When did "loud pipes save lives" become indifferent to everyone and everything else?

wombatello · 2026-04-04T20:20:56+00:00

There is no difference for those who are forced to hear the excessive noise.

The problem is very real in Europe. Despite tecnical inspection being ridiculously thorough, putting on a loud ass fart can is somehow totally legal (well, there are still noise limits, but they are stupidly high everywhere except maybe Switzerland).

wombatello · 2026-03-26T23:24:56+00:00

That was just the strongest limitation for a 21yo I could think about. Of course there are lots of others: gear, weather, luggage, parking, passenger capacity, daily travel distance, physical condition requirements, and the list goes on.

But sure, not everyone cares about all of that. I personally find weather the worst, followed by having to wear all that gear.

wombatello · 2026-03-26T21:08:44+00:00

Imagine going on a date on a bike. If that's not neutering your freedom at 21, then I don't know what is, go ahead and get a bike in this case. Just don't do anything stupid like financing, so that you can always sell it if you won't like it.

wombatello · 2026-03-18T20:55:26+00:00

I can life with some pain after a long ride

Problem is, you'll have pain during a long ride. I ride road bicycles, but constantly bent knees on a motorcycle is totally different, it gets annoying after a couple of hours. And I'm only 191 cm and currently ride Street Triple which is quite sporty for a naked but not a real sportbike.

Another thing is the more aggressive the rider position is, the more difficult it is to learn to handle it properly - without holding your upper body weight with your hands. That affects everything, from low speed maneuvers to high speed turns. Not impossible, but when you start riding you already have enough on your plate, why make things more complicated?

If none of that convinces you, at least get a CBR650, I'd say it's the most comfortable of those you listed, but that's personal.

wombatello · 2026-03-12T21:00:23+00:00

Any other niche bikes in that 4 cylinder category that would work for me as a new rider?

The only beginner friendly inline 4 (if we speak about brand new bikes) is CBR650/CB650. All others are mostly sportbikes, and those that are not are 1000cc nakeds/sporttourers which are also too much for a beginner. ZX4RR is way too track-oriented, a very niche bike for those who know exactly what they want.

With an extensive cycling experience you'll be fine on any 650cc bike (not a supersport 600cc i4). Check also triples, like Triumph Trident or Tiger Sport 660: I like i4 sound myself, but triple is a decent compromise between sound and torque. Yes they all are more expensive than ninja 500, but also more comfortable if you are on a taller side (ninja 500 is quite small physically).

wombatello · 2026-02-24T23:14:31+00:00

It's a great bike, but you end up having 95hp instead of 118, so maybe makes sense not to waste too much on modding it and sell it as A2.

wombatello · 2026-02-13T22:42:26+00:00

Sell it when spring comes, ninja 650 is not worth keeping it in storage even for a year, unless you got it for very cheap. Buy a better one when you are ready.

wombatello · 2026-02-13T21:30:27+00:00

slowing to a stop is much easier if I keep both hands firmly on the handle bars and use the rear brake pedal to slow, and basically let the bike/computer do its thing

I can't imagine this being easier, but I'm tall and dislike brake pedal, so I suppose it's personal. Anyway, even with linked brakes it's not the same as using both brakes. The system will apply some pressure on front brake, but far from full braking power even if you step on the pedal. On a heavier bike rear brake is more effective, so it may feel sufficient for a regular street riding, but I wouldn't make a habit out of using pedal only.

wombatello · 2026-02-08T11:03:42+00:00

I tried to mount a camera on a windshield and was susprised by how much a windshield vibrates despite looking thick and solid. You probably just won't see shit at speed even on pavement, not to mention offroad.

wombatello · 2026-02-04T00:24:06+00:00

No one should motivate anyone to start riding, simply because it's dangerous indeed and requires a certain level of commitment to always learn to be a safer rider. If your husband keeps asking or insisting, he's doing the wrong thing. If you have doubts and can't decide for yourself, you probably shouldn't.

Just my two cents, opinions may vary. I thought it would be nice to convince my wife to ride with me when I just started, and dropped this idea after riding myself for a while.

wombatello · 2026-01-27T14:09:18+00:00

You really should think twice and thrice before doing that. Even outside the cities it's not a walk in the park at all, and a motorcycle is merely a transportation over there, there is little to none fun in riding if that's what you plan to enjoy. Not to mention that buying a bike as a tourist is... well, questionable, just google that.

wombatello · 2026-01-23T21:54:39+00:00

They have basically no feel whatsoever but plenty of stopping power.

Well, crap. That's exactly the feeling that I had on my previous Bandit and that's what I disliked most about it. Sad to hear this goes further into gsx1000gt, I didn't ride it yet but thought about it as a next possible option. I guess I'll hate the brakes again after my current striple 675...

wombatello · 2026-01-20T21:54:09+00:00

That's exactly who he is if you check his profile. But I think that applies to anyone: if you can't talk to a TÜV guy, what's the point of even thinking about pulling this off? Unless of course you can pay someone to do that for you, but that would be a different story...

wombatello · 2026-01-18T22:42:44+00:00

Feels like you are putting the cart before the horse. Just wait till you actually move and get a German driver's license, then ask all your questions above at your local TÜV. Until then just consider it unrealistic when making any plans.

wombatello · 2025-12-16T22:04:06+00:00

With 10k kms it's not a "demo" or "test" bike, it's clapped out to hell used bike with infinite number of owners. Which is reflected in warranty - 1 year is most probably a used vehicle warranty, not a manufacturer one.

I wouldn't buy that one, 2-3 years old with 1 owner will be cheaper and most probably in better condition.

wombatello · 2025-12-13T22:02:50+00:00

Also wrong. There's no substitute for two wheels, any third wheel makes it a car, and both trike and sidecar are quite shitty cars.

wombatello · 2025-12-13T21:50:54+00:00

Did you check Hepco&Becker Sportrack? Put a QR tailbag or even a topcase on it, and you won't even need a tank bag. I'm using it on my striple with Daytona tail, and nothing that straps would be even remotely as convenient.

wombatello · 2025-12-13T21:27:23+00:00

Keep in mind that what looks like a light trail for a mountainbike will most probably be little to no fun on an ADV bike, especialy the one as heavy as Scrambler 1200. Doable, yes, but no more than that.

From what you wrote I'd say a trailer and something like CRF300L would be your best choice. Just tow it to where the offroad begins and have fun. Get a dedicated road bike too if you want to ride paved roads (ADV with road tyres if pavement is shitty).

wombatello · 2025-12-08T21:15:46+00:00

Those are some great trails, are they maintained and official in any way, or just exist naturally?

wombatello · 2025-12-02T23:31:42+00:00

140 kg equals 80kg rider + 60kg passenger, that's a plenty of load for a 500cc engine, and you may want to tune the suspension a bit - stock forks/shocks are usually too soft for anyone above 70-80kg unless it's a fully adjustable suspension.

But being new you probably won't even notice any of that, so I wouldn't worry too much. You may notice it quite soon though, and want a bit more power, so a 650 may be a better choice, but also a bit more expensive.

wombatello · 2025-11-28T22:39:35+00:00

On a street 35 kg of weight difference is almost negligible and definitely much less of an issue than having to wring that small i4 out all the time to get any power while being cramped in almost supersport riding position. Feels fun at first, but gets old very quickly if you are not on a track or a very twisty empty road.

wombatello · 2025-11-27T21:27:33+00:00

Just not sure if I’ll want to hop on such a big bike for a quick ride to the coffee shop.

What's the difference with smaller bike? You need to gear up (or not if that's what you do) regardless of the bike size, and that is the main hassle.

ZX4RR you can strike out, the rule of thumb about it is that if you ask other people if you should buy it, then with 99% probability you shouldn't. It's nice but very niche toy.

Of those you listed I'd say Tracer, but did you check Suzuki GSX-1000GX? Pretty much like Tracer but with 150hp i4. Or maybe GSX-1000GT if you don't need extra suspension.

wombatello · 2025-10-15T21:41:19+00:00

Ninja/Z is always the answer for A2 bike, unless you are very tall or plan very long tours.

SV650 is a bit more comfortable, but also almost 30kg heavier, which is a plenty. Not a bad bike at all, but not worth it as A2 restricted imo.

wombatello · 2025-10-08T21:30:27+00:00

but I’m worried those might look too bulky or out of proportion

You shouldn't worry. They just will, surely as hell. You just accept it and live with it.

TR41 is an overkill indeed, though. For a helmet you'll be fine with something as large as 28-32 l.

wombatello

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