Friends, I will be taking a motorcycle class in a few weeks and wanted to get some advice from those that ride. I'm not so much into the speed as much as the open air so will probably opt for a cruiser. I don't know a lot about bikes at this point so any suggestions (models, brands, year) would be great. I sort of prefer the retro as a look and not so much into all the chrome/flash.

Thanks in advance.

remark Wrote:
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> I'm not so much into the speed as much
> as the open air so will probably opt for a
> cruiser.


Great idea, I know I prefer cruising over speed on the water. After all, you don't want to spill your drink.

Where are you taking the class? I too am interested in getting into a class and on the raod.

Doing it through APEX. They have several locations available.

Harleys are shit and they are expensive. I would suggest getting a rice rocket. Some of Kawasaki's cruisers have a retro feel to them. If you want to go with a real vintage look, you could check out Indian, though I have no idea how they are mechanically.

Honda makes some cruiser style bikes, and a couple of the models start well below 10k.

Harley Davidson is for the more experienced, and most of their bikes have that chrome look you are trying to avoid.

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“It's too bad that stupidity isn't painful." - Anton Lavey

My bike is excellent for cruising. It is a custom ride and I wouldn't trade it for the world. I have even ridden it across the country.
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LOL. That has Front Royal written all over it.
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The Yamaha C3 is great for beginners and not too chromey.

Thanks for the tip on the Indian. Not too many on ebay (and few with bids). Anyone have the story on them reliability wise?

Here's a 4cyl one for the 40's http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Indian-4-cylinder-1940-Indian-440-4-cylinder-motorcycle_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trkparmsZ65Q3a3Q7c66Q3a2Q7c39Q3a1Q7c240Q3a1318Q7c301Q3a1Q7c293Q3a1Q7c294Q3a50QQ_trksidZp3286Q2ec0Q2em14QQhashZitem33531299f4QQitemZ220437060084QQptZUSQ5fmotorcycles

Whatever you do, don't buy one of those douchey touring-style bikes. We've got enough of those on the road as it is.




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How about some of the girl bike rice rockets?





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/18/2009 02:51PM by ITRADE.

And nothing is worse than the bikes where the guy is wearing head to toe protective gear while the girl holding on is wearing just a helmet, sandals, and a tubetop with thongs.
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Thats hot.

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/18/2009 03:02PM by LOLcat.
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Aside from the price, what's wrong with Harleys? Are they sort of like the Rolexes or Bose of the world?

Hope you and your stupid bike take the plunge off of a highway overpass.

Is the OP dead yet?

There are 2 kinds of motorcycle riders...

Those that have put their bikes down and those that will. And that goes doubly for NOVA. This is a very dangerous place to ride motorcycles. Plus, when news of your horribly, fiery crash is posted on FU you get to have your memory shit on.

After starting off on the easy, but boring, Buell Blast, I moved up to a Triumph Bonneville America. It is the best balanced bike there is. It does everything well and doesn't have a mean bone in its retro body. While it is solid underneath on the interstate, the motor does work a little hard at 70mph and the stock windshield SUCKS.

In comparison, the Harley Electra Glide is perfectly attuned for the highway and cruises so much more comfortably. The Electra Glide isn't so benevolent around town and the top heaviness sucks at low speeds around a parking lot or at a stop light.

I ride a Triumph Rocket now. Jesus H, it is a fucking Saturn V on wheels! I kinda miss the all around easiness of my old Bonneville America but, the Rocket cruises so damn effortlessly. The giant exhaust pipes must be watched in close spaces, though. The 3 cylinder engine doesn't have the sex appeal of a chromed Harley V-Twin but, damn, it is powerful!

Bottom line, after your training, the Triumph Bonneville America is a handsome retro bike that is easy to grow into.

Purrrrfect.
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phantom_black Wrote:
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> Purrrrfect.

Yep, my B.A. was maroon and silver with saddle bags and Triumph Off Road pipes. Keeryst, it was a handsome bike and had a bad ass sound to it! But, my Rocket is paid for so, I think I'm done trading for now.