I need help, and Veeky Forums are the only ones to provide

I need help, and Veeky Forums are the only ones to provide.

I want to buy a motorcycle.
For two reasons:

>A. Joyriding
>B. Work

The idea is to buy a motorcycle to weave my way through hellhole traffic and be able to actually get to my job(English tutor) which requires traveling to multiple locations every hour.

I want a motorcycle that I can ride for longer periods of time(is comfortable) but that is also nimble, if not slim enough, to filter traffic.(isn't giant)

I had some ideas:
> Kawasaki Ninja 650
> Kawasaki z800
> Harley Dyna Low Rider
> Yamaha MT09
> Thruxton R

But I want YOUR opinion. What is a comfortable bike to enjoy a ride(I ride almost every day for a few hours), while also dealing with chaotic rush hours.

Throw me your opinions.

CB500/650, ninja 650/z650, fz07, sv650

i never rode the Thruxton R
but it's the best looking of the bunch

I'm absolutely in love with the Cafe Racer look it has, but I keep being told it has a terrible seat. Stiff and uncomfortable. Which might be a deal breaker.

Essentially, I'm gathering ideas and suggestions. Then next week heading to the dealers of each one and seeing them in person, testing out the comfort zone and all that before final decisions.

Get an adventure bike like an NC750X. They are surprisingly nimble and aren't comeplete tanks but with their upright position they are very comfortable for long rides

I'm a bigger fan of the Naked or Sportster types.
Just never got into the Adventure look.

Part of my dilemma actually.

Those Thruxtons make me happy in the pants

Yeah, till you sit on them too long and they make you sour in the pants.

Though that's according to other people who have one and told me. Gotta go try it out myself on monday, for a test ride scheduled. Followed by a 650 ninja on tuesday.

Any of these or a Bonneville.

You're too inexperienced of a rider for 4/5 of your own suggestions. If you had experience you'd get a bike from a single category not five different ones

Half'n half.
I've only ever had a Roadster to ride, and it's been following traffic and the like.

When it comes to speed or filtering, on a scale of 1 to 10, I have about 3 experience.

In terms of knowledge about bikes, of any kind. 4/10 on Harleys, 1/10 on every other.

Honda Grom

My first bike was a cafe'd KZ1000 from the 80's and I thought it was going to be super uncomfortable, everyone else told me it would be too. Turned out to be the most comfortable I've owned since then. A lot is just your body and personal preference, so do some lengthy test rides.

Good point.
The test rides are all set for next week.
This is about idea inputs on models.

Do you care more about looks or your actual criteria?

At the end of the day you won't be that worried about your ass if you're really happy with how it looks. You sound like that matters more and you want someone to justify the choice for you.

Plus I'd say if you're going multiple places within the hour you'll have enough time off the bike to recuperate.

this, ER6n as well.

You sound like you don't know what you want and don't know enough to know what's appropriate.

Mt09 or ninja 650 should filter easy enough and have more then enough power
Don't bother filtering till you're not a shit rider though

Dude seats can be changed. But don't get the thruxton. They are too pretty for a new rider to bin.

Out of all of those, the 650 is probably the best around town bike, even if you're not a beginner and have some crazy amount of dirtbike experience.

Everything else will get worse MPGees or just be shit, period (ie: hurrley)

Honda 750 shadow
and
Indian Scout

those are my suggestions.

None of your suggestions are particular great for your needs, but if you want a bike you can ride all day and filter through traffic with ease just keep these things in mind...

Avoid anything that doesn't have an upright riding position.

Avoid pig fat cruisers as they have terrible low speed maneuverability.

Get something that has excellent low end torque and is preferably light and easy to chuck around.

Be aware as to how high your mirrors are going to be in relation to the average car, bar end mirrors are fucking useless to begin with and will make filtering a huge pain so avoid them altogether.

In all honesty, i'd suggest finding a small standard bike, 250cc-500cc depending on the sort of speeds you need to do and your level of riding experience.

A new rider filtering on a big bike is only going to end hilariously.

>how to make a cruiser:
>take a regular motorcycle
>angle the forks out so they're worse at absorbing bumps and cornering forces
>shrink the swingarm, reduce rear suspension travel
>eliminate as much ground clearance as you can while still being able to clear a speed bump
>optimize riding posture for sitting flat on your ass and never moving ever
>american edition: fuck up the engine until its hp/liter is rivaled by lawnmowers and it constantly shakes itself to death

>250

Don't fall for this meme. Never buy under 400. What you don't need for your commute, you will need when you break routine. Don't end up screwed when your mom calls from the hospital and the fastest way to get there is a big long stretch of 70mph traffic (so, realistically, 80+mph traffic when a cop isn't in clear view)

>Thruxton R
Why not the new Street Twin?

I did 70-80mph for three hours on my Ninja 250 today, it was fine. Passing people left, right and center, no issues at all.

250's are slow, sure, but to imply you can't go more than 70mph is stupid, unless the bike in context is a Rebel 250.

You can wind most 250cc road bikes out to 80+ mph no problems (trail bikes less so), my old 250 Eliminator was good for over a 150km/h

Is a little bike ideal for long distance touring and regular freeway/highway use? Fuck no, but for spending hours every day lane splitting, commuting and in stop start traffic, absolutely.

If 95% of the riding you're going to do is better suited to a smaller bike, it doesn't make sense to buy something bigger.

Of all the bikes I own my daily commuter is a little TW225 simply because it's easy as fuck to ride in heavy traffic, has the craziest turning circle of any bike you'll see and can dice up slow moving traffic with ease.

The CB1100 has decent grunt, is relaxed and great for commuting. New RS model looks good too.

Are you stupid? This things are god damn tiny, no way they're comfortable. It'd be like riding a damn clown bike.

Hilarity and hospital visits ensue when a beginner rider rides an 1100.

>89hp

ffs my 80' xs11 makes more than that.

DRZ 400 SM

OP, take a look at the Yami SR400. Air cooled mono, kickstart and classy look.

It's a miniature cb1100 if you will.


Anyway, isn't the Thruxton the one that is liquid cooled but has a fake air-cooled look?

If that's the one I'm thinking about, it's disgraceful.

its only like a half an inch short than a ninja 250.