Motorcycles..... again!

Joined
Mar 5, 2000
Messages
435
Hi guys! I'm getting closer to the point of buying my bike. Still a bit confused and hearing different things everytime I speak to someone else. Originally, I thought I'd get a small bike, maybe 500-650cc, because I'm a new rider and it would be easier to control. After looking at stuff, I realize that since I'm tall, I'd need something bigger or I'd feel really cramped. Someone suggested a Honda Nighthawk 750. I looked at one and that's not bad. But when I sat on a cruising bike, it felt much more comfortable and several people said that once I was riding anything for a month or two, it would all be the same in terms of riding ease. Any ideas out there? Someone at work is selling a Harley Sportster 1200 for a reasonable price, and maybe I should consider that as well. Also, have any of you had any experience with "Cycle Therapy" or "Motorsport" shops in Manhattan?
Any advice appreciated.:)
 
Yitz:
You have a somewhat difficult decision to make. If you really like riding, and a motorcycle is for you....getting the right bike from the get-go would be nice. The HD Sportster is a great bike and a great choice. The nice thing about Sporties is that they have a nice low center of gravity, are low to the ground so that you can plant both your feet. And to ride it.....yes I think that it "feels" like a 500cc bike. It is easy to toss around with plenty of power to spare. It however, is not a high speed crotch rocket. Having had a Sportster, and now with a big twin.....I miss my Sporty for the fun that it was. One drawback with it though is the gas tank, it is only good for 80 miles or so....and the reserve will only get you to that gas station on the next block. All in all though the Sporty has a high "fun factor" value....I would love to own another in fact. If you want any further advice...email me privately, I can go on forever about bikes.
Welcome to the fun.

Wabi
 
I don't know if they even make these anymore - haven't had a motorcycle in years. I had 2 when I was in Germany in the Army - first was a Honda CB650 cruiser style, then a Honda 750 Interceptor (cafe racer style). The Interceptor was MUCH more fun, even around town. I used to ride it at absolutely ridiculous speeds on the A7 Autobahn between Fulda and Wurzburg - never forget those trips!!
It all depends on what you like best...

speed and agility -> cafe racer
crusin with a babe -> cruiser style


be safe!
 
cant beat them rice rockets - GSxR 1100 Suzuki #1 - please be carefull though i have lost a few friends on the things (bikes in gen'l, 1 on a GSxR specifically) - so be carefull the only drivers who watch for you in cars are other bike riders, im my experience.....


sifu
 
I'm not a speed freak. I'd like something solid and comfortable. My concerns about the 1990 Sportster 1200 are whether it's too big and heavy for a new rider, and whether it's reliable and relatively maintenance free. I don't have the time or the inclination to do my own repairs, and Harleys have a reputation for breaking down a lot and needing a lot of maintenance. Any comments?
 
Yitz:
About the Sportster...
The reliability question stems from poor quality control in the 70s when they were owned by AMF.....whole other company now. And with the advent of the EVO engine series in the mid 80's, Harleys are very reliable.
It is a simple engine...2 cylinders, a carb and plugs.
and if you wish a lot of simple modifications can be done for what ever you wish it to be....faster, dressier, more comfy, and yes...reliable. Just the change to a Mikuni carb and Supertrapp pipes gets you even more reliability, and a hefty power surge.

The size question....The Sporty is low to the ground, with a center of gravity that is low too......it has a centrally located engine, and with the small gas tank, seems deceptively small for its displacement.
Despite its displacement, it is not as fast as other bikes of Japanese origin with similar displacements. They are dangerously fast. I concur with others in their inherent danger, they are relatively inexpensive, very fast, and very manuverable, giving the new or youthful rider a very easy admission ticket to the high speed lane. After 30 years of riding..I am afraid of those things! The harley has plenty of low end torque, a comfortable riding position, and is a classic. There are millions of after market accessories for it. if you are a sensible rider, I think that it makes an ideal bike to start with, and one that you will stay with.....That is, unless you get the bug, and you go for a Big Twin, then comes the customizing, leather and a lot of black T shirts, Then it is worse than knife collecting.
Keep us posted here.....and the best of luck with your search and decision making.
Once again, I am more than happy to serve as a sounding board.
Aloha,
Wabi.
 
Yitz,

Take your time and think about what you will use the bike for. Then go and sit on a bunch of 'em in dealer showrooms when you can. Get a feel for the bike.

I love all motorcycles regardless of brand. A few years ago I had a Honda Magna which was a great performance cruiser but it wasn't so great for passenger comfort when my wife and I would ride from FL to NC for some time in the hills.

So, I tried out a bunch of other machines, BMW, HD, etc and ended up with the Honda ST1100 which is a great bike for traveling cross country. I've ridden that bike from FL to AZ, UT, CO etc. It is a joy to ride in the mountains and is comfortable two up. It's good around town too, but a smaller bike would be better for just hopping around town.

Point is that you have to identify the type of riding you want to do, whether it will include passengers or traveling long distance. Then look at reliability, features and, of course, whatever makes your heart pound.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Blues
 
...sigh... :rolleyes:

If I didn't like his knives so much, and he wasn't too big to smack around... ;)

Blues
 
As was stated in a previous post the Sporty has high "fun factor" value. If you can pick it up for a decent price....Do It!

You can change the tank to extend your cruising range. Save your change and slap on the S&S carb, Vance & Hines pipe, some head work and you are set.

Keep it in good shape and you may be able to turn a profit when you sell it next year. You will buy a "Big Twin" after riding the 1200.
 
A guy at work brought in his Harley 1990 Sportster 1200. I tried it and it felt okay. We took it to a mechanic who advised me not to buy it (problems in the clutch and generator). Back to the drawing board.:( I'll probably keep looking for a newer Honda Nighthawk 750.
 
Well Larry claims it isn't a motorcyle if isn't a harley, well that a matter of opinion. I love Harley's but they have, IMHO, an exagerrated price for what you get. Also the reliablity is in the engine, the EVO, engine, which I dont think the 1200 is. I thought the EVO was a 1360.

But that is neither here nor there. Start small, and in Harleys there is no such animal. Go with a cheap 500-750cc motorcycle, learn to ride and then you learn what you want. You will have a better appreciation for what you want after driving a bike for a while. I started on a cb550k 1976, moved ont to a 1971 Norton Commando 750cc ( to get that real motorcycle feel). I also own a 90 Kawasaki 550 Zephyr for the reliability day to day driving. I have driven Harley sporsters and a Harley Low Rider Custom, both nice bikes but when learning I think even the cheap harley is a lttle pricey to learn on.


Now for my extremely contreversial opinion: When you are done riding a jap bike for 4 months and now really know what you want in a bike and decide you want that harley. Go to the Harley Dealership price out what you want, and then ask what the waiting list time is. Then take that figure and head over to the Kawasaki dealer or Yamamha dealer and see what that same money will buy you today, not 6 months down the road. 18K will buy you a lot of today's technology. The Evolution engine came out in the 80's. THIS IS ONLY IF YOU ARE BUYING NEW!!!

Now if you get yourself a sweet deal on an used 1360 anything Harley, TAKE IT. You can't beat the mystique, and you never have to explain why you didn't buy a Harley. And of course you are welcome to park anywhere. Whereas I wouldn't drive up to Rendevouz on my Kawasaki. :-)



Paul

But hey if you get
 
The sportsters come in 883cc and 1200cc in several diffenrent packages. The biggest drawback are the peanut tanks that you will only get about 85-100 miles out of. To me, they are a little uncomfortable to ride. When you ride with other guys they will get sick of pulling over so you can get gas all the time. Easily remedied with a bigger tank, but nothing, NOTHING, that you do to a Harley will be cheap. On the bigger Harley's, the EVO's - The 80 inch evolution engine is 1340cc but only produces about 54 horsepower. A typical "rice-burner crotch rocket" at 1000cc will produce about 100-120hp. So you have a big, heavy, slow bike with bad brakes. The new Harleys have the twin cam, fuel injected 88inch engine which is far superior but mega expensive if you can find one.

I have a FXSTC 1987 Harley. I love it, but I have heavily modified it though the years, and I have done time wrenching on bikes for a living. Harley's are hardly bullet proof, especially when compared to japanese bikes. I have one Harley, one Kawasaki, and one Ducati. The Kawasaki is so dependable it is boring. The Harley is pretty dependable, but there are things you have to accept with Harleys, like the push rod tubes leaking oil and stuff like that. If you are going to buy one bike and keep it twenty years the Harley is a good bet. Parts will always be available, there are parts in JC Whitney catalogs now for Harley 1947 knuckleheads. Jap bikes change so often parts may mean a trip to the salvage yard. Harley's are "cool", what ever that is worth to you. The flip side is that they are heavy and slow and can be temperemental. They are also extremely expensive and they are stolen quite often.


If you have the bucks, you can do anything you want. But for $5000 you can buy an excellent low mileage jap bike that will go as fast (or as slow, no rule that you have to go as fast as it will go), have almost zero maitenance, and be as dependable as the sunrise-provided you keep a good battery in it. From a practicality standpoint it is a no brainer, but a motorcycle shouldn't be a rational decision. If you want to cruise, get a cruiser, go fast-get a rocket, tour-get a sport tourer or a full touring bike. One hint: ride what your friends ride. Just because everybody says get a Harley doesn't mean you should. How many of them own them? Almost all of my friends that bought Harley's ended up selling them, most for financial reasons. Some of them still have Harley tatoos, but no bike. Most important thing is getting out there. I have had a bike since I was 8 years old, it is as much a part of me as anything. I don't care what anybody rides as long as they are safe and they are ready to go when I call them on a Saturday morning to go ride.



My $.02
 
I got one of these in 91' when they re- came out.
It's a nice reliable bike. But when I was in the
dealership a few months later I test drove a CBR-
F2 92' model. Wow, I traded in that Knighthawk be-
fore I left the dealer.

The difference is how responsive the bike is when
you change directions. This has to do with the angel
of the front fork. Oh and the wheel base, its been
awhile.

For a new rider I think it's important for the bike
to do what you want it to and go where you want it
to go. Any crotch rocket does this better with less
skill required on the riders part, than say a Harley
and that lumbering Knighthawk.

Take a rider safety course. I don't want you to think
just because the bike is easy to ride you don't need
good basic skills.
skills
 
Hey guys, thanks for all your help. I put a deposit down on a '95 Honda Nighthawk 750 (sorry Larry). It's in good shape and I got a good deal. Once I've been riding for a while, and meeting people with a variety of different bikes, I should have a better idea if I want to stay with riding, what kind of riding I want to do, and what kind of bike I really want. I do plan to take the rider safety course, though I'm a bit concerned because they seem to be given on weekends and I'm a Sabbath observer. Hopefully I'll be able to dig something up. Thanks again for your advice:)
 
Aloha Yitz:
I think that you will be happy for a while. The 750 offers a lot of power, and it's design will allow you to do all kinks of riding.
There is also no arguing the reliability of Honda engines. Ride the dickens out of it in all kinds of situations! I think that it well serve you well, perhaps for a long time.

Wabi
 
Well, the bike is parked in the backyard, waiting for plates. It's beautiful! Also got me some new duds for riding. I found a rider course given weekdays. The basic course seems to be for people just learning to ride, before they get their license, and the advanced course for people riding awhile. I'm somewheres inbetween. I guess I'll start with the basic. The review will be good, and there's a discount on insurance. Thanks again, everybody, for all the help and advice.
 
Yitz:

Happy Riding! I have a feeling that you are going to be very happy.

Aloha,
Wabi
 
Darn, I just had one word for the man

BUELL!!!!

I'm the happy driver of a 2000 X1 -- what fun!! It's a comfortable, fast, agile, wheelie (so I've heard -- from other people) monster.

Check out Buell's site

Dan
 
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