Looking at getting my second bike, novice rider, litre bike?
- Thread starter Aranate
- Start date
Supernam
Well-known member
My suggestion was for the OP, but it is also what I would do. There is another thread for what you posted.
Yeah didn't mean to make it sound like I'm loaded and I can spend money without any regard, but 20k for a bike that would last me 10-20 years is ok for me, I'v already gotten quotes on the s1000r for insurance and that is manageable aswell, although would be cheaper in a couple years when I can get my full M. That being said just cause I could spend 20k doesn't mean I want to, to be honest 20k is just abit out of what I was willing to spend, and I don't want to buy another new bike, considering I'v already bought the rc 390 new(there was no used ones available) and put abit of money into it, I'd prefer to buy my next bike used. I'm think 15k would be my max, preferable between 10-15k. Right now there is a brand new 2015 for sale for 16k + fee's and tax... so I think I should be able to get a used one under 15k.
I actually like the idea of using a smaller cc bike to learn on the track as it will allow me to focus more on body positioning and my lines etc.. so keeping the RC 390 as a track bike would be good, although despite what a few people have said its not a ready made track bike, the positioning is right for a track bike but the bikes they use in competition are "cup" bikes which are stripped down with some extra performance stuff added.
True my needs will likely change, its hard to say.. what I like about the sport touring bikes is that you can ride them like a regular sport bike if you want, they lean down pretty much just as much, you can ride them on the track no problem, but you can also sit fairly upright aswell and its not so hard on you for long distances... I'm sure my riding style and needs will change but at the moment i can't forsee what sort of circumstance would fall outside the range of either sport or touring, besides something that can handle some offroad stuff aswell(ie adventure bike's). Honestly if I didn't have a dog I would buy an adventure bike in a second, in a nano second, and go on a long *** trip on the bike... I would LOVE that! I will still likely do some trips 2-3 days and leave the dog with a family member, and take their dog when they go on trips, but for the moment I really can't leave her more then 2-3 days.
So I think a sport touring bike is the way to go. I have looked at those dukes 1290's... I'm not sure if they are as novice friendly as the s1000r, I think its abit more like the s1000RR, more sporty and has less comforts and aids. I could be wrong. I also watched some reviews between the s1000r and the duke 1290, and another bike I forget, and everyone chose the BMW. Honestly every review I see of the BMW everyone thinks its the best bike they ever rode or close to it, I could be getting confused between some reviews of the double R though... I feel like the s1000r would be pushing it enough, with the rain mode on the HP would be like 130hp... but the Duke is like almost 200 I think..
I checked the riding position on that ergo site and it is a way more upright riding position then the RC 390... with the RC 390 I can redline in every gear and I don't really feel intimidated by it, ok not every gear but redlining it in 4th gear your only going like 90kmph... that doesn't mean I should go from 43hp up to 160 mind you, but like another commentator said with all the aids on all the sharp edges and rawness is not there, all the things that would startle or scare a new rider.
I have watched twist the throttle a few times, I understand that panic is the number one thing that causes accidents, I never let myself panic or havn't yet, not saying it won't or can't happen, but I do understand the basics of riding a motorcycle pretty well. Also understand when I say I think I'm a good rider, that definition might mean two different things to two different people, to me it just means I know all the rules of the road, I can react to things happening suddenly around me within reason, I am always aware of whats going on 360 degree's around me... I might be a new rider but I'v been driving for more then 10 years.
Honestly even though I was abit scared the very first time I got on a motorcycle, I very quickly got comfortable and I find that motorcycles just feel very natural and comfortable to me, more so then driving a car even. Doesn't mean I think i'm king **** and nothing can hurt me, far from it.. I have alot of respect for the rider's who have been riding a long time and experience is something you can't get in a month, but just because there have been novices who were over exuberant and gotten on a liter(or 600cc) bike and crashed and died right away, doesn't mean that all novice riders are in great peril by doing so. Look at all the kids riding around in civics with fart cans pushing them up to 200kmph on the highways... I think these are the same people getting on liter bikes and crashing them.
Thanks for the suggestions, keep in mind one thing I'm considering is seat height, I need something under 33"... preferable 32 or under... 32.5" would be ok though..
I actually like the idea of using a smaller cc bike to learn on the track as it will allow me to focus more on body positioning and my lines etc.. so keeping the RC 390 as a track bike would be good, although despite what a few people have said its not a ready made track bike, the positioning is right for a track bike but the bikes they use in competition are "cup" bikes which are stripped down with some extra performance stuff added.
True my needs will likely change, its hard to say.. what I like about the sport touring bikes is that you can ride them like a regular sport bike if you want, they lean down pretty much just as much, you can ride them on the track no problem, but you can also sit fairly upright aswell and its not so hard on you for long distances... I'm sure my riding style and needs will change but at the moment i can't forsee what sort of circumstance would fall outside the range of either sport or touring, besides something that can handle some offroad stuff aswell(ie adventure bike's). Honestly if I didn't have a dog I would buy an adventure bike in a second, in a nano second, and go on a long *** trip on the bike... I would LOVE that! I will still likely do some trips 2-3 days and leave the dog with a family member, and take their dog when they go on trips, but for the moment I really can't leave her more then 2-3 days.
So I think a sport touring bike is the way to go. I have looked at those dukes 1290's... I'm not sure if they are as novice friendly as the s1000r, I think its abit more like the s1000RR, more sporty and has less comforts and aids. I could be wrong. I also watched some reviews between the s1000r and the duke 1290, and another bike I forget, and everyone chose the BMW. Honestly every review I see of the BMW everyone thinks its the best bike they ever rode or close to it, I could be getting confused between some reviews of the double R though... I feel like the s1000r would be pushing it enough, with the rain mode on the HP would be like 130hp... but the Duke is like almost 200 I think..
I checked the riding position on that ergo site and it is a way more upright riding position then the RC 390... with the RC 390 I can redline in every gear and I don't really feel intimidated by it, ok not every gear but redlining it in 4th gear your only going like 90kmph... that doesn't mean I should go from 43hp up to 160 mind you, but like another commentator said with all the aids on all the sharp edges and rawness is not there, all the things that would startle or scare a new rider.
I have watched twist the throttle a few times, I understand that panic is the number one thing that causes accidents, I never let myself panic or havn't yet, not saying it won't or can't happen, but I do understand the basics of riding a motorcycle pretty well. Also understand when I say I think I'm a good rider, that definition might mean two different things to two different people, to me it just means I know all the rules of the road, I can react to things happening suddenly around me within reason, I am always aware of whats going on 360 degree's around me... I might be a new rider but I'v been driving for more then 10 years.
Honestly even though I was abit scared the very first time I got on a motorcycle, I very quickly got comfortable and I find that motorcycles just feel very natural and comfortable to me, more so then driving a car even. Doesn't mean I think i'm king **** and nothing can hurt me, far from it.. I have alot of respect for the rider's who have been riding a long time and experience is something you can't get in a month, but just because there have been novices who were over exuberant and gotten on a liter(or 600cc) bike and crashed and died right away, doesn't mean that all novice riders are in great peril by doing so. Look at all the kids riding around in civics with fart cans pushing them up to 200kmph on the highways... I think these are the same people getting on liter bikes and crashing them.
Thanks for the suggestions, keep in mind one thing I'm considering is seat height, I need something under 33"... preferable 32 or under... 32.5" would be ok though..
killerkeith
Well-known member
OP, please ride with a go pro on at all times. I never tire of crash vids.
KTM is the way to go, but you'll need a stool to mount that horse.
KTM is the way to go, but you'll need a stool to mount that horse.
Supernam
Well-known member
There are factory lowering options and seats, so no need to go through with posting a " will lowering my bike affect my handling" thread in the future.
Damn i wish i had the problem of chosing a 15k bike at your age....here I was worried about paying for school and starting my life.
Good on you that you can afford it man. Go with what gets you going and enjoy!
My buddy has the bike you want and Damn it's a sweet and sexy ride..
Good on you that you can afford it man. Go with what gets you going and enjoy!
My buddy has the bike you want and Damn it's a sweet and sexy ride..
Ah to be young and confident again?
Look. The op is looking at the equivalent of race car for the street.
The issue was comfort.
There are plenty of ways to make the current machine more comfortable and for a lot less than $10k to $15k.
Sounds like the op is just looking to rationalize a second bike.
Just do it and be done with it.
Follow your gut, passion, what ever and pull the trigger.
There are tons of folks that purchase machine well beyond their capabilities and manage just fine.
There are also tons of folks that manage to kill themselves or seriously injure themselves with less capable or high performance rides.
I hate the lecture. Everyone rides for their own reasons.
The logic of looking at a s1000r for comfort for anyone with 2000 Kms under their belt warrants a serious head shake.
Only real life experience can help you understand. Lose a few riding buddies or support a few on the mend. Having a few close calls. Get caught in the rain or crappy road conditions.
Electronics will help. But it's experience and anticipating what to do before it happens.....the next time.
Run over a turtle. Or pine cones. Or grass. Or water in a tire track.
Watching a buddy bail or save themselves.
I would recommend finding some riding buddies that reflect your taste in riding and just spend some time out on the road before looking at anything else.
Look modding the current ride to make it livable. And maybe sharpen your idea of what bike you want next. So be it if it's a Beemer or what ever.
But give it some time. 2000kms nothing!
Look. The op is looking at the equivalent of race car for the street.
The issue was comfort.
There are plenty of ways to make the current machine more comfortable and for a lot less than $10k to $15k.
Sounds like the op is just looking to rationalize a second bike.
Just do it and be done with it.
Follow your gut, passion, what ever and pull the trigger.
There are tons of folks that purchase machine well beyond their capabilities and manage just fine.
There are also tons of folks that manage to kill themselves or seriously injure themselves with less capable or high performance rides.
I hate the lecture. Everyone rides for their own reasons.
The logic of looking at a s1000r for comfort for anyone with 2000 Kms under their belt warrants a serious head shake.
Only real life experience can help you understand. Lose a few riding buddies or support a few on the mend. Having a few close calls. Get caught in the rain or crappy road conditions.
Electronics will help. But it's experience and anticipating what to do before it happens.....the next time.
Run over a turtle. Or pine cones. Or grass. Or water in a tire track.
Watching a buddy bail or save themselves.
I would recommend finding some riding buddies that reflect your taste in riding and just spend some time out on the road before looking at anything else.
Look modding the current ride to make it livable. And maybe sharpen your idea of what bike you want next. So be it if it's a Beemer or what ever.
But give it some time. 2000kms nothing!
Chasem
Well-known member
This entire post had way too much logic for this thread.
Like I said before....young people are their own worst judges of performance. I teach at a university and you would be surprised at the number of times I hear "but I'm a 90s student...that can't possibly be my mark" after main exams.
So..your one month 2k experience....how many emergency stops? How many times have you lost traction from cold tires...oh wait though, it's still summer? What about dealing with heavy rain and visibility problems? Skipped a tire on loose gravel in a corner yet?
Those are just a couple of things...people on here could add more. At the end of the day it's your cash and your life though. Just don't be a stereotypical statistic.
So..your one month 2k experience....how many emergency stops? How many times have you lost traction from cold tires...oh wait though, it's still summer? What about dealing with heavy rain and visibility problems? Skipped a tire on loose gravel in a corner yet?
Those are just a couple of things...people on here could add more. At the end of the day it's your cash and your life though. Just don't be a stereotypical statistic.
TL;DR
jc100 yes I'v experienced all those things... I'v only had to emergency brake twice thankfully... one was a family of deer running out infront of me, the other was a car pulling out infront of me, they weren't as bad as it could have been but I reacted quickly to it.. the key is not to panic, if your going to crash your going to crash but panicking won't help.. I'v had my rear tire kick out on dirt just today actually, basically drifted this corner unintentionally.. had rear tire kick out on gravel, and I'v had my rear tire kick out twice in the last week when the ground was completely clear and I wasn't quite sure what it was... probably was cold tires...
Yes I'v dealt with rain and visibility problems my very first ride ever was in a rainstorm with fog... I still managed to get home an hours drive just fine.. I get what your saying I'v made it abundantly clear that I don't think I'm invincible or that I can't make a mistake, but just like some of you guys think I'v made up my mind and can't be reasoned with, guess what thats exactly what you've done... most of you guys already made up your mind just looking at the title of the thread and didnt matter what I said wasn't going to convince you any different.
So yeah, guess we'll just have to see how it plays out.. I'v heard of plenty of people who have started out on liter bikes and been just fine but you wouldn't know it from some of the responses on here basically saying I'm guarenteed to crash... almost every arguement when you don't ignore the electronic aids is the exact same no matter what bike you ride... its really all about "don't go to fast"... lol.. but no point argueing..
Also there might be some mods I can do to make my *** more comfortable but there isn't a whole lot I can do for the riding position, getting clipons that raise the bars an inch won't help that much, plus they don't make them for my bike I checked would have to have them custom made. If the bike would be good for the track why ruin it. So yeah I guess I have made up my mind I'm gonna get an s1000R... thanks guys... I'm gonna wait till next riding season though... I'll buy it next season as I'm not seeing many used ones for sale anyways, well any really...If anyone is selling a used s1000r hit me up.. thanks
jc100 yes I'v experienced all those things... I'v only had to emergency brake twice thankfully... one was a family of deer running out infront of me, the other was a car pulling out infront of me, they weren't as bad as it could have been but I reacted quickly to it.. the key is not to panic, if your going to crash your going to crash but panicking won't help.. I'v had my rear tire kick out on dirt just today actually, basically drifted this corner unintentionally.. had rear tire kick out on gravel, and I'v had my rear tire kick out twice in the last week when the ground was completely clear and I wasn't quite sure what it was... probably was cold tires...
Yes I'v dealt with rain and visibility problems my very first ride ever was in a rainstorm with fog... I still managed to get home an hours drive just fine.. I get what your saying I'v made it abundantly clear that I don't think I'm invincible or that I can't make a mistake, but just like some of you guys think I'v made up my mind and can't be reasoned with, guess what thats exactly what you've done... most of you guys already made up your mind just looking at the title of the thread and didnt matter what I said wasn't going to convince you any different.
So yeah, guess we'll just have to see how it plays out.. I'v heard of plenty of people who have started out on liter bikes and been just fine but you wouldn't know it from some of the responses on here basically saying I'm guarenteed to crash... almost every arguement when you don't ignore the electronic aids is the exact same no matter what bike you ride... its really all about "don't go to fast"... lol.. but no point argueing..
Also there might be some mods I can do to make my *** more comfortable but there isn't a whole lot I can do for the riding position, getting clipons that raise the bars an inch won't help that much, plus they don't make them for my bike I checked would have to have them custom made. If the bike would be good for the track why ruin it. So yeah I guess I have made up my mind I'm gonna get an s1000R... thanks guys... I'm gonna wait till next riding season though... I'll buy it next season as I'm not seeing many used ones for sale anyways, well any really...If anyone is selling a used s1000r hit me up.. thanks
....and you dropped it too it seems...first day. At least you got that out the way early though. Waiting a season isn't a bad idea...waiting a few for a big step up is better. There's still a lot of riding time and a lot for you to learn and maybe you'll understand what most on here have been saying by then.
Supernam
Well-known member
Most of us are just giving our honest opinion. The S1000R is not a bike we would recommend to anyone after 2000 kms riding experience, so don't take it personally. You did seem pretty set on getting it despite our opinions anyways and I am happy for you if you do. You will love it.
If I were you I would trade/sell your RC390 or make it track only because you will never ride that instead of the S1000R in the street again.
Supernam
Well-known member
OP did say comfort for 2-4 hour rides only so it should be okay, maybe an aftermarket seat?
What is the aversion to the Street Triple R posted before?
Its an upright version of the Daytona 675R, sexy as hell, sounds great, it RIPS,....it seems to me that this is exactly what you should be looking for. The S1000R is for people who want an upright S1000RR. You should be looking for a an upright 600SS.
The FZ07 is a good choice too but that Street Triple is an exciting bike. Is a 675cc engine too small?
Its an upright version of the Daytona 675R, sexy as hell, sounds great, it RIPS,....it seems to me that this is exactly what you should be looking for. The S1000R is for people who want an upright S1000RR. You should be looking for a an upright 600SS.
The FZ07 is a good choice too but that Street Triple is an exciting bike. Is a 675cc engine too small?
Iceman
Well-known member
Almost every stock seat on every bike needs to be replaced for long distance comfort. Ymmv
