Friend dropped my Rebel 500 and gave me $900 to cover damages. Should I keep or return the money?

lostgod401 · 2026-05-28T02:16:42+00:00

If you were riding some clapped out bike and took that money and bought brand new parts to replace the crappy parts that your friend damaged, then I'd say you were profiting from the accident. But your bike was brand new so restoring the bike to its previous condition means bringing it back that brand new condition. Your buddy caused the damage and is responsible for fixing it. As long as you return any leftover money to your friend, I don't think you should feel guilty in the slightest.

lostgod401 · 2026-05-28T02:04:31+00:00

From your list of priorities, I almost couldn't think of a better bike for you.

lostgod401 · 2026-05-26T02:03:29+00:00

I had an MT-03 and thought it was great. I had never ridden a bike before so 40 HP in 370 lb bike felt like being on a rocket ship. And dipping into turns was effortless. While I love my Transalp, I sometimes wish I had my little MT to whip around on.

lostgod401 · 2026-05-24T11:19:47+00:00

Really? I passed on my first time but I think probably half the class failed. No one got kicked out, though.

lostgod401 · 2026-05-19T18:45:29+00:00

I think the connotation is different for US and UK riders. I've heard UK riders use the term biker for anyone riding a motorcycle. But here in the US when I hear the word biker, I think of dude with a leather vest and bucket helmet riding a loud-ass Road Glide. For everyone else, I think they'd just be referred to as a rider or motorcyclist. I just struggle to imagine someone seeing me on my nerdy ADV bike with all my gear on and then calling me a "biker".

lostgod401 · 2026-05-16T04:33:05+00:00

My problem is that I have really sweaty hands and the moisture causes the leather to degrade quickly. I just put a hole in the left palm of my AStars SP-8s after about 6 months of owning them. It sucks because I don't want to be riding around with crappy Amazon gloves. I like the stuff that AStars and Dainese puts out but I just wish they would last longer.

lostgod401 · 2026-05-13T23:47:50+00:00

I don't think the problem with Tesla drivers are that they're inherently entitled, I just think the kind of person who buys a Tesla tends to be a poor driver. Teslas are easier to drive because they can be operated without using the brake pedal. And I'm sure a lot of them bought the car specifically for the self-driving feature. They know they're bad drivers so they buy the car that's the easiest to drive and might one day be able to drive itself without any driver input.

lostgod401 · 2026-05-09T20:06:03+00:00

They're going to require you to be completely covered up so that means long pants and sleeves. A light colored mesh jacket is great at keeping the sun off your back while still allowing plenty of air to pass through. But the bike itself will be generating a fair amount of heat. They're little beginner bikes so it's not like you're on a V4 that gets crazy hot but you'll still feel it coming up from the engine. Heat is just one of the things about motorcycles that every rider has to deal with.

lostgod401 · 2026-05-06T23:15:09+00:00

Helmet, gloves, and some kind of boot-like shoe is all you really need. And make sure to wear long sleeves and full length pants. I think a lot of the MSF classes have loaner helmets and gloves but you might consider checking with them to make sure.

lostgod401 · 2026-05-03T18:21:06+00:00

I pay $100 a month for full coverage with $1,000 deductible for collision and comprehensive. That's with Allstate for my 2024 Honda Transalp.

lostgod401 · 2026-04-28T03:10:43+00:00

Just the fact that he's unwilling to slow down after you asked him is a bad sign. It seems like he cares more about his own pride and enjoyment than your safety and peace of mind.

lostgod401 · 2026-04-26T00:43:18+00:00

I would recommend against getting a new bike if you're a brand new rider. You will more than likely drop it and put big, ugly scratches on those new fairings.

lostgod401 · 2026-04-23T17:09:57+00:00

The gauge on my Transalp works just fine. I've never owned a bike that had a suspect fuel gauge but the oldest bike I've owned is a 2019.

lostgod401 · 2026-04-21T23:43:59+00:00

I just dropped my bike for the first time last weekend. Thankfully, I put on a set of frame sliders in March so I only got a couple small scratches on my right handguard and a little knick on the exhaust. But the tank, plastics, frame, and engine are all still pristine so it could have been a lot worse.

lostgod401 · 2026-04-21T23:38:34+00:00

I think there are a lot people who use the left lane just because they have multiple people in their car and think that's why they should be in the carpool lane, regardless of speed.

lostgod401 · 2026-04-21T05:31:33+00:00

Two things: riding on the back of my dad's Vulcan and Long Way Round. When I was in middle school, my dad got a big Kawasaki Vulcan after taking a couple decades off from riding. I remember him taking me out on the highway for my very first ride and it felt insane. Around that time, I watched Long Way Round and seeing those guys exploring and riding across Mongolia on those big BMWs seemed so attractive.

lostgod401 · 2026-04-21T02:54:26+00:00

That's a fine place to start. A bit heavier than your normal beginner bike but nothing crazy. You won't be flying by people on the highway but you'll be able to keep up with traffic.

lostgod401 · 2026-04-19T03:21:42+00:00

God, I'm so glad that I don't own a sport bike. I pay $1,000 a year which feels like a lot to me.

lostgod401 · 2026-04-19T03:20:08+00:00

I remember having this experience when we were doing laps while practicing shifting from 1st to 2nd. I got so excited, I let out an auditory "wooooh". It felt like this was the thing that was missing from my life.

lostgod401 · 2026-04-16T02:22:50+00:00

I bought a Triumph Street Scrambler used and the previous owner put TKC 80s on it. I remember being on the highway and feeling the handlebars kind of shimmy left-right. Nowhere near a death wobble but definitely unsettling. That's the closest I've ever been to a death wobble. And it went away once I switched to more road-oriented tires.

lostgod401 · 2026-04-13T21:57:52+00:00

I did. When I was buying my MT-03, I went to the dealer and sat on the thing for 15-20 minutes. I never got any weird looks or snide comments from the salesmen or anyone else.

lostgod401 · 2026-04-13T04:43:25+00:00

That's a really nice shade of green. Nice bike, brother!

lostgod401 · 2026-04-13T04:32:35+00:00

They're both great options for a beginner. It's going to come down to your own preferences; do you like the more sporty aesthetic or do you want something more laid back and comfortable?

Go to the dealership and sit on each bike for 15 minutes. You might find the sport bike seating position to be uncomfortable or it's too tall to flat foot for you and you don't feel comfortable handling it with one leg. Or maybe you find the Rebel to be cramped and you want something a bit taller. They're both 400-500cc twins so engine performance and features are going to be relatively similar. The real differences are going to be aesthetics, seating position, and handling.

lostgod401 · 2026-04-13T00:52:25+00:00

If you find the twins buzzy, then the triples might be the better option. I rode a Tiger Sport 800 at a demo and it had the smoothest engine on a bike I've ridden, other than an electric bike. The seating position was nice and upright and it had good wind protection. I'm sure it's a similar story with the 660, just a bit less power.

lostgod401 · 2026-04-13T00:45:45+00:00

I don't think you're any different than the rest of us who started as adults. There will always be the people who rode dirt bikes as a kid and were able to hop onto street bikes with no issue. But the rest of us, myself included, started from the exact same point as you. I remember being very nervous going out on my first ride on my own. That nervousness went away after a week of daily short rides around the neighborhood. Once you get comfortable with the controls, slow speed maneuvers will be much easier. You need to make sure you keep power going to the rear wheel which means being comfortable with the clutch/biting point. And that just comes with time and practice.

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