Toying with new bike idea

[Water Warrior 2]

Have been toying with the idea of a new cruiser to replace the Vstrom. For any members in the Greater Vancouver Region, do you know where I can find a dealer(s) that have a Suzuki C-50SEC and or a Yamaha Star 950 Touring model ? Going for a ride to see one or two new bikes would be fun and answer some questions that websites and sales folk can't answer online or over the phone.

[alanmcorcoran]

He's got New Bike Fever! (I have a bit of it as well... Trying to fight it off.)

[mrlmd1]

Why you looking to switch? (both of you).
What's wrong with the Vstrom or why do you want a cruiser now? Is that not comfortable on long trips?
And AC - why are you not happy with the Strat? Too big, uneconomical?
Or isit just the itch for a change for you both?

[alanmcorcoran]

I probably wouldn't get rid of the Strat. It is too big and uneconomical, but I didn't buy it with economics as my primary concern. It ran like a beast on my recent trip and handled some of the most amazing roads/paths without killing me. But I'm interested in possibly trading the GZ for an "adventure" or dual purpose bike. Saw some KTM's that looked pretty neat and, of course, a lot of BMW's. The only two bikes I've ridden are at the extremes of weight/power. The GZ is too underpowered for touring and isn't suitable for fire roads, etc. The Strat is awesome on anything paved, but I don't trust my skills on it in dirt and if i dropped it out in the woods I'd be screwed. And, I guess I like having the distraction of thinking/planning for a new distraction.

[Water Warrior 2]

Nothing wrong with the Vstrom, it is bullet proof and runs like a champ. I am just getting to the point where a taller bike is too much to climb up on and with it's tall center of gravity I live in fear of a drop. Not as strong as I used to be anymore. The 50 series cruisers may be heavier but with the right crash bars they will roll right back up on 2 wheels with little effort. This I know from experience.
As for the 950 Yamaha I don't know too much about it but it is a strong contender under the 1000 cc mark. More $ but I won't rule it out till I at least see one in person. Come to think of it, Kawi makes a 900 cruiser too. Shouldn't rule that out either.
Just want to gather some info and do eye-balling, maybe a ride if possible.
Forums for each and every different bike are such a wealth of info that an informed decision(if I make one)should be a lot less of a gamble.

[mrlmd1]

With so many different (good) choices out there for a new cruiser, you may not get another bike for quite a while 'till you make up your mind. See, sit on, ride as many as you can, that should take at least 6 months. AC has a much easier choice I think, smaller range of bikes to look at. more similarities between the choices, just another different toy to have fun with.

[alanmcorcoran]

Any of you guys ever have a KTM?

[Easy Rider]

He's got New Bike Fever! (I have a bit of it as well... Trying to fight it off.)

I saw a new BMW 1200 touring bike today.
REALLY snazzy.....really.
:poke2:

[Moedad]

He's got New Bike Fever! (I have a bit of it as well... Trying to fight it off.)

Me too, although I wonder if it ever really goes away.

[GZ Jess]

I had new bike fever too, but now I'm happy. I know you don't want to go 1100 but I really like the way my V Star sits and handles. I think it is a very easy bike to get used to.

Good luck looking and researching, that is one of my favorite things about a change LOL.

Jessica

[Moedad]

Why you looking to switch? (both of you).
What's wrong with the Vstrom or why do you want a cruiser now? Is that not comfortable on long trips?
And AC - why are you not happy with the Strat? Too big, uneconomical?
Or isit just the itch for a change for you both?

I don't know about them, but I'd like a bike with more range, fuel injection, and gauges to start. A few hundred more CC's would be nice too. Don't want a cruiser though. A lightly used sport-tourer (first choice. Maybe a FJR1300 with a couple of years and less than 15k on it) or adventure bike (second choice. Gotta be Wee-Strom if I go that route)

[dhgeyer]

This thread hits me close to home. I went through 13 bikes in less than 8 years, and I kind of kick myself. I started in 2002, after not riding for years, with a 2001 Vulcan 500 LTD in mint condition and low miles that I got for $3500.00. Every time I swapped up or down, I had some logical reason. There was a primarily used bike dealer in Manchester (now a Yamaha dealership), where I could trade in a bike I bought there and not take too much of a beating if I got another used bike, so it was never as extravagant as you might think. Still, I wonder if I still had that Vulcan 500, and had simply adapted it to my needs like Burkbuilds did, if I wouldn't have had just as much fun for a lot less money.

I just read a study that somebody did, where they found that people who spend their money on experiences (travel, vacations, concerts, social and service groups, and so forth) are happier than people who spend their money on things. That has a ring of truth for me.

I've bought my last motorcycle. There are things I don't like about the BMW, and if I let myself, I could find a reason to get rid of it and get something else. I'm just not going to do that anymore.

I don't mean to sound preachy - Hell, I'm the last one to preach on this subject. I've been collecting "stuff" all my life. I'm just saying that for me it doesn't work anymore. From now on, I'm not replacing anything I've got unless it's worn out, or I really have to for some reason. Instead of looking for things my stuff can't do, I'm going to maximize the experiences I can have with what I've got.

For the record, if anyone is considering a BMW, I can no longer recommend that brand in good conscience. Their quality control has gone to Hell, and they are not standing behind what they sell. Frequenting the BMW motorcycle boards I'm finding that a lot of people are getting burned, and to the tune of a lot of money. I'm not getting rid of mine, but every time I think about it I can only hope I'm one of the lucky ones.

[mrlmd1]

dhg- I'm really sorry to hear that from you about your new bike, but like you said, maybe you'll be one of the lucky ones with no problems. And if you do start to have problems with it or with the dealer taking care of it, you probably will get rid of it to save you the headache of having to deal with it and not being able to use it or trust it. Hopefully that won't happen to you .

[dhgeyer]

Thanks mrlmd1! I can only hope. Thing is, about the worst thing that is at all likely to happen is a final drive failure after the bike is out of warranty. Large numbers of the final drives are failing. If that happens I'm out anywhere from $600.00 to $1500.00 bucks, and probably considerable downtime. There are other components failing on BMW's, but that's the nightmare scenario. The really aggravating thing is that all these problems have been known for years, well documented by user groups, and BMW is still building the same components into the bikes, no changes, and answering any complaints with denial and/or stony silence. I just can't respect that company anymore.

Still, I can't justify getting rid of the bike for that reason. Even if the worst were to happen, it wouldn't cost as much as trading to another bike, given that I bought mine new and would take a huge hit.

As an aside to WW, a large number of formerly totally loyal BMW customers are (reluctantly) going to other bikes now, and the most popular ones seem to be the Suzuki DL650 or DL1000 Vstroms. Reason? In a word - bulletproof, like BMWs used to be.

[Water Warrior 2]

Any of you guys ever have a KTM?
Go price one and get back to us. Depending on which model and size you get they aren't cheap but they do have some impressive features.

[Water Warrior 2]

DH, 13 bikes in 8 years isn't bad if you aren't going new each time although it still get costly. Decades ago I averaged a brand spanking new car every 11 months and lost dearly every time. After switching to vans or trucks I found my nitch. I am not considering switching bikes just to switch but for the fact the Vstrom is getting to tall for an old guy to climb or pick up if it goes to sleep and falls over.
If Suzuki ever made a Wee Strom model with a 3 in lower seat and 10/15 % lighter it would be even better than it is now IMHO. As it is now it is a very good bike judging by it's following. The aftermarket also supports them with bunches of neat stuff that works.

[alanmcorcoran]

I just read a study that somebody did, where they found that people who spend their money on experiences (travel, vacations, concerts, social and service groups, and so forth) are happier than people who spend their money on things.

As long as we're getting a bit of a preach on... The happiest people I've met had neither money nor many things, but, true to your recommendation, took pride (and joy) in being resourceful with what they had. I have to admit, I buy a lot of things, but I never borrow to buy and I try not to buy stuff I won't use. Still it happens.

To me, the planning, the buying, the using, the tinkering, the refining, and the talking about it are all equally pointless, and yet, they serve the same purpose: to distract us from the absurdity of existence. I think I enjoyed planning and equipping my recent trip as much as I did the actual doing of it. I feel very fortunate to be able to indulge myself in increasingly complicated (and expensive!) forms of distraction and my use of motorcycles in this pursuit is no exception. I had a great deal of truly joyous moments on my trip - whether it was from perfect throttle control on an uphill ess turn, to encountering a bear on my hiking trail, to blowing past 13 cars stuck behind a rental RV and tucking back in just before I became bug guts on a semi grille - so I consider the dough well spent. I enjoy hearing about others likes and dislikes and, while I value your judgment, I'd be happier if you continued to try out new bikes (to save me the time! [and potential mistakes.])

Good luck with your Beemer - I saw many happy BMW owners in my travels - hopefully yours will not be one of the problem models. I will be wary about jumping into one without careful research of your reported issues.

[Water Warrior 2]

Well the new bike idea is in the crapper. Went for an extended ride today and saw a few C-50s and one Star 950. I will pass on the Star. The C-50 was not the model I was hoping to find but near enough if the price was right with only one difference being the spoked wheels rather than the mag wheels the C-50SEC has. I was actually offered a test ride which I declined at one dealer. Some dealers don't seem to want to dicker and others are just a little brain dead. At one dealer I asked for his lowest price on the back of his business card. He mumbled something about a hunting license to take to other dealers. Hmmm. Thought that was the name of the game.
So I will keep the WeeStrom and maybe just buy a new thermometer to replace one that died two weeks ago. That and retrackable training wheels so I don't fall over at stops. Heh heh. However that test ride on a C-50 T(touring model)sure sounds tempting.

[dhgeyer]

I love to go for test rides on other bikes that I've never ridden before. I'd never turn one down. I guess that's a good way to collect experiences without the baggage of collecting things. It's cheap entertainment as long as you don't get seduced and pull the trigger.

A few weeks ago the local BMW/Triumph dealer had the Triumph factory demo truck one week, and the BMW factory demo truck a week or two later. They unload a couple of dozen bikes, and the more people they can get to go for test rides, the better they like it. They make it a two day event with refreshments and so on. Only bad news is, they're group rides, but still, I'll sign up no problem.

I got to ride a Triumph Bonneville T-100. Of course back in my day the Triumphs and BSA's were what all us kids wanted. In all these years, I had never had a chance to ride one. I was quite impressed with the T-100. I'd love to have one, but, no, getting to put 26 miles on it was enough.

Then a week or so later I got to ride a BMW F800GS. Again, great fun. Love to have one. But, better to spend all that money enjoying the two bikes I've got.

The local BMW/Triumph dealership (Second Wind BMW/Triumph in Amherst, NH) has never once turned me down for a test ride on a used machine, even when they know perfectly well I have no interest in buying the bike. I wanted an old style BMW for 40 years, but having ridden a couple of them I realize how far brake development has come. Now I wouldn't take a bike with a drum front brake as a gift.

Fun? You bet!

[alanmcorcoran]

Planning on renting a Honda 750 (aero I think - similar to Shadow but styled a little different IIRC) on Saturday and maybe a dual sport a couple of weeks later. Hope to discover some non- flat non straight roads in the greater Chicagoland area. It's not as cheap as a test ride - but I wouldn't be buying in IL anyway and wouldn't want to abuse the privelege.

[dhgeyer]

That and retrackable training wheels so I don't fall over at stops. Heh heh. However that test ride on a C-50 T(touring model)sure sounds tempting.

Have you thought of lowering the DL650? There are ways. If your back is anything like mine, you'd miss the Weestrom very quickly if you went to a mid size cruiser.

[Water Warrior 2]

That and retrackable training wheels so I don't fall over at stops. Heh heh. However that test ride on a C-50 T(touring model)sure sounds tempting.

Have you thought of lowering the DL650? There are ways. If your back is anything like mine, you'd miss the Weestrom very quickly if you went to a mid size cruiser.
DH, I actually had the WeeStrom lowered for a couple years but it did not handle as nice so I went back to the OEM links.
As for a cruiser being harder on the back I am aware of that fact. My biggest concern is hurting my back again picking the thing up when I do drop it. With a cruiser equiped with the right crash bars it is merely a small amount of effort to roll it right back up on it's wheels. Found this out(happily I'll add)with Lynda's M-50 and no damage at all.
I have lived with this bruised disc thing for 45 years and pretty much never do anything overly foolish. Having had a couple decent longer rides on the M I think the suspension is fair to midland if I avoid Alan's manhole covers.

[Water Warrior 2]

So this morning I was going to toss out the business cards from dealers I visited yesterday. Looked at the back of the card from the dealer who offered a test ride. Think I hate him now. Best price of the bunch and only $300 over the limit I set for myself if a purchase was made.
Canadian DOLLARS are a lot different than U.S. Dollars when buying a bike. So a 2010 Suzuki C-50 SE at $9300 is a pretty fair price. This is all in with taxes and all fees(PDI and set-up). I paid that for my WeeStrom 5 years ago. I really gotta get over this. Maybe training wheels on the 650.

[blaine]

So this morning I was going to toss out the business cards from dealers I visited yesterday. Looked at the back of the card from the dealer who offered a test ride. Think I hate him now. Best price of the bunch and only $300 over the limit I set for myself if a purchase was made.
Canadian DOLLARS are a lot different than U.S. Dollars when buying a bike. So a 2010 Suzuki C-50 SE at $9300 is a pretty fair price. This is all in with taxes and all fees(PDI and set-up). I paid that for my WeeStrom 5 years ago. I really gotta get over this. Maybe training wheels on the 650.

Better take that test ride. :poke2: :lol:

[Sarris]

Hey WW, I say GO FOR IT.

What the hell, you only live once and you can't pack the cash in the box and take it with you when you're gone.

:lol: :biggrin: :poke2: :lol: :biggrin: :poke2:

[dhgeyer]

Five years is longer than I've ever owned a bike. Not tellin' you what to do, just sayin'. You know - like Sarris says..... Just one lil' test ride, what can it hurt? :twisted:

[alanmcorcoran]

It's just a test ride... Hell, you probably won't even like the bike...!! Btw: which bikes are best for backs going long distances?

[Water Warrior 2]

Best bikes for backs would an adventure type bike. Like Vstroms, BMWs and the like. They usually have longer better suspension and you sit up with better posture.....and of course you can easily stand up while riding to stretch a bit.
Of course off road bikes have the plushiest suspenders. Some can be dialed in for rebound and compression at both ends for a real comfy ride anywhere.

[Water Warrior 2]

Five years is longer than I've ever owned a bike. Not tellin' you what to do, just sayin'. You know - like Sarris says..... Just one lil' test ride, what can it hurt? :twisted:
Just heard today where a couple might be up for grabs a tiny bit cheaper than what I was quoted. May be time to unlimber the GPS and find this place after a rest ride.

[dhgeyer]

Btw: which bikes are best for backs going long distances?

Depends on whose back it is. I can't stay on any cruiser for more than an hour or two without pain in the middle of my back. Feet and arms forward puts all the weight on the seat. I've tried changing seats, highway pegs, driver backrests, pullback risers - nothing worked for me. The position is just wrong. And the pain is cumulative over however many days I tour. So, I need my feet under me, knees bent, my body leaned just a little forward, arms bent a little and carrying a small amount of weight but not too much. What they used to call a "standard" bike. Not too many of them made anymore. The R1200R is one, the Kawasaki Versys is a new one. I think the Vstroms would qualify, along with a couple of other Suzukis, including the new TU250. The Honda Nighthawk series were standards, now discontinued except for the 250, which is terrible in virtually every respect. Some sportbikes are very close to the standard configuration - like the Ninja 250 and 500s. They worked for me very well.

I've talked to a number of people who have the same problem with cruisers, and a lot of people who don't. You have to find what works for you. If the Strat is comfortable for you for hours at a time, "If it ain't bust, don't fix it.".

[Water Warrior 2]

I don't play piano but I'll venture a guess and say that Alan has developed good posture for riding with years at a keyboard.

[alanmcorcoran]

The pain points remain a bit of a mystery for me. In previous threads I went on (and on) about the cramping/tightness/stiffness I get in the (neck/back) muscles that hold up your head and turn it side to side. On this trip I noticed I didn't get this cramping when doing the twisties, only when doing highway. It might be due to wind buffeting, or a death grip or the position. I tried a lot of experimenting - sometimes the spasms would get intense when I attempted to check blind spots, and other times it would just be annoying. Hard to pin down - had time to do a lot of experimentation, on-bike exercises (and a couple tylenol) on my 564 mile day but didn't really come to any conclusions. My prime suspect is wind buffeting and trying to keep my head steady.

I have a second pain point about 5 or 6 inches above my coccyx. I think the area for classic lower back pain. It's not real intense, but it's not the sort of thing you want to get worse. I was curious - what is best, sitting up ramrod straight (butt out, spine in, shoulders back) or slouching (spine relaxed, even convex, shoulders forward)? I tried both, but neither was particularly better than the other. Sitting up stright exposes me to more buffeting cause my head is higher and there's more wind up there. I even tried a semi sport bike position where I tucked my face dpown under the shield. As I said, very hard to pin this shit down. I am still a bit sore today from Saturday's ride (not in the assular region, at all, mostly the tight upper middle back and the lower spine area. I think unless you have ridden for three hours or more, and are past 40 (preferably well past) you won't be familiar with any of this.

[burkbuilds]

WW, if you aren't feeling good about your current ride and if that is impacting your enjoyment of riding, then I think I'll second Sarris on his recommendation. Why spend another year riding a bike you are concerned about dropping when you could be confidently riding something that "fit" you better. Three hundred bucks above your "limit" on the price? What's it gonna cost you if you drop your current ride and hurt your back? You need to think that one over a bit more. Good luck with whatever you decide.

[Water Warrior 2]

BB, $300 over my self impossed limit is nothing in the grand scheme of things. If that was the deciding factor then I shouldn't even consider another ride. It was merely a ballpark figure to keep me in check and not go overboard and into an ocean of debt.
That is only about 3% difference in numbers overall. Popping for 20 or 30 % more is where one starts digging a hole. Bad Karma.
Just remembered something my local trusted Yamaha dealer mention when I told him today that I would have to pass on the 950 V Star. We can get you a new Suzuki with a valid warranty !!!!! Cool, way cool. Something to think about and I really gotta go see another Zuk dealer for a price, they are closing up shop and may deal a bit better. This may all be just an exercise with an end result of nothing but what the hell. I'm retired and need to keep busy. Today I even got a clear windshield for my camera on the bike. No more bugs in the lens covers and jamming things.

[alanmcorcoran]

I agree. The dithering around, comparing and testing is a fun distraction in itself.

[dhgeyer]

So Smythe, the Bobby, is standing on the corner. Down the street comes Old Darby on his ancient Norton 750 motorbike. He comes to a stop and immediately topples over. Smythe runs to his aid, and together they get the motorbike righted. Darby thanks him, and continues on around the corner. Right off Smythe hears another crash, and running around the corner, there is Old Darby again with the Norton on top of him.

Well, together they get it righted again. Darby, a bit flustered, says "I just don't understand it. As you know, Mary died last week. I just got around to taking the sidecar off this morning, and ever since, every time I stop I fall down!".

[alanmcorcoran]

Got a mad map at the Chicago HD shop. No bikes at this one except the antiques on display.

[Water Warrior 2]

So Smythe, the Bobby, is standing on the corner. Down the street comes Old Darby on his ancient Norton 750 motorbike. He comes to a stop and immediately topples over. Smythe runs to his aid, and together they get the motorbike righted. Darby thanks him, and continues on around the corner. Right off Smythe hears another crash, and running around the corner, there is Old Darby again with the Norton on top of him.

Well, together they get it righted again. Darby, a bit flustered, says "I just don't understand it. As you know, Mary died last week. I just got around to taking the sidecar off this morning, and ever since, every time I stop I fall down!".
Old habits die hard. Being used to a side car can be dangerous.

One of my coffee buds fell over one morning on the way to work. He is almost my age with sensitive knees which froze up in the lower morning temps. He came to a stop and couldn't put either foot down. Must have been funny to see. Luckily no injuries.

[dhgeyer]

Sooner or later we're all gonna have to either give it up, or go to sidecar rigs, Harley, or Gold Wing trikes, or Can Am Spyders. I know people that have done that, exactly because their knees gave out with age.

[Water Warrior 2]

I am really starting to hate you guys. You make me do mean things to my imagination and What If program in my mind. Test rode a demo C-50 Zuk. Bags, windshield, pass backrest, floor boards and a few other dodads. Floor boards and heel toe shifter were a surprisingly easy change to adapt to after a few kms. A nice bike overall with a bit less performance than Lynda's M-50 probably due to more weight and only having minimal break in time. It's twin with no kms on it is the 9,300 dollar bike I mentioned earlier.
Blue in color and no kms is a good thing. So I made one final stop with the help of the GPS and guess what. New bike in black, same stuff and a better price out the door. Fantastic I say to WW. Then I try to say something to the dealer. Tried to say " I have one more stop to make at the Credit Union( I will be borrowing half the price)." All he heard was " I have one more stop to make. " and he threw me out the door. Yup, I was impressed a bunch. I know he doesn't want me to take his price to the next dealer to compare and dither about. He is tired of that crap and I understand but at least let me finish my statement.
Later I related this tale to my local Yamaha dealer who goes way back with the Zuk dealer. John(Yamaha)defused the situation over the phone and made a couple recommendations to me about the Zuk dealer. The plot thickens and who knows what will happen tomorrow. Stand by guys.

[alanmcorcoran]

Glad to see you are contributin' to the Great White North economy!

[Water Warrior 2]

Glad to see you are contributin' to the Great White North economy!
Somebody has to contribute. Most major corporations get major breaks from the government and some are even subsidized when they threaten to pull out of Canada or reduce their work force and cause unemployment. A very strange system with politicians who are not responsible for their actions when the s*it hits the fan.

[alanmcorcoran]

I'm going to be riding a Honda Saturday in HD's backyard. Hope it doesn't end badly. At least I spent $5.95 on a map at the downtown HD store. BTW, I spent about ten minutes looking at all of the (ahem) merchandise at the "Chicago Harley-Davidson" and not a single other person came into shop nor was anyone in the store other than the girls behind the counter the entire time. Does anyone ever buy an HD piggie bank? or chew toy? or toilet paper? (okay, I didn't actually see that, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was available.) Oh, and if you want a motorcycle, they don't actually sell those. One more enterprise that is beyond my comprehension.

[Water Warrior 2]

What a concept, a H-D store with no bike sales. There might be more of that in the future too. With bike sales dropping many folks just buy the lifestyle and keep an older bike rather than upgrade to a newer bike. It is a lot cheaper to buy a T-shirt or jacket than purchasing a whole bike.

[Sarris]

The HD dealer in the New Orleans french quarter is that way too. No bikes, just merchandise (junk).

:??:

BTW, I'm keeping my 2006 StreetGlide.

:lol:

[Easy Rider]

"All he heard was " I have one more stop to make. " and he threw me out the door.

Sounds to me like he needs to find a different line of work...........and if that attitude continues, it's likely that he will.....sooner rather than later. If he is not also the owner, I think I'd be talking to the owner; might speed up his career change.

[mrlmd1]

WW - You thinking of trading in your bike for a new one, or try to sell yours on the open market? Probably easier to dump it at the dealer depending on the economics up there now.

[Water Warrior 2]

The boss/owner who threw me out is shutting down and selling everything to clear it out. Apparently he has had enough with bargain hunters, dolts with stupid questions and folks who are just never satisfied. He did get into the business decades ago b/c it was fun and enjoyable but no joy now. As for another line of work, he doesn't need to work. He made some smart investments over the years in real estate and is worth a bunch.
As for selling the Wee bike I am wavering. It is paid for and still makes me grin. Providing I can get a little help picking it up now and again(once a year)and avoid blowing out my back it is still the cheapest route to take. I may just toss the new bike idea and once a year do some minor repair after a dead drop with the Wee. I can still try to talk Lynda into letting me test ride her bike if I need a cruiser fix once in a while. I'll bet she would even sell me her bike knowing that it would always be available to her at no cost when SHE needed a cruiser fix. The M would be cheaper and already has farkles to make life easier. Hmmm.

[oneyunguy]

Modern Motorcycle in Vancouver is going bankrupt *(so i have heard), might want to give them a try. My friend has a CT50 and loves it.

As well, there is a 2006 Yamaha 650 vstar for a great price!! its where I got mine in Surrey.
http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/rds/m ... 13424.html (http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/rds/mcy/1938513424.html)

[Water Warrior 2]

Modern Motorcycle in Vancouver is going bankrupt *(so i have heard), might want to give them a try. My friend has a CT50 and loves it.

As well, there is a 2006 Yamaha 650 vstar for a great price!! its where I got mine in Surrey.
http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/rds/m ... 13424.html (http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/rds/mcy/1938513424.html)
Modern is where I got tossed out. Just heard a couple days ago that Motorcycle World in Surrey has a better deal than anyone else. The Vstrom will have to do now, went out and bought some new furniture today. Money burns a hole in my pocket.

[oneyunguy]

When I was looking for suzuki m50's , I went looking to Modern for a crate or new no kms bike. All this was over the phone, and I hardly got answers out of whoever was on the phone. I finally said to the guy, fine, if ya don't wanna give me more info, I also live in Surrey and can't just come there whenever I want, I will buy from someone else. There wasn't much he said after that. So be it then, I do not give them my business. I went to K2 Auto sales ( very close to Motorcycle World) and got my bike instead.

[Water Warrior 2]

The only answer you will usually get over the phone is the manufacturer's list price. Other than that you pretty much have to make a personal appearance.

[oneyunguy]

So, did you buy anything yet?

[Water Warrior 2]

I was toying with the idea of a C-50 but that deal went away when Murray at Modern wigged out and threw me out. Excellant price but I won't go back. This was just a week before he closed the doors forever. Will be keeping the Vstrom for the foreseeable future. Thinking about a custom seat to fit my poor old butt. In all honesty I can't think of any bike I would rather ride.

[dhgeyer]

In all honesty I can't think of any bike I would rather ride.

Smart man. When you get to that point, it's good to know it and stop with the irrational lusting for something else just because it's new or different. Motorcycles, different conditions, and different riding plans/situations being what they are, you're never gonna' be 100% satisfied. When you get to 90% it's time to declare victory! Unless, of course, you have unlimited cash to indulge your every whim.

[Easy Rider]

Thinking about a custom seat to fit my poor old butt.

I'm still searching for someone who REALLY knows what makes a good seat.
Look closely at that UGLY but very functional thing that Burk put on his 500.
It's shaped more like a tractor seat and puts more weight on the thighs......and gets some off the tail bone area.
Many of the custom seats I've seen do just the opposite.......including the Mustang I have on my Shadow. It's better than stock......but just slightly.

[dhgeyer]

I'm still searching for someone who REALLY knows what makes a good seat.

From everything I have gathered from reading and talking to people, it seems like the semi custom seats are marginally better than stock, and some people have good luck with them and some don't. If you really want to be sure of getting the best seat you can, you have to go to a real custom seat maker who tailors the seat to your specific anatomy and riding position. That usually means going there in person, and surrendering your seat so that they can build the new seat on the original seat pan. There are exceptions to that.

Or, you can do the same thing yourself like BB did, and will probably have to do again.

[Water Warrior 2]

I should do fairly well if I stay local and find the right person who has experience with bike seats. Luckily I have a spare seat to leave for destruction and rebuilding. I also have some good pics of a Day Long seat fitted to a Vstrom that is apparently a 9th wonder of the world. I would love to get an actual Russell Day Long seat but the cross border shipping and cost is overly much for me. I do have the Suzuki gel seat but it isn't doing the comfort thing anymore as I get older and need more of a tractor seat design to relieve pressure points.

[Moedad]

In all honesty I can't think of any bike I would rather ride.

:2tup:

[Water Warrior 2]

In all honesty I can't think of any bike I would rather ride.

:2tup:
Yup, you ride the same critter as I do so you know where I'm coming from. I am however very sure there are bikes out there that might be more satisfying but at what cost ? I keep hearing nice things about the H-D Ultras and their kin but $26 big ones is out of my price range by a mile or 3. I have sat on a few and they are nice but do I really need to go overboard and deep in debt just to polish all that chrome. When I almost got the C-50 the price was really the best deal out there by a long way and it was a pleasant bike to ride. The only really big bike I have ridden was the Yamaha MT 01 with a 1700 cc V-twin. I might take one as a gift b/c I can't see owning and paying for a vibrator with a small gas tank. The Zuk 805 V-twins are relatively smooth running and have a nice smooth confidence inspiring power delivery. The C-50 was a good option as a new ride because of the size, weight and overall ergonomics. Lynda's M-50 no longer fits me since I changed a few things to fit her 5" 3" frame.
So the Vstrom will remain in the family and I'll throw a few $ at it in the new year after things warm up.

[burkbuilds]

I read up on the Russel seats before I built my last one and tried to take as much from their design ideas for comfort as I could. I really like the comfort level I am getting from my most recent build. Even after almost four hours in the saddle my but is not cramped or sore, no tail bone pressure and my legs are not asleep or in need of walking around. After four hours my most pressing need is a place to go pee. But, it's ugly, most people wouldn't want a seat to look like that on their bike and I don't blame them. I'm just one of those quirky people who cares more about function than looks.

[Water Warrior 2]

Not quirky BB. You are one of those folks who desires comfort and function so you make it happen.