I am 90 delta on getting a Vespa this summer: http://www.vespausa.com/ This is a great way to get around downtown Chicago. I just hope they make a basket big enough to hold my pooch.
Good point Landis, more so the wrists for me. For whatever reason the seating position for me on a sport bike is easier on my back than the cruiser, upright position. I have always liked the scooters also since I saw Quadrophenia years(geez, decades) ago, but like the added power of a full size bike for tooling around and road trips.
Squat and ugly. At least your women will have the same thing in common. If I was to ride again: <a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i43.tinypic.com/2eg9mxd.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a>
the triumph is ok. but can't compare that POS to a VROD you idiot. like comparing mr rodgers to johhnie holmes i will kick your ass on a VROD!
Anybody that rides a bike called a v-rod deserves to have his mullet shaved off along with a swift kick in the nuts.
I bought a '07 ZX10R for $9200 out the door in early '08 from internet sales at my local Kawi dealer. No negotiation, they weren't budging on the already rock bottom price. You can't go wrong with any of the 1 litre Japanese bikes. They are all rockets, handle and brake great and look pretty damn good. It all comes down to price and personal preference. You're paying a premium for the Italian bikes but that 1098 is beautiful. I wouldn't pay retail but if I can pick one up this summer with 1000 miles or less I'll add it to my collection. People are hurting in AZ and there's no tax on used vehicles bought from private owners. I don't know about you guys but I'm almost exclusively on 2 wheels. The cost to own and maintain a car that is anywhere near comparable to the performance of a bike isn't in my budget right now. Maybe when I get a few more gray hairs I'll make the switch.
Yeah, any sort of time on a sport bike is likely to see bad wrists, cramped neck-agree about cruisers to, hit a pothole on a 79 sporster-with virtually no suspension, still paying for it-your back is sort of curved so with jolts theres nowhere to go. How about a yamaha TDM 900? Owners seem to rave about 'em, perfect seating position, enough grunt, bombproof reliability, etc. They wont win any prizes for looks/coolness, but that would be my first choice if i were looking now. Great value, to. (yeah, i know -a 'tedium'900', what were they thinking?)
Looks like the TDM 900 is a Europe only bike these days. At least I couldn't find on the Yamaha US website, or the local dealers website.
I forgot, the sport/tourer/everything bike segment has always been weak stateside, which is a shame. What do they have over there? Suzuki V-strom is a fine second choice, this is a good spot for pro's and con's etc. http://www.advrider.com/forums/ Suzuki v-strom http://www.suzukicycles.com/Product Lines/Cycles/Categories/DualSport.aspx The "dual -sport " bike segment is kinda funny, when what they actually mean is "practical and good" without the disadvatages of sport or cruiser bikes". The euro adv/dual-sports bikes seem overpriced to me, beemers, cagiva's etc.
Had a Kawasaki in college and a couple years after, but always prefered my roomate's CBR600. Although I'd probably be dead driving it the way I did then.