Motorcycles

[nagal]

After seeing how much it costs me to drive the Jeep to and from work, the wife and I are kicking around the idea of getting a motorcycle to drive to work.

Looking to keep the cost under $10k. The idea being, the total cost (payment, insurance, gas, chrome xtras has to be no more than $250 a month or the savings won't be worth it. Nothing fancy or silly fast. Has to be comfortable driving 90 miles a day, 5 days a week.

Not knowing squat about motorcycles, what makes/models would you recommend?

So far I am liking Harely Sportsters and the Honda VTX1300.

[rick]

If you're both going to be on it, don't get a Sportster. Honda is legendary for reliability. I don't know what your insurance risk is like (age, tickets, etc), but make sure you price it first. And get several quotes. I'm assuming you're going to pay cash for the bike. If not and you need full coverage, you may find that the insurance payment is almost as much as the bike (I'm not kidding either).

[nagal]

I will be the only one on it. Not sure if we are going to be paying cash or financing. Was wanting to finance but if insurance is that bad then getting a bike won't be an option. I think I will call my insurance agent now just to get an idea. No tickets of any kind in 10 or so years so that should help.


Okay, I called and with $500 deductible on a 2004 Honda VTX1300 was going to be $470 every 6 months. Not bad, not great but insurance on the Jeep will go down and I can put it at a higher deductible.

[Old Fart]

_flame suit on_

IMNSHO, you're better off buying a small commuter car. 40+ years on bikes, 30+ of that on the street. You buy a bike because you want to ride - NEVER for "economy" purposes. Great way to wind up a statistic.

Neither of the bikes you mentioned are great "first rides"

My .02, back to dodging planes.

[nagal]

No need for the flame suit, I need/want honest opinions on this.

Commuter car is out of the picture as I have no where to keep 3 cars.

What would be a good first ride? Keep in mind I drive 90 miles a day up and down mountains to get to work. I can't (or at least dont think) have some wimpy little bike to make it up the grade.

[Old Fart]

Hmm, you might find that a motorcycle doesn't really take that much less space in a garage, but I don't know you're parking situation.

Bearing in mind that my advice is to stay away from a motorcycle for the reasons I stated above, I'd look at something in the 500-750cc range.

SIGN UP FOR, TAKE AND PASS THE MORORCYCLE SAFETY FOUNDATIONS CLASS!!

(Opinionated, ain't I?)

Best thing to do would be to find others with motorcycles, and see if they'll let you take them for a spin. I've had many bikes I was happy to do this with, several that nobody but me ever rode.

Commuting in some aspects is actually harder than roadracing (done both - usually the other guys on the racetrack aren't bent on killing you).

Check with your insurance also, you may find that they're not too happy (or real happy financially) with you buying a bike if you've never had one before. You'll also need a M1 endorsement on your drivers license.

[nagal]

SIGN UP FOR, TAKE AND PASS THE MORORCYCLE SAFETY FOUNDATIONS CLASS!!

Pearching to the choir. I have had more friends than I can count that had motorcycles so I am not completely ignorant of everything that goes along with owning one.

Parking is this, drive way already filled with the Jetta and the Jeep, no garage, no on street parking. I can sneak the Jeep a little further up the drive way make room for a bike but nothing else.

My best friend's wife manages a local Harley Dealership. Going to talk with her after work and get her opinion on this also.

[Old Fart]

If by that I can take it that you will take the class, great!

Hmm, asking an opinion of someone in a position to financially benefit from giving you advice?

Have fun

[nagal]

Yes I will take the class if I get a bike, and no she won't sell me something I don't need. Honestly, she is not like that.

[Dukes69]

not again!

[dirty dykstra]

I will be the only one on it. Not sure if we are going to be paying cash or financing. Was wanting to finance but if insurance is that bad then getting a bike won't be an option. I think I will call my insurance agent now just to get an idea. No tickets of any kind in 10 or so years so that should help.


Okay, I called and with $500 deductible on a 2004 Honda VTX1300 was going to be $470 every 6 months. Not bad, not great but insurance on the Jeep will go down and I can put it at a higher deductible.

I got full coverage on my bike through the home owners insurance and its only $20 a mounth everyone else wanted $300-$400 a mounth

[tjrubicon]

I use to pay 800 a year for my old Hayabusa (sold it ) Check what company the insurance will go through. In Indiana, most insurance companies go through Progressive....DO NOT go there. They wanted just under 4k a year for my bike without half the coverage I got throught my normal ins. company. That (800 a year) was also with a Motorcycle crash the year before. Word of advice, pay close attention to intersections because some people just pull out in front of anything and it doesn't feel all that great smacking a truck at 40 - 50 mph.

I can't recommend a brand or size, but of the two you mentioned I'd go with the Honda.

[Elusive]

another cheap option is to get a 883 sportster and bore it to 1200. the 883's sell dirt cheap and the conversion is really really easy. you end up with a bike with new internals and it's plenty quick. I just did one last month and total cost was under $700

[blackZZR]

not wanting to start the old us against them thing but

if you want a good commuter that is reliable, get a jap crap
I have had several that I put well over 100,000 miles with out ever having to do anything but routine maintenece on, I cannot say that about either of my harleys, Harleys are high maintenece. It is either you or your shop doing that maintenece.
Southern California is no place I would put a beginner on a bike to commute, there are way to many people on the road and with the large number the averages of just plain bad drivers is huge. Plus on anyday I see women putting on makeup, people distracted by cell phones, or jerks who try to make up time one car at a time. It is very dangerous for small bikes out there.
Lane splitting? That takes practice, it is perfectly leagel under Ca laws, but it is highly dangerous, you need to be watching traffic and drivers at the same time. Another thing I would never recomend. Do I do It, sadly yes and have had several really close calls, will I do it again, even more sadly yes.
Training, a must do, I take the advanced rider course every year in the spring. Why? Practice is how you get good, never saw a guy onstage playing a instrament who doesn't practice alot.
In Europe and the oreint the bikes almost outnumber the cars, many small scooters and such, but here in the USA noone is looking out for you.
best bet would be buying a base modle Hundia or such that gets 40 mph, thats about all a bike will get.

[Old Fart]

Don't know if they're still doing it, but Europe used to have a "stepped" license for motorcycles. You were required to start with a 125 9it's actually based on the kW output of the motor), then after you had the required hours signed off, you went to 250, 500, then liter class bikes. One of the reasons Europe has such a fractional motorcycle accident rate compared to here.

They tried to propose that here in the early 80's, Honda and Harley were two of the most vocal opponents. Lots of folks like to buy Gold Wings and 'Glides as first bikes (those two have proportionally the HIGHEST accident rates).

I don't even bother with the street anymore. The Boxster is just as fast