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Started By
Message
Motorcycles: Harley v. BMW
Posted on 5/10/21 at 4:02 pm
Posted on 5/10/21 at 4:02 pm
I am thinking about a motorcycle. Something to cruise around on. Obvious choices are a Harley or BMW.
Which way should I go? Thoughts?
Which way should I go? Thoughts?
6
Posted on 5/10/21 at 4:39 pm to MISSOURI WALTZ
Get a GS, great bikes.
Posted on 5/10/21 at 4:41 pm to MISSOURI WALTZ
Triumph
Posted on 5/10/21 at 4:44 pm to MISSOURI WALTZ
quote:
I am thinking about a motorcycle. Something to cruise around on. Obvious choices are a Harley or BMW.
Been riding for over 50 years now and if given the choice between those two, I'd go with the BMW. But I don't understand why you've narrowed down you choices to just 2 brands of bikes. Kawasaki has a great line of big cruisers, as does Yamaha and Honda. Any Japanese manufactured bike is pretty much very solid as far as reliability on a daily basis. All it takes is proper maintenance on your part to keep them in good working order.
But first, do you have any riding experience? If not, you're probably biting off more than you can chew, especially if looking at a big cruiser to possibly take trips on. I always advise a new rider to go out and find something used to get their feet wet first and see if riding a motorcycle is truly for you. Not all people are equipped to ride motorcycles, mentally, physically and having the necessary dexterity to do so safely.
Until more info is provided, I can only respond with so much but I do have a lot of suggestions and advice if you're willing to listen.
Posted on 5/10/21 at 4:57 pm to gumbo2176
quote:
I do have a lot of suggestions and advice if you're willing to listen.
I'm willing to listen. That is why I started this post.
My motorcycle experience is extremely limited. The most I have ridden was on friends' bikes 50 years ago when I was in high school.
I appreciate my limitations and am not looking to jump out and join a biker gang. I have enrolled in a new rider training course that starts in a few weeks. The course is conducted by a local career and technical school, and a Harley Davidson dealer.
I would never ride a motorcycle because they are dangerous and I did not want my kids doing it. My kids are now grown, I am not in good health, and I figure that if I splatter myself all over a highway then so what.
Advice is appreciated. Fire away.
Posted on 5/10/21 at 5:14 pm to MISSOURI WALTZ
quote:
I have enrolled in a new rider training course that starts in a few weeks. The course is conducted by a local career and technical school, and a Harley Davidson dealer.
Smartest thing you can do.
I did the same years back and that course saved me from potential serious injury or worse at least a half dozen times in the first 6 months alone.
It is the very best info out there and will greatly increase your ability to stay out of most bad situations, or at the very least be able to minimize any potential injury.
Pride has no place on the road on a motorcycle. Especially not with every other cager with their noses in their cell phones these days.
Enjoy the class, enjoy your time riding and be safe!
This post was edited on 5/10/21 at 5:15 pm
Posted on 5/10/21 at 5:42 pm to MISSOURI WALTZ
I'll second what Shaken said. Smart move to take the MSF course and that is one of the things I was going to recommend. It will help with insurance premiums and if in La. I believe it also helps with the licensing process to get the MC endorsement on your drivers license.
I strongly recommend buying something used to start off. As with any new vehicle purchase, there is a steep depreciation to take into effect once you drive it off the lot. Let someone else pay that by buying used.
If buying a used bike from a bike shop, they should have the bike in good working condition with good rubber on the rims, fluid levels fresh, bike clean and ready for riding.
If buying from a private sale, it would be better to have someone come along with you to point out anything that may need attention. Just because tires have good tread rubber doesn't necessarily mean they are still good. There could be some dry rot in the side walls or maybe the owner got a few flats and plugged the holes if the tires are tubeless.
And speaking of tires, I will not own another bike with tube tires. If you catch a flat on the road with a tube tire, you need to break down the tire, patch the tube-----IF it can even be patched due to damage, remount the tire and put air in it. A tubeless can be fixed real quick with a plug without even removing the wheel and filled with air and off you go until you can fix it properly-----------and NEVER try to fix a tire if the sidewall has been compromised.
Chances are pretty good that sometime in the first few months of riding you will put the shiny stuff on the pavement due to rider error or trying to avoid an a-hole in a car that will say "I didn't see him".
This is why I ALWAYS ride like the people in cars are out to get me----not in a paranoid manner, but very aware of my surroundings.
In 50 years of riding I've been off the bike 4 times, and every one of them was due to others on the road. If you ride long enough, it will happen because I don't know anyone who hasn't been off their bike at one time or another due to idiots not paying attention.
May want to rethink that one. I'm sure something like that would affect many people in your life and that is kind of a mindset that has me thinking you may ride like a loose cannon and get in over your head from time to time. An 800 lb. motorcycle vs. a 2300 lb. car is a big mismatch.
Hope some of this helps. If you have any specific questions, feel free and I'll do my best to answer.
I strongly recommend buying something used to start off. As with any new vehicle purchase, there is a steep depreciation to take into effect once you drive it off the lot. Let someone else pay that by buying used.
If buying a used bike from a bike shop, they should have the bike in good working condition with good rubber on the rims, fluid levels fresh, bike clean and ready for riding.
If buying from a private sale, it would be better to have someone come along with you to point out anything that may need attention. Just because tires have good tread rubber doesn't necessarily mean they are still good. There could be some dry rot in the side walls or maybe the owner got a few flats and plugged the holes if the tires are tubeless.
And speaking of tires, I will not own another bike with tube tires. If you catch a flat on the road with a tube tire, you need to break down the tire, patch the tube-----IF it can even be patched due to damage, remount the tire and put air in it. A tubeless can be fixed real quick with a plug without even removing the wheel and filled with air and off you go until you can fix it properly-----------and NEVER try to fix a tire if the sidewall has been compromised.
Chances are pretty good that sometime in the first few months of riding you will put the shiny stuff on the pavement due to rider error or trying to avoid an a-hole in a car that will say "I didn't see him".
This is why I ALWAYS ride like the people in cars are out to get me----not in a paranoid manner, but very aware of my surroundings.
In 50 years of riding I've been off the bike 4 times, and every one of them was due to others on the road. If you ride long enough, it will happen because I don't know anyone who hasn't been off their bike at one time or another due to idiots not paying attention.
quote:
I figure that if I splatter myself all over a highway then so what.
May want to rethink that one. I'm sure something like that would affect many people in your life and that is kind of a mindset that has me thinking you may ride like a loose cannon and get in over your head from time to time. An 800 lb. motorcycle vs. a 2300 lb. car is a big mismatch.
Hope some of this helps. If you have any specific questions, feel free and I'll do my best to answer.
This post was edited on 5/10/21 at 5:44 pm
Posted on 5/10/21 at 5:55 pm to MISSOURI WALTZ
quote:
My motorcycle experience is extremely limited.
if you expect to be doing your own maint and repairs then i suggest a yamaha in the star line
yamahas are the easiest to work on and they use allen nuts everywhere on everything so you dont ever have stripped screw issues to deal with.
since this is your first bike i suggest you get an xvs650 v-star, its not heavy so easy to pick up if you drop it and its not a powerful beast that can get away from you. you can pick these up used for about $2k with very few miles on them.
i have the xvs1100 and it has all the power i will ever need, but the larger star bikes like the 1300 and 1600 are high powered beasts and very heavy so you need to be an experienced rider to be on something that heavy and powerful
if buying used keep in mind bikes often have very little miles so look for something under 25k miles and most barely have 10k on them
also when buying a helmet get a full faced modular (front half flips up) they are the best but make sure it doesnt have the anti fog shield feature. its an extra shield behind the visor that prevents fogging up but in truth all it does is cause wind noise through the mounting holes through the visor. the wind noise from them is to the point it drives you crazy and you cant enjoy a peaceful ride
by the way, i have been riding for 44 years now and i have had 3 suzukis, 5 hondas, and 6 yamahas. i loved the suzuki but they were impossible to work on because the phillips screws always stripped out making even minor work take forever.
also you couldnt give me a harley, if i won a new one today i would never ride it and sell it to buy a rice burner. i always liked what i read about bmw but never had the chance to own one
This post was edited on 5/10/21 at 6:19 pm
Posted on 5/10/21 at 6:33 pm to keakar
quote:
i have had 3 suzukis, 5 hondas, and 6 yamahas. i
Sounds a bit like my rides over the years but my bikes were 1 Triumph, 1 BSA, 4 Hondas, 1 Harley (a 59 Panhead I got as a basket case back in 73) and 2 Kawasaki Nomads. My current bike is the Kaw Nomad 1600cc V-Twin, 5 speed, shaft drive, liquid cooled big cruiser.
At age 68, this Nomad will likely be my last bike. I made up my mind long ago if I couldn't ride 2 wheels, there would be no trike in my garage.
Posted on 5/10/21 at 6:58 pm to gumbo2176
quote:
Sounds a bit like my rides over the years
my favorites were the honda 360s, i had all 3 of the 360 models, the cb360 , cc360 with the high exhaust right under the seat that always burned the shite out of you when you put your leg down, and the cj360 models. i rode those things until they died of old age lol.
i had the cb500 basket case that was like a harley because it took a week of repairing shite for every day i got to ride it and finally gave it away when the charging system crapped out and i was done putting more money into it and i had the cb750 as well, but to be honest those underpowered little 360s were so nimble and fun it was like riding a bicycle at 90mph
This post was edited on 5/10/21 at 7:05 pm
Posted on 5/10/21 at 7:14 pm to keakar
quote:
my favorites were the honda 360s,
My first bike was a Honda 350 Street/Scrambler twin with the exhaust pipes both along the side of the bike about knee high. I actually rode that bike from Jackson, Ms. to New Orleans and back a few times.
The British bikes were the worst back then with the horrid electrics that crapped out at the worst possible time.
I loved the 59 Panhead and actually wish I'd have kept it but I sold it to bail my son out of the hospital when he was born since I had no insurance at the time.
I've had 1100 Honda twins and the 77 750 Super Sport in line 4 that was a nice bike to ride---mostly commuting though and not really long over the road hauls.
The Kaws I've had were both Nomads and I've been to a lot of states on them over the years. I don't trailer my bikes and ride them to and from rallies or just whenever the long ride hits me and off I go.
My favorite destinations are the mountains. I've been to the Smokies many times, rode most of the Blue Ridge Parkway, Natchez Trace, all over Tennessee, Kentucky, N. and S. Carolina. I've been to many rallies in Eureka Springs, AR over the years and love the Ozarks, but my favorite mountains to ride in are the Rockies. I've been there 3 times over the years and love riding those big sweepers way up in altitude as opposed to all those switchbacks in the Ozarks and Smokies.
My longest day in the saddle was over 1100 miles and I usually averaged 650-750 a day when heading to and coming from rallies or long trips. I've been up to Bloomington, IN. several time to visit a friend when he was still on this side of the ground and I'd do that in one go------840 miles from my door to his.
My wife likes to ride, but her arse is only good for around 300 a day and she says I must have a cast iron arse to stay in the seat for all those miles.
I got to admit though, as I've gotten older, it's not as easy to hit those real long days like I use to.
Posted on 5/10/21 at 11:59 pm to MISSOURI WALTZ
BMW is high on my list of motor cycles, if I were to buy a bike today it would be a BMW. I have had Yamahas, Hondas, Suzukis and would recommend any of those. I personally like standard bikes or naked bikes. I can't stand a cruiser, I don't want to sit in a lounge chair when I am on a bike.
You can have a TON of fun on a smaller bike, you don't need much HP to get a bike moving. Even the 300cc class bikes are super fun to ride. I have had the stupid fast 0-60 in under 3 second bikes, they are fun but can get away from you fast.
If I was buying a bike for myself right now it would be a BMW S1000R or Yamaha MT10. Both of those bikes have gotten SLOWER over the years. I actually tried to buy an S1000XR a few years ago but BMW's allocation system is screwy. They wouldn't let me order one with the low suspension because the dealer had a standard one in stock... they told me to just buy that one.
You can have a TON of fun on a smaller bike, you don't need much HP to get a bike moving. Even the 300cc class bikes are super fun to ride. I have had the stupid fast 0-60 in under 3 second bikes, they are fun but can get away from you fast.
If I was buying a bike for myself right now it would be a BMW S1000R or Yamaha MT10. Both of those bikes have gotten SLOWER over the years. I actually tried to buy an S1000XR a few years ago but BMW's allocation system is screwy. They wouldn't let me order one with the low suspension because the dealer had a standard one in stock... they told me to just buy that one.
Posted on 5/11/21 at 6:04 am to MISSOURI WALTZ
That’s one helluva honest answer. Kudos and more power to you bro!
Posted on 5/11/21 at 9:37 pm to MISSOURI WALTZ
Royal Enfield INT 650?
Posted on 5/12/21 at 1:59 am to TrueTiger
quote:
Royal Enfield INT 650?
Saw a guy on one of these in St. Bernard Parish a few months ago and got to look at it up close. Nice looking bike to be honest and when talking to him, he seemed to really like how it handled.
He said it was light and nimble and at 650cc's, it had plenty of power to get him down the road. The only thing he had over bone stock was a small "Cafe' Racer" type windshield to help deflect some of the wind at highway speeds.
Posted on 5/12/21 at 9:52 am to gumbo2176
Want something bullet proof and more stability? Go with a Honda Goldwing Trike. I ride one. I have over 20 years and 100K miles experience on bikes. My back is bad. No concerns about dropping. 6 cylinder bikes are smoother than anything. BMW has a lot of preventive maintenance and also uses premium gas as does the Harley. Lots of classes to be had through GWRRA.
Posted on 5/12/21 at 10:37 am to Philzilla2k
quote:
Triumph
This all day. I was in your boat a little over a year ago.
Looked at Harley, kinda wanted a Ducati, really liked BMW.
Triumph fit me best, and gets comments wherever it goes.
Was a great buy.
Posted on 5/12/21 at 11:15 am to Popths
quote:
Go with a Honda Goldwing Trike.
Yeah, but I'd guess you're talking $40K+ for a new fully equipped Wing Trike. That's a lot of coin for a motorcycle.
Posted on 5/12/21 at 12:14 pm to MISSOURI WALTZ
If this is your first bike, then you should start with an MSF beginner course.
After that, try out a lot of different bikes.
BMW and Harley are two of the most expensive brands.
I would suggest starting with Honda, Yamaha or Suzuki, depending on your preference.
After that, try out a lot of different bikes.
BMW and Harley are two of the most expensive brands.
I would suggest starting with Honda, Yamaha or Suzuki, depending on your preference.
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