| Author | Message | ||
     Lost93 |
I'm new to riding and will be taking a class in about a month. I really like the technology and look of the Buells. I am short 5 2" with at best a 27 inseam. I like the Blast, but I don't want to buy a $ 6000 bike that I'll out grow in a year. Yes that's what they cost here in Hawaii. I have been to the dealers and I can tripod flat footed on a lightning xb12s, but I'm practically on my toes on the new lightning cityx xb9s. The dealer say that they won't be getting the xb12scg. I have been reading up on seat height and I can probably switch the xb12scg seat in the xb12s lowing it another inch. Of course this is all with the stock seats. So should I go with the Blast and take the hit? Try lowering the cityx xb9s? Thats going to take some work? Try learning on the xb12s with a lowered seat? I'm not looking for crazy fast or I wouldn't be here, I would just get a Ninja. Still I love the naked bike look of Buell. Being like everyone else never sat well with me. Still what can I get that will give me some real power that I can handle? Thanks | ||
| Metalstorm |
If this is to be your very first bike I would go with the Blast. Maybe even a used one. Or any used 500cc or smaller bike. It's best to save the really nice bike for your second bike. Plus with zero riding experience, insurance on the 12S or even the 9SX would probably be pretty darn high. The Blast would be cheaper insurance, better gas mileage and easier to learn the ropes on. There are mods available for the Blast to pump them up. Go to the thumper forum & check out all the cool things folks have been doing with them. On Edit: I also recommend picking up a couple books. Total Control by Lee Parks (my favorite) And Twist of the Wrist II by Keith Code Total Control has some really good street riding info. (Message edited by metalstorm on February 28, 2007) | ||
| Mesa_cityx |
CityX !!! Get the low seat. You'll be fine. The most expensive way into motorcycling is to start small and work your way up. MSF class, too. | ||
| Kdan |
Get a used Blast and beat the hell out of it while you learn. The Blast is still a motorcycle and while it won't go 0-90 in 4 seconds like the XB12, and top end is only about 100, you can still outperform anyone in the corners. Even Mesa_Cityx. The most expensive way into motorcycling is to buy over your head and die. | ||
| Rubberdown |
I'm an advocate of new riders getting an inexpensive, light dual sport and putting lots of miles on gravel roads to really learn to handle the minor crisis situations that will occur. Once a rider has mastered this, I believe they will be a much better road rider. | ||
| Aldaytona |
Ask your dealer for a Riders Edge used Blast, they usually can be bought for a lot less than new and will have all/most of the factory warranty. If your dealer doesn't have those call Vikingdave at Ft Lauderdale H-D (a new sponsor, BTW) or Fred Nagher at Sunrise H-D, same franchise. They'll hook you up.  | ||
| Xl1200r |
^^ The guy lives in Hawaii - I don't think buying a bike in Florida is going to be very cost effective. I can't really comment on the consequences of getting right into a "big" bike. I learned to ride on a 125cc 4-stroke dirt bike when I was 13 years old. The bike was gone by the time I was 15, and never rode a motorcycle again until I was 20 years old (yes, 5 years later) and it was on my brand new Sportster 1200R. I'd like to say it felt like a brand-new experience, but I'm sure there was a good deal of instinct coming through that I had learned back in the day on my one cylinder wonder. Regardless, it was the first time I had ever ridden on the street, and it was on a 570lbs, 85hp (at the time), $9000 brand new Harley. I never felt like the bike overpowered me, or that it was too heavy for me, etc. If you take the MSF course, I think you'll have enough small-bike experience and confidence to handle an XB9. The Lightnings are not hard bike to ride IMO once you get used to the ergos. Don't rush yourself into anything. | ||
| Lost93 |
Thanks for all the help. Sadly there is no Riders Edge in Hawaii, but they are looking to start one soon. The class here is not mf, but a local one. Of course, they use nothing over 250 cc. Also there are no used Blasts here only used a Firebolt and a lightning. I believe that I may wait until I take the class before I choose a bike. There are kits and mods that can help upgrade a Blast, and I have done my homework on the Thumper page. Still, they all seem to be at least $ 2000 extra and few get the results they wanted or were promised. The lightning xb9s with a xb12scg low seat or the xb12s again with the low seat. They seem good right now. I plan ongoing very low and learning everything right. I have at least 5 people from various ages ready to teach me. Thank you again and I'll keep all of you posted. | ||
| Midknyte |
I'd like to say it felt like a brand-new experience That's because it was. Every different bike should be treated as a new experience and given a grown-in period. It's called muscle-memory. It's very easy to forget that the new/next bike will not handle like the last [because of minute, subconscious inputs from your body that had become programmed to the other bike over time]. To the original poster, I'd say start smaller than the XB's (the Blast is nothin to sneeze at! - cool bike) - and remember to start "over" on the next... Been there. Dumped that. | ||
| Tx05xb12s |
I have a tendency to recommend the start small first philosophy. My first bike was a little Honda CR80 that I rode from about age 10 or 12 all the way through the 10th grade (on trails and firelanes). This taught me that muscle-memory mentioned above. I got on my first road bike (05 XB12Scg) a decade later. I'm very glad I waited and got my basic riding experience in the dirt where mistakes are much more forgiving. I dumped it a few times, got up and dusted myself off, and away I went again. You can't do that on the road. These XBs handle marvelously, but I still wouldn't call it a "learner bike." Drop your $10,000+ into an investment, buy an old dual-sport beater, and ride that for a year or two first. | ||
| Metalstorm |
I believe that I may wait until I take the class before I choose a bike That is an excellent idea. The reason why I suggest something cheao as your first bike is because not only will you be learning how to ride (throttle control, counter steering, braking etc.), you will also be learning how to be a defensive rider. You'll be learning how to scan ahead & find trouble before it finds you. You'll be learning to anticipate drivers who literaly will not see you. You will be learning how to do evasive manuevers. The list goes on. That's a lot to proccess. It takes time & some times mishaps happen. Don't mean crashing but small silly things. For example: In my first year of riding I once came to a stop sign & forgot to put my feet down. *thunk* Once at a stop sign I did remember to put my feet down but wasn't paying attention to the road surface and I put my foot down right on a slick spot and..*thunk* Sometimes just pushing a bike around the garage can cause a mishap until you get the knack of it. (this I have not done. Yet.) A little ding here & there on a used (or at least cheap) bike isn't gonna upset you much but imagine if it was a brand spanking new XB. | ||
| Gbr |
I'm with Metalstorm, start small(er), then once you have some seat time look at upgrading. I train people on the Blasts, and I think they are a kick. Wouldn't want to do any serious road touring, but they are good handling machines. I love my xb, but wouldn't really suggest it for someones first bike. gbr --sidenote, kdan, 100? Is that a stock bike? Can't get my trainers over 70. But, I am at about 5000 feet. | ||
| Kdan |
GBR, Modified pipe, airbox and re-jetted carb. That's it. Granted, I can only get it to about 90, my Gurlfriend, Bambi has hit 100 but she's 100 lbs lighter'n me. | ||
| Old_man |
Top speed seems like a moot point to me. A new rider doesn't need to go 90mph. I never exceeded that on my XB. and I've been riding for 46 years. | ||
| Gbr |
I agree top speed isn't something to shoot for, but when you live in a state with a 75mph speed limit, and 80+mph traffic flow its nice to know if your bike will keep up. That's one of the reasons I wouldn't recommend the Blast for serious touring. It's great for the side roads though. Thanks for the info Kdan. We've toyed with rejetting the bikes, but there isn't any real reason. So far there aren't any high speed training range exercises.  gbr | ||
| Dcmortalcoil |
Get a used 03XB9SL (low version) less than $5000. It's about 2" lower than XB9S. I would sell you mine, but I'm in Wash. DC area. | ||
| Ezblast |
A Blast will keep up fine at 80 - lol GT - JBOTDS! EZ  | ||
| Kdan |
A Blast will keep up fine at 80 - lol Ezblast, I was riding home from bike night one night last year with a buddy on his new BMW 1200. I was on the Blast. He took his Beemer in for service the next day to have the speedometer looked at. He didn't believe I was keeping up at 80. | ||
| Vanvideo |
Start small. The Blast was specifically built for people just like you, Lost- beginners who need an inexpensive, easy to ride bike so you can learn the ropes. It's short and light, so it makes stopping and walking the bike around easier. Nothing feels more confident that having both your feet firmly planted on the ground when you stop or back the bike into a parking spot. So you'll outgrow it and buy a bigger bike later - big deal. Pretty much everyone who's been a rider for more than 5 years has probably gone through several bikes. I've personally gone through 11 and don't regret any of them. Believe me, after your second bike, there'll be another - and another, whether you've outgrown them or not. You'll always want to own another bike, no matter how much you love your current ride. It's the sickness, man. | ||
| Kdan |
You hit that nail on the head Vanvideo. I still use my Blast. It has taught at least three people besides me to ride since I've owned it, I have no qualms loaning it out to friends, my kid will probably learn on it this summer and it's perfect for commuting and riding two up to the park. | ||
| Kootenay |
A couple of things. First off, it's best to start small and cheap (read: used). You are going to drop your first bike at some point (everyone does!) and a used bike will absorb minor damage from slow drops without setting back the bank account. Both Suzuki and Kawasaki make 500 twins which are considered excellent starters, and there's also a 250 Ninja from Kawasaki which is highly regarded, especially if you're small. And speaking of small, check out the Short Bikers List FAQ and don't worry too much about your inseam. Yes, at 5'2" you're gonna have some issues, but likely not as bad as you're thinking. And don't listen when tall guys tell you a bike is "too tall" for you--they've never experienced a bike they couldn't flatfoot, so how can they advise you? | ||
| Cityxslicker |
if you have ever seen the tail lights of that thing around the track, you know that bike has some serious power through the corners. Jeff It. handed a group of us our asses on that lil bike, and we were all riding the XB12's and XB9's around Vegas International |
