Motorcycle Talk

**phillysrt4** · 02-04-2011, 02:29 PM

Originally Posted by 95V6

Im looking for something cheap. I cant drop 10 grand into a bike.

Find a used Honda Rebel 250 or Suzuki GZ250 marauder. I recommend either of these bikes for the following reasons:

1) You can find them for well under 2 grand on the used market
2a) They are a "cruiser" style bike with extremely comfortable ergonomics.
2b) They have very predictable handling and are very forgiving of input errors, making them ideal for beginners with no riding experience (the PA MSF uses these bikes in their safety course for these exact reasons)
3) They are cheap on insurance being a 250 and great on gas, but can still do highway speeds if you desire.
4) Being inexpensive to acquire, when you drop the bike (because you will- whether its at a complete stop, riding, or even parked on the stand and you bump into it you WILL drop it) you wont be saying "ZOMG I JUST MESSED UP MY 6,000 DOLLAR BIKE!!1!one!1!1111"
5) After using one for a summer to develop/sharpen your skills, you will more than likely be able to sell it the following spring for little or no loss due to being sought after by beginners.

**Shorty429** · 02-08-2011, 02:27 AM

Does anyone know what kind of power command (if any) i'll need if I get rid of the cat on my r6 and the "honey comb" stuff in the header? That'll be the end of the performance mods on it because I'm looking at the new ZX10 and I'd rather start performance modding a liter bike. The only reason I want to do this is because I hear I'll feel some hp gains and aside from the PC it'll be next to free.

**Troll** · 02-09-2011, 09:13 PM

Originally Posted by Troll

HD released pix of a new Sportster 1200 Custom today, also for 2011. It has a weird fat front wheel/tire combo.

I did not like this at first, but it's growing on me. looks like a mini-Fatboy.

The Mrs. looks over my shoulder and says, "You can't trade that Buell in! You'll lose your a$$."
I said, "Who said anything about trading the Buell in???"

**KeystoneJohnny** · 02-09-2011, 09:54 PM

I'm going through "BIKE CONFUSION". I'm getting older and just sold my 600RR here a few months ago for multiple reasons. I've always had sport bikes. I'm not ready for a cruiser just yet. I wanted something a lil more comfortable or something I could put heli-bars on and something the G.F. won't complain that it's uncomfortable who likes to ride with me. I'm a Honda guy by nature when it comes to my toys. I wouldn't be against a V-ROD if the price wasn't so high. I've been tinkering around with a

VFR 02-08
VTR SUPERHAWK 996
HONDA 919 (pretty much a streetfighter)

Any comments or suggestions would be appreciated. Summers a coming.

**phillysrt4** · 02-10-2011, 01:22 AM

Have you thought about a SV1000? you'd have to go used, but they have more comfortable ergos than your 600RR and you can ride 2 up no problem

**travj31** · 02-10-2011, 08:34 AM

fordmanforever... ive seen vrods sell pretty cheap lately (compared to other hd's), if you are patient, i'm sure you could find one reasonably priced

**KeystoneJohnny** · 02-10-2011, 12:05 PM

5000.00 to 6000.00 is my limit and It's the only cruiser style bike I could ride for myself. I don't think they would sell that cheap after all they are still a Harley. Thanks for the info though.

Originally Posted by travj31

fordmanforever... ive seen vrods sell pretty cheap lately (compared to other hd's), if you are patient, i'm sure you could find one reasonably priced

**travj31** · 02-10-2011, 03:50 PM

yeah... i have actually seen 2 or 3 right at $6000-7000 with decent mileage. have you ever ridden one? def a fun bike for a bigger cruiser...

**Troll** · 02-15-2011, 04:43 PM

Have we had the Metric/American Cruiser argument in here yet? I don't recall. Let's discuss. I saw one of these on cl at Tom Clark Motorsports. 2,xxx miles, pipes, tuner for $9,280. love the matte grey w/ black wheels. I got a HD sportbike, why not?

cl link: http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/mcd/2214194964.html

**mr4teth** · 02-15-2011, 04:59 PM

Have we had the Metric/American Cruiser argument in here yet? I don't recall. Let's discuss. I saw one of these on cl at Tom Clark Motorsports. 2,xxx miles, pipes, tuner for $9,280. love the matte grey w/ black wheels. I got a HD sportbike, why not?

cl link: http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/mcd/2214194964.html

Speaking for me and me only you wouldn't catch me dead on this bike or any jap HD knock off! But then again this comes from someone who won't drive rice cars either ... hell even my atv's are Polaris'

But I say to each their own .... I don't look down or judge those who do ride them but I know jap cruisers are not for me .... unless it's a Goldwing!

Crotch rockets are a entirely different subject.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

**Troll** · 02-15-2011, 06:57 PM

Originally Posted by mr4teth

you wouldn't catch me dead on this bike or any jap HD knock off!

I would normally feel the same way. I just like this one, in this one color combo. I do not like the blue/red with chrome wheels or anything from Yam/Kaw/Suz, just this one bike in this one color.

**mr4teth** · 02-15-2011, 10:38 PM

Originally Posted by Troll

I would normally feel the same way. I just like this one, in this one color combo. I do not like the blue/red with chrome wheels or anything from Yam/Kaw/Suz, just this one bike in this one color.

Just a little more money and this would look great next to the Buell......

http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/mcy/2137670672.html

**Inkdcountryboy** · 02-15-2011, 11:02 PM

Im Pro metric (jap) motorcycles.. i prefer working on them compared to harleys... but ill work on whatever pays... and as far as quads im with mark on the polaris atvs.. they had their downs...but all around a great machine.. i been working on polaris since 2003.. but they came a long way from the 80-90s..

**KeystoneJohnny** · 02-16-2011, 12:04 AM

My one buddy lives here in Irwin just bought one of these and sold his harley. Same exact color combo. Said for the money WTH. Didn't want to spend the $$ for the Harley version he wanted. Said it shifts smooth as hell compared to his Harley. Said he wishes it was louder (he will change that) Says seeings there is only one of them the parts prices are Big $$$
compared to a harley there are a ton of those. I didn't like the handle bar position. Also pretty much all that chrome you are looking at is plastid fyi.

Originally Posted by Troll

Have we had the Metric/American Cruiser argument in here yet? I don't recall. Let's discuss. I saw one of these on cl at Tom Clark Motorsports. 2,xxx miles, pipes, tuner for $9,280. love the matte grey w/ black wheels. I got a HD sportbike, why not?

cl link: http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/mcd/2214194964.html

**scott5** · 02-16-2011, 09:42 AM

Troll would have a harley "crotch rocket" and a jap cruiser hahaha. Isn't supposed to be the other way around?

I like the look of it in pics but after I saw them in person(z&m) when I was looking for a cruiser my opion went 180 degrees. To ME they look cheaply made and like fordman said the chrome looks like plastic. And they were very very quiet.

**scott5** · 02-16-2011, 09:42 AM

Oh I forgot to say usa all the way!

**phillysrt4** · 02-16-2011, 03:28 PM

Originally Posted by scott5

I like the look of it in pics but after I saw them in person(z&m) when I was looking for a cruiser my opion went 180 degrees. To ME they look cheaply made and like fordman said the chrome looks like plastic. And they were very very quiet.

LOL @ noise = power

**phillysrt4** · 02-16-2011, 03:57 PM

Originally Posted by Troll

Have we had the Metric/American Cruiser argument in here yet? I don't recall.

we just might...

Originally Posted by mr4teth

Speaking for me and me only you wouldn't catch me dead on this bike or any jap HD knock off!

<snip>

But I say to each their own .... I don't look down or judge those who do ride them but I know jap cruisers are not for me .... unless it's a Goldwing!

The two statements in bold seem somewhat contradictory to me, but what has me more curious is the first bolded statement. I gave it some thought and I'm trying to figure out exactly what the Japanese copied from HD.

(sarcastic b***ard post follows... yes its just sarcasm...)

Remind me again what the japanese copy from HD... was it liquid cooling? hmmm, nope... was it overhead cams and more than 2 valves per cylinder? nah, not that... was it inverted forks? Nope not that either.... Perhaps it was copying the carb- oh wait nope HD used Japanese carbs (lol!)- well maybe it was fuel injection? Nah, Japanese did that before HD too. Could it be the technologically outdated frame and suspension? Nah... virtually every motorcycle company prior to 1980's used a similar diamond frame design.

Hmmmm... let me think some more... Maybe the jap bike companies slathered their logo on anything from flashlights to wallets to Barbie Dolls to try to compensate for the lack of innovation (I don't think that word is in the Harley Davidson endorsed dictionary, so you'll need google if you're not sure what it means) on their bikes?... nope wasn't that either. Could it have been the HD business model where it seems they hire 10 marketers for every engineer? Doubt it considering how much R&D you need to do things like... oh i dunno... win races year after year.

I wonder if the "japs" tried to copy HD when it comes gettin' yerself some good ole' FREEDOM™©®... nah... nah, everyone knows the opportunity to travel the open road on two wheels is something that comes with every motorcycle nomatter who makes it.

I guess I'll have to give this some more thought, because I'm at a loss for what the "Japs" have copied from HD.

**phillysrt4** · 02-16-2011, 04:00 PM

as a postcript, saying that the Japanese copy Harley because they make bikes to grab market share in a segment of the motorcycle market is tantamount to saying that Toyota, Mitsubishi, and Nissan copied Ford by introducing the Supra, VR4, and Skyline, respectively, to compete in the sportscar segment.