I am a huge believer in ABS. I wouldn't buy a bike without it. There are some amazing rider aids on modern bikes.

I've been riding for 11 years now. Before my daughter was born, I was doing 25k-30k miles a year. I'm down to about a third of that due to work and family commitments, but I'm already looking forward to my daughter riding behind me for more than a neighborhood ride.

Agreed, I'm not getting anything without at least ABS if not more advanced traction control. My plan for now is to rent a few bikes to try them out and get more experience.

I went ahead and invested in the Dianese electronic airbag vest. If anyone cares I will provide a review on it once I've worn it awhile. It's on sale through the Dianese website right now at 20% off but still not cheap ($550).

I got to ride some great bikes out at COTA during MotoGP this weekend. The 1050 Vstrom was pretty much a complete disappointment. The Aprilia RS 660, while awesome, reaffirmed my stance that sport bikes just aren't for me. The Tuareg, however, was am amazingly comfortable mid sized ADV bike with lots of get up and go. The Yamaha XSR700 was fun and could be a great commuter bike.

The weekend winner for me was the Yamaha Tracer GT. Comfortable, easily manageable, and tons of great features. Plus, that 900cc triple is an unbelievably fun motor. While it doesn't have the versatility of my Super Tenere, I think it is a great bike and a lot of fun, and I will be adding one to my garage in the future.

What did you dislike about the Vstrom?

Damn near everything. It had a buzzy, uninspiring motor. It wasn't particularly comfortable. The brakes were twitchy. The shifting was clunky and imprecise. The display sucked. The wind management was poor. Even with the updates, it felt outdated.

I'd really have liked to ride the 650 Vstrom, since most Vstrom riders seem to prefer it, but they didn't have one available.

That's a bummer, it looks like a great machine and could be if they tried. The two Suzukis I've had were very reliable even at age.

I picked up a Harley Pan America late last year. It has been a fantastic bike. Hopefully HD continues to put that motor, suspension, and tech into more bikes.

We will find out tomorrow with the new Sportster reveal. Looks like they are going to use a 975 version of the same engine.

I had a 2005 Honda Shadow and enjoyed it but it felt too short for me. I'm 6'2" so it felt kind of like a lowrider. I sold it probably 10 years ago. I've now got an itch to get another bike for short little trips on nice days. I'm considering the Yamaha MT-7. Anybody have any experience with those? I don't want anything super expensive.

Sounds like maverick is your huckleberry. The XSR700 is a retro version of the MT-07. I'm actually planning on riding an XSR700 next week as well.

I didn't ride an MT-07, but if dimensions are the same as the XSR700, you'll be fine for running around on short trips. I'm 6' and didn't feel cramped at all on the 25 minute ride. It was a fun little bike. Short rides running around town aren't really my focus, but that bike would be great for it.

One of my best friends has the Pan America, and he loves it. It seems like it's a great bike.

We have the new Sportster (a new Nightster). Overall, looks very appealing. More traditional look than the Sportster S but with modern features like ABS, rider modes and advanced traction control. The question will be whether nearly $14k is an acceptable entry price for what is basically their "beginner" bike.

https://www.harley-davidson.com/us/en/motorcycles/nightster.html

$14k is a lot of money for that. In comparison, the Tracer 9GT is $15k. At about the same weight, the Tracer offers 30 more horsepower, active electronic suspension, a quick shifter, windscreen, removable hard bags, etc. And I'm sure there are even better comparisons to show the price vs value, but I've been looking really hard at the Tracer since my demo ride this weekend, so it's been at the forefront of my mind.

Different types of bikes but I get your point. One thing I will say is Japanese bikes use a lot of plastic in place of metal. Certainly helps in weight savings but aesthetically some people don't like that.

My comparison for this bike would be the Rebel 1100. Without DCT, it's $4k cheaper. Specs are otherwise similar. Both cruisers, roughly same weight, same displacement, same power, rider modes, ABS, traction control, single front brakes, etc. Is the Harley worth that much more? I definitely like the looks more but could spend half that money saved changing whatever I don't like about the Honda (seat, rear suspension, etc) to make it fit me.

https://babylonbee.com/news/report-perfect-parking-spot-right-up-front-update-gah-friggin-motorcycle

Lol. That's why I park my bike at the back of parking spaces.

FYI, I gave into the obsession after my demo ride a few weeks ago and picked up a '22 Yamaha Tracer 9 GT today. What an awesome bike!

maverick2076 said:

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Lol. That's why I park my bike at the back of parking spaces.

FYI, I gave into the obsession after my demo ride a few weeks ago and picked up a '22 Yamaha Trace 9 GT today. What an awesome bike!

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I hear you...let's just say I'll have a 2-wheel rule 1 coming in a few weeks!

What are you getting?

I also may have a new friend soon.

What did you decide on?

Harley Nightster

tx1c said:

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aggiedata said:

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So are you going to tell us how you got Mrs. MaxPower on board with this new hobby??

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Mrs. tx1c was actually more in favor of it than I was.
I thought it was just a passing notion, but then she endorsed and actually kind of pushed it.

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What's the life insurance payout?

Awesome. I'm excited to see that power plant in action. They are supposed to be putting it in a smaller Pan America, which could make for a great off pavement tourer.

Just pulled the trigger on the Iron 883. Put some V&H shorty's on it, screaming eagle intake and new cool bobber seat.

Be careful out there folks, two different guys on bikes were killed a few hours apart here in Longview this weekend. Try to limit your riding in high traffic areas, the car drivers aren't paying attention. One of them was supposedly doing about 100 in a 50, but doesn't change the fact a car pulled out in front of him. It was reportedly his young son's birthday as well.

Driver turned right at a red light directly into me Saturday.

Looked straight at me and decided to turn after the pickup in front of me.

If that isn't assault with deadly intent, I'm not sure what is.

Yeah, I don't want my wife riding because I've seen her behind the wheel of her car. She doesn't drive nearly defensive enough nor pay attention to her surroundings enough.

To have even half a chance of not getting into an accident you really have to go above and beyond the call of defensive driving. Lots of things to do, not do, and pay attention to, etc. Although I do find the motorcycle statistical difference between male and female riders interesting. I blame male testosterone for the difference personally.

And I say this as someone who not only has ridden before but also someone who lost a cousin (who was also an Aggie) in a motorcycle accident.