First motorcycle for short commute?

[Vipergrün]

So, maybe its the mid life crisis thing, or just wanting a change.

i am about 15 minutes from work and rarely take the freeway to the office. In fact, I get to drive a beautiful 'back' road between newbury park and agoura hills.

Been thinking about a first motorcycle, or maybe something like an aprilia city scooter.

Dont like Harley's, dont really want a crotch rocket, some of the larger scooters are cool looking, but have a certain 'ghey' appeal. If I get something too fast I wont last a week on it

Any ideas on something fun but mellow?

Also, are there any riders out there who have NOT been in an accident? Last thing I want is a run-in with a coyote Plenty of those around here.

Thanks!

[porsche4life]

I never laid it down at speed.... I've ridden less than 3k on the street though.....

[varmint]

an accident is inevitable. if you don't like the idea, a bike isn't for you.



have been thinking of selling my victory V92C. first $3k takes it. waaaaay to heavy for a beginners bikes though. iw ould recommend something like a SV650 suzuki.

[Noah930]

I was thinking SV650, as well.

[HHI944]

I'll 3rd the SV, manageable power, still enough to have fun and fairly comfortable.

[dd74]

I've been looking at BMWs, just for the fun of it, as a commuter bike. Any insight from the riders here on BMWs?

[Steve Carlton]

An SV650 is a good suggestion, although it can go plenty fast. Fun but mellow makes me think of a modern Triumph Bonneville or the Kawasaki W650. Even a Harley Sportster. Get something used for about $3K, because you'll probably dump it a few times. Get protective gear from head to toe. And I wouldn't really recommend doing this unless you really feel compelled. It ain't safe for newbies.

[Steve Carlton]

Originally Posted by dd74

I've been looking at BMWs, just for the fun of it, as a commuter bike. Any insight from the riders here on BMWs?

How about an R1150R?

[cbush]

Best commuter bike in my mind is the BMW R1150RT ( I have a 2005). Very comfortable, useful for commuting with lots of bag space. Not too big and heavy. You sit up high where you can be seen. ABS helps a lot. Plenty of power to get out of trouble. Lots of good used ones available.

I commute 17 miles each way virtually all year. I have had one low speed wreck on a previous bike, but you can protect yourself to a large degree by wearing the proper safety gear, taking classes on motorcycle safety, and driving defensively. Been commuting 6 years in the Washington DC area traffic, and never had even a close call.

Besides- I love riding, it is a great feeling not being stuck in a cage. My commute is one of the best parts of my day!

[Steve Carlton]

Scooter-wise, I wouldn't mind being seen on a Piaggio MP3.

[porsche4life]

I've been tempted by a low miles Ninja 500r that has been for sale cheap here... like an '08 that can be had for 3500....

[911boost]

My first street bike was an R1150GS, and while it was a great bike, I think 1150's might be too big for him.

Take a look at some of BMW's smaller singles. How big are you?

Bill

[JavaBrewer]

I vote for a dual purpose bike. Fun to ride and don't encourage unsafe speeds. Easy to park and cheap to insure, great gas mileage (small tank though), fun and easy anywhere anytime.

[porsche4life]

Didn't think about that David...

I am currently working on an NX250 to take on campus.. Hey its free...


"Fun and easy anywhere anytime" Sounds like this girl I know.... I like it...

[nostatic]

If you're not going to do freeway, a dual sport is a cheap way to go that is upright and easy to ride. I personally think scooters are more dangerous than motorcycles - less power, smaller wheels, often crappy brakes. No thanks.

For BMWs, you can find various 650 dual sports around that aren't ridiculously expensive. The 1150RT is a pretty heavy bike - much more "serious" than just putting around to work on surface streets.

There are two kinds of riders - those who have been down and those who will go down. Just the reality of riding.

[varmint]

Originally Posted by dd74

I've been looking at BMWs, just for the fun of it, as a commuter bike. Any insight from the riders here on BMWs?

might consider an old R-100 type.



though i'm hearing good things about the F-800s.

[dd74]

Originally Posted by Steve Carlton

How about an R1150R?

Post a photo if possible.
(I meant by that, if you're selling one).

[dd74]

Originally Posted by varmint

might consider an old R-100 type.

Hmmm....

[varmint]

if you've got your heart set on a BMW you're going to pay too much. we all get bent over by that damn blue roundel.

the 1150R is geared much netter for city traffic.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

A motorcycle is a must-have in southern CA. Cheap to own/insure, great on gas, always a parking space available, simple to maintain/work on, split lanes, use the carpool lane, etc. What's not to like? They're incredibly practical.

The only reason I was able to survive in LA as long as I did was because I had a bike. I probably saved literally thousands of hours of my life that otherwise would have been wasted sitting in traffic. You can get to places in half the time it would take you driving. No joke, no exaggeration. And that's without riding crazy or like a maniac or swerving all over the place or anything like that - it's just keeping it rolling and a nice, steady even pace.

And you don't have to deal with the smog nazi money-grab B.S., which is another plus. I wouldn't consider living in southern CA ever again without a motorcycle. No way, no how. It's a must-have as far as I'm concerned.

As you might expect, I'm going to say get a really good helmet (best you can find), good riding gear and don't buy a POS or go cheap. Get a bike that you'll trust your life to - not some boy toy that some punk kid has gotten tired of. My bike is a Suzuki Katana and I consider it to be absolutely ideal for commuting - it's small enough to split lanes effectively, big enough to be solid and have good performance, it isn't a stupid obnoxious RUB-mobile Harley or a boy-racer crotch rocket. The riding posture/frame geometry is way more comfortable and upright than say, a GSXR, but it shares the GSXR drivetrain (different transmission gearing and different cams, otherwise the same). Reliable as a hammer. Mine has 60,000 miles on it and still runs like a Rolex.

Be careful - shiny side up, rubber side down. Enjoy!