Which one should I get?

[njac]

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my ex had a Suzuki GS500E - it was a great commuter bike.

And yes, I saw him drop it several times, and there were road accidents as well. Nothing more fun than getting a phone call from your significant other from the ER.

 

[cycloketocaine]

I honestly don't care what you do to put yourself in harms way. Go jump off a damn cliff.

But getting on a motorcycle and/or car and driving like a jackass involves others too. I don't care how much "protection" you have in a car...you're going to kill someone else. And you're being a negligent macho bastard.

Wooo...sorry, I had to get that off my chest. Just hoping something wakes you up sooner rather than later.

👍👍

Excellent.

 

[Sparda29]

I've never heard of base jumping until now. [YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttz5oPpF1Js[/YOUTUBE]
I think I'd wanna puke right after jumping, but then I'd probably get used to it after that.


I hope it's a clean video... The sound isn't hooked-up on my computer. 😳

Oh, those are the one's with the squirrel (wing) suits. Pretty fun but not as exhilarating as this:

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vB4gwmpiXGI[/YOUTUBE]

Fast forward to about 0:45

 

[PharmDstudent]

Oh, those are the one's with the squirrel (wing) suits. Pretty fun but not as exhilarating as this:

[YOUTUBE]vB4gwmpiXGI[/YOUTUBE]

Fast forward to about 0:45

Yep. Definitely would .

 

[MountainPharmD]

Well, I'm assuming the heavier the rider, the more power the bike should have? I weigh ~235, so I'm guessing that 600cc wouldn't generate enough power.

My first bike was a 1991 Yamaha FZR 600. I am about 220 and had no issues with power even with a passenger on the back.



Have you checked the price of any of the bikes you listed? They are not cheap. If you want a commuter bike get a used Honda CB500 or a little fancier one of the BMW F650 models.

A sport bike like a Ninja, GSXR or CBR would be the most impractical bike for a commuter. They have an uncomfortable cramped riding position and have very poor maneuverability especially at slow speeds such as dodging through stopped traffic.

 

[MountainPharmD]

ISparda, what about rock climbing, kayaking, sky diving or something like that?

I'm just trying to think of alternatives to the ICU...

These are viable alternatives to the ICU? I have spent more time injured and in the ER or hospital skydiving than I have riding a motorcycle.

Walking across the street can be a dangerous activity if you do it in an unsafe manner. The key to not getting injured, be it on a motorcycle or jumping out of an airplane, is to do it safely. Know your equipment, know how to properly use it, know what do to if something goes wrong and most importantly know your limitations.

 

[njac]

Current mr njac used to work at a BMW motorcycle dealership. He has only good things to say about the product

 

[PharmDstudent]

These are viable alternatives to the ICU? I have spent more time injured and in the ER or hospital skydiving than I have riding a motorcycle.

Walking across the street can be a dangerous activity if you do it in an unsafe manner. The key to not getting injured, be it on a motorcycle or jumping out of an airplane, is to do it safely. Know your equipment, know how to properly use it, know what do to if something goes wrong and most importantly know your limitations.

For what Sparda is trying to get for his money... an adrenaline rush, yeah, I'd say so. 😉

I'd also venture to say that "other people" are a huge problem for riders. I see signs like this all the time...

http://sheriff.co.warren.ny.us/Units/Motorcycle/default.html

I've also never known a motorcyclist to kill someone else, but that's just anecdotal spiel.


You're right. Personal safety is key. 🙂

 

[njac]

I've seen motorcycle accidents roll into the ED with fatalities from the smashed as well. Usually due to overcompensating trying not to hit the bike, or a multiple vehicle accident.

 

[Sparda29]

Something I learned from when I took this advanced driving class from the BMW team, the most skilled people on the roadways are motorcyclists (extremely quick thinking), and truckers (gotta think much far in advanced).

The accidents that I've seen where speed was blamed, was usually the fault of the person traveling at lower speeds. One accident I saw was when there was this guy was moving up in the left lane accelerating to around 90 mph. Some idiot going 45 mph moved into the left lane as he was approaching.

Something else I've noticed in NYC is that, most people don't obey the "keep right except to pass" rule, or they've never had it ingrained in their head that the left lane is the fast lane, and never learned about moving over or accelerating when a faster moving car is coming up behind them. I really should get this decal for my car.

 

[civex]

So, I'm thinking about buying a motorcycle once the semester starts. I have a few bikes in mind, so tell me which one I should get. (I'm relatively a n00b when it comes to motorcycles.)

Wow. Um. If you're a relative noob to motorcycles why are you looking at literbikes? Heres what I'd do if I was you, first I'd buy one of the ones you are looking at, take the money you might spend on a jacket and helmet, and invest it in a life insurance policy. Then leave the policy to a worthy charity, so when you become a smear on teh side of the road, someone benefits.//

For real though, start small and then graduate to a larger bike as needed. You will drop your first bike. If you want a bike for commuting think cruiser or at least a sport touring. Yeah, they're not as *bad@ss*, but they are way more comfortable, usually cheaper, and have a wider selection in the 500cc range. If your stuck on a sport bike, go with a 600cc. Just about all the newer 600's will do 180+, and run in the 11's in the quarter. I wouldn't buy new cuz you will drop it, not too mention the loss of value just from driving a new bike off the lot. You mention how you are worried that a smaller bike will not accelerate as fast as a fast car with someone your size on it, and even with a 500cc sport touring that is not something to worry about. A 600cc rocket will out accelerate just about every street legal vehicle out there. Any rider out there will tell you that the people that start on smaller bikes and graduate to larger bikes are the better riders.Oh, and most insurance companies charge you based on the classification of the bike, and the cc size, so smaller=cheaper. Sorry for the long post, but to start out on a new literbike is just dumb.

 

[Kirbypuff]

Sparda- you sound just like my bf... and probably all the guys who've enviously watched motorcycles drive in between lanes while the traffic crawls for a couple of hours. The risk doesn't seem worth it. You might get hit by a Long Island or New Jersey driver! 😛

You study at a hookah bar??? All that smoke good for studying?

EDIT: HAHA at the decal picture. Seriously, I hate it when people go 55mph on the left lane. In a 50mph zone, only 65-70 is acceptable. If you don't want to break the speed limit, that's what the middle lane is for.

 

[Sparda29]

Sparda- you sound just like my bf... and probably all the guys who've enviously watched motorcycles drive in between lanes while the traffic crawls for a couple of hours. The risk doesn't seem worth it. You might get hit by a Long Island or New Jersey driver! 😛

You study at a hookah bar??? All that smoke good for studying?

EDIT: HAHA at the decal picture. Seriously, I hate it when people go 55mph on the left lane. In a 50mph zone, only 65-70 is acceptable. If you don't want to break the speed limit, that's what the middle lane is for.

Yeah, sometimes just to be a prick from being jealous, I'll position my car in a way so that no one can go in between me and the car next to me. The risk of doing that is, the motorcyclist using their heavily padded elbow and smashing one of your windows, and then speeding away.

Yep, I have these huge ass headphones so it blocks out the noise and stuff. I know the owner so they're fine with me staying there for 8-10 hours at a time and giving me discounts. The trance music sometimes helps with studying, I dunno, I just can't study at the library.

 

[Carboxide]

Something I learned from when I took this advanced driving class from the BMW team, the most skilled people on the roadways are motorcyclists (extremely quick thinking), and truckers (gotta think much far in advanced).

The accidents that I've seen where speed was blamed, was usually the fault of the person traveling at lower speeds. One accident I saw was when there was this guy was moving up in the left lane accelerating to around 90 mph. Some idiot going 45 mph moved into the left lane as he was approaching.

Something else I've noticed in NYC is that, most people don't obey the "keep right except to pass" rule, or they've never had it ingrained in their head that the left lane is the fast lane, and never learned about moving over or accelerating when a faster moving car is coming up behind them. I really should get this decal for my car.

Nice decal 😀

But I gotta say, while driving slower than the speed of traffic is extremely dangerous, you should not be going 90 mph ESPECIALLY if you cannot stop in an accident. This may show that I'm a hick, but what if a deer jumped in front of your car? You'd be toast. What if someone wrecked in front of you? Dead. YOU are responsible for driving at a SAFE speed, and if your speed of 90 mph means you cannot slow quickly enough if someone cuts you off, then you are going too fast.

 

[Sparda29]

Nice decal 😀

But I gotta say, while driving slower than the speed of traffic is extremely dangerous, you should not be going 90 mph ESPECIALLY if you cannot stop in an accident. This may show that I'm a hick, but what if a deer jumped in front of your car? You'd be toast. What if someone wrecked in front of you? Dead. YOU are responsible for driving at a SAFE speed, and if your speed of 90 mph means you cannot slow quickly enough if someone cuts you off, then you are going too fast.

Hmm, that is one thing I am worried about a little with my car. Most peculiarly, my car doesn't come equipped with an emergency brake

But it is manual transmission, so I can downshift. I gotta take this thing to an empty parking lot or abandoned airfield, take it to 100 mph then slam the brakes to see how quickly they perform.

I've been able to do 90-0 in my old Honda Accord, but I didn't have to deal with a clutch pedal at the same time. However, stalling should be the least of my concern in that kind of situation.

 

[PharmDstudent]

Hmm, that is one thing I am worried about a little with my car. Most peculiarly, my car doesn't come equipped with an emergency brake

But it is manual transmission, so I can downshift. I gotta take this thing to an empty parking lot or abandoned airfield, take it to 100 mph then slam the brakes to see how quickly they perform.

I've been able to do 90-0 in my old Honda Accord, but I didn't have to deal with a clutch pedal at the same time. However, stalling should be the least of my concern in that kind of situation.

Maybe you need to get better brakes? A test run won't hurt though, just sayin about the brakes...

I have awesome brakes! I got really lucky. The guy(s) who owned this car before me had suped it up AND added "bigger" brakes. I can stop practically on a dime. Also, the brakes came in handy whenever this kid in his Cavalier had intentionally slammed on his brakes in front of me (to try to "show me" 🙄, which didn't work since I was able to brake immediately and then cut around him).

ETA: Oh, and downshifting is probably better than braking anyway, but the sound of the car revving down always bothers me.

My Car

 

[Sparda29]

Maybe you need to get better brakes? A test run won't hurt though, just sayin about the brakes...

I have awesome brakes! I got really lucky. The guy(s) who owned this car before me had suped it up AND added "bigger" brakes. I can stop practically on a dime. Also, the brakes came in handy whenever this kid in his Cavalier had intentionally slammed on his brakes in front of me (to try to "show me" 🙄, which didn't work since I was able to brake immediately and then cut around him).

Ah, the good old brake check. Nasty maneuver.

 

[PharmDstudent]

Ah, the good old brake check. Nasty maneuver.

Yeah. Jerk... He was just trying to show off, but it didn't work. His friend was riding with him in a nice truck, and well... you know... he probably felt inadequate in his silly little Cavalier.

 

[njac]

I brake checked a hick in a truck today and then he tried to run me off the road.

jackass.

 

[StaviZFingerZ]

I brake checked a hick in a truck today and then he tried to run me off the road.

jackass.

you sure it wasn't a taurus?

 

[njac]

nah, it was an old man with Ohio tags.

I did meet someone from Parkersburg yesterday though!

 

[StaviZFingerZ]

I have a friend there. I need to visit.

 

[njac]

you said your friend is south? I went south on 64 on Saturday to go to the state fair. It's pretty.

 

[StaviZFingerZ]

you said your friend is south? I went south on 64 on Saturday to go to the state fair. It's pretty.

I have no idea what city he lives in... I just know he lives in WV...

 

[ffpickle]

Something I learned from when I took this advanced driving class from the BMW team, 1) the most skilled people on the roadways are motorcyclists (extremely quick thinking), and truckers (gotta think much far in advanced).

The 2) accidents that I've seen where speed was blamed, was usually the fault of the person traveling at lower speeds. One accident I saw was when there was this guy was moving up in the left lane accelerating to around 90 mph. Some idiot going 45 mph moved into the left lane as he was approaching.

3) Something else I've noticed in NYC is that, most people don't obey the "keep right except to pass" rule, or they've never had it ingrained in their head that the left lane is the fast lane, and never learned about moving over or accelerating when a faster moving car is coming up behind them. I really should get this decal for my car.

1. so what? skilled doesn't necessarily mean safety. you can be a skilled driver (like me) but if you do a lot of stupid **** behind the wheel such as racing others (like I used to), then you're still putting yourself (& more importantly, others) at risk.

2. no. a) you don't understand the law, b) just because someone doesn't get out of your way while you're doing 100 mph, doesn't make it their fault.

3. well of course...NYC is a big city with lots of traffic. right except to pass is something you will see in the country a lot more, where it is less busy. in big cities, sometimes it isn't possible to move over so the faster drivers don't wait, they just do all the passing themselves (using 4 lanes if needed, etc.)

 

[Sparda29]

1. so what? skilled doesn't necessarily mean safety. you can be a skilled driver (like me) but if you do a lot of stupid **** behind the wheel such as racing others (like I used to), then you're still putting yourself (& more importantly, others) at risk.

2. no. a) you don't understand the law, b) just because someone doesn't get out of your way while you're doing 100 mph, doesn't make it their fault.

3. well of course...NYC is a big city with lots of traffic. right except to pass is something you will see in the country a lot more, where it is less busy. in big cities, sometimes it isn't possible to move over so the faster drivers don't wait, they just do all the passing themselves (using 4 lanes if needed, etc.)

It's possible to move over, but then the people who move over from the left lane will be doing like 30 mph in the cramped middle and right lanes, while people will be doing 75-80 mph in the left lane, then the people in the middle and right lane will start merging over because they wanna move faster, however there's always the 1 prick who always obeys the speed limit and slows down all traffic.

For some reason, I just can't stand moving at the same pace as traffic around me, I gotta have at least a +20 mph differential in speed.