The Motorcycle Topic

[itsallup]

Nice. I like dirt bikes but my wife is not so tall she already has a hard time getting on top of my motorcycle so I cant have one. But I really wanted a XLX 350 or a NX 400 to go crazy with.

 

I did some modifications on my motorcycle I will edit this post later

[GTA-Biker]

Earlier this year I was thinking about upgrading from my Aprilia Classic to some slightly bigger cruiser bike,and I think I finally decided what my next bike is gonna be,a Kawasaki Vulcan 500 (known as EN500 here in Europe) http://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/kawasaki/kawasaki_vn_500_vulcan_ltd 07.htm

It is bigger than what I originally planned,but I think it's perfect for me.I like the looks of 2000-2009 version,it's fairly cheap,and it's powerful enough to do some road trips but small and lightweight enough for commuting (and hopefully not too powerful for someone like me,who's used to beginner bikes).If I start saving up money this year,hopefully I'll have enough to buy a used one in good condition by spring 2020.

[trip]

Very nice.  For real.

 

I went from a 250 Honda to a Kawasaki LTD 400 something when I first went up in size. 

That is a good sign that you will continue to ride... and a good sign that you are a biker and not a weekend warrior.  Keep it up.

 

This has been a horrible season so far.  Too hot or too rainy to do any riding.  Waiting for fall/autumn at this point.

 

Like my LTD.

Edited August 10, 2018 by trip

[GTA-Biker]

To bump the thread with some good news,I passed my riding test today and finally got a full motorcycle license (A category license,here in Europe).For now I'll keep my Aprilia Red Rose Classic,and start saving money for my next bike,which is probably gonna be a Kawasaki EN500.Hopefully I'll save up enough to buy it by the next summer,or at least by spring 2021.

[GTA-Biker]

On 9/26/2019 at 3:22 PM, JethroDee said:

Nice one. Kawasaki EN500 is a real beast. I ride EN500 Vulcan once, it was nice. Though my current motorcycle is heavily modified Yamaha.  

Though it still need some improvement in my opinion. I'm currently reading this review https://yourmotobro.com/best-motorcycle-amplifiers/ because I'm planning to install a better amplifier 

That's a cool looking bike.I could be wrong,but is that a two stroke?Yamaha makes great bikes,two out of three bikes I rode in driving school were Yamahas,the YBR125 and the MT07 (the third one was a Honda CB500F).A few of my friends ride Yamahas too.

My first (not counting a scooter I had as a kid,and one bike I had a few years ago that was broken and never got fixed) and still current bike is the Aprilia Red Rose Classic.This is an older photo,now it has new tires,and soon I'll repaint the engine and rear wheel with a more chrome-like spray paint,and install the saddlebags better.

As for Kawasaki EN500,I think it's definitely the best choice for me to get.The EN500 is an older bike so it's much cheaper to buy than newer 500 cc bikes like Honda Rebel 500 or HD Street 500,and it's cheaper to insure than Yamaha Virago 535 (where I live,bikes up to 500 cc are much cheaper to insure than those over 500 cc,so the Virago has much higher insurance despite having only 36 cc more than the EN500).It also should have enough power for some longer roadtrips,at least judging by the CB500F I rode,since both are 500 cc class parallel twins.

Edited October 27, 2019 by GTA-Biker

[GTA-Biker]

Seeing as the riding season is ending (at least where I live,weather is supposedly getting cold and rainy next week,and will probably not get any better until next spring),I can say that this season has been pretty good for me,I rode several different bikes,I got a full motorcycle license,and to end the season I had a great last ride for this year yesterday.

 

Can't wait for the next season,hopefully it's gonna be as good or even better,and hopefully I'll save up enough money for a Kawasaki EN500.

[Jimmy]

 

Bought this back in first week of November. It's called Honda Hornet 160R. Upgraded to it for my daily commute to work. Gives a good efficiency of 56kmpl (130mpg). Inline single cylinder, oil cooled, 16 horses, long stroke engine and 15.6Nm of torque, mated to a 5-speed transmission (smooth AF) and chunky tyres. The headlight is a miracle and works great on dark roads. Comes with Anti-Brake Locking as Standard and has Nissin equipped discs on both ends and rubber courtesy of Michelin. Overall a great purchase of $1300.

 

Edit: Some more shots of the bike.

 

 

Edited January 4, 2020 by Jimmy

[Korpi]

Bought a new bike two days ago. She's an '88 Yamaha Virago 535. Sweet ride. The weather's getting better as the days go by. Rock 'n roll! 

[paperbagdude]

I don't know how much you bikers know about 2-stroke scooters, but I have got a problem with my Piaggio Typhoon.

 

I have no spark - at all. Tried multiple spark plugs, another CDI/coil and I still got nothing. It lost spark overnight, without any complications in terms of ignition and overall performance prior to that. I currently don't have the tools to take off the flywheel to get to the stator, but could a faulty connection to earth be the overall issue? I would expect neither the flywheel or stator to just go bad.

 

[trip]

On 3/28/2020 at 7:25 AM, Korpi said:

Bought a new bike two days ago. She's an '88 Yamaha Virago 535. Sweet ride. The weather's getting better as the days go by. Rock 'n roll! 

 

Sweet, dude.  Really.

 

I had an '82 XV920...the predecessor to the Virago.   Also your exact bike recently showed up on my block.  I'll take a pic when I walk the dogs.

 

Beginning of bike season here.    Mine still under the cover.  Weather is gonna bust any day now.  I'll take a coronavirus ride.

 

@paperbagdude good luck man.

Edited March 29, 2020 by trip

[paperbagdude]

3 hours ago, trip said:

@paperbagdude good luck man.

Haha thanks man. I want this bad boy back on the road since Spring is finally here. No matter the cc, I bet we all look forward to ride the roads thin in the warm sun

[GhettoJesus]

Well OP said that bicycles go so here is my Hauser bike. Yeah it is a women's bike but hey they all go the same. This is what I could put my hands on cheaply.

 

[GTA-Biker]

Hey guys,so what are your opinions on the bikes that were recently released,and upcoming bikes?Here are some of them (obviously not all,this post would have dozens of pictures if I posted all the new bikes):

Honda Rebel 1100

BMW R18

Triumph Rocket 3 2500

Harley Davidson Softail Standard

Harley Davidson Bronx

Ducati Streetfighter V4

Kawasaki ZH2

Kawasaki ZX25R

Honda CBR1000RRR

Aprilia RS660

 

I personally like R18 a lot,I know some people are complaining because the boxer engine is limiting the bike to only having mid controls,but I don't think it will be uncomfortable,I also heard a few people say the exhaust looks ugly,but I actually think it looks cool,the pipe getting wider by the end kinda reminds me of expansion chambers on two stroke bike exhausts.

I also like the ZX25R,glad to see that Kawasaki is reintroducing small displacement four cylinder bikes like they made around 30 years ago.In fact,despite usually not being into sports bikes (I prefer cruisers cause they're more comfortable),I wouldn't mind getting this bike as a track bike,if I could afford owning two bikes.

And I think it's cool that HD is trying to expand to more markets than just cruisers and touring bikes with a naked bike, an adventure bike and probably some other models,hopefully they sell well.

Edited April 26, 2020 by GTA-Biker

[trip]

@GTA-Biker...my wife and I both have had Honda Rebels in our time.  My first street bike (when I was 16) was a rebel.  Loved it.  Nice to see it return.

 

@Korpi here's that Virago from down my block.  

 

 

I took the pic when I said I would...I just haven't popped into the mc thread because I was bummed I wasn't riding.

 

Well..today was the day.  We are in the yellow phase as of last week so today I picked up a new battery (long story), cleaned up...and boy was it glorious.

 

The smells of the first few rides are amazing.

 

Didn't take any pics.  Same bike I've had for a bit now so nothing new to show.

Edited June 12, 2020 by trip

[GTA-Biker]

Cool Virago,trip.Viragos 125 and 250 are probably the most common beginner bike cruisers where I live,I've seen a bunch of them around town.

 

Anyway,unfortunately for me,I had my first motorcycle accident last weekend.I was riding my Aprilia just outside of town,and in a nearby village I hit some gravel at around 50 kmph/30 mph in the turn and lowsided.I got a bruise on my left elbow, some road rash on my left knee, and my left leg got broken just above the ankle.As for the bike,it's got a broken headlight, broken rear left blinker, bent left footpeg and shifter pedal, and some scratches,I left it at my friend's place since he lives near the place I crashed (he's the one who took the first photo,and the Mazda on the photo is his car).I'm sure it can get fixed easily but I'm actually thinking about selling it and if I save up enough money later getting that Kawasaki EN500 that I've been planing to upgrade to for a while now.But for now all I can do is rest at home with a cast on my leg,play videogames and watch TV,and hopefully I'll heal up soon.

 

[trip]

Dude, that sucks.  Seriously!  Rest up...get better.

 

We tend to have pretty harsh winters that usually result in a lot of gravel during the beginning of the season.  But not this year...almost no snow this winter, so it's been a pretty clean spring.  

 

Everyone has to go down once.   It's the ones who get back up that are bikers.

 

Good luck with your upgrade path.  Nothing beats it.  Nothing!  My very first bike was a 90cc, my first street bike was a 250cc.  I eventually made my way up to motors measured in inches. 

 

 

[Jimmy]

 

 

Got this new helmet today.. From Axor. It's a ISI certified helmet and really sturdy with scratchproof glass. Was long overdue.

[GTA-Biker]

On 6/14/2020 at 1:24 PM, GTA-Biker said:

Anyway,unfortunately for me,I had my first motorcycle accident last weekend.I was riding my Aprilia just outside of town,and in a nearby village I hit some gravel at around 50 kmph/30 mph in the turn and lowsided.I got a bruise on my left elbow, some road rash on my left knee, and my left leg got broken just above the ankle.As for the bike,it's got a broken headlight, broken rear left blinker, bent left footpeg and shifter pedal, and some scratches,I left it at my friend's place since he lives near the place I crashed (he's the one who took the first photo,and the Mazda on the photo is his car).I'm sure it can get fixed easily but I'm actually thinking about selling it and if I save up enough money later getting that Kawasaki EN500 that I've been planing to upgrade to for a while now.But for now all I can do is rest at home with a cast on my leg,play videogames and watch TV,and hopefully I'll heal up soon.

An update about the crash,after 7 weeks with a cast on my leg and around two months of resting after taking it off,I recovered well from my crash.My leg still feels a bit weaker than before,but I can already walk normally,it will probably fully recover in a few months.

My Aprilia got repaired too,so if the weather allows it,I'll probably take it for a few short rides before I sell it and start saving money for an EN500.One of my friends is interested in buying my Aprilia,so I'll probably sell it to him (hopefully he'll let me borrow it from time to time before I get a new bike ).

Here's a photo of what it looks now:

Spoiler

Old photo,for comparison:

The damage wasn't too bad,I had to get a new headlight and new blinkers,get the forks and left footpeg repaired cause they were bent,and get some scratches repainted.I also took the saddlebags off cause I'm keeping them for my next bike.

All of my gear survived too,the helmet didn't even touch the ground,the jacket got a scratch on one of the buttons but other than that looks brand new,and one of my gloves has a small hole,but can probably still be used.I'll have to get kevlar jeans with knee pads and some proper biker boots when I get a new bike.

[K^2]

I've recently betrayed the petrol gods and bought an electric. Zero S, 46kW motor with 106Nm of torque. And I don't think I'll ever go back to internal combustion on a bike. The low-ish power of that particular model (it's low end of their sports lineup) means that it starts feeling a bit sluggish around 80mph, but that's about the same as a 300cc engine of comparable power. For people who want to still have that torque at 100mph, they have models with bigger motors, but I personally prefer to keep things civil, so these 46kW are plenty for me.

 

What's drastically different compared to similar power gas engine is that torque is just available always. It's direct drive, so no shifting. You just roll on the throttle and you get your torque, whether you're taking off from traffic light, or already cruising 70mph+ on the freeway. The 106Nm you get from rest are closer to what you expect with a 1000cc engine, and you would need to rev up to get these, which sucks around here, because hills. Zero S doesn't give a crap about hills, and it accelerates uphill just as easily as it does on a flat surface.

 

And there's the looks the other bikers give you, when you pull away from them effortlessly and almost without sound while they're still fiddling with shifter.

 

Basically, I can't think of any reason to go back to a gasoline engine unless, maybe, if you're racing your bike on a track. And even there, I suspect the gap will close very soon. For city and highway, there is no comparison. Electric wins in every category.

[GTA-Biker]

Riding season started early this year where I live,had my first ride this year this week:

Gotta get the new battery though,had to push start the bike.

[Quinn_flower]

Oh a motorcycle thread ! I didn't know this existed! 

 

I just got this last aug thanks to covid money. 

 

Its my baby her name is kawi

 

 

She's 18 650 ninja I modded the hell out of her and she's not done. I have to buy the exauast and the vinyl.

 

I post the bike all the time on my tiktok. Sakurarozu

Edited March 19, 2021 by Quinn_flower

[trip]

My annual beginning of the season post.

 

It's gonna rain today so I still need to give a full detailed spring cleaning...butthe ride for gas, air, and... beer was wonderful.

 

I've been riding for nearly 40yrs now.  The funniest thing in my emergency kit is a spare pair of reading glasses.  Not kidding.

[Quinn_flower]

Ok so im looking into bike #2

 

I want a crusier.

 

Harley sportser 1200 or Indian scout bobber or Indian chief 

 

Which is better for comfort and customzation as well reliably? 

 

Thank you 

[trip]

I rode a sporty for a handful of years and can confirm that they aren't comfortable...I think I'm still eating a few of my ribs.

 

Indian Chief is ultra comfy.

 

I currently ride a HD WideGlide which  (I think) is a super comfy cruiser, super customizable...lots of choppers start as WGs.

[Quinn_flower]

1 hour ago, trip said:

I rode a sporty for a handful of years and can confirm that they aren't comfortable...I think I'm still eating a few of my ribs.

 

Indian Chief is ultra comfy.

 

I currently ride a HD WideGlide which  (I think) is a super comfy cruiser, super customizable...lots of choppers start as WGs.

What do you think of a Dyna? 

[trip]

My WG is Dyna.  No issues.  

I changed out the exhaust and put a Screaming Eagle power commander on it...so...

[GTA-Biker]

I had a nice ride a couple days ago,even though my front brake cable is broken so I had to ride really slow and be really careful,I'll have to get a new one and replace it as soon as possible.

[OREOBOREALIS]

dreaming of motorcycle lately.

Something sporty from 90s-2000s like honda cbr, yamaha thundercat/ace, suzuki gsx r etc,,

 

Edited December 3, 2021 by Mktz1

[OREOBOREALIS]

why was my post removed hmmmmm okay

[sivispacem]

2 hours ago, Mktz1 said:

why was my post removed hmmmmm okay

Because it was basically dumping a random selection of pictures taken from the internet with nothing by way of a comment, and double posting to boot. Where I come from.we call that "spam".