Can't shake that fever!!!

March 10, 2006 9:55 AM

Motorcycle filter: I live in the U.S. and am trying to decide on a new motorcycle (read on and on and on)...

1) I have put 13,000 miles on my Suzuki LS 650 Savage in the last three years. (MSF certified before mile #1)

2) The wifey is taking the MSF course, starting today.

3) I commute 7 miles, one way, with a stop at school in the middle, each work-a-day. Generally slow, in-town speeds, no interstates. I live in Florida, and intend to ride Every Day.

4) I have taken a few weekend trips, but now that the wifey will be riding alongside me (much more comfortable than pillion on the Savage) I forsee our weekend rides increasing with her experience...I intend to start some overnight tours as her confidence and skills allow.

5) The wifey will be taking the reigns of the Savage upon her completion of the MSF course.

6) This is where you come in...I am looking at my next bike. I have been researching and the following is my short list of the bikes that will fulfill numbers 3 & 4 above:

BMW 650 cs -- probably too pricey, but seems to fit the bill

Honda vfr (preferably late '90's model)-- seems like overkill, but I have to consider it because a good friend (who already sold his) RAVES about it.

Kawasaki z750 -- looks a little too sporty for my tastes, but I'm more interested in the right feel than looks.

Suzuki sv650 -- lacks fairing and the 's' model is too sporty in its posture. Also I do want something that will both perform in the daily rides, but yearns, not just complies with, the weekend/tours.

Suzuki dl650 v-strom -- I can only touch tip-toes here and the bike feels top-heavy (I am 5'9" 130lbs) though it seems like a very good all around bike (a tour-er that has some sport in it)

Yamaha fz6 -- This one really feels right, but is the 4-cylinder overkill for the everyday ride (same question for the vfr)? Also will I wish I had gotten a bike with full-fairing when I ride long-distances and in the rain? Otherwise this one is my front-runner.

I want a standard seating position. Something sporty, but not a sport. Something that can tour, but not a tourer. It will have to ride every day, and it should YEARN for the open road, not just comply with it.

My only other real question is can you provide me with any experience you've had with buying used vs. buying new? It seems that the break-in period is (pretty hotly contested) important and, of course, its always fun to get something new; but should I try and save a thousand bucks to get something with a few thousand miles, or should I just go ahead and give in to my desire and get a bright, shiny, new one? [I am really enthralled by the process of breaking a bike in and 'making it mine.' Is there anything to that?]

I could write all day about these, and I will be responding to your suggestions. Please give me any personal experience you've had, good and bad about any of the bikes in this list. Also feel free to suggest any other bikes you think are missing from my consideration. I know that this is a pretty specific question and I have put it on my favorite motorcycling forum, but AskMe is so great that I just had to ask...

posted by iurodivii to travel & transportation (18 answers total)

RE: the BMW.
Make sure you ride it a signifigant distance on your test ride.
A pretty sizeable portion of the BM community find it annoyingly buzzy/vibrationy.
Some don't notice it until a few miles in though, so you'll need to check to see if it's an issue for you.
posted by madajb at 10:20 AM on March 10, 2006

KLR 650. The ultimate urban assault vehicle. Incredible machine, despite its crude design. Its little brother, the Sherpa 250, is also righteous, though a little light for highway travel (unless you're tiny, like my wife.)

I've leaned the KLR over hard enough to scrape peg. It was okay with it. I've wheelied the KLR, once, and it was okay with it. I've done endless trail riding, including some motocross stuff. It wasn't okay with motocross (too damn heavy, too damn wide) but has gobbled up everything else I've ever thrown at it. I've ridden thousands of km highway, loaded with camping gear: again, it loved it. I've done up to 160kmh on it, and learned I need to balance the wheels if I ever want to go that fast again. I've done track stands with it. I've ridden two-up on decommissioned logging roads, hitting the water bars fast enough to take air. It loved it.

The KLR does nothing exceptionally well. It does everything adequately, and often quite well.

I can't imagine a better all-purpose bike.

But if you're strictly asphalt, I understand the SV650 is a really sweet bike. Likewise the V-Strom when going distance.
posted by five fresh fish at 10:23 AM on March 10, 2006

i have the same distence commute (but i have interstate and stop and go). i have a 2004 fz6 and i LOVE it. very comfortable, both short ride and longer, havent had a issue with faring coverage. only thing i dont like about it....no helmet locks.
now used vs new...there is something so nice about a new bike. if you can swing it, go new. you wouldnt be buying someone elses problems.

plus...let me add one more thing, it looks hella cool ;)
posted by ShawnString at 10:25 AM on March 10, 2006

oh another questions...feel free to email me.
posted by ShawnString at 10:26 AM on March 10, 2006

They're all nice bikes, but pretty different. At the end of the day it'll come down to your preferences. If it were me, I'd go with a pre-VTEC (i.e. pre-2000, I think) VFR. It's major overkill for your commute, (have you considered getting a small commuting bike as well, e.g. EX250?) the VFR is one of the greatest all-round motorcycles ever made, typical Honda outstanding build quality, huge after market support, enormous user base for mailing list support.

As for new vs used, I will never buy a new bike. The garages of America are stuffed with motorcycles bought by aging boomers trying to recapture their imagined youth, but who then quickly realized they had no ***ing idea what they were doing and that there was just an outstanding chance they could get whacked. Unwilling to admit they screwed up, they keep it for a year or two gathering dust, but sooner or later the wife says something along the lines of "If you're not going ride that thing, would you please sell it!"

Last fall I picked up a barely broken-in R1100S for 45% of it's purchase price. Two years ago I got a W650 with 4,000 miles for 60%, and so on.
posted by mojohand at 10:33 AM on March 10, 2006

Bugger me. Its purchase price
posted by mojohand at 10:34 AM on March 10, 2006

Let me expand on the idea that whatever you get, you consider getting some cheapo scoot just for commuting.

I'm unwilling to ride a really nice bike like an R1100S on my commutes. Lots of short trips are very tough on bikes, just as they are with cars. Further, an expensive, good-looking bike is an attractive temptation for theft or vandalism. So for my commute I picked up a cheapo (used, of course) Suz GS500E. It's not a bad bike in its own right, actually gets the gas mileage Prius owners claim to get, insures for $115/year, is as reliable as a Rubbermaid trash can and every bit as attractive.

Since it's the same felony to steal my GS as it is to steal your Fz6 or Beemer, I'm hoping the bad guys will pass it over. Thus far they have.
posted by mojohand at 10:58 AM on March 10, 2006

Definitly used, I think the average mileage of a motorcycle's first owner is only 3000 mi. Now, if you go see the bike and the back tire is down to the threads with very low mi., you can assume it's been abused. My brother got a 10 year old yamaha 650 for ~$600, with only 500 mi on it (guy bought it, rode it one summer, then never again).
posted by 445supermag at 11:04 AM on March 10, 2006

I want a standard seating position. Something sporty, but not a sport. Something that can tour, but not a tourer. It will have to ride every day, and it should YEARN for the open road, not just comply with it.

This screams VFR to me.
posted by toxic at 11:42 AM on March 10, 2006

You're screaming 'VFR' to me, too...

A good resource of daily commuters and every-day, live to ride kinda guys can be found over at http://www.sport-touring.net ... more people there know more about bikes than anywhere else I can think of.

Another bike that you might consider is the Bandit 6s or the Bandit 12s. Trust me, you can *never* have too much power, the bike is an easy-to-maintain and very comfortable standard, and the engine is bulletproof for daily commuting use and doesn't have much in the way of breaking-prone modern doodads.

Oh, and my favorite generation of VFR is 4th gen... the 90-93 had gear-driven cams. Gotta love the cam whine.
posted by SpecialK at 12:11 PM on March 10, 2006

The VFRs are well worth raving about. The Honda V-4 engines are smooth, make plenty of torque and top end power. The other Honda you might want to consider is the 919 (a.k.a. CB900F), which is what I have (a 2002). It's a sporty-standard bike, very pleasant to ride around town and has enough power (about 110hp) to put a smile on my face all day long. It doesn't have any fairing, which some people find objectionable at highway speeds, but I don't personally mind it.
posted by knave at 12:18 PM on March 10, 2006

Check out the tasty new 650 Ninja! Not too sporty a riding position--i.e., you're not leaning all your weight on your wrists or splayed over the tank. I thought it was surprisingly comfy for a sport bike, and I'm a cruiser person.
posted by scratch at 12:25 PM on March 10, 2006

Let me chime in here as a supporter of the mighty VFR. ESPECIALLY if you put a set of Heli-Bars on it, you'll be quite comfy. You didn't mention price range but there are a couple of others you might consider...but I will say that, in my opinion, 650cc singles (or twins) are a bit inadequate for two-up riding.

-Ducati Multistrada - (expensive, but very cool and comfy.)
-BMW R 1100 R (early to mid 90's) - reasonably priced.
-Triumph Sprint RS (absolutely wonderful bike, and relatively inexpensive - get a yellow one!)
-1998-2000 Yamaha YZF600R

That last Yamaha is one of the most underrated bikes ever made. Much roomier and more comfortable than your ninjas and CBRs and R-1s. I've put 400+ mi days on my old one and wasn't the least bit cramped - I'm 6' 1". Excellent brakes, good fairing protection and very reasonably priced. You cannot go wrong with that bike. I promise. That inline 4 is so buttery smooth it's like riding an electric scooter.

Generally (but not always) the European stuff is cheaper to insure than the Japanese stuff. Someone mentioned a Bandit 1200 - definitely a good buy, plenty comfy.

Finally, I'd also consider a used Superhawk. The only thing I don't like about that bike is that the damned gas tank is small - you only get about 100mi range out of it. But it looks nice, sounds REALLY nice, and is quite comfy.

And buy used. You'll save money that you can spend on good quality gear if you don't have it, and have money for add-ons, and insurance, and things like that.
posted by TeamBilly at 1:25 PM on March 10, 2006

You have been reading this post, haven't you?
posted by TheRaven at 1:26 PM on March 10, 2006

Hey, if VFR is the one I'm thinking of, it's the one my MSR trainer finally settled on after a dozen or so bikes. Man, did he looooove that thing!
posted by five fresh fish at 2:30 PM on March 10, 2006

great answers so far, thanks.

TheRaven, my wife already knows the secret of the Moto-Rider (that's why she is becoming one herself, so that makes us an exponentially hot-stuff couple!!!)

I am certainly going to need to re-visit the VFR after the overwhelming response thus far (though I assume that is to be expected since it has been around in the U.S. longer than all the other choices combined...

fff, i must admit i have not considered the klr simply because I've only ever ridden pavement.

TeamBilly, I'll be checking into your suggestions...

...and will continue Dreaming about the bike of my future!
posted by iurodivii at 3:24 PM on March 10, 2006

Have you ever been tempted to continue down a gravel road? If so, KLR. If not, stay street.
posted by five fresh fish at 8:02 PM on March 10, 2006

Another vote for VFR, but not because it has been in the U.S. longer than the other bikes (I live in Japan).

Having owned bikes from Honda, Kawasaki and Suzuki:

In terms of quality and reliability, Honda is the best.

Of all the Honda bikes I have owned, nothing came close to the VFR in terms of performance and riding enjoyment.

Definitely go with the VFR.
posted by cup at 8:21 AM on March 11, 2006