[SteadyRoller]

Blackwelder, unless you are a silly bich you will buy a Boss Hoss. The Hoss is the best beginner bike as you will never out grow it. Just ask my brother who saw a picture on the Internet and said it looks real big. Just two years ago I sat on the 502ci version at a cycle show and knew that it was the bike for me. I would probably buy a 350ci for my wife if I ever got married since they are smaller and as they say, strong enough for a man but made for a woman.



If you have any questions about how good the Boss is, just call up any truk dealer that sells GM. They will tell you that once GM found out how good the V8 in the Hoss is that they started putting them into their truks so you know they are good. Plus if they ever break down then you can go to the Chevy garage for parts.



Anyway, I gotta get going since my brother's gonna help me put my bike up on the stand. Gonna take my wheelie bar off so I can get it re-chromed.



SR

 

[23063]

Whoa young feller! Taking up motorcycling is the most fun thing you can do - well you know what I mean. However, before you go off on a round-the-world trip it might be best to test the waters first. LA traffic is mercilous and it takes a few years to get comfortable dodging those tin cans. Every driver out there is an idiot once in a while and some are idiots all the time. You can't teach them how to drive and the gov'ment won't, so you needs all the skill and experience you can muster.



But, don't let me spoil your dream. A lot of us commute to work and have been do so successfully for years. Go for it! Take that MSF class and practice, practice, practice. By the way, freeways are often the safest place to ride - just boring.

 

[21684]

Start out by getting a Boss Hoss 3 wheeler with sidecar pulling a trailer.

 

[19616]

I had two wheels in LA

I sold my car and had only a motorcycle for six months in LA in the mid-eighties.

A couple thoughts--

-A motorcycle is the ultimate way to get around LA unless you are coming home from Costco. No lines, no waiting. LA is so big and so pedestrian-unfriendly that you have to have motorized transportation, but cars can get gridlocked and bikes can't.

-Scooters: Not enough power. People drive fast in LA and you need to be able to keep up with and in many cases significantly outaccelerate traffic.

-Girlfriends: Truly the sand in the vaseline, so to speak. It might be fun to date a motorcyclist, in a naughty, won't mom be shocked when I tell her this kind of way, but it's gonna take true love to take her out on the bike on a 40 degree rainy day. But hey, she'll have a car, right?

-I never regretted not having a car, and even now think back on that time of my life as fun and carefree.

-Be careful out there. Take the MSF Advanced Ridercourse, too.

-I hope you live close to the Angeles Crest Highway or the canyons north of Malibu. Lots of fun roads in Southern Cal.

-Buy less bike and more gear, if you have to make a choice. Get an Aerostich suit (I personally recommend the one-piece). Get a cool weather leather jacket. Get a warm-weather flow-through jacket (I like the Tourmaster Cortech--it's about $150). Get one pair of short warm weather gloves (deerskin from Aerostich are cheap, maybe $35, and they offer a full range of sizes). I know from sad personal experience that it's better to buy a used CBR600 and a good set of gear than a new SV650.

Good Luck!

 

[Vlad]

i want to second the guy who recommended spending money on gear. It's the best investment you'll make in both safety and riding pleasure. It changes commuting on a bike from and endurance contest to a pleasure. The SV650 is an excellent choice for a first bike, as are the Moto Guzzi Breva and the Ducati Monster 620i.e. But the Suzuki beats the hell out of both of them on purchase price and is cheaper to maintain. Another option is Suzuki's "other" 650, the Burgman Super Scooter. It is more practical than any pure motorcycle, but more expensive than the other three options. On the plus side, it has built in hard luggage. The only drawback is that it is not as "studly" as a motorcycle. It does have plenty of power.



Vlad

 

[12250]

While motorcycling is a great hobby, I would hardly say it is a good way to save money. They may have better fuel economy, but they are incredibly impractical. You can only bring one friend along, shopping is limited, tire use is greater, maintenance interval's typically shorter. All this doesn't even take into acount that the vast majority of motorcyclists are drawn to finding ways to improve their pride and joy.



In my opinion, motorcycling is about the best hobby/lifestyle one can have. It is just not something most of us do (or at least suceed) to save money!

 

[SmokeU]

Don't listen to them other guys. Get a Concours like I did and be done with it.

 

[36943]

I lived and rode daily in Tokyo for 5 years with a ZZR400 400 cc version of a ZX 6E Kawasaki. (now ZZR600) It was an excellent daily runner. It was comfortable, maneuverable, stable in the rain (lots of rain there) and it was easy to maintain with excellent reliability. It could easily outrun the cars as well, in city streets.

One of the most popular rides over there was a 250 cc Yamaha scooter. I have recently seen 400 cc and 650 cc versions of a new Suzuki scooter and either of those would be superb daily transport.

An mid size in line four or a v-twin, either would be good. Plan on choosing a clean used one if you can to save money for rain and riding gear.
Good rain gear, good helmet, boots and gloves and you should be good to go.

Enjoy!

 

[40446]

Keep the car and start riding cheap used bike first. if things work out ok then sell the car and get the bike u really want.



(way out of subject)

unlike cops here in US riding HD with coffee cup and donuts, cops in Tokyo ride real bike like VFR.

 

[s_blackwelder]

Re: I had two wheels in LA

Thanks. I appreciate your practical advice.

Yeah, dating without a car will require some adaptations by me. Maybe it will be worthwhile to spend money on rental cars from time to time.

I don't want to get Jackson-and-Franklin-ed by my car. I paid only $2k for it, and it ran great for 3 and a half years until just this summer, so I'm not qualified to complain. I just can't afford a better car.

 

[Lowrez]

No Cost Savings

I've had to work very hard to save money with my motorcycle. Starting with allowing my car to age well past its expiration date. That *may* have offset the intial cost of the bike and the insurance.

Then is all the gear I've bought. Jackets, suits, helmets, gloves, boots, heated vests, ack! I probably blow $500 a year on that kind of crap.

Mmmmm aftermarket parts. Exhaust system, new seat, windscreen, tail bag, tank bag, new bigger tail bag, electrical upgrades, pretty pieces. Should I admit that I blow a couple hundred every year on this stuff?

Save money on gas? Sure, while I'm commuting, but all that is lost when I spend an afternoon crusing around the lakes. 42mpg is great, unless you ride an extra 20 miles out of your way to hit some cool curves.

It is starting to sound like the the stereotypical shopper who hits the sales and goes broke and then says "but look how much I saved!"

 

[R1150GSugly]

Survived almost 7 years on two wheels in LA, lived in Echo Park/Silver Lake late 80s, saw it all. Did it mostly on a '77 BMW R100S, with saddle bags, which you are going to need. By something cheap, slap come Givi bags on it, and ride. When you wear out the cheap bike, buy another and transfer the begs. A beater SV650 with a small 1/4 fairing would do the trick. Think disposable.

 

[26490]

I think saving money is the wrong reason to ride a bike, However, if you work in a major city e.g. Portland OR, parking is $150 a month for a car, or $30 a month for a bike, so in theory if you start with a used SV650 (or GS500 like I did) you can pretty well pay for the bike and the gear with the parking and gas savings. You still need to want to ride



Good Luck.... Grif

 

[38244]

This guy must be a real ******* dumbass.

 

[Nplateau]

Screw all them big chuggers, get yo'self a Kawasaki Ninja 250. You can get one super cheap, ride it for a year or two while learning the finer points of motorcycling, rev the pee out of it without getting into too much trouble, and get 70 mpg. After which, if you decide that motorcycling is definitely the thing for you. Get a bigger bike.



For suckas that laugh, all I can say is go ride one. I too was once dismissive about the Ninjette, but now I know that it's an absolute hoot to ride and a great entry level carver.

 

[21726]

Re: I had two wheels in LA

Dating without a car will definitely require some adaptation. You'll have to get a really good wall-planner/calendar/similar for a start, because the babes will be fighting to get time with you and you'll need to remember all the names... Dating with a bike means never being without a date, in my experience! Go for it!

 

[mscuddy]

Having plied the dangerous streets of Los Angeles on a motorcycle for over 30 years now, I have a few suggestions:



#1: Get some first class health insurance.



#2: A will, or living trust.



#3: Ride as if every car you see is

trying kill you, because they are.



#4: Learn which cars have flimsy side view

mirrors.



#5: Learn wich cars have really strong side

view mirrors.



#6: Avoid Volvos at any cost.



#7: Try and purchase a bike that won't get it's

engine stuck between two moving cars.



That's about it. Good luck. Remember, wear your helmet, ride safe, preserve nature. And kick a big dent in the door of that next car that cuts you off.



TTFN.

MC

 

[mscuddy]

Here are some safe riding tips from a 1959 Honda 150 Dream Owners Manual:



1. At the rise of the hand by Policeman, stop rapidly. Do not pass him by or otherwise disrespect him.



2. When a passenger of the foot, hooves in sight, tootel the horn trumpet melodiously at first. If he still obstacles your passage, tootel him with vigor and express by word of mouth, warning Hi, Hi.



3. Beware of the wandering horse that he shall not take fright as you pass him. Do not explode the exhaust box at him. Go soothingly by.



4. Give big space to the festive dog that makes sport in roadway. Avoid entanglement of dog with wheel spokes.



5. Go soothingly on the grease mud, as there lurks the skid demon. Press the brake foot as you roll around the corners, and save the collapse and tie up.



Remember the festive dog!

 

[micty]

I concur.

 

[38500]

I ride a lot in LA. I do have a car, but I would say it's 75% bike, 25% car. I commute by bike. I use a Nighthawk 750, which handles easily the 75-85 mph speed of the freeway when it flows, and is very low maintenance. I put about 12000 miles on the bike in the last 12 months and all I do is change the oil and filter, clean the air filter, lube the cables, check the tires. That's about it (self-adjusting valves, see...). It's a great commuter and I can take it on the Crest and not embarrass myself (you'd be surprised what it can do). As for the rest: buy the best protective gear and I second the list already posted, especially: ride as if every driver is out to kill you: most of them are, or are talking on their cellphones (same thing)