Got my motorcycle permit.. now time for a motorcycle!!

[NERemodeling]

I haven't rode a 690 Duke yet but I used to have a 640 Duke. It was a fun bike up at deals gap but the 45 min ride sucked on the way up there. I know they have improved the vibrations but it's still a single. I don't think you would like it very well for riding two up. I would ride a demo before you get to serious. The 950, 990, 1090, and 1290 duke would be awesome. The 950 supermoto and duke are the same bike with different bodywork.

The 650 Versys is a great riding bike. Suspension and brakes are not a KTM, Ducati, or BMW, but they are good. I feel like the suspension and brakes are also good for riding two up. The motor puts out great power is great for a 650 and its smooth at highway speeds. It's a great bike at a good price point.

I feel like helmet, jacket, gloves, and boots are necessary even when just riding across town. They have saved my dad once. He was only riding about 5 miles across town. A young girl driving a suburban was talking on her phone and pulled out in front of him. He was riding a KTM 950 adventure. He grabbed the brakes the bike stood up on on the front tire. The windshild of the bike hit the tire of the suburban. His face hit the fender and he landed up on the hood. He was only running about 30mph when that happened. He walked away with some bruises and that's all. One of his toe nails turned black from the impact inside of his boot. He was wearing one of my Arai helmets and it ended up with scratches all up the front.

I bought my Aerostitch back in 1998 and I still wear it today. I used to wear out a jacket about every two years before. It's the yellow one in the pictures. Here are some pictures from some of our rides.

thanks for the heads up about the vibes from the 690. I'll give the versus a look for sure.

Glad to hear your dad walked away from that realitively unharmed.. I'll have to start seriously considering boots to add to the other 3.

Great looking pictures. You have owned some very nice bikes!!

Im going bike shopping tonight and the place I'm going has ducati, ktm, aprilia, kawasaki and a few others so I should get to compare a good amount of bikes.

[NERemodeling]

Wear a helmet John! I like having two tons of metal around me, not on me!!!!!! Good luck too, I've always wanted to do it but ATV ing is it for me. Something about four wheels makes me feel better.

Definetly! Helmet is a must.. now that I'm looking more it's amazing how many people I see riding without a helmet.. that's just crazy to me

What's up.with this mountain biking deer accident!!!! Hahaha. That's some funny shit!! Did it just run out in front of you?

[NERemodeling]

Congrats on the permit!

I have a some pieces of advice that I learned the hard way....

1. Where you look = where you go......dont look at oncoming traffic when you are first starting out, or you will naturally lean towards them & wreck. I almost died in the first 5 miles that I ever rode a motorcycle and sideswiped the PASSENGER side of an oncoming car because I was looking at it instead of the road in front of me....how I lived, I dont know. Always always always look at the road 100+ yards in front of you where you want to go.....you will naturally lean and not have issues.

2. Dont go faster than you are comfortable. Here in VA, the newest/inexperienced rider always rides in the front. Dont follow experienced riders trying to catch up....you will wreck.

3. You see cars....they dont see you. It doesnt register in people's brains that you are on the road. People will pull right out in front of you at stop signs/etc after looking you in the eyes. Also, when stopped, keep it in first gear and watch your mirrors. The last time I rode a motorcycle I was pulling into my driveway with my left turn signal on. I see a truck flying up behind me.....he passes my neighbors driveway without slowing down and I take off quickly.....as he locks his brakes up, I am speeding forward & the tire tracks stopped about 10' in front of where I was sitting. If I had not been in first gear & alert, I would have died or gotten seriously injured.

4. It is easy to speed & hard to outrun a police radio.....dont go more than 10 over the limit or you are asking for lawyer fees.

5. I would NOT suggest getting your "dream bike" at the start. Get a 750cc or smaller bike.....you most likely are going to lay it down or drop it.....that is a lot easier to deal with if you paid $2k VS $20k.

6. Lastly ...... always wear protective gear. I refer you to my first 5 miles.....had I not worn a helmet, gloves, boots, pants, and a motorcycle jacket.....I would have been at minimum covered in road rash.

Excellent bits of advice! Thanks for taking the time to write and I will hold on to all of this.

#4 got a laugh out of me! Funny but very true haha. It will be a struggle for me to keep my speed in check as I've got a bit of a daredevil inside of me but that's fading with time.. either way I think I'm beyond the trying to outrun cops phase. Did enough of that on my dirt bike when I was in my teens.

[NERemodeling]

Good advice. A starter bike is not a bad idea. If you drop it you will not feel as bad, bike parts are pricey. I would not take a passenger until you really feel comfortable, they can affect how the bike handles. Daniel is correct most turns are leaning and looking to the left or right can start steering you that way. After you have been riding awhile you will hold straight without thinking about it. A good seat can save your ass literally on long rides. But I also had friends who could sit on a brick for miles and not complain. Good luck and be careful out there.

I'm hoping that my experience riding dirt bikes will help with keeping the bike pointed where I want it. I know it will be slightly different on the road with a lot more distractions but I should at least be a leg up

[NERemodeling]

Yeah id wear a jacket of somekind every time i ride. Sometimes in the summer when its roasting around 100 deg its still not bad,plus when you just wear a shirt big bugs kinda sting hehe. I also wear a do rag of somekind under my helmet usually. keeps head cooler.

I remember one time on my dirt bike I got caught I a heavy rain. At any decently fast speed the raid drops felt like bee stings on any bare skin. Can imagine what a bug feels like at 70 or so!

[NERemodeling]

When I got my motorcycle license my first ride was a Yamaha R6. (Actually it was my brother's but he moved to a place that he couldn't store his bike so I couldn't just let it sit there, . That wouldn't be fair to the bike.) Easy to control (Like you, I rode a lot of dirt bikes and quads as a kid), still had enough power to be stupid and was a nice ride. Riding with a passenger wasn't always comfortable. I had the passenger in the back slide forward off her seat and onto mine when ( not if, cause it will happen) I got cut off by a car and had to hit the brakes.

P.S.This may not be an issue if your into bigger passengers.

Riding Tips:

Try to wear brighter colors. Dressing in all black leather doesn't make you any easier to see.

Assume EVERY car doesn't see you.

At stop lights leave enough room to get around the car infront of you and keep an eye on the car coming up from behind. Car drivers have a habit of looking past the motorcycle and focusing on the car infront of you.

Wearing a helmet cam isn't just to show off your sweet riding skills. It's evidence. I know a couple guys who record their commute. Hit and runs don't end well for riders. I never used one, but its not a bad idea.

Wear gear designed for motorcycle riding. Not just a helmet.

And lastly. relax and have fun. Weekend mornings are great for empty back roads that you can open up on. But, watch out for deer, they can be just as bad as the cars.

"If your into bigger passengers" what the heck is that supposed to mean!?! You saying my wife is a big girl! Lol. I'm just messing with you man! Haha

Excellent advice and thank you

just yesterday when driving down the highway I was looking at what color cars were the easiest to see coming and black was definitely one of the hardest to see at a distance.. I guess no black bike or gear for me!!

I've considered a gopro for that reason but thought of mounting it to the bike somewhere.. should it be on the helmet for any reason? Front or rear facing?

[madman_us]

John you can also use the MultiQuote option

[NERemodeling]

John you can also use the MultiQuote option

haha   yeah i know, and i do when i feel like multiple posts all pertain to my one response..    when everyone gets an individual response though i find it a little easier to manage doing it this way and also possibly easier for people to find the response meant for them

[NERemodeling]

also i was doing all that on my phone and to get multi quote i would have needed to switch from mobile to desktop version which isnt as easy to see or navigate on my phone. 

[ChrisK]

Definetly! Helmet is a must.. now that I'm looking more it's amazing how many people I see riding without a helmet.. that's just crazy to me

What's up.with this mountain biking deer accident!!!! Hahaha. That's some funny shit!! Did it just run out in front of you?

I know you go up to Maine John but several (14-15) years ago I was at Odiorne State Park in Rye NH mountain biking up an old WWII gun emplacement. Totally overgrown with sumac and trees and there's a single track path up the side. It's probably 90 outside and I'm huffing and puffing up the side of this when I ran into a shag carpeted wall. I had my head down, watching me pump the pedals and sweating like crazy. I fell off the side of the trail and realized the shag wall that was in my face was a huge stag! The thing stopped and was looking at me like I had seven heads sprouting outta my neck! It was like..."holy sh1t! Some dumb a$s just hit me!" My friend came up as the deer was standing off the side and she was saying are you okay? I'm like I just hit a friggin deer! She's like "BS!" I point at the deer which is maybe ten feet away with the stupid look on its face still and she started laughing her a$s off!

I hit a deer with a Trek Mointain Bike!

[Charles Harris]

I know you go up to Maine John but several (14-15) years ago I was Oat Odiorne State Park in Rye NH mountain biking up an old WWII gun emplacement. Totally overgrown with sumac and trees and there's a single track path up the side. It's probably 90 outside and I'm huffing and puffing up the side of this when I ran into a shag carpeted wall. I had my head down, watching me pump the pedals and sweating like crazy. I fell off the side of the trail and realized the shag wall that was in my face was a huge stag! The thing stopped and was looking at me like I had seven heads sprouting outta my neck! It was like..."holy sh1t! Some dumb a$s just hit me!" My friend came up as the deer was standing off the side and she was saying are you okay? I'm like I just hit a friggin deer! She's like "BS!" I point at the deer which is maybe ten feet away with the stupid look on its face still and she started laughing her a$s off!

I hit a deer with a Trek Mointain Bike!

Lol! If only you were wearing a gopro.

[Shuutr]

I agree on buying used and buying small to start. The first bike I "got" was a 1600 Yamaha road star that was my dads when he passed. It was a beast but the skills are the same. My problem was I got off balance on an uphill stop sign and slowly laid it down. Sold it and bought a 750 Honda shadow. Great bike. Plenty of power to get me across county. Later traded up to a Honda 1100 cruiser. Perfect for me.

As for the wife, get a comfortable seat with a back support.

Also get a magnetic tank bag so you can grab and go when you stop without having to fiddle with opening saddlebags to get your important stuff.

[NERemodeling]

I know you go up to Maine John but several (14-15) years ago I was at Odiorne State Park in Rye NH mountain biking up an old WWII gun emplacement. Totally overgrown with sumac and trees and there's a single track path up the side. It's probably 90 outside and I'm huffing and puffing up the side of this when I ran into a shag carpeted wall. I had my head down, watching me pump the pedals and sweating like crazy. I fell off the side of the trail and realized the shag wall that was in my face was a huge stag! The thing stopped and was looking at me like I had seven heads sprouting outta my neck! It was like..."holy sh1t! Some dumb a$s just hit me!" My friend came up as the deer was standing off the side and she was saying are you okay? I'm like I just hit a friggin deer! She's like "BS!" I point at the deer which is maybe ten feet away with the stupid look on its face still and she started laughing her a$s off!

I hit a deer with a Trek Mointain Bike!

Wow..... I don't even know what to say to that!!!! Hit a dear going up hill!! The stupid thing must have heard and seen you coming a mile away. I can believe it didn't move. Your damn lucky he didn't get pissed and lay his rack into you!!

I 100% thought you were gonna say you were tearing as downhill and it ran out in front of you. Man, I have never been further from correct. Haha

That is a memory you will surely never forget and like c Harris said, would have been a perfect gopro moment!

Great story!!

[ChrisK]

Yeah it's a fun story to tell and everyone is blown away I was climbing. I'll never top that one.

[NERemodeling]

Well boys.. a few weeks ago I picked up a bike. 2015 Ducati Monster 821.. it was the first bike I went to look at and it was love at first sight.. bought it that night and never regretted it.. exactly the bike I wanted, color, style, everything!

Ridden about 900 miles already and having a blast

Only mods so far have been a fender eliminator and removing all the factory warning stickers from the frame and such.. have some adjustible shorty levers on their way and the next mod will probably be suspension.. new springs front and rear and maybe new valves for the front.

Second pic also shows it with the passenger seat cover removed

[Charles Harris]

Well boys.. a few weeks ago I picked up a bike. 2015 Ducati Monster 821.. it was the first bike I went to look at and it was love at first sight.. bought it that night and never regretted it.. exactly the bike I wanted, color, style, everything!

Ridden about 900 miles already and having a blast

Only mods so far have been a fender eliminator and removing all the factory warning stickers from the frame and such.. have some adjustible shorty levers on their way and the next mod will probably be suspension.. new springs front and rear and maybe new valves for the front.

20150720_192443.jpg

20150720_192021.jpg

Second pic also shows it with the passenger seat cover removed

Great choice!! That is my kind of bike.

That is very very similar bike to the KTM 950 Supermoto I was talking about liking so well.

It's funny I stopped and looked at an older Monster yesterday.

Are going to put some bar end mirrors on it?

I know wet clutches are a lot better but I miss the classic Ducati clutch noise on the newer models.

[rfwjr]

I always liked the look of the Ducati Monster.

[NERemodeling]

Thanks man!

The dealer I bought it from also had ktm, aprilia (but no shiver) and Kawasaki.. I liked the ktms second best for sure out of what was there.. sat on the versys but the wife and I just weren't that into it..

From the moment we walked into the store we both couldn't stop looking at this bike..

What monster did you look at?

Funny you mentioned bar end mirrors.. just after I made the post I actually ordered some weighted bar ends and crg arrow bar end mirrors! The stock mirrors vibrate like crazy and you can't see anything out of them.

When I was getting my 600 mile service done there was a guy there who pulled up with an older duc that had the dry clutch.. the sound was cool and definitely unique.. I'll stick with the wet though!

[NERemodeling]

I always liked the look of the Ducati Monster.

Those Italians sure know how to make sexy looking stuff!

[Charles Harris]

Thanks man!

The dealer I bought it from also had ktm, aprilia (but no shiver) and Kawasaki.. I liked the ktms second best for sure out of what was there.. sat on the versys but the wife and I just weren't that into it..

From the moment we walked into the store we both couldn't stop looking at this bike..

What monster did you look at?

Funny you mentioned bar end mirrors.. just after I made the post I actually ordered some weighted bar ends and crg arrow bar end mirrors! The stock mirrors vibrate like crazy and you can't see anything out of them.

When I was getting my 600 mile service done there was a guy there who pulled up with an older duc that had the dry clutch.. the sound was cool and definitely unique.. I'll stick with the wet though!

Monsters just have to have bar end mirrors.

It was a 1996 M900 sitting on the side of the road. It wasn't in very good condition. It had cheap looking chrome handlebars, Aftermarket pegs that wouldn't fold up, Dented tank, all signs of a crashed bike. I called just to see how cheap it was. The guy wanted $3500 and it has 25k miles. I wouldn't be interested at that price considering the condition.

I have had a couple of the E900 Elefant's. I went on my 16th birthday and got my car and motorcycle license. What was funny was I was more nervous about the car test. We had one of the E900's that I rode all the time back then.

[Charles Harris]

Most Ducati dealers carry Arai helmets. Did you check them out?

On a bike like a monster your helmet makes a huge difference. You get straight air on the helmet. Noise levels, ventilation, and comfort difference can be huge between helmets.

[NERemodeling]

I have never seen a E900. Cool bike. You must have had a blast on that thing!

The M900 is a great looking bike.. too bad it was beat up. It's crazy that a 20 year old bike still looks so good today, their designs are very timeless

I ended up with an Arai Ducati strada tour x4. It's just the painted up version of the XD-4

I pulled the visor and it gives it a bad ass street look

I don't have anything to compare it to but it seems a little loud above 70 or so.. great ventilation though.. I threw ear plugs in on my last long ride and it made it much more enjoyable

My wife ended up with the shoei rf-1200

[Charles Harris]

I have never seen a E900. Cool bike. You must have had a blast on that thing!

The M900 is a great looking bike.. too bad it was beat up. It's crazy that a 20 year old bike still looks so good today, their designs are very timeless

I ended up with an Arai Ducati strada tour x4. It's just the painted up version of the XD-4

I pulled the visor and it gives it a bad ass street look

I don't have anything to compare it to but it seems a little loud above 70 or so.. great ventilation though.. I threw ear plugs in on my last long ride and it made it much more enjoyable

My wife ended up with the shoei rf-1200

20150721_121754.jpg

Yes the monster is a timeless design.

That is a dual sport helmet. They are designed with the large vents at your mouth. When you are riding off road you are many times moving slow and working hard. With a regular street helmet the face shield will fog up. The big mouth vents helps get your breath out. Also the face shield goes farther down your cheeks to allow better vision of the ground. I have one of the first gen XD's. Before they were renamed the XD they were called the dual sport. I bought one the first year they came out. I don't wear it anymore because it's a 1993 model. Many will say you should replace them every 5 years I use them a little longer, but 1993 is too old. If you want to check the date on yours look at the cover around the long side of the strap. It is stamped there. My XD is a sizable amount louder than the Quantum /f I have. I still like it though. Did you figure out the little red snap at the end of the strap? It keeps the strap from slapping you at speed.

Here is a picture of the XD and the Quantum /f

[Charles Harris]

These are my favorite riding boots. Just a clean classic design that offer good protection. They are made for aerostitch by sidi. They only drawback is they take for ever to get broke in, but once you do they should last a million miles. I have yet to be able to find a pair of street riding boots that I like. I just end up wearing the combat touring boots.

[NERemodeling]

I bought the helmet without doing a ton of research on it.. saw it at the dealer, knew it was a good helmet.. liked the shape and graphics and it was the most comfortable one/best fit they had.. worked it into the deal on the bike.

I still really like it just wonder what else I could have gotten.. who knows though. I know I got a good helmet and I'm happy with it.

Feild of vision is great

I didn't end up going for the boots.. thought about it but not now.. I will still consider them at some point..

that's a nice looking pair you have. They look very similar to my old motocross boots

Did get a jacket and gloves though. Cortech.. it's what a local shop had by me. Comfortable, not too expensive and good air flow and a removable rain layer.