I second the notion on the safety course. I took it to finally get my endorsement. Here in WA, they can impound your bike if you're caught riding without one. That's muy expensivo. I thought it would be a giant waste of time, since I'd ridden off and on for years. Instead, it has saved my life and that of my wife on more occasions than I care to think of.

To get a really good idea of what is out there, coming soon, etc., I'd pick up a couple mainstream bike mags, Cycle World and Motorcyclist. If you can wait a month or two to read up on more, great. If not, your local library may have back issues.

Started with a Suzuki 650 Savage myself, a great beginner bike. Lightweight, easy to handle. Traded it in about 2.5 years later on something much larger, a Kawasaki Vulcan 1500. Great, inexpensive larger bike.

One last thought, I'd think about buying something on the smaller size to get a feel for them. Too many riders buy a really big bike first time out, can't handle them, put them into a tree and die. I'd seriously consider buying something around 600-900 cc used with the idea that if you love it, you'll likely outgrow it in a couple years and if you don't, you're not out much money.

Damn JJ...that mega mall is freakin' SA-WEE-EET!

I haven't actually been to Bert's yet, except for online. I'm a too askeered to go by myself, I'm buying a house first and then all bets are off...LOL

Just going to that link pulls up an ad. MACS could get almost the same bike for around 6499.00. It's an '07! Whoopie!

Too gay, even for Freddie Mercury all clad in leather

BTW, all motorcycle riders are Masters of Physics!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_and_motorcycle_dynamics 

This bike does NOT look gay. Some people...sheesh!

BTW, a good, fairly new model bike around 600-900cc can likely be had for under $4000 with a little shopping. Might be tougher now, as it's close to Summer and more people are considering them due to gas prices, but still pretty cheap for good gas mileage transportation.

Shawn,

Whatever bike you decide on, get a good helmet. It's the only reason I'm still here.

DED

screw motorcycles.............too many idiots out there.

I stopped rising because a selfish interest in self preservation.

27. Author: pacman357 Date: 06/09/2008 05:10 PM Reply

This bike does NOT look gay. Some people...sheesh!

HELLOOOOOOOO

Gay

If buying this bike get a hello kitty helmut so the other girls don't tease you

29....."rising" = "riding"

sheesh.

MACS, I was just on OTD cyclesports site and they have a 2007 Honda Shadow VLX Deluxe (looks way better than this bike) and they told me $4,999 OTD said and done. Definitely shop around!

if you go to your local credit union (you are in a CU, right?) and get your financing done before hand, you can get more leverage to negotiate a lower price when you go in, or get some vallue-added stuff like a solid helmet. Idid that and they gave me the helmet, a Nolan flip-front, and although I paid cash seperately for the cobra drag pipes, they did the installation for free. Seperate, those two items would have run me an additional $500. Now, NINE (lol!) years later, I've used the bike as collateral twice and paid off other loans, done lots of fun stuff, and had a great time. Naturally, I'm considering moving up in the world, but my current bike still runs so... hey, I may as well use it. Might be time for new saddle bags, though, so I have more space for cigars.

that's soooo cute.

I highly encourage the purchase.

Remember, the front brake is your friend.

You may want to look at a "naked" sport bike. More comfortable and better performance.

I will take the basic Motorcycle Safety Foundation course before I ever go shopping for a bike, if I decide to do this.

I will also sign up for the advanced course once I get my own bike... again, if I decide to do it.

My wife is against it, not to be controlling (she's not) but because she fears for my safety. I drive crazy. She thinks I'll drive the bike like that and die.

I DO belong to a credit union, but I have the money to pay for the bike if I want it.

As far as what I'll get, or how it looks, or how cute or gay it is... I don't give a rat's ass what you **** think. If I choose to buy a bike, I'll buy the bike I want.

Thanks for all the input, guys.

#38 That's the ticket. Buy what you like.

My only basis for suggestions were that you learn on a smaller, ligher bike that is easier to handle, then you also have a better idea what you might like when time comes to buy something bigger. Buying used gives you a chance to save money while you get comfortable with it.

BTW, if and when you buy a new bike, watch out while easing it out of the lot. I speak from experience...wet pavement, new tires, bike with five times the power of the previous one. Highsided it right in front of the dealership with 0.9 mi on the odo. Humiliating. Fortunately, easy and cheap to fix and I had no permanent damage. I didn't even goose the damn bike all that much.

If you plan to take the MSF course before you get your own bike, be sure to check ahead. WA stocks bikes with course teachers, but it's possible not all states do that. Also check, in case CA has different level endorsements, to see if the biks the MSF course provides will give you a full endorsement for the largest class licensed in CA. It'd suck to get the bike and find out you're not legally qualified to ride it.

California does not require the motorcycle safety course to get your motorcycle license, unless you are under twenty one years of age. It is still encouraged just not required.

JJ