Noob bike questions

[A.Lau]

Hey everyone,

I'm thinking about getting a bike this season after taking riding lessons and I have a few questions I was hoping someone could answer for me.

The first is about bike storage. My garage most likely will not be able to accommodate a bike, but I'll need somewhere to store it for the winter. Is anybody in a similar situation?

I'm also wondering about my choice of first bike. I want something that's good for getting around town, looks good, and is a decent tourer... basically I just want something to have fun with without killing myself =). I'm looking intently at a Triumph Scrambler / the general Bonneville line, with the limited off-road capability of the Scrambler being a plus.

Any help on either of these would be much appreciated!

//Andrew

[A790]

Originally posted by A.Lau
Hey everyone,

I'm thinking about getting a bike this season after taking riding lessons and I have a few questions I was hoping someone could answer for me.

The first is about bike storage. My garage most likely will not be able to accommodate a bike, but I'll need somewhere to store it for the winter. Is anybody in a similar situation?

I'm also wondering about my choice of first bike. I want something that's good for getting around town, looks good, and is a decent tourer... basically I just want something to have fun with without killing myself =). I'm looking intently at a Triumph Scrambler / the general Bonneville line, with the limited off-road capability of the Scrambler being a plus.

Any help on either of these would be much appreciated!

//Andrew

Welcome to the addiction Andrew :P

As far as storage goes, I have one bike stored at a friends place and another one stored at my friends shop. This winter I'm going to be getting a storage unit though and putting some bikes in there. There's always somewhere available.

Now, as a good first bike I'm really partial to going small and getting comfortable with it before going bigger. Then again, this is only my second season coming up so I'm probably not as experienced about the subject as others on this site.

Either way, a riding course + caution will definitely pay off regardless of what you choose to ride.

[Eleanor]

Find a buddy with a heated garage to store it over the winter if that's an option. Also, I'm pretty sure Walt Healy will store bikes for a fee, plus they offer winterizing services.

For a first bike, you're going to hear 8,000,000 different opinions, but my recommendation would be to find the style you like and then jump on them at the shops and see which one fits you comfortably.

Good luck and wear all your gear, all the time.

[Fivewayradio]

I don't think the Scrambler is actually meant to take offroad. I think it's just meant to look like a bike that Steve McQueen took offroad in the 70's (a bike I probably wouldn't take offroad either).

I think all those retro Triumphs put out less than 70hp, so they're not a bad place to start for a beginner. But if you want something you can take on trails or gravel roads there are a bunch that are probably better. Honda, Suzuki and Kawasaki all have dual-sport bikes that range from highway oriented (kl650) to more offroad oriented (XR650L). All those bikes (KL650, XR650, DR650SE) would be good to start out on.

[MikeHL]

Those Scrambler's are capable of gravel and fire roads, just don't expect it to be a full bored dirt bikes. Other then that IMHO its a great bike all around. If you are into the classic's another bike you might like is the Moto Guzzi V7 Classic.

[Graham_A_M]

The Scramblers are decent bikes. I wouldn't hesitate to take it on mild off road trails.. .but I'd leave it at that. No jumps, mudding or anything remotely close to that... at all. Growing up, I had a Suzuki DS80 when I was 6, after that when I was 12 it was a '81 CB650 Chopper (with a raked front end). After taking THAT thing off-roading significantly; I've learnt a fair share of bikes are good in the dirt as well I'm sure this would be fine. If I had better tires and a cage, I'd redo my suspension and do some trails on my Daytona 675 I am crazy I know.
Walt Healy offers storage for bikes over the winter, as does Performance Cycle and auto. The upright riding position of a scrambler would make it decent for commuting, highway duties, "offroading" (to a degree), and everything in between, just not track use particularily.

I rent a single garage to store my Z4, and I keep my sportbike tucked right in front of it. Works for me at least.

There are a fair share of other bikes to look at. The Aprilia supermoto's are incredible bikes, both on the street, the track and even off-roading, since they are streeted dirtbikes at heart.
Their engine is just phenominal, the only V-twin super moto you can get. It wins the best engine award every year it seems, and its not hard to figure out why, with both the 450 and the 550. With a set of pipes, they sound like an old big block muscle car highly recommended. Not for long trips though LOL