Question To Motorcycle Riders?

[evboy]

I am looking at a 2014 Honda Grom 125cc . It's new from Honda. Gets 100mpg or more.. My only experience riding was my Honda 110 atv 3 wheeler in 1981. Haven't ridden since. Do you think this is fine until the Elio comes out. I have no interest in riding on the interstate, so dont need the speed of a bigger bike. Here is the link. Can you give me the pros and cons.It looks like fun.

 

[RKing]

Might be fun arround a college campus , I'll pass. i probably outweigh it Seriously , need to know a little more about your specific situation. Location , riding area?? With a bike, due to the hazards, a little surplus of power is nice. Sometimes application of power is a better solution than brakes, and handling is even more impotant. If you are too tall/robust to fit it, it will be dangerous for you. If it fits you and your riding area is compact , it might be fun. You will still get wet and cold when it is wet and cold outside

 

[Rickb]

My vote is for the all new Electric Harley Davidson!

 

[evboy]

Might be fun arround a college campus , I'll pass. i probably outweigh it Seriously , need to know a little more about your specific situation. Location , riding area?? With a bike, due to the hazards, a little surplus of power is nice. Sometimes application of power is a better solution than brakes, and handling is even more impotant. If you are too tall/robust to fit it, it will be dangerous for you. If it fits you and your riding area is compact , it might be fun. You will still get wet and cold when it is wet and cold outside

I'm 5'10" 205 pounds. Live in Vegas, so when it rains 3 times a year, i will make sure and not ride. Im afraid of a bigger bike when it comes to handling. This thing looks like it can handle well. They say newbies should always start small, and work their way up until they get comfortable.
This guy here died right after buying his Harley, 3 miles later. Never rode before and bought a Harley.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/17/barry-strang-motorcycle-dies-three-miles_n_3610465.html

 

[hawg_ryder]

I'm 5'10" 205 pounds. Live in Vegas, so when it rains 3 times a year, i will make sure and not ride. Im afraid of a bigger bike when it comes to handling. This thing looks like it can handle well. They say newbies should always start small, and work their way up until they get comfortable.
This guy here died right after buying his Harley, 3 miles later. Never rode before and bought a Harley.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/17/barry-strang-motorcycle-dies-three-miles_n_3610465.html

Hidy evboy,
Always glad to chat scooter riding so let me chime in with some advice... Before you buy anything, go take the Motorcycle Safety Foundation course for new riders. They will teach you the correct way to ride, and how to develop your riding skills so you can enjoy riding your bike, and be confident and safe while riding... http://www.msf-usa.org/ I learned a lot of incorrect techniques from friends when I was a teenager, and while I considered myself to be a "good" rider I got my eyes opened in 1989 when I took the course... Motorcycles are a real world physics demonstration, and it's very important to learn and understand how they work to avoid little surprises like a "High Side" for instance... They'll teach you all about it in the course and it's fun to boot...
BTW... I'm 5'10" and 200# (sigh) and I've ridden everything from mini bikes to my current bike a 2011 HD FLT Roadglide. While proper fitment is important as Rking pointed out (your legs have to be long enough for your feet to be flat on the ground when you're stationary) size and weight are only a real factor below 5 mph cuz above that the bike is pretty much gyro stabilized (more of that physics stuff). Get the training and practice what they teach you and you'll be fine...
h_r

Headin' fer Sturgis on a 07 RG

Oh Yeah... I almost forgot... Always keep the shiny side up!

 

[Dooltd]

I'm going to sound like an old guy but I don't see any reason to buy a motorcycle just to fill the time until you get your Elio. A novice bike rider is in real danger on the street and no amount of well intended advice from just about everybody is going to change that. If you are passionate about bikes then by all means get one but if this is about gas mileage then my advice is wait for your Elio.
By the way, I've had motorcycles for 49 years and when I get my Elio I'm selling the bike.

 

[Rickb]

I'm going to sound like an old guy but I don't see any reason to buy a motorcycle just to fill the time until you get your Elio. A novice bike rider is in real danger on the street and no amount of well intended advice from just about everybody is going to change that. If you are passionate about bikes then by all means get one but if this is about gas mileage then my advice is wait for your Elio.
By the way, I've had motorcycles for 49 years and when I get my Elio I'm selling the bike.

wait a minute...............maybe you could sell your bike to evboy. Late night humor.

 

[Nitro]

My advice? Go take the safety course and then buy used. With your first bike it's not "if" you lay it down... It's "when" you lay it down. With any luck you'll drop it in the driveway like I did mine and not on the road like my father did with his first bike. IMO your first bike should be a used bike

 

[evboy]

let me ask a question abut laying it down as you guys say. what mistakes would i be making to lay it down so easy. Im talking if there isnt another car involved. Do the wrecks happen mostly when i turn or will i lay it down just driving in a straight line going 45 mph with my inexperience.
i could always ride wearing this: http://www.reliks.com/merchant.ihtml?pid=4598

 

[electroken]

The Grom would be a blast to ride but it's tiny. With a 5' 10" rider aboard it will look like a clown bike. Those are 12-inch wheels. You might be a lot more comfortable on a small dual sport like a Yamaha XT250.

"Laying it down" is an expression reserved for a low side accident, where the rear wheel breaks traction first and the bike (and rider) ends up sliding on it's side.