| Author | Message | ||
     Natek |
I'll give you a little background. I'm a 19-year-old college student wanting to have fun and spend less of my hard earned dollars on fuel. I've been riding dirt bikes since I was seven, and just got my motorcycle endorsement today, I'll be riding a 2000 BMW F-650 for a few weeks to be sure that I'm comfortable on the street before I drop $9 grand on a Ulysses. A few (read several) people have told me that a 1200 is too much bike to start out on, some have said that the Buell is too fast of a bike to start on, some say it looks and sounds like a really fun bike (which is why I want to get one), and all say it looks bad-ass (this further increases the wanting of the bike). I'm completely confident in my abilities on the dirt, and with the very little street riding that I've done. What would you suggest? A smaller bike? A different bike? No bike? (I'll laugh out loud if you say this..). Thank you for you suggestions, knowledge, and insight. -Nate. | ||
| Buelltroll |
ONLY way a Muell is too much bike for you is A) you're a girl or 2) you can't reach the ground at all. IF you was going on about getting any hondasaki litre bike or a Duc then yeah maybe but these lumps are perfect girl / starter bikes. | ||
| Natek |
I was worried about touching the ground until I did some research on the F 650 which is less than 1/2" shorter seat height than the Uly, I can't flat-foot the 650, but I'm not worried about it anymore.  | ||
| Froggy |
I was 20 when I bought my Uly, and it was only my second street bike. It does have a lot of power, the front end comes off the ground very easy without any effort. Read this thread, its basically the same situation your in. http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/327 77/556174.html?1271612544 (Don't forget to click archive to see the older posts.) | ||
| Natek |
Thanks for the link, but how do I read the other pages? (Sorry...) I've taken a basic rider training (BRT) class (it's law here if you're under 21, and I plan on taking an intermediate rider training (IRT) class after I get whatever bike I end up with, it's the same class, but you can take the IRT on your own bike. | ||
| Froggy |
Click the "Archive through April 16, 2010" at the top. | ||
| Reepicheep |
If you are an experienced dirt rider, then the Uly isn't your "first bike"... more like your third (as dirt challenges you in ways the street never will). The two big issues you will need to deal with are: 1) Testosterone poisoning. Your brain, at this age, is wired to take risks. Adding a fun powerful motorcycle to that may (or may not) be putting a spark to the gasoline. 2) Road experience. The creativity of the people around me as they attempt to kill me never fails to amaze me. After 20+ years on the road, I'm getting pretty good at anticipating and reacting to threats. Personality, self discipline, rider training, and defensive driving classes can all mitigate these risks... but ultimately the right answer is "no" for some people, "yes" for others. | ||
| Pso |
Depends only on your right wrist. | ||
| Natek |
My thoughts exactly. Thanks guys. Hopefully I can go look at (and take home) a blue one (sad, I want orange...) on Sat.  | ||
| Whisperstealth |
Go get the bike! Don't live with the wata - coulda - shoulda! | ||
| Chitownracing |
im 22 started riding buells when i was 19 and started on a xb12scg and have 4 friends that have learned how to ride the buell as their first bike ever rode.. the xb12 is deff not too big of a bike the bikes only going to go as fast as u twist the throttle id start off on an xb12 as i did |
