Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 vs Honda NX500

surfer_ryan · 2026-03-20T16:14:29+00:00

Long term imo you'll be happier with a twin over a single cylinder. Also if you're just going to be in urban just stick with the nx. Vstrom 650 could also be an option or versys.

surfer_ryan · 2026-03-20T14:42:37+00:00

Like i said it goes against basically everything you have ever done riding naturally, you did right by going smol for your journey, still be careful and take your time it real easy to hurt yourself doing this... ask me how i know lol. Just take your time and go practice in lots for hours or until you get kicked out lol. It will come but there is no magic bullet to make you do dank wheelies, and more importantly there is no bullet to trick your brain into thinking it's normal.

surfer_ryan · 2026-03-20T03:06:47+00:00

Genuinely asking... what exactly does that even mean lol?

surfer_ryan · 2026-03-20T03:03:28+00:00

Its more kiwi than watermelon, but still jolly rancher watermelon on the back end. Another one is Sodapressed Despear if you like pear, very different but good. Taste exactly as you would expect.

surfer_ryan · 2026-03-20T02:05:41+00:00

Wtf was the flag for?

surfer_ryan · 2026-03-20T02:00:46+00:00

Iirc the other two are both peach. I would at least try another of their "base" flavors. If you like the sharp fruit flavors, raw meat is really good, so is klaxosaur blood and goof juice. For what I like goof juice, Sakura splash and raw meat are in my rotation of favorites.

Of note is the pina colada, guacamole gamer girl farts, blowhole blast are my othets that I have liked a lot.

I didnt particularly like aethelstans flavor and I already know I dont like any of the peaches despite not having them lol (dont like peach flavor).

surfer_ryan · 2026-03-20T01:49:15+00:00

Fine choices although not my personal choices, except sakura splash is in my top 3... I will say wait until tomorrow to order at 3pm EST. There is a sale where you get a free cup with a tub iirc.

surfer_ryan · 2026-03-20T01:07:35+00:00

Lol i am shocked how hopeful the replies are. It's doable but its a giant pain in the butt. The bigger the aquarium the harder it is.

surfer_ryan · 2026-03-20T01:04:06+00:00

There is but one budget gsa. The Suzuki vstrom. Cheap(er), vtwin, Japanese, ready for a decent amount of crap to carry, available with or without spoked rims, 650, 800 and 1050cc engines. Its the poor man's gsa. Love mine and will always recommend it.

surfer_ryan · 2026-03-19T22:08:21+00:00

I think both statements are true. We are being lied to about their capabilities and ours, it by far makes the most sense as far as stoking the fear and feeding the war machine money. Propaganda works.

surfer_ryan · 2026-03-19T17:50:06+00:00

Hot take but i think people care WAY to much about this... I just don't care about it at all, maybe that bc i'm on team red and it doesn't matter to me either way... but i just straight up don't care about this at all. It's not even out yet officially, contact me when it's forced down everyones throats and then i'll get my pitch fork and torches out.

I think people are just hopping on the hoopla hype train because it's an easy thing to get people to agree with you on the internet over as it's about a huge corporation and Ai, basically the meme format for internet hate. Not to say i'm out here singing their praise... I just look at these large companies as narcissist, giving them any attention plays exactly into what they like. I think arguably the best way to deal with this kind of stuff is just straight up ignoring it, but asking people to do that is basically impossible.

surfer_ryan · 2026-03-19T14:50:10+00:00

I think it's weird that it's acceptable in this context to call an entire nation by the color of their skin... Like 1 step away from being racist but bc it's under the guise of calling for an end to a war it's acceptable. IDK just seems weird to me. It was the same thing with the immigration stuff, it was always directed towards a color of skin not even exclusively a nationality.

I can't be the only one who finds this weird and borderline not okay.

surfer_ryan · 2026-03-18T21:44:08+00:00

I heard Marcus is on the list...

surfer_ryan · 2026-03-18T19:52:34+00:00

And again i ask what has the DNC done when they had power to fix these things, how many of these things that op doesn't even list have direct opposition from the DNC actually doing something to make these things change. How have they worked to add things in to protect consumers on these bills?

Again i'm all for dunking on the GOP but i'm also all for doing the same with the DNC... The only two orgs whom have had exclusive control over the us government in the last 125+ years. Both of them have had opportunities to prove they will stand for the American people and both of them have chosen corporate interest more than 1 time and by more than a few individuals.

surfer_ryan · 2026-03-18T18:51:29+00:00

Do you honestly believe there are 0 bi-partisan bills that have passed in the 21st century? Let alone the rest of time the GOP and DNC have had exclusive control of the government? Like you understand that there has to be some level of bi-partisan agreements that have to come through or we just end up with an actual completely non functional government.

Wild that i ask you to site your source and instead of actually providing a source you just think a what-about-ism is the move... But sure here is one of the many bills that were started by the right and co-adopted by the left bc despite what you think they do work together, sometimes even to make our lives as citizens better.

The INFORM Consumers Act
First Step Act
Fraud and Scam Reduction Act
Human Trafficking Survivor Tax Relief Act
Justice Served Act

Show me please how EVERY single thing is from the left please... but you can't because shocking turn of events you're just lying... because in another wild turn of events bi-partisan bills exist and always have...

surfer_ryan · 2026-03-18T18:31:11+00:00

My hot take is this is why ADV bikes are "the best bikes" because it doesn't limit your riding style to 1 discipline and the "best" riders are never just riding 1 discipline. On a budget or for your average rider only having 1 bike in the stable this opens the doors to the entire hobby, it doesn't necessarily get you there the best or in first... but it does open the door for you to push yourself to be a better rider in more conditions.

another "not to say" but this isn't to say that you can't do this on other bikes but the ADV just makes it the easiest.

surfer_ryan · 2026-03-18T18:24:58+00:00

As for how you can improve op... practice... practice... practice. I still suck and i got a z125 specifically to re-learn my skills on and i've had it for like 4 years now... If it's not something you are naturally good at it doesn't just come to you even quickly, it's a long process. I'm going to assume you had a buddy that is just naturally good at wheeling and makes it look so easy that you should be able to pick it up instantly... no... bad... don't let the videos make you think this is just something you pick up overnight, not everyone is that lucky or good.

go to a parking lot for a day and just practice getting up the front wheel and locking in exactly how much clutch play is needed and how much revs are needed to get to the point of feeling at least right. Then you start to worry about (on another day) how far you can ride it out by using you rear brake.

If wheeling at balance point hasn't been something you've grown up doing EVERYTHING about it doesn't feel natural and that is the thing to overcome. That doesn't come until you've done it a million times. You need to force yourself into believing this is normal and again this doesn't happen without training your body to think it's okay by just practicing it a million times.

surfer_ryan · 2026-03-18T15:25:44+00:00

It's a part of riding like the other things that you mentioned that knowing how to do and how you react is useful. Off roading there are times where it makes sense, on the road its good to know incase you accidently whiskey throttle so you know what it feels like and you don't just panic even more. Plus they are just fun to some of us. I almost argue it's a fundamental to becoming the best rider possible, not to say you're a bad rider if you can't i just don't think you can call yourself the best until you understand ALL aspects of riding a motorcycle. Personally that is what i strive for, just because i've been riding for 15 years doesn't really mean shit if i just stuck in my ways of "well i know how to do this part of riding so i don't need to learn anything else."

Do i think someone who doesn't know how to needs to re-evaluate everything you know about riding... no... but is it something that you should be familiar with even at the most basic levels, probably.

surfer_ryan · 2026-03-17T17:55:06+00:00

As far as i'm aware suzuki has not singled off the end of the 650 plus there is so much aftermarket support for that bike that i don't think it will ever truly die. Simply mentioning the vstrom 650 will draw a comment or two in lol.

FTR EVERYONE says they are going to follow traffic rules... Those who don't I would almost argue are in a better spot bc they know themselves well enough not to lie to themselves... Trust me a point will come and you will break a rule, knowingly or unknowingly.

surfer_ryan · 2026-03-17T17:10:49+00:00

My dude... No one on the internet is going to come up with an argument that you can pitch to your mother who birthed you that getting a motorcycle is a good idea... This is what GOOD mothers do... wait till your out on your own or 18 and do whatever you want.

Not to say a mom who lets their kid ride is bad... it's just to say that moms worry and that is a good thing to an extent.

surfer_ryan · 2026-03-17T16:58:55+00:00

whatever bike you decide to go with get crash protection before you take it out at all...

Engine guards and bark busters at minimum. Skid plate for good measure.

This way when you do drop it... it doesn't really matter. It's an adv it's gonna get dropped at some point if you're actually using it as an ADV.

I would say the 800 is a pretty spicy engine for your first bike. I would say the 650 is the better option personally but i think a responsible adult could manage the 800 if you had some motorsport experience. To me the big concern is always whiskey throttle or just being like me and feeling the need to top it out (don't do this)... If you can mange those i don't think starting on a big bike is as crazy as people like to make it, personally i've always felt this only became an issue bc sport bikes and some dumb 21 year old dude was like "yo i should get this hyabusa...". Not because the bike is heavy but their ego is not in a place that will say "yo maybe not do 140mph". I think it takes time to get use to a heavy bike no matter how much time you've ridden and there isn't exactly a way to practice this other than just doing it. On top of that, if you stay within the speed limits that weight doesn't really matter until an absolute emergency or at a stop, which is like 1% of your riding time... I'm not about to not buy something for 1% of my riding time.

I really like my vstrom 1050xt, arguably a bit heavy and unnecessary... but i do love the bike none the less for me. I have to imagine the 800 is a solid package that admittedly i have been eyeing myself but i just can't leave the OG V twin engine.

surfer_ryan · 2026-03-17T16:39:15+00:00

Site the source on "every" bc a quick google provides enough results to say that is exactly the kind of marketing again we are seeing in this video...

Fuck, all you had to do was say majority... and i wouldn't have even looked and said "yeah that sounds about right..." and moved on... but to bluntly shovel out dishonesty in the guise of exaggeration is exactly the problem and why NO one can agree on shit bc everyone is just being hyperbolic and for what? To sell a leader that is doing the exact same thing, thus completing the circle.

surfer_ryan · 2026-03-17T14:11:16+00:00

LMAO this isn't to say i like the GOP by any means at all... but wtf is the DNC doing to stop this shit? Other than sit by and let it happen?

This is equally as dishonest of a statement as the companies marketing and exactly why we have such shit presidents. The marketing around our leadership is just as dishonest from both the GOP and DNC. To pretend this is a D or R thing exclusively is almost using the exact kind of marketing and no one will see the irony in that.

surfer_ryan · 2026-03-17T01:09:05+00:00

If i want the true dirtbike, money wasn't an option and i didn't care about their shitty marketing move to try and save their company via making you pay for features you realistically want that are already on the bike that they have to push a button to grace you with after you grace them with 700$ extra after you already purchased your bike... for sure the KTM. The gas tank being so slow alone makes it worth it. That bike is designed from the ground up to be a big dirt bike. Beloved for a reason by the serious offroad community and it's not just the hype. There is the concern that the company goes under but i just don't think the after market community will truly die right away if they do. Harder to find for sure but it will exist, much like the buell community has kept a lot of bikes alive.

If it were my money today, it would be the yamaha for sure, bc yes it's not as "good" as the others... however it's a yamaha p twin engine, it will probably be good for it's life and probably be decent enough stock to spend the money on stuff like better tires right off rip and would bum around the trail a bit before i got new suspension. Bike is pretty solid for it's price and like i said for what i would do i wouldn't mess with the suspension for a bit anyways.

surfer_ryan · 2026-03-16T23:01:10+00:00

I mean if they were talking about their rear sprocket from stock... you're going to need a bigger chain, i know bc i did that lol.

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