Thinking about getting a Powerstroke. Help!
 

As the title says... My wife has me thinking about getting a bike. She is taking a class this weekend to get her M1 license. She has a 50cc Vespa that has been sitting in the garage for the last 3 years and finally wants to ride the damn thing. She told me I should get a bike. I almost got one about a decade ago and she has me seriously thinking about it again. I am partial to GSX-R's... that is almost what I bought before (750). I was wondering if some of you guys more familiar with bikes could drop some knowledge on me about what I should look for and some issues that I should try to avoid. Is there a good starter bike? What is considered high mileage on a bike? Thanks in advance.

1. Dont buy a bike
2. Save money on bike purchase for blower purchase
3. Enjoy being alive by not riding on the street

I didn't like the feel of Eric's GSXR 750. It was too small. If I leaned forward like I do when I cruise on the freeway my head was past the windshield. My buddy's ZX14 is really nice though and I like the size of it. I also used to ride a Katana 600 and that was a nice sized bik as well.

The classic starter bike is the Suzuki SV-650. It's a VTwin with good torque and reasonable power to get around just fine. They are ubuiqutous, easy to buy, easy to sell, HUGE support community. Like my Bandit, it's a "Japanese Standard Bike" which means it's still sporty but is classed completely differently for insurance. I think my Bandit was literally like $75/year.

Think about how and why you're going to ride. If you're looking for a sport bike that can be used for other things, Honda seems to always come out on top: the GSXRs and Yamaha R series are purpose built machines that don't do the longer distance cruising as well as the Hondas it seems.

The high strung I4 600cc bikes (e.g. R6) are amazingingly nimble and fast, however, you'll have to get on the gas to get them into their power range just to get around, unlike the SV VTwin in the same size which doesn't make anywhere near the same peak power, but has much more power at lower revs.

The Hayabusas and ZX14s are BIG bikes that I've heard are very comfortable. They're utterly insane for power to weight, I think the ZX is 8 second something at 150mph . . . out of the box.

New vs. Used.
Can't think of a particuarly good reason to buy new now. There are SOOOO many toys on the market at steep discounts, it's crazy. Nordy racer sold two great (and kind of special) bikes recently for $5k range. .. amazing. You can probably get a great condition SV, Bandit, etc. for $2,000-$2,500.

A bike is way more fun than a car in a lot of ways, It is however, a bit nerve racking because people just don't see you. I will say this, learning to ride a bike made me a much better and more attentive driver.

I am leaning towards a sport bike if I get one. Nothing for long cruises. maybe ride it to work a few times a week and cruise with Shannon down PCH every once and a while. I am not looking for a "fast" bike at this moment. Something fun without too much power to learn on. Used for sure.

Not sure there's any such thing as an unfast sport bike. :smack: In fact, nearly any bike unless you go quite old or tiny is going to be at least quick. My Bandit was a big old heavy Japanese standard, 1200. It'd run 11.8s at 118 all day. . stock. Check out the SVs, it's basically impossible to go wrong with them. The most important thing for you being sort of a giant is just to find a bike that you feel comfortable on.

When I say fast I mean something like a hayabusa and anything over 1000CC. I am looking for something to learn on not race on. Anyone know what high mileage is considered on a bike?

Thanks for all the info all. I guess I need to sit on some of these bikes and see how I fit.

That is definitively floating around in my head. I am also looking for a 7.3L F250 Crew Cab too.

Most of the things you'll be looking at will be in the low 30s to high 40s, *maybe* low 50s if you pussy foot it. High mileage would be like a 250cc Ninja, I think they're in the 70s pretty easily, but with a feller your size, I really would NOT recommend something that small. Also keep in mind that standards, like my old Bandit ran happily on 87, any of the actual sport bikes have to have 91. Seriously, check out the SV-650 as at least part of your research if you're serious.

Go get a buell firebolt 1200. Put a D&D race exhaust on it and be done with it. It will sound like a dragster ride like the wind and has a powerband like a LS v-8. I had a 97 X1 lightning and with all the work I had done it put down 100whp at like 3krpm all the way to the 7k redline. was a beast but it also got over 50mpg and I have a heavy errr um wrist lol, and they handle really nice. Plus its a harley sportster motor so you can get parts all over the place if you want. And they are really easy to work on. A high performance I4 that turns 15,000 rpm is not easy to work on... plus, why have what every other future organ donor has? get something that is more unique and is super cheap to insure, who wants to steal a buell?

Oh i would definitely do the diesel before a bike. I rode for a long time, i was tired of thinking "is today going to be the day?"

Have you thought about an enduro bike at all. They are easier to learn on and you can use them on or offroad. Like this XR650R.

Good call. If I got another bike, this would likely be the way I'd go.

First off what is the price range. Then we can go from there. If I were going to get a bike again I would look for a Triumph Daytona 675. Great power, light, easy to ride. They are a little pricey compared to a Gsxr but much easier to ride. I had two bikes in my past one Gsxr 1000 and one Gsxr 750 they are fun and very fast bikes but kinda scary.

You're not allowed to buy a bike until the Mach 1 has a Kenne Bell and you have an F250 Diesel.

This is more where I am leaning. The 7.3L F250 Crew Cab, 2WD or 4WD, Short bed in silver, white, DSG or red under 200K around $12K seems to be a unicorn.

Edit:Little higher mileage but possibility if they still have it
http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/ctd/3024561847.html

Buell, I should have bought one when I wanted it. You can't get them new anymore, so used is your only option. I still want one.

Out of curiosity, what you want a big truck for?

I always want a truck in my stable and the extra cab does not fit a child seat well. When I watched my niece years ago it just did not work well, so that is why the crew cab. I also would like to some day have have some toys that need hauling so a diesel will give me that power and the gas mileage is much better than a gas engine. On top of everything else the diesel will for sure go 300K plus.

Well a heavy/super duty diesel is the way to go then. Buy well and the damn thing really should last a lifetime if maintained.

Yep, lots of million mile 7.3's out there. Stick to a 99-00 if you plan on juicing it up.

I really do not plan on doing much. Intake, Exhaust, Tuner. Why the 99-00 out of curiosity?

They have forged internals vs. PMR

99 or 00! now my selection is even smaller!:surrender:

Not advocating a bike, but word

Only one I liked was the white one for $12K but there are too many miles on it. Looking closer to 200K.

You need to change the thread title to need help finding an F250 diesel.

hehehehe

Guy just went full retard. Never go full retard.

I'm glad that Guy changed it then instead of me.

No worries guys! After a lot of thought I just do not think that now is a good time for a bike. I am over it. Moving on to the F250!! Lets do this. I need to talk to Sean about financing now.

Ditto, but he wont call me back :(

I can get a hold of him. I have his batline number!

I'm not ignoring you, just swamped with work/life. I'm off this week though. Shoot me a text tomorrow.

I think you probably have a 50k pre-approval. Rate is going to be cheap.

Not a crew cab
2001 GMC, 11K
http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/cto/3055552588.html

A little more then you wanted to spend but a great truck
2003 Dodge, 15K
http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/cto/3046511042.html

I love the dodge's when it comes to pulling and looks.

Edit
A little less but 50K fewer miles.
http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/cto/3050268750.html

Thanks John but I am staying in the Ford family. All I have ever owned and ignorance is bliss. I do like the beefy looks of the dodge though, just not more than a Ford. Besides, I am looking for a short bed and no duallies, I don't need that big of a truck.

I am sure I do. Gotta love taking care of your credit!

Contacted the seller on this one asking if it was a diesel. Looks good though.
http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/cto/3058002266.html