New member with a question!

Hello community!   If you are just interested in my question and don't want the background or introduction, just skip down to the asterisk line!

Anywho, I am 26 and have been riding for about four years or so.  I got started while living in Taiwan with a 50cc scooter.  I am a huge advocate of starting small primarily due to the sheer number of amazingly improbable accidents I had on that scooter (lost a toenail to the kickstand, slid out on dirt, engine crapped out going up a hill and fell backwards and tumbled down said hill).  From the 50cc I graduated to a 125cc SanYang lovingly referred to as the "farmer bike".  Given the fact that my front brakes practically didn't work (both front and rear were drum brakes), I was lucky to not have a single accident on this bike.  After moving back to the states, I became the proud owner of a yellow 2004 Kawasaki EX250 (lovingly referred to as my "banana bike").  I rode this bike back and forth to work and class for the next two years before selling it to buy an engagement ring for my wife (at only $300 less than I paid for it).  


I give you all of this background information because I ask of the community....


What is next?

I finished graduate school in December in time to lose my part time job at Circuit City.  After six months of desperately trying to find a career, I managed to find meager work at a Best Buy that is at least a source of income.  The Best Buy, however, is a 30 minute commute down I75 from where I currently live and I drive a 1999 Dodge Neon that is quickly approaching its untimely demise (Hurricane Charley pelting it with rocks and debris did not help).  It is also not very fuel efficient (though buying a bike for around 7k to offset gas costs is rather silly in a practical sense I suppose).    


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Anywho, here is the cliff notes version of everything...

I am 5'7 and around 240 lbs.  I am looking for a reliable bike (most likely a cruiser) for commuting roughly 60 miles up the interstate and back (30 miles each way) to work...as well as for pleasure rides!   I do not want to finance more than 7-8k.  What would be the best bike for me?

I have been looking at the Harley 883 sportster (I love the look of the Iron 883), but also have interest in the 650cc Yamaha V-Star Custom and Suzuki Boulevard S40 (for it's low cost).  I would love a bike that is either belt or shaft driven...preferably low maintenance.  

I love sport bikes, but I find that most of them are too high up for me (the 250r I am not sure of...my ex250 was fine however.)  However, if there is something in the sport bike category that sounds right up my alley then I am willing to go find one to sit on!  

Anywho thanks for any and all input!  

~Theo  =)  

>(though buying a bike for around 7k to offset gas costs is rather silly in a practical sense I suppose).

Yes, it is. You'll spend far more for tires than the difference in gas, keeping a bike on the road. I just bought a new $10,000 Nissan Versa that gets the same gas mileage as my Sabre (45 mpg). If you don't ride the bike at all, except to commute, you're still talking about at least $250 every other year for new tires. Add in a little pleasure riding and you'll be replacing the tires every year. Most cruisers can take touring tires, while tires for sport bikes are softer and wear out even sooner.

If you want to ride and you're just trying to justify buying a bike, then fine, rationalise to your heart's content and enjoy the ride, but if you're serious about saving money then you need to buy a new cheap car. Bikes cost a lot more than cars to maintain. Doing all your own maintenance helps, but it'll still be more expensive to keep the bike running.

regards,
Joe  

Joe and I agree on this one.
If you were in the city, and the miles weren't so large, I might argue for the bike (especially if you have to pay for parking- My employer for several years had limited pay for parking, but, if you came in on a bike, and could find a place to park it that wasn't a actual spot, it was free).
Motorcycle tires are about $150-200 a pop, and last for about 15k if maintained. A Suzuki Savage gets 65mpg, but will cost you a couple grand up front. Your Neon needs about $500 in tires every 60k for about $400-500 (verses 1600 for 4 sets of tires). That's a lot of gas to save
.
Depending on mechanical condition, I'd suspect you'd be better off spending the money to build up the Neon. You didn't mention mile on the odometer, but, if you're less than 170k, and it's not using antifreeze, and not using oil, you could be golden where you are.  

I would go with a used bike to save some cash.  Harley's are great bikes but they are expensive when compared to other used bikes in the same size range.  Check out a used suzuki boulevard c50t.  I get about 50 mpg with it and it has bags for commuting.  You can do some fun stuff on the weekends but it's really not built for two up cruising for a long period of time.  I did take mine for a week to utah and was camping all the way so it can carry one person with a ton of gear without too much of a problem.

I got my C50t for the same reasons you have now, and I've been happy with it.  I bought it in October of 2007 and have about 16000 miles on it.  Unfortunately, my bike was being fixed for four full months during the fall of 2008 and I couldn't ride it.  I also had a job that wouldn't allow me to use a motorcycle for business so I didn't commute with it during that time.  The result was that I didn't ride it much for 10 months otherwise the mileage would be much higher.

A used one should run about 5,000 (2004-2006).  There are a lot of other used bike deals out there.  I would also take a look at a Suzuki Burgman if you want a great 2-wheeled commuter.  There is a lot of storage on that thing with options for more.  It's a buyer's market out there so don't be scared to low ball any advertised price.

Also, I heard from a suzuki dealer a few weeks ago that Suzuki US is going to file for bankruptcy, so there should be a lot more good deals.  

Theo, sloowpoke and frbock have good counsel for you, and if you read many posts here you'll know they don't always agree on stuff.

If you insist on a bike (and I'd say why not, they are more fun but maintenance is higher as sloopoke and frbock point out), a used one might be more in order because they do have lower initial cost. I ride a V Star 1100, am about 6'1" and pushing 250, and that size bike is perfect for me. Teh seat is only something like 27 or 29 inches from the pavement so that might be OK for you. The 1100 obviously has more power for people our size, and that's something to consider. This is my first bike (I've been riding for about a year) and I got this size so I could ride it a while and wouldn't have to get a larger replacement bike within 6 or 12 months.

I have cut my petrol bill in half since getting the bike, and have had minimal maintenance costs (knock wood) though I have had to replace both tires once already and am looking at a valve adjustment, which I'll try myself first before I screw it up and hand it over to the pros.

Hope this helps. If bottom line cost is your main consideration, seriously consider sloowpoke and frbock's advice, otherwise ride hard, watch out for cagers on cell phones, and thank The Man Upstairs for getting you home safely.  

"If you want to ride and you're just trying to justify buying a bike, then fine, rationalise to your heart's content."

~ =D  Just don't tell my wife.


The bike is appealing because 1.  I loved riding and miss it.  2.  Payments are way cheaper and will be paid off way faster than a new car.  (Talking 120 / mo payments over 3-400 a month).  3.  My wife does not have a car, which is a big problem when she *hopefully* finds a new job down where I am.

Anywho, I actually went down to the dealer a few days ago, and he recommended the Vstar 950.  I thought he was probably trying to up sell me from the 650, but after extensive research I found that he was actually dead on.   I sat on the 950 and it felt rather large for me...but I think that is just because I'm used to bikes around the 250 range or smaller.  I want to go back and sit on it again, now that I know a bit more about the bike.


Anywho, how do people on the forums feel about the Vstar 950?  I've read nothing but great reviews so far...and feel that it would be a great step up from all my past bikes.  

I've talked to a Yamaha dealer and read some that compare the 950 favorably to the 1100 (which I ride). From a power and output perspective, the 950 matches the 1100 plus is less expensive to buy and has better mileage. A lot of the difference is the 950 is belt driven and the 1100 shaft. Makes me wonder if the 1100 is going to be around much longer. The problem Yamaha faces is the 1100 is a very popular bike.

I think it's a good choice, but not sure how it is for two-up riding. Of course, I'm a Star bigot...from what I've seen and experienced, they are dependable, solid bikes that don't necessarily lead their classes but you can just count on them. They have a good price point and are very dependable.  

Hello Theo,
Sounds like you've got some thinking to do.  Here's my input:  You're going to want something that is comfortable and stays comfortable for longer rides, and you also want a bike that will handle the interstate nicely.  I would seriously recommend a slightly bigger engine for the job.  I'm talkin' 1200 cc and up.  The Harley bikes are nice, but the smaller 883 mean just that, smaller.  There's not a lot of bike to sit on, and that means your going to feel the engine more and the vibrations from bike.  Yes, I do have a personal bias for bigger bikes, but you don't have to spend a ton of money to get what you need.  I bought an 06 Honda VTX 1300 last year brand new, straight out of the box, for $7500.  Check the specs, you'll find the seat height would be just about perfect for you.  It's perfect for me as I am 5'9, 180 pounds.  The bike rides great and handles the road smoothly.  My point is, there are great bikes out there like mine, for reasonable prices.  Yamaha has some great bikes too, similar to the VTX line.  The best thing is, these bikes last FOREVER.  Anyway, good luck with your search and when you do find one, safe riding!  
Matt
http://www.motormedley.com - Motorcycle Jackets, Helmets, Chaps, Gear