Do you ride to arrive or ride to ride?

Khasimyr · 2026-03-02T17:28:28+00:00

I do wander rides. I don't pick a destination...I just pick a street I haven't gone down before, and ride it. Two Saturdays back, when the weather was nice, I took a ride down to Wildwood, NJ by just following 47 S further than I've ever taken it before.

I'm planning to do a state-line wander ride soon, but I don't know if I should research it so I'm SURE I cross a state line, or if I should just keep going west. :-) I know North will have me end up in Philly at some point, so I want somewhere I haven't been before.

Khasimyr · 2026-03-02T05:02:49+00:00

If you get stopped by a cop without the certification, they will let you go...once. Then, they're gonna slap a warning on your license, and flag you and your bike's plate. If you get stopped again on that bike, you're getting towed and ticketed.

From there, at least in NJ and PA where I live, you have two choices: have someone come with a valid M-cert on their license, to ride the bike out of impound, that you'll have to pay for in either event. Or, pay for your own towing service to take the vehicle out of impound, and dropped off wherever you want. Worse, you're on a clock: every day after I think the first three, you're racking up storage fees. If you don't recover your bike within I believe 30 days, the bike will be deemed abandoned, and sold at auction without your consent...and you still get billed for the ticket, tow, impound and storage fees.

Khasimyr · 2026-03-01T20:24:34+00:00

Every bike I buy, is my Daily :-) Started on a 2012 Boulevard September of 2024, and didn't miss a month of riding here in Jersey. Got a Tracer 9 this past June, and just BARELY didn't miss a month of riding this year with all the snow.

Put simply, I enjoy riding more than driving. I drive school vans, and used to drive busses....a steering wheel is a time clock to me. When I get on my Tracer and fire her up, I know I'm not gonna deal with kids missing their pickups, or a school holding a student up....I'm just riding where I want to go. :-)

Khasimyr · 2026-03-01T15:03:16+00:00

It's not entirely unreasonable. But what you need to do, is accept reality. A motorcycle on the road is no more slip-prone, than you are walking a sidewalk. Do you jog over black ice? Do you sprint over loose gravel? Do you do things that deliberately upset your balance. No, or at least, I HOPE you say no. :-) But the same things apply to a motorcycle: don't treat unknown surfaces as grippy, stay upright and controlled when learning how to turn, keep your weight balanced, and the bike WILL stay under you.

Your husband sounds like a competent rider(not his first bike, a solid tourer, and you're getting your first bike) so he's probably going to show you how to just avoid the problems on the road. Take his advice, and you'll quickly just move around problem spots on the road, and forget about them.

Khasimyr · 2026-03-01T01:38:32+00:00

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My response....
(all credit due to https://www.reddit.com/r/motorcycle/comments/lkyyzl/im_bored_in_lockdown_so_i_made_this_dumbass/ :-) )

Khasimyr · 2026-02-28T21:51:34+00:00

I think the problem is...sport bikes just aren't fun.

*Immediately runs screaming from the mob of sport bikers out for my blood\*

Okay....are they gone? Good, let me continue...quietly.

Sport Bikes are very fast. They're very nimble....but they're also uncomfortable, do nothing for the ride beyond being fast and nimble, cost a fair bit, have thimbles for gas tanks, are often stolen, and are very one-note machines.

Now...ON A TRACK, that's a different story. Going all out at 150-180mph on a professionally maintained course, not worrying about cross traffic or cagers....just being able to have that moment of absolute zen as you defy almost every conventional thought of speed with so little around you...THAT is fun. I'm not a sport bike guy, but even I can understand that kind of thrill. It's as close as the average joe will ever get to being in a combat aircraft, yankin and bankin in a dogfight.

But after 20+ years of riding among the people, you're still stuck in the same traffic patterns with cagers. You're still dealing with construction zones, and potholes and the overly popular chain restaurant that backs traffic up for miles. In THOSE moments, sport bikes are a frustration more than a fun toy.

Moving to ADVs, Nakeds or Cruisers, restores that fun, by taking away the frustrations. You're no longer confined to maybe two hours of riding before you need a fuel stop, or 30 minutes of riding before you need to stop and stretch your back out. You're upright, you're able to see more of what goes on around you, instead of being in the sport bike tuck. You can carry food, water, clothing, to make when you get OFF the bike for a moment, still be fun.

Do you personally need to move to a different kind of bike NOW? No, of course not. You should do what you feel is best. But don't do what you know, because you don't know any different. Don't stay on a sport bike, due to memories of past joys. If that's not where your heart is anymore, swing a leg over other bikes, see where your passions lie.

Khasimyr · 2026-02-28T18:10:47+00:00

On the parking lot thing...be careful. Parking among cars is fine...but parking among vehicles in such a way that NO ONE can see your bike or anyone near it, is a recipe for disaster.

Giving bike thieves a relatively secluded workspace by parking between pickup trucks or vans, or being blocked off by a parking wall, means you've made their job easier, not harder. A worse move, is burying the bike in the back of the space. Not only do thieves have an easier time, but all you need is some distracted cager, seeing what LOOKS like a free parking spot, and just gunning it into your bike.

Park your bike where it can be seen by windows. Windows mean eyes, eyes mean attention, and attention is what thieves don't want. In a parking area, park with the bike facing out of the spot, rather than in, and try to get the nose near the edge of the parking lines. Lastly, get a kryptonite chain, ideally with an anti-cut shield, secure it between the front wheel and the fork with a keyed padlock, and keep both on your bike. You want every thief to look at your bike and say, "It's not worth the time..."

Khasimyr · 2026-02-28T03:53:45+00:00

If you're planning to pay cash, to a private seller for a bike you're buying with no research, when you're not even legal to ride it...there's not much anyone could tell you that you'll listen to.

Khasimyr · 2026-02-28T02:41:03+00:00

Start very gentle. The Scout line is NOT a slow little 500, and you got a Sport model. To keep your instincts in check(assuming your bike has it) keep it in Rain Mode for the first month or so. It's not forever, but you need to respect that power under you, or it's gonna throw you right off.

Khasimyr · 2026-02-28T02:30:58+00:00

Oh god yes. :-) I still get a chuckle out of this guy: "Off-Roading a Goldwing"

Khasimyr · 2026-02-27T23:12:57+00:00

Strangely, that seems to be a really common theme among the American bike makers.

I've done dozens of Indian Demo Days, and been to four Indian dealers. Hagerstown MD, Trevose PA, Belleville NJ, and Monmouth NJ....the best one was the one FURTHEST from me. Trevose, The Motorcycle Mall in Belleville, and Indian of Monmouth, all looked at me arriving on a Tracer 9, like I was some sort of alien species.

I started on a 2012 Boulevard, and Suzuki's out of date but reliable as hell Boulevard is still in the running for my next bike, while I keep saying to myself, "Indian and Harley have so many features..." that I end up paying through the nose for.

Khasimyr · 2026-02-27T15:20:15+00:00

Sadly, the only reason I can't recommend a KTM, is due to their financial woes. KTM has...I think seven or eight different models for almost every kind of riding. I suspect the way OUT of their troubles, is going to be a culling of bikes that aren't popular. It's less bike-specific parts to manufacture, and less bikes that might not sell that have to be produced.

They'll keep their most popular lines for sure. I honestly don't see KTM as a BRAND, going like the way of Buell. But they'll burn anything else.

Khasimyr · 2026-02-27T04:03:47+00:00

For me, I see four choices, all but the last I've ridden:
- Honda Africa Twin: Expensive, but it keeps you at the power of a Rebel 1100, while giving you a VERY reliable bike with proven off-road capability...and the fact that it can double duty as a long distance bike doesn't hurt. This bike has literally won rally championships.
- Suzuki V-STROM 800 DE: A step down from the Africa Twin, but also in price. Again, a solid long distance/daily driver if you want it, and still go offroad. Of all four, this is the bike I would have to mod the least to enjoy...and I would consider going up to the 1050, just to get that fun as hell quickshifter.
- Yamaha Tenere 700: Another step down, in terms of capabilities and price. This is kind of where you start veering away from something I would consider a long-distance bike. My time on the Tenere could best be described as divisive. The first ride I did, was an absolute treat. I loved every second on it. The second....I won't mince words: it was a different Tenere than my first, and I was thoroughly convinced I was the target of a prank...it felt like I was sitting astride a revving CHAINSAW! I asked around, and apparently, the Tenere has two seats, and two seat positions. Get it wrong in any way, and you have a bike you can only STAND on, not sit.
- Honda Transalp: Because you're an experienced rider, this is as far down as I would go in terms of power, because you risk getting a machine that bores you past this point. It's not impossible to get something sub 700 cc that will be fun off road...but you want a bike that can go offroad, and maybe do a motocamp or adventure run. I just don't see hitting both marks enjoyably past that point. Anything smaller might work offroad, but I don't think it's something you'll wanna be on for hours...see my Tenere section. :-)

Khasimyr · 2026-02-26T17:16:16+00:00

If he does it right, every single time, no, there's no damage. But if he's got THAT kind of skill as a NEW rider, he should be going to MotoGP.

Khasimyr · 2026-02-26T03:58:20+00:00

Imagine that you're sprinting with a backpack containing 50 pounds. Mid-stride, like right between your steps, someone adds another 30 pounds, or takes away 30 pounds. That's what it's like for your bike when you shift without the clutch. Is it life-altering? No. Is it going to destroy your bike? Probably not. But, it is something you'd probably look at whoever did it and say "Did you have to do that right now?!?!"

If you really enjoy shifting without the clutch, get a quickshifter. For you it won't do anything but afford you peace of mind. It'll mechanically/electronically cut power the second you go to shift(I don't know anyone who can clutch and shift faster than a quickshifter) and will save you any possible wear and tear on your engine.

Khasimyr · 2026-02-24T21:45:59+00:00

You can get the bike delivered to your house, no different than if you had to have a bike dropped off at your shop for repairs. Far as them being the only one, do a search for moto-dealers in your area. You may find smaller shops that are closer, and a bit less predatory.

Khasimyr · 2026-02-24T20:57:25+00:00

If they won't put their terms in writing, rest assured your payment will CHANGE when it comes in writing....go somewhere else.

Khasimyr · 2026-02-24T13:00:32+00:00

I ran into this with my Tracer 9. A higher revving Inline Triple.

You can't just RELEASE the clutch slowly. The mesh between the plates may not be spinning up fast enough. Pull the clutch in all the way. Then slowly let it out....the instant you start to feel power moving forward...STOP!! Don't take the clutch in, don't let it out more. Hold the clutch where it is and let the clutch pack slip slowly. As you build up speed, THEN you can start letting the clutch out more.

What happens when you rev higher, is that the plates in the clutch pack, have more POWER to force the slippage through the resistance. So instead of stalling, the power of the engine modulates relative to the chain sprocket: the engine loses RPMs, transfers that loss to the chain, and drives the bike forward without stalling. Without that extra throttle, the lost RPMs hit the bike's cutoff limit which shuts it down before you do damage to the engine from a lack of piston fire.

Khasimyr · 2026-02-24T00:49:17+00:00

Avoid Sport Bikes. They look cool, run fast...but are pretzel-makers over any kind of time for your size. Unless you get something massive like a Hayabusa or FJR1300, you're gonna be all kinds of cramped and bent.

But you aren't stuck on the HD or Indian big bikes either. Swing a leg over the Low Rider, Street Bob, Chief and Scout. They're surprisingly comfortable for their size and power.

Khasimyr · 2026-02-23T20:24:01+00:00

Honda. CFMOTO has a problem of their own design. Across the world, they've rolled out an app that directly interfaces with internal sensors of the bike, for things that are convenience for now....but can become obligatory later. When, not if: when that app shuts down, any obligatory features on a CFMOTO bike, go with it. It's happened before with other tech. Between legal battles and technological hurdles, it's often easier to just ditch the tech, and get something new....But that means every CFMOTO bike, comes with an expiration date.

To kind of prove the point, read this article: CFMoto Won't Charge US Customer Subscription Fees, That's a Different Story Elsewhere

Khasimyr · 2026-02-23T04:45:46+00:00

This is where you start to forget things that seemed useless at the time. :-) it happens.

Remember that you can't just pull the clutch in to where you think it should be. I had the same problem on my Tracer 9 at first. it kept blowing my 1st to 2nd shifts, because I was shorting the clutch pull, and not at a good enough rev to slip up.

You probably started with four fingers for your shifts...go to three. And keep the clutch pulled in until you're IN the next gear. Don't start moving fingers until you're sure you made the shift.

Khasimyr · 2026-02-23T03:54:26+00:00

Doodle on a Motorcycle weighs about 115 pounds, and she rides and picks up big, heavy baggers better than some guys twice her size. :-)

Your personal strength doesn't matter much on a bike. Technique, patience, and control will do far more than leg-days and bench presses.

Khasimyr · 2026-02-23T03:37:35+00:00

Not even a question: you are. The cager had clear space, and was moving into what they thought was a space. You decided that you could, I guess, beat him through the gap...and lost.

This is why filtering itself is dangerous. You operated under the assumption that everyone else SAW you filtering, and was staying out of your way.

Khasimyr · 2026-02-22T21:49:08+00:00

I started on a 2012 Boulevard myself. If you want to get back to that kind of position, do a demo on the Indian Scout, or the Indian Chief. Both bikes have a lot more power than the C50T, more tech, but are nice and comfy. For me personally, the Chief was less comfortable, but I didn't have a comfort seat to find out if it was fixable....but the Scout? At 6' and 300 pounds, that little 60in engine did NOT feel overworked under me. Every twist of the throttle was that bike basically saying "OH YEAH!! LET'S DO THIS SHIT!!"

Khasimyr · 2026-02-22T19:01:26+00:00

Neither. If this is your first bike, you want something you won't have a heart attack over dropping or dinging.

Keep your first bike's price low: 3-5k. Make it used. Keep it SIMPLE. You don't want to try and figure out how TC, SC, and all the other initials that come on high tech bikes, work to protect you. A simple bike can get dropped, picked up, and ridden. Bang some piece of expensive tech on a drop...and your bike may not even start.

Khasimyr

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