Motorcycle Forums banner

Help me make a decision....

10K views 46 replies 35 participants last post by  zradix 
#1 ·
Take a look at the new Ducati Sport Classic GT1000 as well. It's got room for two plus it will have bags and a windshield as accessories.



I haven't seen pricing yet but I'm guessing about $9995.



I may be trading my ST4 for one.
 
#3 ·
The WeeStrom rocks...

The WeeStrom is great. You can get a WeeStrom, get the forks redone, get the brakes redone with SS lines, a full set of touring luggage, and still have enough left over to buy a SECOND one for the price of one GS.

The WeeSTrom is a great "do anything" bike, as long as it can really be called a road.

ITs comfortable, good 2-up (we've done LA to SAN and back 2-up, and MotoGP 2-up), good touring (I've done SF->LA->SF before on it), it gets good mileage, the luggage looks good on it (we have a 3-case givi setup).

However, it doesn't have all the power you would WANT. If you want more power, check out the VStrom Thou...
 
#6 ·
well u don't wanna strap your laptop to your bike in any case if the roads are bad. and where aren't they? (O, that's right those commie countries france, spain, etc.) O ho ho ho...

So get any bike you like and a good backpack or courier pouch type deal. Buells look better every day with that 50ish mpg...
 
#8 ·
W. Maine along NH border. Nice. I've spent some time up there. What a great place to visit! I'd done a ton of fill in work in forest product mfgs up in Maine during the 90's. Lovely state - lovely people.



I'd stay cheep & cheerful until yo feet are fully back on the cycling ground - but that is just me.



I'd also rec the Wee. But I'd do NOTHING to it but add some cheapo luggage and ride.



Then you can have a ton o' budget fun while you try to make up your mind what you really want. (insert song title here).
 
#10 ·
If you feel that the Ulysses is too tall for you I don't understand why you are favoring the GS or the Multistrada. Both of those bikes are not exactly easy for me to throw a leg over, and I'm 6'2". I said this before but if you haven't been on a bike for 20 years you should be looking for something a little less powerful and lighter than the motorcycles you mentioned. Ride that for a year or so and then start looking for what ever bike strikes your fancy.
 
#11 ·
A V-twin is a great choice for ME/NH - the roads are twisty (and bumpy), so top-weighted powerbands are pretty useless (and you'd be dead before you hit top speed). You want that V-twin torque powering out of corners.



I'd go with the V-Strom for reliability. And while you didn't mention it, it's de rigeur for people to suggest bikes not on your list, so... have you considered the SV-650 or 1000? I bought a Bandit 600 for "this bike has to do everything" reasons, but if I had to do it over again, I'd probably get the 650S.



Check out the schedule at NHIS this summer. There's lots of weekend club racing. No reason to pay the extra money to get into the grandstands - there's some bleachers at a corner where you can see the racers zip by. Good excuse for a ride.
 
#12 ·
Regarding your re-entry in the fold and your locale, give some thought to riding position comfort and control. A more upright riding position might be more to your liking after about 1/2 hour in the saddle of bikes like the Buell "Long". A windshield or 1/2 fairing of some sort is another item that many riders overlook in a daily rider. Naked's are great in the nice weather, so long as you can deal with bugs/road debris/and rain, but for a daily rider, the value of a shield is invaluable, especially one that is easily detached. Cost is, of course, very relevant, as well. There's not that many perfect options for you in the under $10K category and it appears your already thinking about the V-Strom - a good choice, especially because it has EFI, fairing, and reasonably upright seating. Lastly, if you plan to do a lot of 2-up with luggage, you'll want to test ride with your significant other to see how satisfied you're going to be with power/torque performance of the machines your considering in the graded mountainous environment your in. But, in the final analysis, you've got to consider more that just the practical side - you've got to love or at least like the aesthetics (the look, the sound, the feel) of the machine. Do it!!!! & good luck!
 
#13 ·
This is terribly good advice.



Any streetbike with a lot of suspension travel is going to be relatively tall.



Ride something--anything--for a season and you may just find that what you think you want now is not what you want later. And while you're scaling the (re)learning curve, dropping a used/cheaper bike won't produce the anguish that a scuffed up Ducati will...



I don't think I'd carry a laptop in/on a bike, either: Burnsie's courier bag suggestion is a pretty good one.
 
#14 ·
take a look at the aprilia futura. great bike. good, watertight hardbags, though some large laptops won't fit. good power, great ergos. some don't get great mileage but i am told that the latest efi map will fix that. also, you can but a lightly used one pretty cheap. i paid about 8.5k for mine with 1100 miles on the clock. i get around 30mpg out of mine, but still running the 01 efi map.
 
#15 ·
I came back to riding at your age (a long time ago) starding on used standards and went through the full gamut of sports bikes, sports tourers and dual sports ranging from 250 (Ninja) through 1300 (Hayabusa) with a couple of big bore scooters thrown in. All of them were great in their own way but one stands out as the bike for all seasons, the BMW 650. Of course it wasn't as exciting as my R1 nor as cool as my Ducs but it was reliable, and as comfortable as an old shoe.
 
#17 ·
I have three suggestions...V-Strom, V-Strom, and V-Strom. The type of area you live in is what the V-Strom was made for. If you haven't ridden for 20 years, the 650 will have PLENTY of power for anything you throw at it, and you will think it is the best riding/handling, most powerful motorcycle you have ever owned.For the money you can't go wrong, and even discounting the money factor, you still can't go wrong with the V-Strom 650. It is an awesome motorcycle. Save some cash and at the same time get yourself a big sh*t eating grin that just won't go away...buy a V-Strom.
 
#18 ·
Yeah, the KLR650. I've got a Triumph Sprint ST and I've always wanted a dual-sport. I was able to pick up a used KLR for a song and dance and have been enjoying it quite a bit. It certainly doesn't have the power of the Triumph but somehow, it's more fun to ride. It has enough power to get around on the street, albeit not as quickly, and probably just a little more than a dirt newbie like myself needs. And since the KLR is so inexpensive, I can ride it hard,abuse it really, without fear of breaking the bank if you should crash. And it's cheap to insure. Now that I've tried a dual-sport, I've got the bug and will probably never again buy any other type of bike. Dual-sports are the way to go. My next new bike purchase will probably be a V-Strom or some other more powerful dual-sport.
 
#20 ·
I really don't care what motorbike you end up with, I just don't want you to regret having gone through life without one. If you don't start riding again, you will regret it, my friend. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon, and for the rest of your life...



 
#21 ·
It looks like youve narrowed it down to the Buell or Monster. They're both great. In my area both the Ducati and Buell dealers let you take test rides. Test ride em and buy the one that feels best. If your dealers wont let you ride, at least sit on em and see how they feel. If you still cant make a decision(i.e.:" I want both!!"),go to the dealers with a stop watch . Look at the bikes; buy the one that gives you a woody quickest. In other words,buy the bike YOU like best...dont listen to us opinionated jerks! Now... if you ask my opinion as a 50 something guy, I think the 800cc monster will meet your needs and your rusty skills perfectly.
 
#22 ·
All good suggestions here. Also, check out Moto Guzzi and Triumph.



Decide between the Ducati and Buell this way.



Method #1

Get a test ride on a new Harley Sportster 1200R. Then go home and list out separately, why you'd rather own a Ducati or Buell than the Sportster. Compare those two lists to pick the best features between the Duc and Buell.



Method #2.

Buy the Ducati S2R 1000. As you get older you will be less likely to get the Ducati and more likely to get any one of the other bikes mentioned so far. This is not a time to play it safe.



 
#23 ·
Well, I used to live in Bethel and went through Gorham weekly so I kind of know the area. I thought the roads were ok, not great, but not so bad as to require a dual sport. I'd go Buell, Bandit 1200s, or ZRX1200R. Whatever you get, go used. The depreciation on motorcycles is unreal...



As far as the laptop goes, bring a backpack. There are some really neat motorcycle specific packs out there, and you've got to bring it inside when you get to your destination anyway.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top