Riding for fun and adventure...

[patrick_777]

Alan, I would try to muster up the willpower and hold off. 3000 miles is not really a lot to brag about, and I can guarantee that you're being over-confident in your abilities right now. You have never even been down yet, are you sure you want your first grounding to be with an 600-800 lb machine? On the freeway?

You are a smart guy, so maybe you should try and restrain yourself a tad bit more.

---says the guy with two motorcycles.

[Moedad]

Someday I'll have a flat black 2008 V-Strom.

[alanmcorcoran]

My Suzi/yamaha/honda dealer has a brand new ' 07 Stratoliner he'll sell me, OTD for 12K. (sales taxes here are 8.5% so that's = 11K) I'm thinking about it. FI, Belt drive. And I'd keep the GZ. They tack about $2200 onto the M50 ("On sale" for $6600, with taxes, license, etc, its 9K [could probably get another 1K off this price].) But the Strat is a lot more bike and includes a nice windshield, saddle bags, backrest, floorboards, tach, two trip odometers, etc.

[alanmcorcoran]

Originally Posted by patrick_777

You have never even been down yet

So... I need to fall off the motorcycle first... that's how I know I'm ready for a larger one? Damn, this is going to be harder than I thought. What if I never fall off? I'll be stuck with the GZ forever!

In all seriousness, I don't see how one develops the skill to ride a big bike, without first buying a big bike. Anybody here learned to ride a big cruiser with pure visualization? (If you can think the Stratoliner, you can RIDE the Stratoliner.) The guy that rents the Strats had no problem letting me try one of his out (and encouraged me to take it on the freeway!) without even seeing my license.

I'm aware that these things are heavy, fast and dangerous. But, hell, I see tons of people riding them everyday and none of these folks look like either geniuses or athletes. Most of 'em look like fat, out of shape, middle-aged-to-old geezers. How hard can it be?

I suppose I will look like an idiot if I get the Strat and rack myself up on day one, but I think I will adjust to it as well as I'm going to in fairly short order. I do appreciate the concern though.

[music man]

Originally Posted by alanmcorcoran

The guy that rents the Strats had no problem letting me try one of his out (and encouraged me to take it on the freeway!) without even seeing my license.

Don't get me wrong here alan because i am not trying to talk you in or out of buying anything, but was this place that rented you a strat a dealer? I am too lazy to go back and look right now, but he probably encouraged you to take it on the freeway because if you wreck and die, he has insurance, so no loss there, if you live you will love how it felt to be on the freeway on a big ass bike and buy one for what did you say, like 15 grand or so. I would encourage you to go on the freeway too. And if he is not a dealer, then forget I said this. No wait, even if he isn't a dealer, he has insurance, so he still didn't care if you wrecked and died.

Not only that, if he rents big bikes then chances are that he owns a big bike. MOST not all, people that own a big bike think that you should start out as a noob on at least an 800, so he probably thought that you were about 30 years past due for one.

[mr. softie]

Alan I wouldn't worry about falling down because the bike is bigger than the gz either. Bigger bikes are actually easier to ride, you can just get into trouble a lot faster with a more powerful and heavier machine is all. First bike I ever rode was a 1946 Indian 45 with a hand shift and foot clutch, and I was only 12 years old at the time. It had to have been at least 500 lbs to my 80 and I didn't drop it. Good thing too cuz I "borrowed" it from my greaser neighbor when he was at work. :neener:

Anyway it sounds like you really like the strat! From what I've heard they are a great bike. Only raps I've heard are the tank and the bags are a bit small. Plan on stopping for gas every 150 miles or so. No big deal. Riders who keep the cruising revs down to 2500rpm or so get the best mileage- 45mpg...run it hard and that drops to 30-35. Of course gas is the cheapest thing you will ever put into your bike, I have read the rear tire costs about $250! People ride these bikes on very long trips and love the ride. Just ride like the sensible adult you are and you should be fine. Just remember to put the stand down before you get off! :2tup:

[Water Warrior 2]

Originally Posted by alanmcorcoran

My Suzi/yamaha/honda dealer has a brand new ' 07 Stratoliner he'll sell me, OTD for 12K. (sales taxes here are 8.5% so that's = 11K) I'm thinking about it. FI, Belt drive. And I'd keep the GZ. They tack about $2200 onto the M50 ("On sale" for $6600, with taxes, license, etc, its 9K [could probably get another 1K off this price].) But the Strat is a lot more bike and includes a nice windshield, saddle bags, backrest, floorboards, tach, two trip odometers, etc.

The Liner sounds like heck of a bike. All dressed up and ready to tour. You would probably be glad to keep the GZ just for running errands and shorter rides. Can't comment on prices b/c us folks in the GWN work with different $ values. I might mention(happily) that some one near and dear to me has a deposit on a M 50 as of today. A new 07 still in a crate and waiting to find a loving home. Gotta love that new bike smell.

[mr. softie]

Originally Posted by alanmcorcoran

Most of 'em look like fat, out of shape, middle-aged-to-old geezers

Hey! I resemble that remark! :lol:

[alanmcorcoran]

No, he just rents. And he has some very strict guidelines. You can check them out here:

http://werentmotorcycles.com/Site/Welcome.html

Actually a very nice fellow - and he had one wrecked bike he showed me. If you click on his "warning" he shows how some of his bikes got wrecked. As it happens, the Strat is one of the more pedestrian bikes in his fleet. I saw the Hayabusa and the V-rex in his garage along with a dozen other Eye-poppers. One day I'm gonna rent that V-Rex (it's $300 a day) just to see how many chicks I can get in 24 hours.

I asked him about the wrecked one - they only ask for a 2K deposit and it looked totalled to me - and he said the guy's insurance paid for it.

I gave him my entire history, such as it is, because, to tell you the truth, I was scared shitless of getting on an 1800cc bike... until I got on it. I had visions of dropping it in the parking lot (which, BTW, had a very steep slope to get in and out of.) He wouldn't rent me the others, but he said he'd have "No problem" renting the Strat.

Five minutes later, I was able to unclench everything and was happy to find that it only felt a little more hefty than the GZ. I was careful, but I wasn't anxious. And it was a pleasure on the freeway - really a lot more enjoyable than the GZ. Really have to flog the crap out of the GZ, wind it up to max RPMS, and so on, just to stay out of the way of the traffic blowing my doors off. I was at 75 in 3rd gear on the Strat and it was as if the bike was yawning "ho-hum."

[Water Warrior 2]

Originally Posted by Moedad

Someday I'll have a flat black 2008 V-Strom.

Best to hurry. They keep changing colors. Try for the ABS model if available in flat black.