[ACM]

Motorbikes & Bicycles = Falling off and breaking a few bones.
So what is the safest solution

Background:

I love Wheels, 2,4,6.. doesn't matter. Naa, whom am I kidding? it does matter - safety of 4 wheels is what I love the most and yet there are days when the sheer beauty of a large cruiser tugs at my heart. It makes me go all weak at the knees and literally forces a leg over the saddle. Ahh, the chrome, the wide saddle, the grand exhaust, the huge tank, the..

In 1996-1998 during my MBA days while outstation at Surat I drove the Yamaha RX100 and Kinetic Honda extensively for about 60,000kms in a short period. Was an aggressive but safe rider. I fell of twice and was saved by the Helmet. I was one of the very few in those days who used an helmet. I had a full face helmet something that was called Kevlar Mix and helped me twice. Once I broke a couple of ribs as well.

I drove the RX100 at a speedo indicated 100 kmph as also the Suzuki shotgun. Also spent some time on the Bajaj Kawasaki KB100, Hero Honda Sleek in good condition and a Bajaj Scooter and an Enfield Bullet in poor condition. (All in the 1996-1998 period.)

From 1999 to 2008 I drove the Kinetic Honda at Vadodara maybe twice or thrice a year during visits to that place.

Earlier as a kid in Mumbai parents strictly insisted on no bicycle and later no bikes. I did hence rent out bicycles and of course fell of a few time on them as well mostly due to mechanical failures.

From 2013-2016 I have cycled a fair bit and touch wood not fallen of even once. I have a Btwin Rockrider 5.3 with all the bells and whistles. I always ride with full gear.

In 2016 I also tried my hand a close friends Royal Enfield Thunderbird and the experience was average. It was a no doubt a short ride but still..

I have visited Harley Showrooms and have my favourites among them. I keenly follow Triumph models as well. I loved the Hyosung 650 and 700 cc Cruisers. I see my self as a cruiser guy, or is cruiser boy, aren't all cruiser guys boys at heart, going for the impractical but living by the heart.

I weigh 125kgs +++ So Biking has higher risks for me if whenever I fall.

[ACM]

Now riding for me mainly going to be a once or twice a week hobby.

I do understand that with biking it is NOT a question of "IF" one falls but rather of "WHEN" one falls.

I seriously feel that falling of a bike is not something that I would like to experience at the age of 44 with my weight, though I am overall quite fit.

I love riding but my peculiar conditions and requirements are:

1) Dislike of changing gears on Bikes, (love the Kinetic Honda hence, as also the relatively easier gear change on Yamaha RX100. Gear Changes should be smooth. Gearless would be lovely.

2) I have a fear of heights and water so am fine in cars while driving them but not so much on bikes say on flyovers etc.

3) I prefer bikes that are short - Though I am 6 feet tall. as I like my feet to touch the ground well on both sides.

4) I prefer cruisers or upright seating positions. No sporty bending over in front business. I do Yoga - Sadguru Inner Engineering entry level kind, but no Yoga on bikes for me.

5) I would ride with Glasses even for very short 1 km inside road rides around my home, and with helmet and biker gloves beyond that. I would be in full gear for biker rides. Space to keep such stuff under the seat or in carrier boxes is essential.

6) I would have an helmet for any pillion rider. I would never be a pillion rider myself (No rider has ever given me the confidence of being able to handle my weight even when I was 40kgs lighter.)

7) I must look good on that particular bike. (No commuter bikes). Shouldn't appear to be an Elephant seated on a mouse.

8) Need very good and stable braking and excellent balance and grip. Max speed it likely to be about 80-90 kmph. I hope not to be tempted to go faster in Biker Rides. ABS is essential but not sufficient.

9) Minimum 500CC Bike preferably more than 750CC and 40BHP.

10) Thick Tyres Make me feel stable.

11) A Brand that has following and sales that is enough to get into group rides would be good to have but is not essential.

12) Don't wish the underbelly to hit speedbumps so good ground clearance is good to have. This is essential.

13) Good resale & VFM Purchase price.

14) Should sound good without aftermarket exhaust. (Hey now I am getting quite demanding.)

15) High degree of stability to prevent me falling over and / or having accidents. (2 wheels at the rear any options?) I saw such vehicles with 2 wheels at the rear in the US on a drive in the hills. The guys seemed to be having as much fun as the bikers. They were not ATV's but performance vehicles for tarmac with normal tyres.

16) Comfortable seat is an obvious requirement.

17) I might actually prefer to buy pre-owned and replace the tyres and brake pads right away.

18) Push Button Start is critical.

19) Fuel Tank Capacity should ideally be sufficient for Mumbai /Thane to Amby Valley return drive. If that is not possible a maximum of one refuelling on the Expressway on the way.

20) Front Windshield option via accessories.

[ACM]

Options:

Now while I have mentioned a budget of INR10L I do prefer to go preowned and spend about 4-7L for a reliable model

1) RE:
RE Thunderbird 500 (Classic is too uncomfortable in terms of the seat layout.) I feel the 500CC class is not really something that will satisfy me enough, though the larger RE planned just might.
RE upcoming 650-700 Twins (If in Cruiser Style.) They though may be unreliable in the first year of launch going by history? Would be tempting price wise for sure.
The RE don't feel safe enough to me as I am out of practice with riding.
The Thunderbird headlight and Seat are positives for me.
The Tyres, gear change effort and brakes are negatives.
Brand is at best average this class onwards.

2) Harley which one? The Street 750 was too short and uncomfortable for me. But I had test driven the first generation one.
Is the latest Street Rod version more comfortable and practical? Should I test drive that?
SuperLow with raised suspension? and raised seat option?
Preowned Street Bob? / Fat Bob?
Street Bob is the model that excited me the most among the range.
Models with small tanks are out of contention.
Brand is a big positive.
Gearchange is a negative on models that look good.
Accessories costs is another negative, which accessories availability is a positive.

3) Triumph? Which model? (Only Cruisers) It has been getting confusing with new latest models not exactly replacing the previous models.
Brand is not at the Harley level, but quality actually seems better.
Bikes all feel better than Harley in each sub segment.
Bikes don't look as impressive as the Harleys but are more comfortable to ride.

4) Hyosung Which model? (Only Preowned) Aquila Pro 650 or ST7. Maintenance?
Love the ST7 - But reliability after so many years since last sale? I loved the ST7 seating position and relaxed drive.
Aquila Pro felt like a conventional bike in Cruiser Body. Specs were quite nice though. Loved the Machine gun exhaust, though it is surely illegal and would be a pain after some time. Reliability?

5) Which other brand? Am open and not too brand conscious though looks do matter. Love Chrome.

6) Lastly should I just rent on the weekends or should I rent on the weekends for now and then buy later.

7) Should I just forget biking considering my background.

8) I am looking at a purchase around Diwali time. I always take a few months to evaluate my decision, plus am anticipating a few new options by them.

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Big Bikes Section!

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by ACM

So what is the safest solution

Originally Posted by ACM

requirements are:

1) Dislike of changing gears on Bikes, (love the Kinetic Honda hence, as also the relatively easier gear change on Yamaha RX100. Gear Changes should be smooth. Gearless would be lovely.

2) I have a fear of heights and water so am fine in cars while driving them but not so much on bikes say on flyovers etc.

3)
4)
5)
6)...

1) Requirement number one should be ABS. With your fear of water and falling off - do not even think about options without ABS.

2) Traction control would be another good feature to have. Bikes like the Ninja 1000 (No yoga position needed) have lean sensitive IMU and cornering ABS.

Traction control and ride modes for rain etc help keep the bike safe on the road.

3) Unlikely that you'll get ABS in preowned cruisers though. Harley made it mandatory sometime last year if I remember correctly. All new Harleys have ABS.

4) Same with Triumphs as well. However, I feel the Triumphs would make safer bikes due to Traction control available on their retro range like Street Twin, T100 etc. Even I share the same opinion as you that the Triumph range is better built than Harley, although the latter has higher brand recognition.

5) Skip Hyosung IMO. DSK lost interest in Hyosung post the introduction of Benelli, and now with the DSK group itself getting into financial trouble - the future of both brands is questionable.

6) You could also look at the Kawasaki Vulcan S if you need a cruiser with a Japanese engine.

[hema4saran]

Originally Posted by ACM

5) Which other brand? Am open and not too brand conscious though looks do matter. Love Chrome.

6) Lastly should I just rent on the weekends or should I rent on the weekends for now and then buy later.

7) Should I just forget biking considering my background.

8) I am looking at a purchase around Diwali time. I always take a few months to evaluate my decision, plus am anticipating a few new options by them.

Forget buying an RE. You can easily rent Classic 500 or TB500 if you wanna ride one on weekends if you are just looking for some weekend rides alone. The problem with RE is the lack of safety features and poor ASS.

Since you have almost 5 months time, Please evaluate the models and rethink about your riding plans as well. Do you really need a motorcycle for just weekend fun? You know how the traffic and driving pattern has changed in these 20 years time (Since you mentioned you last drove a lot in late 1990s) and the risks involved in riding. There is nothing called safe motorcycle Period!! Sorry if I am demotivating you.

But we live only once. So lets enjoy as much as possible. Please consider Kawasaki Vulcan as well in your shortlist. Take back to back test rides and finalize. All the best and keep this thread updated on your outcome. It was a fresh model and being Japanese Cruiser it will be reliable.

[the_skyliner]

If you can stretch the budget a little then go for Triumph Speedmaster. It will fit your requirements perfectly. Has powerful engine and all the safety features like, ABS, traction control, two riding modes, brembo brakes, etc.

It looks great too!

[100BHP]

Dominor 400 - try it - it will tick most of the boxes - good reliable bike & lot of fun too.

[VellVector]

I think you're best bet is a Harley - keeping in mind all the requirements you listed. Unfortunately for a new bike - not too many of their models will fit in your budget.

In the used market, you can look for a low mileage Dyna that may fit into your budget. But be careful, many bikes in this category reach the used market after being abused.

For storing all your gear you will need to invest in a pair of saddle bags.

[Red Liner]

Your BEST bet is the Kawasaki Vulcan S 650. Available *new* for under 7 Lakhs.

Easy to run, Low seat height, Japanese reliability, Good customer service at Mumbai, cheap consumable spares available apart from OEM, bullet proof 650 cc engine which will give you 100k kms without a sweat.

Harley etc don't cut it for our climate and conditions - especially mumbai, you'll be roasted. They're just bling - unless that's what you want. And don't even look at the pre-owned market unless you know enough about maintaining big CC motorcycles.

Get the Kawi, be happy.

The only other option I would suggest is the new Triumph Street Twin or the T100, but both are pricey new. Grin on the face? Undoubtedly.

[sidhu_hs]

Edit 1: Should I Bike? Definitely, Yes.

Originally Posted by ACM

Now riding for me mainly going to be a once or twice a week hobby.

Renting different bikes would be a good idea before you zero in on anything.

8) Need very good and stable braking and excellent balance and grip. Max speed it likely to be about 80-90 kmph. I hope not to be tempted to go faster in Biker Rides. ABS is essential but not sufficient.

9) Minimum 500CC Bike preferably more than 750CC and 40BHP.

10) Thick Tyres Make me feel stable.

13) Good resale & VFM Purchase price.

What I infer from 8 & 9 is you want something with tall final gear so that you can do 80-90 kmph at low rpms.

I am kind of confused with all that you want out of your future bike, so I can't think of any advice at moment, but I'll be interested in what you choose and why.

Edit 2:

1) Dislike of changing gears on Bikes

The first bike that comes to mind is a pre owned Honda VFR1200F. It is an auto transmission bike (and a dual clutch at that too! With a shaft drive and not a chain drive. A V4 and not an inline 4. And a single side swingarm, so it looks the part too! What that means is that you'll have plenty to talk about when you meet fellow bikers!), but even finding one would be a hassle, let alone a clean one.

[bigron]

There is no safe motorcycle, period. Having said that a super bike ( 600 cc plus ) in India at 60 - 80 Kmph is far safer than a 100/200 cc commuter.
Now I think before you actually go out and get a bike, get in touch with the various motorcycle groups in your city. I am sure they have rides on weekends. Talk to the boys there, sit on the bikes and try getting a general feel of it.
Visit a few dealerships and take test rides.
All this will help you narrow down your search. As far as weekend ride is concerned. I believe it is better to have something and not use it than to not have something when you need it.
Once you have shortlisted a few than we can take it from there.

[Vikram Adani]

Just Last sunday i took a test ride of the new vulcan S at the New Kawasaki Showroom at Thane in Mumbai.

Really liked the looks and was lot of fun to ride. Good braking, and was a pleasant surprise to be able to rev a cruiser past 5000 rpm and see it dart forward with a huge sense of urgency which i have only experienced on sports bikes before. The vulcan also comes with options to customize the position of foot pegs, or handle bars and seat as per your comfort. Also the seating position was very very comfortable, a shade more comfortable than my street 750. inspite of 35 or 36 degree afternoon heat, the bike did not heat up at all during the test ride (unlike my street).
the jap engine is likely to be reliable for the long term...
i suggest you should yourself take a test ride before drawing any conclusions...

[Rachit.K.Dogra]

Originally Posted by ACM

Options:

Now while I have mentioned a budget of INR10L I do prefer to go preowned and spend about 4-7L for a reliable model

Hi,

You have a long list of wants, like most of us, from a motorcycle. I will be honest, there is no bike that will give you all the points that you mentioned. For example, a bike with good ground clearance will always end up having a higher seat height. A cruiser with low seat height, will always have a lower ground clearance. No motorcycle in today's world have any luggage space except for ADVs (Not considering the Gold Wings or the bigger Harleys here) unless you consider mounting bags or boxes, which by the way is also easiest on ADVs.

I for some reason feel, if you are not very strongly inclined on cruisers, try Versys 650 or Tiger 800. They fulfill all your wants except for a lower seat height. Considering you are 6 feet tall, you should not have any issues on these bikes on seat height.

CHEERS!!

Rachit

[Turbanator]

Originally Posted by ACM

Options:


1) RE:
RE Thunderbird 500 (Classic is too uncomfortable in terms of the seat layout.) I feel the 500CC class is not really something that will satisfy me enough, though the larger RE planned just might.

Do check some other bikes from their stable and if possible spend more time, maybe rent or ask Dealer to give you extended drive. I have a feeling, given your fear, you should stick with something basic for a while, It should be comfortable till 80 or so.

2) Harley which one? The Street 750 was too short and uncomfortable for me. But I had test driven the first generation one.
Is the latest Street Rod version more comfortable and practical? Should I test drive that?
SuperLow with raised suspension? and raised seat option?
Preowned Street Bob? / Fat Bob?
Street Bob is the model that excited me the most among the range.
Models with small tanks are out of contention.
Brand is a big positive.
Gearchange is a negative on models that look good.
Accessories costs is another negative, which accessories availability is a positive.

Don't even bother looking at Sportster given your physique, if you have to look for a Harley start with the street bob or low rider, accessories and everything can follow later when you start riding unless you plan to make it an eye candy

3) Triumph? Which model? (Only Cruisers) It has been getting confusing with new latest models not exactly replacing the previous models.

Bonies are good but again for someone so tall and heavy? As you are ok with preowned, try to find a Storm. You may get something around 8-10 Lac.