Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with motorcycle

Motorcycle Helmets in New York

LongDrive — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 07:52:16 -0800

What shop in New York City has the largest range of Motorcycle Accessories, specifically helmets? Currently visiting family in New York from Australia, and really want to pick up a Nolan Motorcycle Helmet this week. Nolan's own site has a pretty poor/non-existent retailer list, and due to the the limited time I am here, I turn to the hive.

I have a car, and can go pretty much anywhere in Long Island/Manhattan, so if anyone knows of a shop that has a huge/wide range of helmets in store, it would be most appreciated! Thanks!

With what machine shall I join the scootering masses?

abkadefgee — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:12:07 -0800

What kind of used scooter/motorcycle should I buy that will be relatively safe, repairable, and ~$1500 or less? I previously asked a question in April about taking a cross-country scooter trip here: http://ask.metafilter.com/119706/Is-a-crosscountry-trip-on-a-scooter-feasible-reasonable-or-at-all-safe

The info was extremely valuable and cleared up a lot of misconceptions I had. I've been doing some research since then, but it can still be very confusing to see I should look for in a bike or scoot and for what price.

For example: I recently found two scooters I could see myself buying: a 2009 Kymco Agility 125 for around $1500 or a twenty year-old Yamaha Riva 180 for a little less than half that.

The Riva could probably use a new cooling fan as it apparently overheats around sustained 50mph+ driving, but it's a low price point for what seems like a powerful beginner scooter at only 7,000 miles.

The Kymco doesn't seem to have any issues whatsoever, but has a top speed of around 65 mph and costs twice as much. I am a little unsure about whether I will be able to find parts as easily for this machine as a Yamaha and it's a bigger upfront investment before I've learned if I really like riding a scooter.

I'm willing to consider other alternatives, but I don't want to spend hundreds of hours looking for the perfect deal.

My main priorities are finding a bike that is relatively safe, four-stroke (for lower pollution), has a top speed somewhere around 70 so I can ride 55 mph comfortably, is repairable by someone with enthusiasm but not experience, has replaceable parts that won't be a nightmare to find, and isn't too expensive.

It would also be a big plus if I don't have to worry about major depreciation if I decide that the two-wheeled life is not for me.

Also, if you have any tips on negotiating a low price, let me know. Was hoping the upcoming winter would drive prices down at the least.

Is it safer to do a 5 mile commute on city streets on a bicycle or a motorcycle?

realpseudonym — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 01:45:08 -0800

Is it safer to do a 5 mile commute on busy city streets on a bicycle or a motorcycle? Let's say we have a 5 mile commute along fairly busy 4 lane city streets. Cars are parked on the curbs on both sides of the streets. Some of the streets are very commercial with cars coming in and out of driveways. There are city buses.

Assume that I am a perfect driver, and that accidents only happen because somebody doesn't see me or sees me and misjudges how close they are to me.

Am I safer riding a motorcycle with full safety gear (going up to 35 mph) or riding a bicycle with only a bicycle helmet (up to 15 mph)?

My first thought was that the bicycle is obviously safer because of the lower speeds involved. On the other hand, I thought the motorcycle might be safer because you move at the same speed as traffic; whereas on the bike, angry drivers will constantly be trying to pass you.

ship or rent?

nihlton — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 13:32:16 -0800

vacation ideas... wanna take the girlfriend on a two week motorcycle tour through the south in early january. had planned on going from texas to florida. we live in seattle. what is the cheapest way? looks like we can rent bikes for about $500-$800 a week (two bikes for two weeks = $2000 - $3200). Or we can ship our bikes for about $600 one way (two bikes, round trip = $2400), but im not sure we'd be able to get exact pick up and delivery dates.

or we could ride our bikes from seattle to texas, then to florida. how much of our two weeks would seattle to texas take up, assuming we were really aggressive about covering distance?

anyone know of cheaper rentals/shipping? alternatives im not thinking of?

general advice/tips related to the trip itself? (things to see, routes to take etc)

the dates are pretty concrete, but the locations (start/destination) are stretchy. can you think of better places? kind of wanna do this same thing in mexico/south america but air fare would get more expensive and i'd be worried about safety.

License to _____.

reductiondesign — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 23:15:53 -0800

"Upgrading" my driver's license—help! I'd like to have the legal ability to drive all sorts of things. The first that come to mind are a motorcycle license and commercial driver's license. However, I don't want to own or even have access to a motorcycle, a big rig, etc. I'm not exclusively interested in cars, either: forklifts, boats, planes (though I imagine this would be a large and expensive undertaking), whatever.

What sorts of things can I get tacked on to my license, how much would it cost, what would it involve, and how do I start?

I currently live in AZ, but I have a GA license. Also, I'm 19, but if there's anything that I can't do until I'm 21 (or above!) I'd still like to hear about it.

Thank you!

Overflowing Carbs

dsword — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 12:13:33 -0800

Help me diagnose a motorcycle carburetor problem. Recently, my motorcycle suddenly lost power. It still runs, but apparently only on one cylinder.

On the bad cylinder side, gas drips out of the exhaust pipe (where the pipe from the engine meets the chrome). The rate increases with the throttle. Evidently, liquid gas is being pumped into the engine.

I checked the fuel level on the carburetors using a clear plastic tube, and sure enough found that the bad side was way too high, while the good side was just right. "Aha!" I said, "The float or needle valve is bad."

However, the floats are fine (they float, no bent parts, etc...) and replacing the valves did not solve the problem. In fact there wasn't any visible wear, varnish, or anything else that seemed to be wrong with the old valves or any other part of the carburetor for that matter. (I didn't disassemble past the fuel reservoir). The carbs looked squeaky clean, in fact. The fuel filter is clean as a whistle, too.

Yet fuel still drips from the exhaust. Performance is still poor. The fuel level in the carbs is still significantly above the top of the reservoir.

What could it be? How are the carbs filling past the point where the float should shut the valve?

Buying a Motorcycle

sickinthehead — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 15:48:57 -0800

What's a good motorcycle for me and what do I need to know about the process of getting one? I am a mid-twenties woman of about 140lbs and 5'9. I am tired of having to rely on public transportation to commute and there is no way to park near my building with a car. Thus, I am considering getting a motorcycle to get around, and also for random road tripping on weekends. I live in Chapel Hill, NC. When I was a kid/teenager I road dirt bikes a lot, so I have some idea of how to maneuver a 2-wheeled vehicle.

My questions would be the following:

-what sort of bike do you think would be good for me? Let's ignore a definitive price limit, but I'm assuming no BMW or HD or the likes.

-I would have to take motorcycle driving lessons as part of acquiring the license to drive it (I believe). What are they like?

-Do you put motorcycles onto your car insurance policy?

-Can you finance a motorcycle like you can a car?

-Can I just park my motorcycle somewhere and take the keys out and assume that it would be safe?

-What else should I know?

Ideas for a challenging google-based rescue mission

vizsla — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 00:21:20 -0800

You're on an island in the middle of nowhere. You need to locate a used motorbike in a faraway country (Netherlands) where you don't speak the language for a next to nothing price. All you have is the internet. How do you proceed? A friend of mine was awoken in the middle of the night to find her 17 year old son crying in the bathroom. He had set his sights on a used motorbike he found advertised for 100 Euros. He took too long getting the necessary paperwork together and the owner had sold it before he could pick it up. He was devastated. In his mind, this was like the start of a new future for him. I offered to help set his mind on the right path again. Recently lost his father.

Sorry, I can't come into work today, it's drizzling and my car is stuck...

firei — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 10:48:51 -0800

Possibly going to move and work as a caretaker of a small farm-sanctuary in upstate NY. The problem? It's on a windy, steep dirt road and my car is less than good. Help! I'm considering taking a caretaker's position in upstate NY (and by upstate, I mean near Beekman, between Poughkeepsie and Pawling). Everything sounds great - a house, utilities, stipend, and I'll be able to get another job for additional income. I'm supposed to go interview next weekend.

However, I took a drive up to the area earlier this week with a friend. All was going well until we got about a mile or half a mile away - when the road suddenly turned to dirt and began to climb. The dirt seemed pretty well packed, but we haven't had rain in a few days and there were lots of rocks scattered on the road.

I drive a 1992 Volvo 240 (that has been in several accidents and isn't super reliable anyway). I believe that it will be able to make it up the road in decent weather, but things like rain and snow on a windy, hilly dirt road frighten me. (Do they even plow dirt roads?)

I want to take this position, but not if I will be stranded up on the hill when it's raining or snowing. Plus, it's a good four or five miles to the closest store or main-ish road.

I will need to drive for:
-errands
-social outings
-a job! (unless i can find a reliable "work at home" job, but I'm not counting on it - though suggestions are always welcome!)

I've thought about getting an ATV, but I don't think you can drive them on the road. I've also considered trying to park down before the road changes to dirt and walking/biking up, but that would not be so appetizing in driving rain or snow. Would new tires help? A different car? A motorcycle?

$700 is my limit, but obviously spending less in preferable.

Any and all suggestions are welcome!

Best Motorcycle Daytrip

swngnmonk — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 09:48:48 -0800

Renting a motorcycle for a day in San Francisco - what's the best day trip to take? I'll be out in San Francisco in early September, and I've decided to spend a day on a bike, getting out of the city.

Motorcyclists in the Bay Area - what's the ideal ride for early September? Assume the following criteria:

* Going midweek, somewhere between tuesday & thursday.
* Looking for something around 200-300 miles for the day.
* A great lunch stop.
* Curvy, scenic roads with photo opportunities.

I've heard about Alice's Restaurant in Woodside, and I remember the drive up to Stinson Beach being gorgeous, but those are two different directions, and so some local perspective would be a huge help.

Might be riding solo, might have a local with me, but that remains to be seen - hence I'll ask the question now.

Also - any suggestions on rental places are much appreciated - I've found a few online, but I have yet to hear anything about any of them.

Thank you!

Scootering back to Aus (Melbourne) from UK and want to transfer my motorcyle license.

lamby — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 08:27:33 -0800

Scootering back to Aus (Melbourne) from UK and want to transfer my motorcyle license. I have a UK A1 class motorcycle license (A full A1 licence permits you to ride any motorcycle up to 125cc and a power output of up to 11kW (14.6 bhp) without `L' plates, carry pillion passengers and use motorways.) Can this be transferred to something useful back in Aus (Victoria) so I can ride a Vespa (150cc) with sitting any more tests or having L/P plates??

Recording video from motorcycle

maxwelton — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 00:13:40 -0800

Today I took yet another step up the Ladder of Dweebiness, and strapped my cheap Exilim camera to ye olde motorcycle to record a short trip. Of course it turned out like crap, but with glimmers of ok-ness. Help me do better. I made some crucial errors, like leaving the camera in autofocus mode, and my bike is a real shaker, so anti vibe is only going to do so much. But the end result was amusing and I'd like to do better without making much of an monetary investment.

Worst, of course, was the sound, which was exclusively wind noise. How can I get a good feed from the exhaust, or is that going to require a separate device/microphone and later dubbing? If so, what do I need? I note the only port on an Exilim is a USB port, I don't know if this means it could take a remote microphone.

The camera is about 2 years old, a 7.2 mp Casio Exilim. When the autofocus was focused, the quality was fine for my purposes. If there is a current camera on the market which is cheap and will do what I want out of the box, I'd consider it, though I've owned Exilims since the first one came out and really like them, so anything else would be a reluctant move.

I don't want to spend much on what amounts to a lark, but am not against investing in (relatively) inexpensive gear which will make all this look much more professional. Open to online guides, quick-n-easy tricks, your own experiences, etc.

What are the best options in motorcycle gloves?

burnfirewalls — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 07:38:50 -0800

What kind of motorcycle gloves should I buy? Bonus question: where can I buy them in Chicago before this weekend? In case it's not obvious from the following details, I've never even sat on a motorcycle before. I'm attending an Illinois Department of Transportation instruction program this weekend to rectify this gross oversight, and one of the requirements is that I bring full-finger leather gloves. Since I'm pretty damn likely to enjoy motorcycling I'd like to go ahead and purchase a good pair. I've read through a good chunk of beginnerbiker.org and previous askmes, but they all seem more geared towards torso, leg and head protection questions.

1. Do any manufacturers make motorcycling gloves with wrist guards or do they restrict your hand movement too much? I wear wrist guards when I go skating and they've saved my ass a couple of times. Then again, my hands are demoted to doing airbag and cup-holder duty when I skate and aren't operating any controls.

2. Are gloves with knuckle-guards worth it, or do they just add a certain "I'm from the future where you have to punch open doors" mystique?

3. Gloves or gauntlets?

4. Where can I purchase these gloves or gauntlets in Chicago (especially the south side/south suburbs) before Saturday? I did a few quick google searches and came up with zilch. Right now it's looking like my only option is the Harley-Davidson store, but their gloves seem over-priced for the quality. Would any full-finger leather glove qualify for this training course, i.e. could I just go buy any old pair of leather gloves? They're not requiring us buy any other protective gear - just wear a heavy jacket, heavy pants, non-cloth shoes, etc. so my (total noob) guess is that the gloves just have to stop us from scraping our palms during the inevitable tip-overs.

Thanks everyone!

Motorcycle? Scooter? Moped?

nebulawindphone — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 11:47:46 -0800

I need a vehicle that's dirt-cheap, built like a tank, and easy to teach myself to maintain and repair — I'm currently a mechanical ignoramus, and I want to change that. Motorcycle? Scooter? Moped? I live in Austin, TX. For those who know the area, I'd be riding mostly around UT, downtown and the east side, with some excursions south. I wouldn't ever need to take the bike on the highway, although it could be convenient. Ditto room for a passenger — not necessary, but convenient. It would be my only motor vehicle, but in a pinch I could borrow a car from housemates for long trips or big loads.

I want something reasonably safe. I know there's risk involved with any of the vehicles I'm looking at, and I'm okay with that, but I'd like to keep it as low as I can manage. (No need to tell me about helmets, leathers or safety courses — I'm already convinced.)

I also really want something solid and easy to work on. Like I said, I know fuck-all about machinery. Back when I had a car, I could change the oil, jump-start the battery, and that was it. I'd really like to change that, but I'd rather not jump in at the deep end.

The catch is that I really can't afford to spend much more than $1000. I'd be happier spending less.

What should I be looking for? An ancient used motorcycle? A newer scooter or moped? (Or, hell, an ancient used scooter or moped from back before everything was plastic?)

No wheelies right?

Mr.Me — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 06:40:36 -0800

California scooter filter- I've got a Motorcycle (ride on) test tomorrow at the DMV. What can I expect? Anybody out there recently taken the test and can tell me what's in store? Been riding for years w/o the endorsement. Should I be sweating this test?

How do strangers play via their vehicles, on the freeway?

anonymisc — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 12:15:05 -0800

I was driving down the (somewhat busy, but not congested) freeway in a sports car, and a motorcyclist wanted to... play? Another sports car took took up the offer. What is this? What are these games and how are they played? What sort of things do people do to eek out some (quasi-legal?) fun in traffic? (I don't plan on participating, but I'm curious about the interaction) The bike's invitation was, when a "fun" looking vehicle came alongside, a big unnecessary engine revving while coasting slowly at similar speed. When the car and bike found each other, they sort of followed each other, crossing lanes more frequently than necessary, but not excessively. They didn't appear to be racing, or speeding. Bike also did a few fun-but-stupid things, rapid acceleration in a clear lane, some speeding, etc.

It seemed playful. What is the interaction that is likely going on? Are they pushing each other somehow while keeping the driving legal? Taking turns leading/following? Just staying together and weaving a bit more for the sake of interest? Is there a "known" sort of game/expectation, or are they just doing things to acknowledge the other, or...?

How can i find a squeak in a motorcycle engine?

casconed — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 22:31:00 -0800

My 1982 Kawasaki has developed a peculiar squeak somewhere in the engine. It only shows up when the bike is in gear and moving, and only when the clutch is engaged. It disappears if the bike is coasting AND the engine RPM is above 2k. The sound and frequency of the squeak do not vary with engine or vehicle speed.

Comfortable jacket for hot-weather scooter riding?

internet!Hannah — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 06:12:08 -0800

Where can I find a good jacket to wear while commuting on my scooter? I'm in Texas so I'm looking for something that's both safe and cool. So I just got a sweet scooter. It's pretty awesome. I've got a good helmet, I'm signed up for the next basic rider course in town, so now all I'm missing is a good jacket to keep me from losing my skin in the case of a wreck.

Here's the thing, I live in southern-central Texas, and so it gets hot and humid, and I'm trying to find a jacket that will cover me up without baking me, if at all possible. I don't look forward to showing up to things soaked in sweat either. I've tried looking at some websites at the "mesh" jackets but they look pretty heavy still.

So is there anyone else who motorcycles/scooters in hot weather? Are mesh jackets cool enough or should I be looking for something different? Does anyone have any recommendations that also won't break the bank? Thanks!

What is wrong with my motorcycle?

casconed — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 23:28:39 -0800

The starter on my 1982 Kawasaki KZ 750 LTD runs continuously when the battery is connected. I've checked the kill switch and the ignition and neither seem to be shorting out. What should i check next? The bike starts fine if i jumper the battery to the +/- hookups and runs great once it is started. The problem is that anytime the battery terminals are connected, no matter what position the key or the kill switch are in, the starter runs.

i've checked and cleaned the kill switch and the key ignition and most of the wiring and nothing jumps out at me as being broken. the previous owner said he couldn't get it started and he suspected a short.

Additionally, the problem is not solved when the ignition and the kill switch are disconnected completely.

Resource that archives motorcycle traffic incident reports for San Diego, CA?

toomanyplugs — Fri, 15 May 2009 14:04:47 -0800

Is there any resource that archives traffic incident reports for San Diego, CA? I'm thinking of SigAlert mostly, but their website doesn't seem to keep the info long after the alert is resolved. I would like to review "downed motorcyclist" incidents to try to learn from them, but most of the ones that make it to the news are the bad ones.

Almost every day, however, there seems to be an incident involving a motorcycle on the morning or afternoon commute, and I'd like to review the conditions, as well as how the motorcyclist fared, what they were wearing, etc. I can follow along with active sigalerts on this web site, but they go away after the alert is cleared.

Hot springs in Northern CA via motorcycle

mollymayhem — Fri, 01 May 2009 20:11:46 -0800

Hot springs within 2-3 hours of San Francisco, preferably north? Taking a motorcycle daytrip one day next week, hot springs would be a good destination. I'm a newbie motorcycle rider. Next week I'm looking to take a day trip with a close friend who's an experienced rider. We're hoping to go north from San Francisco. I'm thinking hot springs would be a good destination. I'm trying to convince him that staying gone a few days is a good idea (neither of us are working next week, and we could both use a few days out of town), but that's not necessarily going to happen.

Hiking more than a mile or so is unlikely to happen. Neither of us have any sort of luggage carrying capabilities on our bikes, so overnight stays would have to have roof/bed available. No camping.

Any ideas? I'm really into the hot springs idea, but other awesome destinations would be great.

PS: First question, I'm sure I'm leaving information out.

honda bike mod

nihlton — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 16:08:37 -0800

So I picked up a 1981 honda cm400 custom and I love it so much - but Im ready to start altering it. have a few questions about finding parts. [I realize there are motorcycle forums which might be more suited to these sorts of questions, but i already have an account @ mefi and would like to avoid a useless sign up if i can.]

I don't have access or the money for custom fabricated parts and I can't find many aftermarket parts *specifically* for this bike so Im wondering which would be compatible.

say the first thing id like to replace is the seat, tank and bars.

is there a CB model that id could look for which would fit my bike? I see TONS of CB parts. I was told the CB550 would probably work, but I would want to be sure before i start placing orders.

say I got all crazy and wanted to put an entirely new engine on the frame, how large could I go?

suggestions or general comments on modifying these sorts of bikes are welcome.

sv650 owners, speak up please

spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 13:06:11 -0800

Have you owned a Suzuki SV650 or SV650s? What did you not like about it? I've been obsessing and researching about motorcycles for a couple of months now. I believe I've narrowed my choice down to the Suzuki SV650s (just like the SV650 but with a fairing and a slightly lower posture).

I've heard all the amazing things about this bike. I'm totally psyched to get one as soon as I can afford it. I've read several posts on AskMe where owners have lauded it, and I've been reading a couple of fan/devotee/cult sites dedicated to it. Nobody ever says anything bad about it.

I'm considering a 2004+ model ('99-'02 were not fuel injected, and the '03 model was a one-off design).

If you have owned this motorcycle and there was something you didn't like about it, please speak up. I'd like to hear it.

I've taken the MSF class, I have the endorsement on my license, I have all of the gear minus riding pants, I'm 6'0"

Scooting my way up the Hill

rbs — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 11:16:09 -0800

Where's a good place to buy a used/new scooter in Pittsburgh? I've just moved here, doing a postdoc that will have me doing lots of back and forth between Oakland (Pitt) and the Hill district. I'd like to buy a scooter to ride to make that easier.

Where's a good place to do that? I've seen a few on Craigslist but know little about motorcycles/scooters and don't want to get a lemon. Can anybody recommend a trusted place to get one?

Will a 50cc be enough for the hills here?

Thanks!

what kind of gas to use

BrnP84 — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 21:00:08 -0800

Completemechanicalidiotfilter: Does it matter what kind of gas I use in a 1979 CB400? I've recently bought a 79 CB400 Hawk Type I and wonder if it matters what kind of gas I should use. I have the manual but it doesn't mention anything about it. I've been putting in regular unleaded and it's been running fine except the throttle is not all that responsive in the lower gears but someone told me this might be more to do with the carbs needing to be synched. On a side note, aside from studying the manual what are some good complete idiot motorcycle maintenance sites? Most of the places I've tried expect a fairly decent knowledge and I have pretty much none.