So I really want a sport bike. I'm pretty sure I will kill myself, or rather someone else will kill me...like a mom in a Suburban with 3 kids in the back, putting on makeup, and on the cell phone.

Am I being a pussy...or do you guys just accept the risk and go with it?

Also, I'm 6'4" 190lbs. Can you be to tall for a bike?

12/30/2010 10:47:25 AM

you can not be too tall for a bike. The GSX-R you posted is very roomy (if not porky-looking by my standards), there are some other sportibkes that are even larger, and then there are adventure bike that are generally ridiculously tall.

You WILL crash sooner or later, so it is just about mitigating the risk by choosing where and when you ride and by wearing proper gear. I am certainly more careful now thatn i was in my college years, and I switched to recreational riding only (not more commuting, and very seldom ride in within city limits).

12/30/2010 10:59:56 AM

Just don't go out there and buy a 201x 1000cc and expect not to have a horrible wreck learning.

Get like an old 600 standard (like a katana) and learn on that, plus they are more comfortable.

12/30/2010 11:15:39 AM

^This

12/30/2010 11:54:05 AM

I'm not that retarted. If I haven't even been able to pull the trigger on getting a bike yet, do you really think I would go pick up a 1000cc ninja or cbr?

12/30/2010 11:59:15 AM

You'd be amazed at the amount of people who think that is a good idea.

12/30/2010 12:01:26 PM

Buy used (not from a dealer unless you are great at negotiating vehicles) and buy something <750cc. Your insurance will be $texas as it is unless you get minimal coverage.

The "hidden" costs will eat you up if you're not prepared for it. Figure the cost of gear and insurance into your budget, and then shop bikes accordingly. Set aside at least $300 for a helmet, gloves, jacket, and boots. Figure $600-1000 for full coverage insurance in a year, $200-300 for minimum (get quotes on everything before you buy the bike). Definitely get a disc lock and maybe consider having an alarm installed if it's a remotely desirable model.

12/30/2010 12:13:53 PM

^ These are all great points. I do have a HJC Snell2005 rated helmet so I'm more than good there.

This is all very theoretical, but if I didn't ever plan on doing any freeway driving would something as small as a ninja250 be plenty, or would it leave you just wanting more after a couple of weeks?

12/30/2010 12:26:49 PM

shit reading comprehension.


no on ninja for your size, imo

[Edited on December 30, 2010 at 1:25 PM. Reason : -]

12/30/2010 1:24:29 PM

For your size, I would recommend the EX500 version or the new ER650 if you can afford it. you can never go wrong with an SV650 of course, you won't grow out of that one for a looong while, if ever. Or something like XR650 or a KLR650 if you really want it to feel open and roomy (Dual-sports are even better learner's bike than the standard named bikes IMO).

250 may be allright for a starter bike, and it will go on the highway, but you will grow out of it quick.

12/30/2010 1:31:21 PM

you need to get a 500cc plus for your size, try to avoid super sports and stuff, because youll be folded up like hell.

Katanas F4i stuff like that, 500ex, hayabusa

[Edited on December 30, 2010 at 1:32 PM. Reason : dd]

12/30/2010 1:31:58 PM

Buy my sv650. $2500.

12/30/2010 4:31:51 PM

^That is an excellent suggestion, and I have no vested interest in his sale. I'm 6'0", 265, and ride an SV650, comfortably I might add, nearly every day. The SV is a unique balance of power and handling that is good for the "experienced" beginner, but will keep you satisfied for quite a while.

12/31/2010 10:17:41 AM

Quote :

"Am I being a pussy...or do you guys just accept the risk and go with it?"

i own a bike and i still wrestle with this question. its an acceptable level of risk IFF you can ride like you have some damn sense imo

12/31/2010 10:20:54 AM

Bled the SV's brakes today - this is what came out Eeeeeewwww




Consider this a PSA to go take care of your brakes if it's been a while.

1/3/2011 12:45:16 PM

my first bike was / is a zx600E. Comfy for a sporting bike, almost considered a sport tourer these days. I had no trouble with the power, because its easy enough for me to keep it under 6000 RPM where its very tame.

my 99 was $1200 and needed carbs cleaned and general maintenance.

1/3/2011 2:44:22 PM

I'm tempted to have a fire sale and sell my beloved orange zx6r (it's so goddamned pretty). I'm really just not feeling the street anymore. track time is fun time and I want a supermoto. it's for sale for 4k if anyone is interested. 2004 blaze pearl orange, lots of goodies, very well kept.

1/5/2011 8:28:49 AM

^a ktm or what?

1/5/2011 10:04:17 AM

I just picked up a '06 SV650S w/ 91xx miles for $2700.



Turns out the S models have clipons that are 5" lower than the fully naked SV (which has a bar). Ima need to do a bar conversion. Plenty of winter left for that.

1/5/2011 10:16:07 AM

Bar will not clear the fairing on the S version. Also you would need a new top triple clamp. Just assume the race position and enjoy the ride. By the way that's an awesome color scheme, really stands out with those white seats. Just make sure you dont piss yourself when you open it up in first or second and that front end comes up, cause it will be really obvious.

Anyhow congrats on your new bike. Just hope it'll be a mild winter and you can start enjoying it right away.

also,



n00b



[Edited on January 5, 2011 at 10:40 AM. Reason : .]

1/5/2011 10:35:28 AM

That is indeed an interesting color scheme. Do you know who redid the upholstery? Price is absolutely bangin' as well.

As for the bars, you can go a couple different ways - lots of folks just drill the top triple and install the bar clamps. If you're less machine-y and more wrench-y, you will have to change both the top and bottom triple clamps. The reason being that the S and N have a different rake, due to the triple clamp offset being different from one model to the other. Plenty have gotten away with using just the N top triple, but it's not designed to work that way. YMMV. I'm going to drill mine once I get a hold of a drill press.

The Suzuki N bar will not clear the fairing properly, but there are others that will. The superbike-style bars do clear IIRC, but you will need longer brake lines and longer throttle cables (unless you want to be creative in re-routing them).

1/5/2011 10:52:53 AM

I need to ride it a lot more to get used to the position and narrow-down what I want to change. Convertibars makes a kit for the 03+ SVS that clears the fairing, includes longer cables, and allows you to adjust ride-height away from the garage. Leaning towards that right now.

^^yes, I R NOOB

The seats are covered in faux albino snake skin, like white vinyl with a scaley pattern. Looks really neat, but I wonder how it would do in rain.

1/5/2011 11:13:20 AM

Out of curiosity I went looking some more, and it appears you can actually use the Suzuki bars, just get the Convertibar cables to go with.

http://forum.svrider.com/showthread.php?t=72804

Also
http://forum.svrider.com/showthread.php?t=117417

[Edited on January 5, 2011 at 11:22 AM. Reason : moar]

1/5/2011 11:18:11 AM

ASSUME

THE

POSITION

1/5/2011 4:06:07 PM

That brake fluid is not even that bad.

1/6/2011 8:07:07 AM

Quote :

"a ktm or what?"

a ktm duke or drz400sm

1/10/2011 11:46:51 AM

You can more than likely trade a fellow sv owner your clipons for his whole bar/triple tree/cable setup. The clip ons are more popular especially for sv's that are tracked. Check out wera forums or svrider.com.

[Edited on January 10, 2011 at 1:01 PM. Reason : .]

1/10/2011 1:00:56 PM

I might be interested in that swap. Busy right now, though.

1/10/2011 3:51:25 PM

What sort of work is involved in swapping bars for clip-ons on an SV?

1/10/2011 4:11:03 PM

[facepalm]

1/10/2011 5:34:40 PM

About maybe 12 bolts. So easy. Look at it and do it.

1/10/2011 8:43:05 PM

Quote :

"That brake fluid is not even that bad."

i was about to say

you should see what tripleD4u pulled out of my virago

looked like straight mudbutt

1/11/2011 2:16:22 AM

I know it can be worse. When I bled my truck after replacing the calipers, it was solid black.

1/11/2011 8:24:28 AM

Sooo...I figure I probably shouldn't ride the bike to campus today. .

1/11/2011 9:38:20 AM

go practice your supermoto son!

1/11/2011 10:28:15 AM

rode the SV to the gym last night...rode the BMW to work today (half hour away).

1/12/2011 11:34:09 PM

I couldn't quite bring myself to ride this morning. I'm gonna give it at least another day, but I'd really like to see a good rain to wash all this salt away.

1/13/2011 8:34:00 AM

A whole half hour away?

1/13/2011 11:00:35 AM

Signing out.

Who the fuck steals a locked motorcycle from an apartment parking lot right after an ice storm?

R.I.P. GSX-R 600

1/14/2011 3:54:57 AM

^hope you had insurance

1/14/2011 6:24:16 AM

Damn right. Full coverage.

1/14/2011 10:18:41 AM

My seat leather got all cracked up from the ice. That's not really so unfortunate, given ^, but you know, it still blows.

1/14/2011 11:32:08 AM

^^ buy my 636 imo

1/14/2011 11:38:37 AM

^^^Nice. I'm too cheap to get anything more than liability; comprehensive more than doubles my premium.

1/14/2011 11:57:42 AM

I took the higher deductible to keep the premiums reasonable. ^^^ I am sorry to hear about your seat.

My task now is to ensure that my 267,000 mile truck can keep chugging for another 2+ years.

1/14/2011 12:39:13 PM

Ordered a bunch of stuff this week. Got a Motech rack and full set of hard luggage coming, as well as a set of OEM lower fairings for the SV. Now I just need to do the Bar mod and I will be totally set.

1/19/2011 12:44:47 PM

try riding it prior to swapping the bars if you have not done so already

1/20/2011 3:43:40 PM

Who the fuck designed bucket over shim valves?

Valve Adjustments:

Step 1: Disassemble the entire bike.
Step 2: Adjust yo valves, yo.
Step 3: reassemble the entire bike.

1/20/2011 9:15:58 PM

^ Pretty easy to do...

1/21/2011 2:43:17 AM

What bike? I wouldn't say they're easy, but they really shouldn't be more than a couple hours per head to re-shim.

1/21/2011 11:26:23 AM