I Finally Did It - Learning to Ride

[tmnt]

My 90 model, though the body work is not in great condition, goes very well. You still have enough power to hurt yourself! Hondas are renowned for their great mechanics.

I'd definitely go used. I wouldn't spend too much on a small bike. There's a chance you could drop it and you may find yourself itching to get a bigger bike. I just don't see too much point on spending a lot on a small bike.

If you go second hand, get a mate to give it a good ride and look over it. Get a mechanic check if you can, might save you some heartache.

 

[Tom Marshall]

A 250cc would probably get you around 65 mpg, give or take...

 

[mcsmooth]

Actually, I can give you a comparison. My dad has a Buell Lightning (I think). It's an 2005 model. There's a huge difference between the 2 bikes. It's the compact model because he's about 5'6 so he needs a smaller bike. When I visit them in Florida, I always ride his Buell.

The main difference, other than the size, is the engine. The earlier Harley powered Buells have a torque curve which is good for, well, cruisers really. It moves along fine, but when Buell put in the Rotax V-Twin it made a huge difference in the performance. The earlier Buells run about 104 hp while the 1125R pushes about 146 hp at the crankshaft. About 138 at the wheel.

The 1125 is better designed for riding and for performance. They've got it set up so that you can do about a 53 deg lean into a corner. They've also added a slipper clutch, which is a hydraulic design.

The 1125R is really meant to compete with the Ducati's and higher performance bikes out there so the really stiffened up the chasses and the suspension and you really can tell.

I've also ridden cruiser bikes. A Honda Shadow, Kawasaki Vulcan, and a Harley and cruiser bikes are very different than performance bikes.

Awesome, sounds like they are really advancing. I rode with a guy that had been through a few bikes and he got a firebolt for something different. It couldn't keep up at REALLY fast speeds, but how often do you need that on the road? Compared to the high reving Japp bikes, its often nice to have the extra torque. 600cc was plenty of power for me, but when I moved up to 1000, the extra torqe and less shifting made city driving easier. I'm sure I'll be a on a cruiser someday, either when I get older, need to slow down, or have enough cash for 2 bikes at once Who knows, maybe the electric bikes will start taking over by then... well maybe not... most bikers like to be loud, haha.

 

[Matt Gottshalk]

I don't know if I'll get any respect here :cheesy:, but I drive a Honda Big Ruckus Scooter.

OK, it's only 249cc, but it's a blast to ride and gets 60+MPG. The Motorcycle Safety Course is something that I would strongly recommend. Safety should be your number 1 issue and riding save is better than ....

Road trips of more fun on 2 wheels (photos from San Diego Road trip):

Bob Diaz

THOUGHT I recognized you from totalruckus.com!