my marriage is kind of in the shitter so I'm looking to have some fun and do something I always wanted to. I'm planning on taking my temp test this weekend and I'd like to buy a bike before the end of June. Right now I'm looking at a 2006 Honda Shadow Spirit or Suzuki Boulevard c50t. They're in the $4k price range I'm looking at, and all the bike guys I work with say Honda and Suzuki make great bikes. Do any of the riders here know much about them?

You know what doctors call motorcycle riders?
Organ donors

I recommend this one:



I've had it for close to 30 years now and it's still going strong, never needed an oil change and all the parts are still stock.

SOM is now finally tall enough to climb on it by himself with no help from anyone.

You know what everyone calls lawyers?
Cunts.

Depends on what you want from a bike really.
Jap "Harley" look alikes are nice bikes, and as long as you stick to the right ones, will be a lot cheaper to run than the real deal.
My only experience with them though was the Yamaha Dragstar 650cc I owned about 15 years ago, and while it was a fantastic bike as far as riding and looks, it was an unreliable piece of shit due to stupid design with the regulator/rectifier positioning. Only new bike I have ever owned, and it was the most unreliable.
Personally I have always been a Honda man, and that Yamaha defection was purely based on it being a better looking bike than the Honda equivalent. But it was enough to send me running back to Honda.
Of course I grew bored with the custom style and moved onto sports bikes.

One thing pretty much anyone will tell you about Hondas are they are bulletproof. Barely anything goes wrong with them seriously as long as they are looked after properly.

Just make sure you really want to get a bike, and its not just some mid life crisis type bullshit. Most biker deaths here are 40+ men who have never ridden before and suddenly get the urge as they get older because their penis is shrinking, or something like that.

I have been riding for 27 years now, and I am still not dead .. I think.

my current ride


and you can also get away with wearing comic book geek jackets like this

(and yes, I get the irony of me wearing the American flag, before anyone says anything)

I've wanted a bike for over 10 years. Originally it was the fact that I had a shitty job and couldn't afford it, then I got married and she said absolutely not. Now, I just don't give a shit and I want one. Besides, with my hour long commute to work being able to save on fuel in the summer would be great.

Just don't jump on anything too big too soon.
When I went from riding 125cc bikes as a learner to riding just a 200cc bike, it felt like a world of difference of power, despite still being a small bore engine. When I finally went up to my 650cc cruiser, I was more ready for it, then despite being 50cc less, moving to sports bikes was again a totally different thing.

I don't know how the whole bike riding thing is in Murica, but going too big too soon is the worst thing you can do.

In which case, why don't you wear one fashioned after Captain Britain?

Ended up getting the Shadow. The bike is insanely freaking sweet but I'm afraid it's too much for a beginner. I was looking at way less powerful bikes but this one only cost $2,900 and I'm determined to learn.I'm not afraid of this thing but I'm not stupid either. I'm having my uncle pick it up for me on Monday and drop it off at my house. I live on a back road and close to a couple empty shopping centers so I'll be able to practice. I'm not going to do any real riding for a month or 2 anyway. I figure this year will be my training year and hopefully next I'll be comfortable enough to take it on longer trips. Plus I plan on taking the Basic Rider course next spring to get more experience and get my motorcycle endorsement.

Can I ride on your back?

- Lothar

Because they don't make one maybe?
And who the fuck is gonna know who he is seeing as there is no movie of Captain Britain. Might as well have a fucking Booster Gold one if nobody is gonna know what it is.

Hope it's a worthwhile investment -- both time and money. It looks nice. Just be careful. And not in the "I'm being a dick and implying you're inept/reckless" kind of way.

He's growing up so fast.

No one wants to ride doog. Sorry doog.

Well, we got it. You have to fully let go of the lever before the clutch engages and the throttle has too much play. Apparently the guy who owned it last liked to be able to just take off, and since I'm just starting out it's not doing me any favors. I read up the owners manual last night so I'm going to work on tightening them up tonight.

Well, I always said I liked to tinker and see how things work so I definitely bought the right bike... I adjusted the clutch to the point that it hits the friction point about 3/8" before being fully engaged. It made it much easier to smooth the acceleration out. My neighbor was out and came over to take a look and he said it feels like the cable is stretched out. Everyone says I should just call the dealer and tell them to replace it, but I really feel like I should be learning how to maintain it anyway so I'll spend $100 on the cable and replace it myself either later this fall or next spring. Unfortunately the fucking battery was dead when I got home. Luckily I bought a trickle charger years ago so I pulled it out and plugged it in. Battery was only showing as 10% full so I'm going to run that overnight. So far it's pretty typical of the ol' Doog luck but ultimately I think I'll be better off.

you'll be surprised when you find out that your bike is actually a dormant transformer from Cybertron.

Best. Decision. Ever. What a fucking stress reliever at the end of the day! I haven't felt this good in 10 years and apparently it's starting to show. It took me 2 days of practice to get a handle on balance, clutch, and throttle control before taking it out on the road. I probably wouldn't have picked it up so quickly but my neighbor told me to ride around his 5 acres of property until I felt comfortable. That and the 2 shots and 3 beers I drank that calmed my nerves the first time it all clicked. I've been keeping my riding down to an hour or two when I go out and I always wish I stayed out longer.

I will say though...I don't drive drunk, I don't ride drunk. After I caught on I NEVER drink before I get on the bike. It is funny though...everyone I know that has or currently rides offer nothing but encouragement and helpful tips, while everyone that has never gotten on a motorcycle tell me horror story after horror story. That is the least helpful thing anyone could do to a beginner. I'm always nervous, alert and trying to pay attention to my surroundings and controlling the bike. I don't need to think about getting my face wrapped around the rim because I wasn't paying attention to the asshole behind me at a light rear ending me.

Yeah its the moronic comments like "you know what doctors call motorcyclists" that always come from those who have no comprehension of bikes.
Fact is most motorbike accidents are caused by cars. Cars crash into bikes, cars crash into cars and cars crash into people. You rarely hear bikes crashing into bikes or bikes crashing into people.
Also, more people die in car crashes than bike crashes, although obviously the odds of survival are higher in a car crash.

Anyone who says bikes are dangerous etc etc, is blatantly ignoring that any form of transport is dangerous. I have never lost any friends in bike crashes, but have certainly lost friends in car crashes.

As long as you ride sensibly, and keep your wits about you, you will go without any major crashes for your life. I have had a few nasty smashes, but worst I have ever had is a broken little finger in one crash and a dislocated toe in another. I have been riding for 27 years. I have been over cars and through cars, and seeing as they were all low speed crashes around 30mph, the crash helmet etc have protected me. So much for "organ donors".

I have heard of bikers being corrupted by the devil and turning into spirits of vengeance.

That's just G-Man's pick up line. He wants Doog to donate an organ to him.

Nowie, I sincerely apologize if, in any way, my comment created the implication that bike riders are negligent or reckless. Totally not my intent.

I was talking more about the idea that-as you point out-cars hit them and, therefore, (unfortunately) often cause death or seriously injury.

It was an expression of concern, not contempt.

Sorry if it came off any other way.