Motorcycles

[Corlissimo]

I was initially ruling out the Triumph but I'll have to take a look. As for work I would do all that wasn't free, the valve work isn't scary.

The KTM looks bad ass but the single cylinder is making me less excited. Availability is limited and used prices are quite high. Orange is fine, I can ride it during hunting season.

With the Triumph I won't lose any credibility with my recliner driving dad.

If you go looking at new ones you might be able to find a leftover 2012 or older that still brand new. That should affect the price point nicely if you don't have to have the latest bad boy.

One downside I've heard from my friends that have Triples: Needing to allocate a larger budget to cover the cost of rear tires (you'll probably shred a few just because it's so much fun) and a line item for court fees/speeding tickets.

[Tamara]

I would avoid testosterone poisoning when picking out your bike. The bigger and heavier the bike, the more trouble you can get into. Example: the Speed Triple is a larger version of the 675 and has, to my mind, some disadvantages. It's heavier with a higher center of gravity, more expensive, not as nimble in the corners, etc. The 675 is 350 lbs or so dry with greater than 100hp and 50 ft-lbs of torque pretty much straight across the power band - keep in mind that mine is an '09 version, the specs may have changed. This is more than enough juice for any on-road situation.

A hundred times this.

The US market at some point decided that 600cc was a "girl's bike" when in reality by the mid '90s even middleweight sportbikes had more power than you could use anyplace but a flat, empty interstate. And literbikes these days are... well, I don't think I ever cracked my TL Thou's throttle WFO; there just really wasn't anyplace to do so.

I've toyed with the idea of getting a bike again, and if I do, I'm actually looking hard at either the DRZ-400SM or one of the newer smallbore offerings. (Even an '01 model 250 Ninja would run 0-60 and 1/4mile times quicker than my Z3 2.8, which is no slug, and I get a kick out of tachs where the redline has as many digits as the budget deficit.)

Use to ride a lot; my advice would be to buy a used, mid-sized bike at the end of the season cheap (idjits who injure/scare themselves on bikes will often sell 'em cheap), take a motorcycle safety class during said off season, take it slow and easy when you first start riding and then, with a year of experience under your belt, trade the used bike in on the one you really want.

This is also excellent advice.

Although that bit about "First year unscathed/riding career fine" is debatable, at least according to the steel rod in my shin. Then again, riding a hundred miles a day in Atlanta traffic, year round, well... the odds will catch up to you after a while.

[JFK]

I love the Italians. I have had 3 Monsters. This being the current. I have done 400 - 500 miles a day with no issues. Also have done some light touring.



Here is a picture of it all geared up at the top of the pass between Dolores and Telluride....

[JFK]

Also for what it is worth my brother has a Speed Triple and it is one killer bike. They are so light and nimble, just great handlers, and they look good too.

If you want to avoid maintenance cost the Triumph is a good way to go.

[taadski]

I rode sport bikes a lot in years past but eventually grew tired of the aggressive riding position and the associated discomforts. Most of my riding has morphed into commuting and fairly low adrenaline touring but I still have a strong penchant for the twisties. I live in rural Colorado and bought a Vstrom 650 a few years ago because I wanted something capable on our proliferation of dirt County Roads but that still maintained a good degree of competence on pavement. The Vstrom is a bit of an ugly duckling and doesn't necessarily exhibit "soul" but in hindsight, a few years down the road, it was a perfect choice for me. I look at it as a poor man's version of the BMers with a slight street bias. I did a 1000 mile ride over a couple days last fall with a buddy who has a new GS800. We spent some time swapping back and forth and I have to say that I'd have been disappointed on the pavement side if I'd gone with the 800. (Off road performance is admittedly another story though.)

I might suggest taking a look at the SV650s. While still not in what I'd call the "soulful" category, they have TONS of performance utility in a fairly inexpensive package. They have the same forgiving torquey v-twin as the "weestrom" (albeit tuned a bit differently), have an upright comfortable riding position and have the handling and "flick-ability" to perform really well in the corners. A number of track schools use them as student bikes as they're very neutral handling and forgiving but still have the necessary performance. They come in a fared model and a naked version, have ABS available, etc.... If I was looking for a reasonably priced pavement only sport commuter, it'd definitely be on my list.


t

[taadski]

I love the Italians. I have had 3 Monsters. This being the current. I have done 400 - 500 miles a day with no issues. Also have done some light touring.



Here is a picture of it all geared up at the top of the pass between Dolores and Telluride....

Before reading the text looking at the photo, I just said to myself "That looks like Lizard Head Pass".

Nice! That's my neck of the woods. ;-)

t

[David Armstrong]

Nothing like what you have described, but for sheer fun and a bike with "soul", those URAL bikes with the sidecar are at the top of the heap. Not much speed but tons of fun and panache.

[RoyGBiv]

Nothing like what you have described, but for sheer fun and a bike with "soul", those URAL bikes with the sidecar are at the top of the heap. Not much speed but tons of fun and panache.

I agree...
Great Ural ride report here from last summer.... : http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=454177

[DucNaked]

I vote Duc! Here's mine

[JFK]

Before reading the text looking at the photo, I just said to myself "That looks like Lizard Head Pass".

Nice! That's my neck of the woods. ;-)

t

DIng! So pretty. That bed and breakfast in Dolores has the best breakfast... I guess that is what you get when the joint is ran by stoners!