First Bike Suggestions please!

[Gatordoc]

You might want to check into a Triumph Tiger, comfortable, capable, and sporty. There's the Buell Ulysess as well, but a little out of the range. You might want to check out some of BMW's other 650 models, but once you get out of dual sports, it's hard to have respectable off, and on road performance.

I'd search the used bike listings at advrider.com too.

Love the Tiger and Ulysses, along with the Scrambler I mentioned in my original post. All great looking bikes which reflect the street/off-road balance I expect to see once I start riding. I've been lurking at ADVrider the past couple of weeks trying to get a feel for what I might like, great site!

IMHO, a Tiger or Ulysses is too much bike for someone starting out. Don't get me wrong, they're great bikes but both of them will hand you your testicles if you're not careful. Personally, if dirt isn't your thing and you're responsible enough, I'd go for a SV650. ...

This, along with the higher-ish price, is what has me thinking a Ulysses would make a great second bike. 103 HP, and more importantly 85 ft-lbs torque, might be a bit much for me to handle at first. Both Very cool bikes which will stay on my "short list" for my next bike, along with the Scrambler.

Re: dirt - The problem is I don't know if it's my thing or not at this point, having never ridden it. I enjoy exploring off the beaten path, however, so I would like to at least be able to try some easy trails should I get the bug.

I have two ideas.

How about something like the Suzuki TU250X. At $3799 retail, it's cheap, new, has a low seat and would get you anywhere you would want to go.
Retro looking if you're into that and if you decided to get into more off road or dual sport riding, then it would be cheap to modify with the right tires and suspension or keep for the weekend road trip.

While I like the price, it doesn't "speak to me" the way some of the other bikes I have been window shopping do. Something about it just looks disproportionate or not quite right, for some reason. Might be the photo, though.

Second choice is the Kawasaki KL250 Super Sherpa. Another cheap bike new with a low seat. It has some nice features the KLR 250 doesn't like 6 speed, rear disc brake, electronic dash, etc. I have one and like it a lot. I use it to commute, explore forest roads and take small expeditions with.
75 mpg and it will run 65 mph on the highway all day long. Geared low for back roads and forest roads and has plenty of zip for a 250. I'm 5'9, 180 lbs. and it fits me great.

I like the SS quite a bit; browsing around on Craigslist at them is one of the things that prompted me to take the BRC and actually try to get into riding again. My only concern with this is the on-road performance. Sure, it will do 65 on the highway, but how long does it take to get there? Is it going to be acceptable for evasive maneuvers in traffic, etc... Drivers in this area are generally half-retarded, at best. Granted, I would be sticking to backroads mostly, but city traffic still worries me a bit.

Have fun with whatever you choose, be careful and safe riding.

That's the point, isn't it? Not so much about what you ride, but that you enjoy the ride.

On a side note, I broached the subject of my purchasing a bike soon with the SO today, now that I have completed the BRC, and it went pretty well. Both her parents ride so she is already primed to be ok with it, which is super cool. We also discussed the safety and potential risks as well, which put a damper on this a bit. I gave her all the scary statistics first, then explained how much booze, lack of ATGATT and other easily preventable factors contribute disproportionately to the odds. She is still OK with it, though she probably won't be riding with me anytime soon. Hopefully having the "talk" with her will aid me in expanding my safety gear budget.

Probably won't make the purchase for another couple of months, but I am definitely enjoying everyone's input. Thanks for the help.

:beer:

 

[luckyrxc]

Klr or others

I'm partial to a single cylinder for a first bike. They are lightweight, easy to maintain, and have enough power to get you where you need to go. Yet, that power is very manageable. High power isn't all that important but power management is very important.
A KLR is around 35-40 horsepower, whereas a Tiger is up around 90-100.
Things can begin to happen VERY fast on a powerful motorcycle. Many people find themselves buying bigger and faster motorcyles, and eventually find themselves buying slower, smaller motorcycles. This sport is funny that way.
If you find a KLR to be tall, a Tiger will feel very tall as it is heavier and just about as tall...and in my opinion the weight is up high. This is especially true on the older models from the 90's.
The interesting thing about a KLR is it looks dirtly, but it is not a dirt bike. It is very much a street bike with high clearance, upright seating position, and long travel. But those traits make it extremely capable for dirt and gravel roads and a bit of rough stuff if you keep your speeds down.
If you find a KLR is tall, there are things you can do to help remedy this. I am usually not a fan of lowering bikes as suspension travel is very important on a dual sport bike. Heck, I don't have to tell anyone here, after all, this is ExpoPortal. But many talented KLR folks have greatly improved the handling by doing a few minor mods that have helped the bikes behavior.
Race Tech cartridge emulators
Kouba link to lower the rear a bit
Slide the forks up in the triple clamps a bit.
Get some good bars. Not that it will lower the bike, but the stock bars are crap.
Get rid of the rubber foot pegs before you kill yourself.
Get a real tool kit
UFO front fender
There are others. If you buy a KLR ping me and I'll send you my list.

I am also partial to the DL650 but it is very definitely a road bike that can go on gravel and dirt roads. It is heavy and there is a lot of plastic to damage. And as nice as the DL is, the wind management is lousy for such a nice platform.

A DR650 might be a good option as well. It is more dirt capable than the KLR and a bit less road oriented. It's air cooled, vs the KLR which is liquid cooled.

The bottom line: Get a used bike because chances are you will go through a couple bikes before you settle on the one that suits you and buying used allows you to buy/sell/trade reasonably. Get a bike that will not sustain damage when you drop it. This tends to happen to new riders.

As you can see by my post and all those above, there are a ton of opinions and they are all right...and wrong.

Get what you want, be safe, and go have fun.

 

[Dave Bennett]

KLR650 or a V-Strom

 

[Oni]

First bike...

I'd find a used dual sport in the 250-400 range. A smaller bike will teach you to ride better. You won't be afraid to give it some gas...and the consequences of a big handful when inappropriate won't be as costly.

A smaller bike will also teach you to brake, corner and use proper lines too, especially as your skills improve. It's easy to go fast on a powerful bike, it takes skill to go fast on a slower bike...on the other hand it's easy to get over your head on a powerful bike, less likely on a smaller one. A smaller bike at first will probably make you smile more too. Not fun being intimidated by a larger more powerful bike as you are trying to learn.

Used because there will be drops...especially in the dirt. Research and buy the best safety gear you can afford. Most of the time it's just brush the dirt of your clothes, put the levers back where they were and off you go again.

Maybe an XT250, Kawasaki Sherpa, Honda CRF230 or similar. Once you get some skills and saddle time you can sell it and move up to a bigger bike...or even get one of those new 250's like Yamaha's WR250. On Advrider there is a guy who did about a 2 week long road/dirt trip on one and said it performed great.

I started years ago on a 100cc dual sport (called enduro back in the day) Now ride plated XR400 and 650 X Challenge.

Good luck and have fun! :bike_rider:

 

[Mighty Dodge Ram]

X2 on the Yamaha WR250R. I am amazed at what a great "little" bike it is. EFI, 6-speed gearbox, dual discs, H2O cooled... a snappy bike that can take you just about anywhere you want to go. Sure, some of the bigger bikes are a bit "smoother" at speed...but not by much. I'm looking forward to building mine for longer distance dual sporting...Divide Ride, etc. But for now, the MDR gets my attention.

It's been said before..ride safe and have fun no matter what. :sombrero:

XT250 (replacement for XT225, my wife's bike) is also good. Sits a bit lower than the WR, so could be a bit more "newbie" friendly.

 

[MarcFJ60]

Make sure to check out the Southeast Regional Forum while you're on ADVrider. The Tag O Rama is a great way to find good roads in NoVA.

I know many people will recommend the smaller bikes for a first bike. But since you are going to be mostly on road and the flow of traffic in NoVA is generally at least 10mph over the limit, I'd make sure you get something that you will enjoy on the street.

I really liked my DRZ, but it was not enjoyable at 60 mph. That's why I now ride a 650 - and it has made a world of difference.

The VStrom would be a good choice, but it is a lot of bike for a 650. The BMW F650 is also a good choice. But you may want to buy something fairly cheap for your first bike. Once you actually start riding regularly, you may find your tastes change - a year from now you might want something more dirt worthy or even more road worthy.

To that point, the KLR and DR650 are perfect. They are everywhere, dirt cheap, and very reliable. You could buy a nice one for less than $3000 and sell it next season for very little loss if you decide you want another bike.
To me (5'8"), the new version KLR is just too big for a bike like that. Although I have never thrown a leg over the older version. I love the DR650 and was initially planning that as my first bike when I bought the DRZ. I think if I had bought the DR650 then, I would still be riding it.

All that being said - buy what you like! Don't get too caught up in what's the perfect bike - they all have their plusses and minuses. I think you will also find ANY bike will be fun.

 

[luckyrxc]

First bike...

A smaller bike will teach you to ride better. You won't be afraid to give it some gas...and the consequences of a big handful when inappropriate won't be as costly.

A smaller bike will also teach you to brake, corner and use proper lines too, especially as your skills improve. It's easy to go fast on a powerful bike, it takes skill to go fast on a slower bike...on the other hand it's easy to get over your head on a powerful bike, less likely on a smaller one. A smaller bike at first will probably make you smile more too. Not fun being intimidated by a larger more powerful bike as you are trying to learn.


Good luck and have fun! :bike_rider:

Nicely put Oni.

 

[Gatordoc]

Well guys, I have reached the conclusion that you are all doing a wonderful job of pointing me in the right direction for my next bike. I've narrowed that down to a few that I really like, mostly the "adventure tourer" variety; Wee-Strom, Versys, Ulysses, Scrambler, etc...

However, since I am an inexperienced rider I don't want to spend the money on a nice newer bike like one of those only to wind up dumping it or being scared of it due to my inexperience.

So, I am going to hold off on what I want for the time being and instead focus on what I need. That being a inexpensive, relatively docile, well used bike I can ride until I get comfortable on two wheels and won't feel bad about adding a few dings and scratches to.

Choice is going to be dictated by what is on the market locally when I have the cash together, but if I can find a dual-sport I will definitely go for it. I'm planning to spend two grand or less and just ride the heck out of it until I feel ready to upgrade.

Thanks for all the helpful advice, you guys are great!

I am going to start picking up safety gear now so I won't be tempted to ride without it once I purchase a bike. Any suggestions in that respect? Brands, places to shop, etc... any advice would be awesome.

I got a hand-me-down helmet from a guy I work with as a congrats on getting my endorsement; he got a new one because he likes to color coordinate his gear. It's a Scorpion EXO-400, fits well and is in good shape and, did I mention it was free? :bike_rider:

Thanks Again!

:beer: :beer: :beer:

 

[grahamfitter]

<snip>

So, I am going to hold off on what I want for the time being and instead focus on what I need. That being a inexpensive, relatively docile, well used bike I can ride until I get comfortable on two wheels and won't feel bad about adding a few dings and scratches to.

<snip>

Congrats on the license! I'd repeat the advice given to me when I asked the same question: Any used 200-250 CC dual sport will be fine at first. It'll be great to learn on and won't devalue too much if you outgrow it quickly and want to sell it and move on. Don't sweat about the exact make or model.

Also $2K will go a long way; my '04 DR200 with 2200 miles was $2200 in 2008. I could have spent a lot less and got just as useful a bike but nobody I know rides and could checkout a bike for me so I went newer purely for some peace of mind. 5000 miles later its rolling along fine.

Ride on... :bike_rider:

Cheers,
Graham

 

[scarysharkface]

I was poking around with craiglook.com and saw a bunch of Suzuki DR350 bikes on there for under $2k. Those are a pretty useful/desireable machines, being air-cooled with a 6-speed tranny..

John

 

[MarcFJ60]

Yamaha XT225 (small, but 6 speeds . . . )
http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/mcy/1395584812.html


Honda XR650L (Generally not the best for shorter riders, but it has been lowered and has an aftermarket tank)
http://richmond.craigslist.org/mcy/1395670521.html

I still think a DR650 (although DR350 would also be sweet) would be a great first (and maybe even last) bike. But the above two are also examples of reliable bikes you can ride for a season and sell for a minimal loss the next.