Motorcycles (forums)

[Phantomas]

Strange thread for RFF, but having seen quite a few aficionados here, and this currently being the only forum with wider audience I participate on, I thought I'd ask for your help.

I'm currently in preparation for my midlife crises 😀 It's still quite some time away (hopefully) but early bird and all that. I'm in the midst of getting my motorcycle driving license. Of course theory and perfecting my driving techniques are one side of fun, but eagerly anticipating my first riding machine is another. So I've got two questions:

1. I'm looking for a good motorcycle forum. Purpose - to learn about different bike models, ease/difficulty of maintenance, people's general experiences with them, etc. (if more specific forum, I'll tell about my tastes further below). Of course Google is everyone's friend, but the results I get are overwhelming. I've noticed from related threads that many RFF members (surprise!) have taste in bikes that would match mine (we're not that original? 🙁 ), so I have good faith I'll get relevant links and I that with your help I'll get to the info quicker than spending time filtering through thousand times thousands of sources to get to that info.

2. This is even bigger shot in the dark - but what, in your personal opinion and experience, would be the good first bike for a novice rider? For several different criteria (and admittedly total lack of any knowledge) I'm looking the way of older BMW R series. R60, 65, 60/5, 70, 75, etc, etc.
What my realistic criteria would be, and to which such bikes would to a certain degree comply, are
- pricing
- not being just "learners bike", with some ownership continuity
- ability to learn basic maintenance and ease of performance of such
- "commonness", ie availability of parts and be less susceptible to theft, yet have:
- aesthetics!
- and regular use (means of transportation)

My bike porn.

Cafe racer would be the key word, but I don't want to be an arrogant twit to even consider them as the first bike without knowing two sh#ts about bikes and biking. Naked, muscle, classic, easy, sexy bike would do 🙂

</noob mode>

 

[Flood]

A word of caution - cafe racers are a bit of a fad right now and many people are tired of seeing good old bikes being chopped up to achieve "the look". But I love many of them as well.

The old BMW boxers are great bikes, good to work on and may be a bit of the rangefinder of the bike world - but I wouldn't call them great learners. Handling a bike safely in a variety of situations is a surprisingly hard craft. I started out on an old '70s bike myself (a Honda CB550f). What a stubborn, heavy beast that is! I actually learned to ride only with my later bikes, which were dual sports (an old Honda XL600R). These single-cylinders have a great seating position, ergonomics, are light and easy to flick around. After a season or two with a light bike, you can advance to a heavier street bike.

Take a look at ADVrider.com (I'm a mod over there). Although primarily centered around "adventure bikes", i.e. big, multi-cylindered dual sport offroad and touring bikes, we have sub-forums for almost every conceivable niche. I also think that our old-school forum and it's BMW airhead (air-cooled BMW R-series) subforum is among the best English-language forum of its kind.

 

[Sarcophilus Harrisii]

An R series BMW isn't a bad choice in terms of reliability and viability for home maintenance. Things like valve clearances, carburettors, points (if fitted) and plugs are all very easy to reach and no special tools required.

Another marque that can be a lot more reliable than one might expect considering its country of origin, but with, how does one put it, a little more panache and sporting prowess than BMW is Moto Guzzi. One of the oldest and proudest names in motorcycling, a decent example of one of their 850 or 1000cc twins offers superb handling and user friendly maintenance on a par with BMW, if anything, arguably even better. Even their cruisers actually handle, to a degree unsurpassed by most modern day Japanese Harleys, not to mention Harleys themselves (whoops, I mentioned them).
Cheers,
Brett

 

[BW400CN]

An R series BMW isn't a bad choice in terms of reliability and viability for home maintenance. Things like valve clearances, carburettors, points (if fitted) and plugs are all very easy to reach and no special tools required.

Another marque that can be a lot more reliable than one might expect considering its country of origin, but with, how does one put it, a little more panache and sporting prowess than BMW is Moto Guzzi. One of the oldest and proudest names in motorcycling, a decent example of one of their 850 or 1000cc twins offers superb handling and user friendly maintenance on a par with BMW, if anything, arguably even better. Even their cruisers actually handle, to a degree unsurpassed by most modern day Japanese Harleys, not to mention Harleys themselves (whoops, I mentioned them).
Cheers,
Brett

Total agree!
I rode BMW and Guzzi in the past (R80 G/S + LeMans III) worked for "The Company" and owned a Sportster 1200 Sport with a Buell engine 😉 - only switched over to scooters because I don´t have the time any more to ride a lot and for city use a scoot is better then any big bike.
Maybe I will buy a bike again when I get a bit more time - would like to have an sidecar again for long distance travel.

 

[jonmanjiro]

I'm currently in preparation for my midlife crises 😀 It's still quite some time away (hopefully) but early bird and all that.

Woah, you've gotta get married and pump out a few kids and let 'em grow up a bit before you can hit your midlife crisis! 😱😀

But yeah I think you're on the right track with an R series BMW, and that R100/7 looks pretty damn cool.

For a couple of years when still a poor student, I rode an R65 (first model with points ignition). That particular model was regarded as the dog of the BMW world at the time. But it was completely reliable and never let me down, unlike multiple Ducatis I owned before and after. My only complaint was that it was a bit gutless - not very powerful at all. If I ever get another R series bike, I'll definitely make sure its an R90 or bigger next time.

 

[doolittle]

More importantly than getting the right bike is getting the right training and gear- looks like you are on the right track there anyway. Older BMW R are lovely bikes.

 

[Landshark]

One advantage to the older R BMW's is their light weight. The entire range you have listed were light compared to the competing Asian bikes.
The R65 (in the US) happend to have a vibration @ around 55mph a little more a little less and it went away.
I rode BMW since 1968 until a couple of years ago, had a couple of Japanese & always went back.
Personally I'd think about the R75. Great reliable machine. I had R60/75(2)/R100RS(best one) and a RS1150.
The original R series had two valves per head, intake & exhaust. Lower center of gravity,lighter weight (~200Kg) and the seat height was good. Carburetors could be good or indifferent, depending on the carbs. I replaced the constant velocities twice. On different bikes, they didn't seem to stay in adjustment............. me=6' 34" inseam.

The new R's use four valves per cylinder, a bit more tedious to adjust are fuel injected, taller and to me, feel top heavy. But ride very well as do the oder ones.

Re: Guzzi's I tried one and it seemed top heavy too, especially standing still