Motorcycles - Need suggestions from riders

[RPBrown]

ya know thisi a great thread. at 40 i still want a bike like i always have. i have maybe a days total ride time. did the msf class one time already. still dont have a bike. my biggist issue is i dont know a single person that rides so i have noone to teach me anything other then the msf class.
all i want is a cbr250r or a lil ninja250 im 5'6 and 150lbs so ifigure either bike will work well for me. i now work 8 miles from home and dont hit a freeway so a daily ride would be easy.
anyway sorry for the highjack.

Although I have a group that I ride with (mostly church members), I do an awful lot of alone riding or riding with my wife, either 2 up or on her own. I like to ride alone for a while after a hard week as it helps relax me and clears my head.

The more you ride, the more people you will meet to ride with.

[gigag04]

OT:

TxCHLforum bike night/pie run?

[PUCKER]

OT:

TxCHLforum bike night/pie run?

YES! Of course, there will have to be a few different geographical groups....

[PUCKER]

ya know thisi a great thread. at 40 i still want a bike like i always have. i have maybe a days total ride time. did the msf class one time already. still dont have a bike. my biggist issue is i dont know a single person that rides so i have noone to teach me anything other then the msf class.
all i want is a cbr250r or a lil ninja250 im 5'6 and 150lbs so ifigure either bike will work well for me. i now work 8 miles from home and dont hit a freeway so a daily ride would be easy.
anyway sorry for the highjack.

cheezit: I ride in far n ft worth most of the time I ride...usually stop at Fuzzy's in Roanoake for a little go-chow and then gas up (no pun intended) and head west/north on 407, 156, 455, 51, any FM road and any of the paved county roads, etc. Get a bike and drop me a line to go for a ride! My riding partner and I *abhor* freeways, backroads only/mostly is our mantra. Of course, he's on a dual-sport KTM 640 LC so he likes to find dirt roads, the rascal! LOL I prefer nice twisty backroads more than anything.

[CrimsonSoul]

I have a kawasaki vulcan 900 and I love it only thing, get a mustang seat! If you do long rides that seat is a must!

[RHenriksen]

OT:

TxCHLforum bike night/pie run?

Sure, I'd be game for one in Houston.

[The Marshal]

I go on a Run, in the Dallas Area

[RHenriksen]

Oh, and if anybody in Houston is trying to get their feet wet with riding and would like some in-person mentoring, please let me know.

[gemini]

ya know thisi a great thread. at 40 i still want a bike like i always have. i have maybe a days total ride time. did the msf class one time already. still dont have a bike. my biggist issue is i dont know a single person that rides so i have noone to teach me anything other then the msf class.
all i want is a cbr250r or a lil ninja250 im 5'6 and 150lbs so ifigure either bike will work well for me. i now work 8 miles from home and dont hit a freeway so a daily ride would be easy.
anyway sorry for the highjack.

cheezit: I ride in far n ft worth most of the time I ride...usually stop at Fuzzy's in Roanoake for a little go-chow and then gas up (no pun intended) and head west/north on 407, 156, 455, 51, any FM road and any of the paved county roads, etc. Get a bike and drop me a line to go for a ride! My riding partner and I *abhor* freeways, backroads only/mostly is our mantra. Of course, he's on a dual-sport KTM 640 LC so he likes to find dirt roads, the rascal! LOL I prefer nice twisty backroads more than anything.

I was on 455 last Saturday (Weston, Celina etc), very nice. Done the 407 many times (Justin, Decatur, St Jo etc). Not been on 51 or 156 that I can
remember. Worth doing?

Edit: Never mind. Went and looked, been there done that on 156 & 51. Always looking for new routes.

[RoyGBiv]

ya know thisi a great thread. at 40 i still want a bike like i always have. i have maybe a days total ride time. did the msf class one time already. still dont have a bike. my biggist issue is i dont know a single person that rides so i have noone to teach me anything other then the msf class.
all i want is a cbr250r or a lil ninja250 im 5'6 and 150lbs so ifigure either bike will work well for me. i now work 8 miles from home and dont hit a freeway so a daily ride would be easy.
anyway sorry for the highjack.

I sold my XT225 a few months ago. Would have been a good starter bike for you. Go anywhere, light, easy to maneuver. Low to the ground (especially for a dual sport).

250 Nighthawk is a great first bike, IMO:
http://dallas.craigslist.org/ndf/mcy/3433474688.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://dallas.craigslist.org/ftw/mcy/3419664611.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://dallas.craigslist.org/mdf/mcy/3362288461.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The Ninja 250 is a fun bike too, but in my opinion you'll find the Nighthawk to be a better first bike, easier/better to learn basic skills on and a more casual, useful commuter bike. YMMV of course.

Also.... Check out Two Wheeled Texans DFW area posts for lots of local rides and meet-n-greets. Lots of good local riders and very n00b-friendly.

[PUCKER]

I was on 455 last Saturday (Weston, Celina etc), very nice. Done the 407 many times (Justin, Decatur, St Jo etc). Not been on 51 or 156 that I can remember. Worth doing?

Edit: Never mind. Went and looked, been there done that on 156 & 51. Always looking for new routes.

Gemini, still don't mind answering....FM 156 (to me) is more of a "road to get to the good roads," same with 51. I like to ride pretty much anywhere to the North and West of the DFW area, I say that because I'm in Grapevine and it's somewhat easy to get to those areas for an afternoon ride. I like to end up in Muenster at The Center and have a cup of coffee (or Diet Coke, depending on the temp) and a nice pastry/pie, etc. Sometimes I'll take a break and smoke a cigar too.

One of my favorite roads is FM 4, from Palo Pinto (Hwy 180) South to 20, a lot of curves and elevation changes, fun both up and down! I have not taken my current bike there yet but plan to soon, I really like all of the roads around Possum Kingdom although they favor my vette over my bike (vette is very happy at high speeds, my bike is not much fun at high speeds due to the wind, it's a naked bike, it likes twisty roads).

[RoyGBiv]

a "road to get to the good roads," same with 51.

You should try this part of 51. Google Maps LINK, especially the part south of the 205 intersection.
The biggest collection of "decent" twisty roads closest to the metroplex is in this corner of town... Hamilton, Erath, Hood, Bosque, Sommervell, Commanche, Palo Pinto (FM 4). Nothing to rave about, but decent. However, that short stretch of 51 is excellent.

Here's a nice day ride in that area.... Sorry about this map not being 100% complete route. It's converted from Garmin GPX via Google Earth and when Google Maps imports the file it's not completing the route... You can get an idea about the roads and just connect the rest of the dots. Sorry about that... Busy answering phones today.

https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=21 ... 3,2.683411" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[PUCKER]

Roy - Thank you for posting the links, YES, those look great!

[gemini]

I was on 455 last Saturday (Weston, Celina etc), very nice. Done the 407 many times (Justin, Decatur, St Jo etc). Not been on 51 or 156 that I can remember. Worth doing?

Edit: Never mind. Went and looked, been there done that on 156 & 51. Always looking for new routes.

Gemini, still don't mind answering....FM 156 (to me) is more of a "road to get to the good roads," same with 51. I like to ride pretty much anywhere to the North and West of the DFW area, I say that because I'm in Grapevine and it's somewhat easy to get to those areas for an afternoon ride. I like to end up in Muenster at The Center and have a cup of coffee (or Diet Coke, depending on the temp) and a nice pastry/pie, etc. Sometimes I'll take a break and smoke a cigar too.

One of my favorite roads is FM 4, from Palo Pinto (Hwy 180) South to 20, a lot of curves and elevation changes, fun both up and down! I have not taken my current bike there yet but plan to soon, I really like all of the roads around Possum Kingdom although they favor my vette over my bike (vette is very happy at high speeds, my bike is not much fun at high speeds due to the wind, it's a naked bike, it likes twisty roads).

Same problem here, getting to the good roads. In the DFW area face it, you usually gotta do Interstates, at some point, to get away. One of my brothers grabbed a bike last spring and we cruised all over PK and also the Palo Pinto Res. If you did 4, then you ate at Mary's in Strawn. Granbury is nice, Loco Coyote for eats, then do a loop through Walnut Springs, Hico (pie @ KKKafe) and back. The Center is good too. Their cherry strudel is muy bueno. Ride to eat, eat to ride!

[gemini]

RoyGBiv, map looks interesting. I'll give it a try come spring time. Thanks.