Motorcycles.

[Minpin]

That's awesome. I can't believe it's still carbureted, though.

So you think it isn't too much power? I mention it cause I saw a video review and the guy was 6'3" and he said it fit him great.

Kawi has the BEST lineup of bikes though, btw.

[Eye of the Tiger]

So you think it isn't too much power? I mention it cause I saw a video review and the guy was 6'3" and he said it fit him great.

Kawi has the BEST lineup of bikes though, btw.

I don't care how tall you are, 100hp is a lot for a beginner. If I was you, I'd lean more towards the ER6n or the 650R.

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

Kawi has the BEST lineup of bikes though, btw.

Suzuki does!

[Eye of the Tiger]

Suzuki does!

Triumph does!

[Cookie Monster]

There are a lot of different causes for motorcycle crashes.  A lot of things that you don't think twice about in a car could cause a crash on a bike.  These include hitting a patch of pea gravel or sand while in a turn, those stips of tar that the highway dept put down on roads to seal cracks, and numerous small animals that you could hit with your car with no ill effects (something as small as a squirrel can take a bike out, and hitting a larger animal like a deer is generally fatal).

And yes, many bikes have some form or underseat storage.  Bikes with underseat exhausts generally don't have any usable space.  Even newer bikes with traditional side exhausts don't have much space under there and what's there is mostly taken up by the tool kit.  Mine's big enough to hold the tool kit, my paperwork (registration and insurance) the owners manual and a fairly thin/light pair of gloves (I usually wear an old pair of motocross gloves).

I know what you're talking about. Those painted lines on the road scare the crap out of me while going 30-35 MPH on my bicycle.

I think I'd be pretty good at handling a bike. Of course, I don't really know because my only experience comes from riding a 10 HP motorcycle in India over sand and potholes.

[heelntoe]

I think I'd be pretty good at handling a bike. Of course, I don't really know because my only experience comes from riding a 10 HP motorcycle in India over sand and potholes.

that might help you a little in that you'll be familiar with the basic layout of the controls.

[Tave]

My roomate has a little Honda 250 quad that we use to do errands around town, and I've been familiarizing myself with the clutch, shifter, and throttle. I think it's decent practice.

But I have trouble remembering which gear I'm in.

[heelntoe]

that doesn't matter anyway, if you need to go fast, downshift. if you are cruising, it won't me much hassle to see if you can go a gear higher.

[S204STi]

If you forget which gear yoar in, just apply the clutch and click all the way up or down through the gears and start over again.

[Eye of the Tiger]

If you forget which gear yoar in, just apply the clutch and click all the way up or down through the gears and start over again.

Yeah, especially if you're doing 70mph on the interstate and you can't stop in the middle of the road... just click all the way down to first, and let the clutch out just to make sure it's actually first gear. How you'll know: you will experience insane engine brakign that severely upsets the rear end of the bike and/or overrevs the engine and it asplode.

[Cookie Monster]

If you forget which gear yoar in, just apply the clutch and click all the way up or down through the gears and start over again.

What a dumb thing to do. PLZ don't get a bike.

[Cookie Monster]

that might help you a little in that you'll be familiar with the basic layout of the controls.

Yeah, except that it went N 1 2 3 4 instead of 1 N 2 3 4.

My roomate has a little Honda 250 quad that we use to do errands around town, and I've been familiarizing myself with the clutch, shifter, and throttle. I think it's decent practice.

But I have trouble remembering which gear I'm in.

Dude that happened to me all the time.   I'd just keep muttering to myself what gear I was in.

that doesn't matter anyway, if you need to go fast, downshift. if you are cruising, it won't me much hassle to see if you can go a gear higher.

That's a good way to do it. I suppose it becomes second nature after a while, like how you don't look down to see what gear you're shifting into while driving an MT car?

[Minpin]

I wants a bike! It would be so much more convenient than having my car up here. I should just go buy one and not tell my dad...

[Tave]

Yeah, especially if you're doing 70mph on the interstate and you can't stop in the middle of the road... just click all the way down to first, and let the clutch out just to make sure it's actually first gear. How you'll know: you will experience insane engine brakign that severely upsets the rear end of the bike and/or overrevs the engine and it asplode.

That's been happening to me at stop signs when I raise my left arm to signal.

[Eye of the Tiger]

That's been happening to me at stop signs when I raise my left arm to signal.

It might be safer to skip the signaling, in that case.

[S204STi]

What a dumb thing to do. PLZ don't get a bike.

Dumbfuck, did I say to let the clutch out in first?  No.  I don't imagine he's doing 70mph in a quad, either.

[Tave]

I was joking more than anything, but the quad doesn't like it if you shift from neutral to first on the go, even with the clutch engaged. Your point about going to the top and counting down is good advice, if a little time consuming.

I imagine it's simply a matter of experience, and I will find it easier to remember the gear as I ride more often.

[Eye of the Tiger]

I don't even count the gears. That's a waste of time. I shift when I want to shift. When I run out of gears, then I know I'm in 1st or 6th.

[S204STi]

I don't even count the gears. That's a waste of time. I shift when I want to shift. When I run out of gears, then I know I'm in 1st or 6th.

Yeah...that makes more sense. Who cares what gear you're in if it's working?

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

Most newer sport bikes have a gear indicater on the dash.

[MX793]

Most newer sport bikes have a gear indicater on the dash.

Most bikes other than budget bikes have gearshift indicators, and there are aftermarket units available for those that don't.

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

Most bikes other than budget bikes have gearshift indicators, and there are aftermarket units available for those that don't.

Yep!

[MX793]

Dumbfuck, did I say to let the clutch out in first?  No.  I don't imagine he's doing 70mph in a quad, either.

Clutch out or not, it's not smart to shift down into first at speed.  Even if the clutch is held in, the output shaft is still being spun by the rear wheel and all of the gears in the gearbox are being spun.  Running all the way down the gears quickly at speed can damage the transmission (same is true of a car, too).

[heelntoe]

i still don't understand why one would need it though.

[Eye of the Tiger]

So, basically, I want my Vstar back. I want a cruiser so I can be lazy.

[heelntoe]

or you can get a dual sport and go off roading...

[Eye of the Tiger]

Or I can get a cruiser and be lazy.

[heelntoe]

fine, get your cruiser and be lazy, but don't come running to me when you have to make a trip around the world and you realize that you're too lazy and have an incapable bike.

[Eye of the Tiger]

fine, get your cruiser and be lazy, but don't come running to me when you have to make a trip around the world and you realize that you're too lazy and have an incapable bike.

I loved cruising on my V-Star 650, until I found a really curvy road and tried to ride it like a sport bike. Also, it topped out around 90 mph. F'in slow. Ok fine, I don't want that. I want a Triumph Street Triple.

[S204STi]

Clutch out or not, it's not smart to shift down into first at speed.  Even if the clutch is held in, the output shaft is still being spun by the rear wheel and all of the gears in the gearbox are being spun.  Running all the way down the gears quickly at speed can damage the transmission (same is true of a car, too).

Ah, I learned something new today.  Thanks!