Gas Gas Gas

[litch]

I have bought 367$ worth of gas this year.I could have cut something like 200$ off that if I had used a motorcycle for my daily commute.

A used bike in the 750cc range will cost me 2500-3000, around 500 for helmet and other crap. It could pay for itself in 6 years.

I keep looking at this listing, it's a bit more forward lean (aggressive posture) than I would like but probably better for a starter bike than the cruiser style I'm more attacted to.

I am concerned about my appearence, I don't want to look rediculous, I'm cared of being an outrageously fat guy on the motorbike. I remember a picture of fat kids on minibikes in advertisements for fat camps from when I was a kid and they haunt my imagination

I also want a bluetooth ear piece and I need to pay off my shrink and I need to get my truck inspected and registered, and need some more clothes and new shoes.

Comments

[dragon1.livejournal.com]

I think you can get a newer bike, cruiser style, for close to the same price. I sold my 97 Magna (750) in 2002 for around 4ish to the dealership (who of course ripped someone else off and sold it in the mid 5k range), but the point being that you could probably have something in a newer condition and, more importantly, closer to what you want in the cruiser style.

[tekelili.livejournal.com]

You should definitely get a cruiser. And leather. Such would be hotness.

[dissolved.livejournal.com]

You could also look at older Viragos and older Shadows. They'll have not quite the amount of horsepower that some of the more modern bikes have, you'll get the cruiser style you want and you might even end up with something that's shaft driven instead of chain driven. I know for a fact the 535 Viragos were shaft driven, and I know that Dale's Shadow is as well. You should also be able to find those in your price range. You might check out cycletrader as well for listings.

poke recommended motofun.net to me, and I really enjoyed their MSF class, so much so that I even sent a couple of my coworkers that way to take the class as well. They're up in Round Rock where RPM raceway used to be.

[litch.livejournal.com]

motofun are the ones that run the class out in liberty hill I mentioned

[delicatetbone.livejournal.com]

Harley Dudes are always large guys it seems -- they don't look ridiculous. And if you tell them they do, yer itchin for a fight.

[litch.livejournal.com]

I don't worry about looking silly on a cruiser, I can pull a believable biker, the thing I was worried about was looking silly on a more squidly bike like the one in the link.

Anything that tends to make you stick you butt in the air is not not a good look for me.

Butts in the air

[kathadee.livejournal.com]

I apologize ahead of time if I have intruded but this comment left me laughing in a big way. I beg to add that none of us in life look our bests with our butts in the air. It's not just a you thing.
I apologize if I have intruded. I was reading my sons journal which lead to someone who knew someone, etc. who knew you. I was following links that and ended up here.

Re: Butts in the air

[litch.livejournal.com]

If I had wanted it to be private I could havemade it so.

I think I'd be ok if you were right about it being a bad look for everyone, but I have too many delightful friends who DO look rather good with their butts prominantly displayed.

I'm just exceedingly aware that I'm not one of them. Of course, most people I've talked to who have spent much time on those sort of bikes wax enthusiastically about the control and response such a position affords. The shame is I doubt I could allow myself to enjoy that aspect because of the butt display.

[pi3832.livejournal.com]

What kind of gas mileage are you expecting to get from a bike? And have you figured in the cost of tires, insurance and maintenance?

BMWs can be pricey bikes to own. They are most definitely not cheap to fix, and not nearly as bulletproof as afficiandos would have you believe.

If you want a bike that's cheap to own, Japanese is the way to go.

A cruiser is an okay choice for a starter bike, especially for you, since I presume you have the upper body strength to wrestle with the bike. Just beware that they are not always as comfortable as they appear to be. The "sit-up-and-beg" position of a standard is really the most comfortable.

That having been said, I've always liked the looks of the Honda "Super" Magnas.


(Though, I prefer the red ones.)

They were made in '87 and '88, so they're in your price range these days.

[litch.livejournal.com]

I figure 30-50mpg depending, with costs to operate besides fuel to not be a lot more than 500/year and some of that will be recuped in reduced maintenance on my truck.

[pi3832.livejournal.com]

Yeah, most bikes get around 40 mpg. 500s will get up to 70 mpg, but they're going to probably be too ergonomically small for you.

How many miles a year are you going to put on the bike?

Depending on the bike you get, insurance will run between $100 and $600 a year itself. A set of good tires (don't skimp on tires--trust me) will be at least $200, and the rear will last 6-8,000 miles. (The front will last twice that.)

Don't get me wrong--I love riding and I think everyone who wants to whould get a motorcycle. It's just that I've found that it's not nearly the economical transportation option that many think it is.