley rider call for help along side the road.

------
Michael

[Squeak 17]

go the Duke, they love long runs, and come into there own when crotch rocket riders are complaining of sore backs

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[Guest 1010]

If you're riding it to work and the job/productivity is important, then the less effort it is to drive there the more energy you have left for the job. Try them all and choose the easiest ride.

You can have it good, fast, or cheap: pick two.

[mattjw916 2]

Depends on what you are looking to use your bike for. Personally, I'd never buy a "cruiser" under any circumstances they are heavish, have weakish brakes, and marginal suspension. Ducatis are cool, I've owned 2 of them and still own 1, maintenance is a bit pricey though but they sure sound sexy. Hondas are super-reliable and all-around great bikes (the sport ones that is). Harleys are for parades and posseurs and are over-priced. The V-Rod's pretty cool though.

I'd be hard pressed to find a bike to replace my BMW K1200RS for commuter/travel duties though. With electronic cruise control, ABS, heated hand grips, power outlets, etc it rules the sport-touring segment IMO.

NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

[Squeak 17]

Quote

Depends on what you are looking to use your bike for. Personally, I'd never buy a "cruiser" under any circumstances they are heavish, have weakish brakes, and marginal suspension. Ducatis are cool, I've owned 2 of them and still own 1, maintenance is a bit pricey though but they sure sound sexy. Hondas are super-reliable and all-around great bikes (the sport ones that is). Harleys are for parades and posseurs and are over-priced. The V-Rod's pretty cool though.

I'd be hard pressed to find a bike to replace my BMW K1200RS for commuter/travel duties though. With electronic cruise control, ABS, heated hand grips, power outlets, etc it rules the sport-touring segment IMO.

Moto Guzzis do a pretty decent job too, but they need setting up abit first

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[gravitational 0]

Quote

With electronic cruise control, ABS, heated hand grips, power outlets, etc it rules the sport-touring segment IMO.

Slightly over-engineered...Just like my Subaru...

------
Michael

[mattjw916 2]

totally... I had to remove half the tail section to top off the primary and secondary rear brake fluid resevoirs since the ABS diagnostics kept flashing lights at me.

but hey, it starts first time, everytime so I can't really complain...

NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

[monkey1031 0]

1993 Ducati 750 Supersport.

proabably similar to the one you're riding.... fuckin' fun bike, but the repairs can be a bitch.

-smd7

[skydiverton 0]

When you just want to go to work:
Japanese bike, cheap, reliable and easy to repair

If you want something functional and affordable do not buy italian shit (Ducati/aprilia), they look nice but reliability is not the best in the market.
Personnaly I have a small Yamaha diversion 600 to drive to my work mailage: 20+km on a liter and in the weekend well a little trip to the german highway shows 180km/h. Perfect cheap bike for me.

I also have a Honda VT500. Perfect bike too, only it get a little old (1985) and needs some repair/maintenace urgently. Planning to restyle this one (skydiver theme) during the coming winter months, any ideas

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Using your droque to gain stability is a bad habit,
Especially when you are jumping a sport rig

[Squeak 17]

Quote

When you just want to go to work:
Japanese bike, cheap, reliable and easy to repair

If you want something functional and affordable do not buy italian shit (Ducati/aprilia), they look nice but reliability is not the best in the market.

I ride italian and so do many of my mates, reliability is outstanding. However they are NOT bikes for people you just put in petrol when needed. They require looking after and proper maintenance, Italian bike are for people who love bikes not for people who only want an A to B rider

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[sirenoremac 0]

Mine is a Suzuki GN400 '81. Old, and solid. I like it because I can do every bit of maintenance/repair on it myself, and I know very little about that stuff. Also, it gets 50+ mpg. Perfect for getting to and from work and around town, but it's definitely not something to take on a long trip. It suits me well, but you have to figure out what you need out of your bike.

[Cyanide41 0]

Quote

If you want something functional and affordable do not buy italian shit (Ducati/aprilia), they look nice but reliability is not the best in the market.

Hey! Hey! Hey!! What are you calling shit???

I ride a Ducati 749. I love it but I do not commute much on it. Frankly it is not the most comfortable bike in the world. He does have a good point, I had a 97 honda cbr 600 before and it had 21k miles and ran like a champ. I also have a SV650S. They say it is pretty good for commuting. Mine is a track/race bike so I wouldn't know about commuting on it.

JAMES

[FIREFLYR 0]

I have a Ducati 900 and an old chopper, the Duc is F-A-S-T, but I love my chopper,
If you are going to commute though, go with the Duc!
my .02

~J

"One flew East,and one flew West..............one flew over the cuckoo's nest"
"There's absolutely no excuse for the way I'm about to act"

[Adriandavies 0]

Dukes are lovely but need a lot of attention especially in comparison to a Jap equivelent. They are however lovely to look at and ride and sound great especially if you put some less restrictive pipes on it. As an alternative how about a modern Triumph? My last bike was a T595 Speed Triple. It looked good, handled well, was reasonable comfortable, 145 mph fast, 45 - 50 mpg is ridden more slowly, good service intervals and wasn't too harsh on chains or tyres. It was also a little bit different from the other Jap bikes around.

[normiss 798]

ok...I tried to remain quiet...but I can't!
I've owned just about every brand of bike since I was like 9 years old. Since we buy them to actually ride...shouldn't you buy a bike that rides the best?
I won't buy anything but a Harley nowdays....and the reliability factor of Harleys is great since AMF got bought out of the picture, get with the times!
Nothing rides like a Harley at highway speeds, no Honda or BMW comes close...and they cost as much as the Harley does.

[droquette 0]

i would go with any of the 05' liter bikes. Kawa, Yamaha, Suzuki, or Honda...it all depends on your ridding style and preferences... i am going to get an suzuki 1k 01-03 but i want to wheelie and endo the crap out of it and they are great bikes for that.
so good luck nad ride safe.

dan

HISPA 72 ----- "Muff Brother" 3733

[FrEaK_aCcIdEnT 0]

the kawa 10R will do 100mph in first gear

ExPeCt ThE uNeXpEcTeD!
DoNt MiNd ThE tYpOs, Im LaZy On CoRrEcTiOnS!

[SkymonkeyONE 4]

If you are already riding a Duck, then I guess it would be OK for you to get a crotch rocket. That said, insurance is very high on sport bikes. If you are concerned about gas and can live without a vanity bike, then just look in your classifieds and find you a 1980-something standard bike. They are a dime a dozen and can be had for a thousand dollars or less, generally in great (possibly dusty) shape.

Me? I have a Harley dresser (2001 FLTR Road Glide) and a Buell Lightning ('03 XB9S). The best of both worlds in my opinion.

[wintermute 0]

I can vouch for this one...got it in May. Sweet...