The motorcycle post...lets talk "Bikes"...

One of the things Im looking foward to the most about my upcomming WLS is the fact that I will be able to fit & look right on a motorcycle again. Being as big as I am I seem to draw ALOT of attention when I get on a Motorcycle. I dont currently own one though and would like to purchase one over the winter while they will be selling cheap....I like all styles of bikes..especally FAST ones..I love the new 200hp Yamaha Vmax...but its like $18,000 and I want to spend like $3,000...I could get like a 90 model Vmax though, They were fast too and look great..Love the Hayabusa too, and the old school Kawasaki KZ1000's...But I was wondering if any of you guys had motorcycles and if so what do you ride? Any suggestion or pionters about buying a used bike? Any and all motorcycle conversation is welcome in here..Thanks guys

I haven't ridden since college, but I have the tentative reach-goal award of getting myself one of these:



Harley Nightster. I like the look.

I admit to being a motorcycle nut. Have been since age 9. I ride about 18-20K a year (I did even at 388) and currently own 3:
 
a Cagiva Gran Canyon (one of the best bikes ever, air -cooled Ducati motor in an adventure bike frame)
a BMW K1200LTC
a BMW R1200GS Adventure

But I've owned most everything. From 1992-2004 I rode Harleys of all kinds ( including Sportsters, as I didn't get real fat until this century with the diabetes meds).

Now I like what folks are calling adventure bikes. To me they are touring bikes where I don't have to turn around when the road turns to **** It may be possible to find a Suzuki V-Strom DL1000 near your price mark, certainly around $4K . It has plenty of grunt and will hang with most bikes acceleration-wise and certainly out-corner many. It has an upright riding position you'll come to love and the ability to see around and over most things so it makes a nice urban assault commuter, too. And you can ride it with a belly.

I love to ride. I don't currently own a bike I had a 1999 yamaha v star 1100 until some a$$ puled out in front of me and put me in the hospital for 45 days with 2 surgeries. The good thing that came from that accident was i met my wife. Currently I tell my wife when I hit 200#s I will buy another one. I am looking at the vrod or a victory.

If you want a fast used bike try and find a honda v65, they compare to the v max.

I have a 2006 Yamaha Royal Star Midnight Venture touring bike.  We love it.  She's got the classic motorcycle styling, a V-4 engine with 4 Mikuni carbs, cruise, intercom, cb, am/fm, casette, 6-disc cd changer, a nice queen seat and backrest for the wife, plenty of room in the trunk and saddlebags,  and is comfy as heck.  She's a hefty girl and weighs in at over 900 lbs., but she will purr along the interstates or pull the mountains with ease. We ride  it to Gatlinburg, Destin FL, Helen GA, Gulf Shores, AL - anywhere else we want to go. Pleanty of power and all the comforts of home!  Yep, we love our Venture.  And since I've lost almost 130 lbs. it's more comfortable than ever to ride!
 
Thinking about getting another cruiser once I finish paying for the Venture. I'll use it to ride to work and scoot around town and use the Venture when we go on trips.  Yeah, that's the ticket!!  

2006 Harley Fat Boy

A lot of bikers here. So let me ask for some advice. I put in the picture of the Nightster because I love the way it looks. Me getting a bike is probably not until next Spring or Summer. But I don't know what bike would be best for me. I like the cruiser-Harley look best, as opposed to the touring or Ducati like bikes. The nightster is a 1200; I wi**** were the 883. I don't need speed. My rides will all be short. Never carrying anyone.

So with that style in mind, what are other bikes that I should be looking at? I also liked the retro bike that Kawasaki came out with a few years ago, the W650.

Thanks.

All the manufacturers are coming out with what they call mid-range cruisers. Kawasaki now has the 900 cruiser which has become very popular. Yamaha has the V-Star 1100, which are great bikes IMO. Personally, I would rather have 1100 or above since there is no substitute for cc's. I'd rather have more engine than I need than not have enough. Just cause you have the larger engine doesn't mean you have to haul ass, just means you can if you need to. I've seen way more folks buy a 750, 800, or 900 only to trade up to a larger bike within a year or so than folks trading down in size.   Just my $.02.

Look at the Triumph retro twins like the Bonneville or the Scrambler and the Ducati retro-twins . That 1200 Sporty motor is a good motor and IMO  the 883 is breathing hard at big freeway speeds.