In order to dull the pain of getting rid of the Batmobile, and to hopefully head off any impeding mid-life crisis, I have decided to a buy a motorcycle. In researching cycle options I thought it would be prudent to check out the annual NYC International Motorcycle Show and see what was out there. The show is held every year at the Javits Center. I hadn’t gone to the show for a few years and was eager to see the new models.
I was shocked to see how many different brands and style of bikes are available today. The Javits center was packed with vendors from nearly every motorcycle maker and third party accessory company. I saw a bunch of attractive protective gear with reinforced Kevlar and Nomex material that looked straight out of the comic books. It caught me off guard because I remember when jeans and a leather jacket was considered sufficient gear.
Both my wife and my moms are opposed to me getting a cycle, as well as a number of my friends. I guess they still remember how I was when I was younger and a little more rough around the edges. They all point to how cliched it is for a guy my age to buy a cycle. My counter argument is that it is a cheap and practical means of urban transportation, and way safer than indulging my fantasy of becoming a UFC fighter at 44 years old. Herschel Walker notwithstanding. What some of my family and friends don’t understand is that I am not looking to speed madly through the streets like I did when I was younger. I just want a decent bike to be able to ride back and forth from classes and training. And on the NYC streets I won’t be able to jet fast enough to get into any trouble. Hell, it is probably safer than riding my mountain bike, and I been doing that on the city streets since I was in high school.
Still, to head off any potential conflict I brought the wife and kids along with me to to the show to check out bikes and safety gear. I had a beat up old bike for a few months when I was on college and loved it. However, because bikes have changed quite a bit over the years, I was having a hard time settling on a specific cycle to purchase. I am still not sure which one to get, but if I had to pick today, I would be leaning towards the Suzuki V-Strom 1000/650 or the Kawasaki KLR650. I really want a cruiser but all of the models that I like are built for much shorter people, or tall people that are not all legs like me. And the cruisers tend to run way more than I want to spend on a first bike.
As of right now, the Suzuki V-Strom 650 w/ABS is my first choice . It is the right mix of power, price, and functionality. I am going with the V-Strom 650 instead of the 1000 because the 650 is one of the few bikes in that price range has ABS (anti-lock brakes). Oddly enough, the V-Strom 1000 doesn’t come ABS, and while I might like the added power of the 1000cc engine, I figure that having ABS on my first bike might not be such a bad thing. The only thing I really dislike about the 650 is the butt ugly orange color that it comes in stock. There are some models in black, but it might be harder to locate those, especially if I buy the bike used. The 650 V-Strom is a perfect compromise between a sport bike and a touring bike. I am not really thinking about carrying anyone with me (I don’t want the responsibility of having a passenger) so the added power isn’t really required. This will be purely a selfish indulgence for me. Right now I am leaning towards the Suzuki 650 with anti lock brakes. It is not much more expensive than the Kawasaki and by all accounts, it is a better engineered bike overall.
The other bike that I like is the Kawasaki KLR650. The KLR650 is an enduro bike that sits up very high and is reasonably priced. The only major downside is that I am not sure the 650cc single cylinder engine is enough for me. I think that I might need a little more power to push my 200lbs plus frame down the city streets. While the KLR and the V-Strom are both 650cc bikes, the V-Strom’s dual cylinder engine is more efficient and responsive than the single cylinder KLR650. The KLR650 is also a very light bike as well, weighing in at under 500lbs. I suspect the the low weight of theKLR650 will also be helpful in allowing a new rider to easily maneuver on the streets. The best things about the KLR650 is that it is inexpensive, nimble, and a practical first bike for a city rider. I also scoped out a decent amount of used KLR650s on Ebay and Craigslist within my price range too. If I find a good deal on one I might pass on the V-Strom.
The bike that I really want is the 2010 Victory Hammer. It was one of the few exceptions at the show that fit me perfectly in terms of legroom and power. I love this bike. Nice fat tires and lots of legroom. The foot controls were almost perfect, and the salesman said that the pegs can be extended another 2 -2 1/2 inches stock. The Victory bike is more than I want to spend at a price between 14k to 20k. I would like to get a used model since it will be my first bike since college, but the Victory bikes have only been around for like 12 years or so and it seems that people don’t want to part with them. As a result, the second hand market for these bikes seem scarce. I would be pissed if I spent a ton of money on a new bike and ended up laying it down. Also, I don’t want servicing to be a problem either. The nearest Victory dealerships are way out in Jersey and on Long Island. It is for those reasons that decided to pass on the Victory for now.
The Yamaha V Max was the bike I was initially attached to buying. The bike looks amazingly cool and is a powerhouse in terms of speed and performance. I have wanted one of these bikes since I first saw it while I was on a business trip in New Mexico many years ago. However the placement of the stock footpegs were not far enough out for my legs. I looked like a little kid riding a tricycle because my knees were up so high on the bike. Which is a real shame because it is such a pretty bike and there are a fair amount of second hand models on the market. However if money was no object, I would rock the new 2010 Ducati Multistrada. This 1200cc bike was gorgeous and very comfortable to sit on for a tall person like myself. However the 19 grand price is a bit of a turnoff for the casual rider like me. Plus the electronic adjustable suspension and digital readouts will make it to get serviced anywhere other than at the dealer. It is for those reasons that decided to pass on the Ducati.
The last bike that I considered is the new Honda Fury. The Fury is a sick looking bike and not that expensive when compared to other models in the same class. I really like this bike but once again the footpegs were positioned too close for my legs. The foot pegs need to slide out another 2 -3 inches for it to be perfect and Honda doesn’t make the extenders and has no plans to make them. The bike has only been on the market for 2 years so the aftermarket accessories aren’t that extensive yet. currently there are no third party forward control extender kits yet for the Fury.