Motorcycle of Choice

[Gribble]

I've posted about motorcycles in the past. Well, now I actually have my license and I've ridden several hundred miles on my grandfather's bike. No longer something to fantasize about. I need one.

I've been poring over bikes. I've posted pictures before and solicited opinions. Honestly, nothing ever really jumped out at me. I hate the way sport bikes look. I think they're hideous. I'm not a speed demon. I keep a tight reign on my risk to reward ratio, and I don't think the thrill of gunning it down the highway, weaving in and out of traffic is worth it. Not to mention how uncomfortable they are. That said, I don't think any bike is quite as fun to corner with as a decent sport bike, plus the younger female crowd, particularly in the city, find sport bikes enticing.

Some cruisers look okay. I don't find them ugly, just not particularly interesting. They tend to focus on tradition over function. Not big on that. Plus a cute 20-something would most likely dismiss a cruiser as something her dad would ride. They're far more comfortable than sport bikes, however, and, not surprisingly, they handle moderate cruising speeds better.

Touring bikes are right out. Yes, they're luxuriously comfortable and well-equipped, yes they have the best bang for the buck, capable of competing with cars in terms of longevity. However, they're grandfather bikes. When I'm retired, sure, I'll have one. I'll probably tell all my old fart buddies what an idiot I was not to pick up a Gold Wing right from the start. But to hell with that. I want a bike for the fun and for the pussy.

Seemed to me nothing quite fit. Whatever I settled for would leave me with doubts. I'd second guess. I'd wonder if maybe that other bike would have been more my style. It's frustrating. Purchasing a bike should be almost as thrilling as riding it. I want to be confident in my choice.

Well, now I am. I found the right bike. It's a BMW R1200C. Technically a cruiser, but unlike any other bike I've laid eyes on. Solid, modern engineering with only a few concessions to form. Doesn't look like an old fart's bike or something a future organ donor takes to the road. I've asked my friends about it and reviews are polarized. People either love it or hate it. Nothing in the middle. Obviously I love it. To me it takes the best of all worlds and rolls it into one amazing package. If I had a million bucks to kill this would be the bike I'd buy. Convenient that it's affordable and that reviews describe it as being powerful and reliable to boot.

Edit: I'm not deeply thrilled with the rear fender. Considering how different the rest of the bike looks, that atypical fender stands out like a sore thumb. However, with saddlebags the bike looks perfect. Unfortunately, I can't find a decent picture to illustrate the fact...

[Cbrider]

Sport bikes definitely aren't everyone's forte, they are fast and furious, but they have their drawbacks. The nice thing is that sport bikes are usually the front line in engine development. They usually receive all the bleeding edge changes before the other classes. They pull woman like there is no tomorrow.

BMW's are expensive. This applies to absolutely everything about them. Parts are expensive, the initial buying price is expensive, service is expensive and you have to go to a European dealership to have them worked on. You show up at a Honda/Yamaha/Suzuki/Kawi shop and they generally wont even touch it - vice versa also. Its a single sided swing arm design that is shaft driven. That's a relatively rare setup that is a flagship BMW thing. I don't know how easy that would be to get parts or service for.

I think that bike was last produced in 2004 because they couldn't find a favorable replacement set up for its engine. It apparently lacked power and grunt, although most bikes have more power than any one person needs, so I am skeptical. Check and see if you can still get the parts for the bike since it was discontinued. To my knowledge, they never made a revamp of it, so who knows if they still have parts readily available.

BMW's are nice bikes and as good as all the other manufacturers. I have ridden a few different ones, the differences don't justify their pricing. They ride the same as the Japanese bikes....better in some categories, worse in others. The line of excellence between Ducati/BMW and, say Honda/Suzuki has almost evaporated. They all build above and beyond expectations and rider abilities. Most of the debate these days is simply because of die hards and brand loyalty/prestige, not the machines.

That said, I am not trying to steer you away from that bike in any way, just bringing negatives to light because you know all the positives. Sport bikes have just as many flaws that never hit the press

Have you looked at motards? If I had to buy again, I would snatch one up in a heartbeat. The fun factor isn't even close when you stack a sport bike/cruiser against one.

[Gribble]

From what I've read about power it's excellent until you get to the 85mph mark, at which point there's a drop-off. I have no problem with the bike whining and vibrating at 85+mph considering I have no desire to ride at that speed for any length of time. From what I've read, at cruising speed the R1200C has all the power you could ever want and then some. The way I see it, if you want more you probably shouldn't be buying a cruiser, right?

Parts seem readily available as of now. Pricey, sure, but not beyond my means. Availability may become a problem down the road. In which case I'll sell and look elsewhere. That bike doesn't depreciate much in value.

It's hard to gauge brand differences. People are so amazingly biased, you can't believe anything you hear. My MSF instructor rode a BMW K750 with over 300k miles on it. Never needed major repairs, never took the engine apart. Ran great, looked great. 300k might be a bit extreme, but I understand BMWs are known for their lasting quality. Perhaps the difference in price isn't apparent in terms of handling, but if I can put 100k miles on that bike--or sell it for a decent price at 30k--I think it's worth my while.

I've heard of dual-sports. Is a motard the same thing? I'd actually love one of those as a secondary bike. My family's got a cabin out in the mountains. Lots of trails to explore. Pain in the ass hauling a dirt bike to them. Screw the trailer, just hop on that dual-sport, cruise down the public road and then slip off into the dirt.

[vashti]

They would all look super sexy with a helmet. :-)

Body armor would be a bonus.

[Gribble]

Not playing around with helmets. I don't care what's cool or sexy--unless cool and sexy happen to also provide the utmost protection. As it so happens that would be the case. I'll be riding with a full-faced Shoei matched to the color of my bike.

[Cbrider]

Good choice not only to wear that helmet, but the helmet itself. I have that same model or the one prior to it....mines an RF-1000, that one looks like it might be the new 1100 series.


A motard is a dual sport converted to street....at least in a nutshell. Some companies make them for street right off the production line, they are becoming a new trend in bikes.


This is how you corner them in a race, no joke -

Edit: Get a jacket and gloves too, I still have my gloves and jacket from my wreck. Shredded the left sleeve and ground the carbon fiber knuckles to dust on my left gloves. Road rash hurts.

[Charlie Boy II]

F-ck I'd love to get a sports bike.

[doppelgaenger]

I'd like to get a bike too.

[Lipp]

Power Cruisers.

Enter the power cruisers: a rowdy group of muscle bikes that takes cruiser-style riding to an exhilarating new level. These bikes are one part hot rod, one part sportbike -- and several buckets of attitude -- wrapped in taut, muscular bodywork. Power cruisers blast down the dragstrip, leaving regular motorcycles sniffing tendrils of tire smoke.

[url=http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/news/4216203]Power Cruiser Motorcyles: PM Road Test - Popular Mechanics[/url]


Suzuki Boulevard M50

[Gigabitch]

That motard is hideous. I learned to ride on an enduro, also hideous.

Gribble, thank you for choosing a classy bike, but damn you for making yourself even MORE sexy. You should come with a warning for all women, you cad.

[Gribble]

That motard is hideous. I learned to ride on an enduro, also hideous.

Gribble, thank you for choosing a classy bike, but damn you for making yourself even MORE sexy. You should come with a warning for all women, you cad.

Why thank you.

What do you all think of the looks? I'm beginning to get the impression that the people who really don't like it are just a bunch of traditionalists who can't stand the idea of a cruiser that doesn't look like every other bike on the road. Then again, my taste has always been... erratic.

[lahnnabell]

Okay, that's it. Gribble. I want to know what the hell you look like. I'm done with my charade.

[Gigabitch]

Why thank you.

What do you all think of the looks? I'm beginning to get the impression that the people who really don't like it are just a bunch of traditionalists who can't stand the idea of a cruiser that doesn't look like every other bike on the road. Then again, my taste has always been... erratic.

I prefer the sleeker breed of BMW, but then, this would be better for tooling down country roads. I think it will fit you perfectly.

What color are you thinking about?