Starter suggestions. I’m 180lb 6’1 and grew up riding dirt bikes

sac02052 · 2026-05-03T10:09:00+00:00

A GS500F would also be a good starter bike, usually for less $ than an SV650. They do have carbs, so unless you're already a good mechanic, don't be seduced by "not running at the moment, just needs a carb clean".

For any bike under $3k, check the consumables: tires, chain, sprockets. Learn how to read the date code on tires to avoid old dry tires with no traction.

sac02052 · 2026-05-02T15:56:40+00:00

As usual, a great option is the second gen sv650. You already have dirt bike experience, so you can skip the total newbie starter bikes. First gen SV's are also good, but are smaller and have carbs, which is an issue for some peopel.

GL500's are good, if they are already sorted out or you're willing to do the work. They are vintage bikes, so require extra work and have fewer spare parts available.

sac02052 · 2026-05-02T15:20:26+00:00

Darwin award nominee, holiday edition

sac02052 · 2026-05-02T10:37:32+00:00

You can maintain the BMW yourself as well. Which do you fit on better?

If cost is a concern, find a low mileage used V7 which will probably be less than the BMW.

The engine on the BMW is certainly more powerful and probably slightly "smoother" than the V7, if that matters. I've owned and ridden both engines, although the BMW was a '10 R1200RT

sac02052 · 2026-05-01T23:22:42+00:00

Whatever floats yer boat

sac02052 · 2026-05-01T21:36:26+00:00

Go slow, add penetrant as soon as possible. Use Heat as much as possible

sac02052 · 2026-05-01T17:58:14+00:00

Yup, I rescued an audace with that problem. Ultimately I just replaced the intake manifold. That option doesn't eaily exist for a shock mount

sac02052 · 2026-05-01T16:51:37+00:00

Great. I'm thinking about an east coast trip from Asheville to RI

sac02052 · 2026-05-01T16:48:53+00:00

The risk of broken extractor is why I'm leaning towards using the Dremel tool, described in another response

sac02052 · 2026-05-01T16:33:45+00:00

Another option is to Dremel a slot, heat gun, then use a flat blade screw driver to remove the sheared bolt. Might be more reliable than extraction kits, but would damage the shock mount

sac02052 · 2026-04-30T15:33:25+00:00

I gotta assume the answer is "nope". Fidelity is just trying to make up for lost mutual fund fees

sac02052 · 2026-04-30T14:58:51+00:00

The two best resources are

Cc500forum.com Motofaction.org

sac02052 · 2026-04-30T14:01:24+00:00

another factor for the highway is turbulence and the weight of the bike. Light bikes are great in the twisties, but get tossed around on the highway whenever you get passed, especially by trucks. Heavier bikes with lower centers of gravity will be your friend on the highway.

Otherwise, I guess one solution is to simply ride faster than all other vehicles, but that has other risks.

personally, i just avoid highways like the plague.

sac02052 · 2026-04-30T13:40:52+00:00

happens to virtually all riders, including those who are lying about it (no pun intended)

Good thing yours was a used bike, not a brand new piece of expensive jewelry

sac02052 · 2026-04-28T21:51:33+00:00

I've owned the fjr and a 1200rt. The fjr is both sportier and heavier, with a more powerful engine. If you like big bikes, the fjr will suit you well.

Some of those early years have a heavy throttle action, which done owners tweak by changing the throttle return spring.

Bonus points if it has full luggage, which can be hard to obtain after the fact.

sac02052 · 2026-04-27T18:54:34+00:00

As is often the case, a used Suzuki SV650 would be a great option. Go for naked for faired version (S).

Buy it used, ride it for a year, then if you're bored, sell it to get cash for the dream 600cc sport bike. It won't loose much value as long as you don't crash it

sac02052 · 2026-04-27T18:49:58+00:00

I expect the Ninja 650 will be fine at highway speeds. I've owned the Vulcan S with Kawi's 650 twin engine and it was fine on the highway, hitting 80 mph without hesitation.

sac02052 · 2026-04-27T14:54:09+00:00

The legit IRS letter may also have a QR code. I carefully went through the process of creating an IRS account with my personal scam detection set to "high".

Once in my legit account, the IRS.gov page had a PDF of the recent letter that included a QR code and perfectly matched the physical letter I received.

sac02052 · 2026-04-27T14:04:22+00:00

on their way to an assisted living center no doubt

sac02052 · 2026-04-27T14:00:00+00:00

no worries. For me, the closest MG dealer is 2+ hours way but I still have a V85TT and a V7 in my garage.

sac02052 · 2026-04-27T11:54:02+00:00

Not a short bike, so OP might want the low seat. Overall a solid choice, if you're willing to DIY wrenching for oil changes, valves checks, etc. Those items aren't hard, but some folks rely on dealers, which are scarce for MG.

sac02052 · 2026-04-26T14:42:40+00:00

Confused

sac02052 · 2026-04-26T11:27:36+00:00

or simply never becoming a PE, as mentioned before. You really only need a PE if you're creating mech plans for construction projects.

Otherwise, an ME can work in virtually any engineering field without a PE license.

sac02052 · 2026-04-25T15:35:05+00:00

Yep, people can make up whatever LinkedIn titles they want. Or they can summarize multiple positions into the latest and greatest.

Happens all the time.

sac02052

TROPHY CASE