amongmany

Thanks for the advice. I'm not quite ready to jump into a purchase, but I'll keep it in mind later on if I change my mind.

Scott, thanks for the impressive list! I'm not really interested in a cruiser, more of a sport bike.

cgreer00

Our situations are very very similar so I thought I would chime in with my experience. I am a 1st year PhD student at the University of Tennessee, and parking sucks here too. I always wanted to get a motorcycle, so a month ago I really started doing a lot of research. I settled on a GS500, and after a lot of looking found a GREAT DEAL on one for $1000...never been dropped, 6000 miles, runs like a dream. I got the bike, 2 good helmets, gloves, and a Fieldsheer Ti Air jacket (good armor, cool for the summer, only $89). I got the bike titled and got insurance. I am taking my MSF course this weekend. I have been riding the bike to school now and it is GREAT to have parking right next to the building where my classes are. It is VERY scary at first to be riding, the bike feels heavy and you know that you can really hurt yourself. I spent 3 weeks learning on a deserted road behind my house. I have much more to learn, and the MSF course will help a lot. You do NOT need a 600cc bike to have fun and learn to ride. The GS500 is not really fast, but it is plenty fast for around town/beginner cruising. 1/4 mile times around 14 sec. I think. I am having a lot of fun, but I respect the bike and the road..and I am ALWAYS watching other cars to make sure they don't pull out in front of me. Good luck, you will love it!

S in S

1) Take the test

2) DONT TAILGATE - Lots of crashes happen from sudden stop ahead of the rider who isnt ready to stop.

3) Know that you WILL CRASH one day, but hope you are wearing all your gear and fall in the right place.

4) On days you "dont feel it" dont ride. I get a few days a year when things just dont fell right. Dont ride on those days.

5.) Have fun!!!! Nothing beats being on a bike.

stevied

Just to add my 2 pence worth. I am 31, never ridden before last month.

I took some lessons (not sure what the MSF is, don't have it in Ireland), about 6 hours in total at a bike school.

I wanted to get a combination of good looking bike and safe to learn on. I bought a Ducati Monster 600. Its a superb starting bike and I have just clocked up my first 100 miles on it. I am 6' 1" tall and fit the bike comfortably but smaller/taller should have no problems. Its pretty anaemic in terms of power - 55bhp only, but I've loved learning to ride on it ....

I invested in buying a good leather jacket, quality helmet and gloves. I will probably buy leather/protective bottoms as riding in Ireland is a pretty cold experience, even in summer. Not a problem in sunny Austin.

The only tip I can give (at this stage I don't even know what I don't know) is not to worry too much about what bike you learn to ride, more try to take on board the great advice the guys here have given and then go for it ...... Look what thinking about it too much did for Hamlet !!!!!

pfb

Living near CU, I am always aghast at the number of college students who ride around on large displacement sport bikes wearing shorts, flip-flops, and a t-shirt, no helmet, with an obvious minimum amount of riding skills. Frequently with a similarly clad co-ed hanging on the back.

If you think you can be an extremely defensive rider, always on the lookout for the bonehead turning left in front of you, etc., and are willing to get the right safety training and wear the right safety gear, I'd say riding is a reasonable risk.

If not, maybe stick to a cage.

amongmany

Ah, a fellow thespian or theatre-goer huh? To be or not to be...on a bike?

Thank you all very much for your advice. I've given it a lot of thought lately and I have decided that I don't think a bike is what I really want. Down here in the hot texas sun, I think it would get rather uncomfortable riding in full gear which is the only safe way to do it. That on top of the fact that what I really want is an S, I have decided to wait a while and try saving up some cash for the honda.

Thanks again for all of your advice. I would still be interested in hearing your thoughts; maybe someone will push the right button and change my mind.

Otherwise, enjoy the roads!!!

pfb

So if you really want an S2000, but have a bike budget, consider an early Miata. Fantastic cars, super handling, rear wheel drive, front engine, drop top, proper sports cars. Will teach you volumes about how to drive properly.

Don't let some bullshit stereotype about it not being a "manly" enough car stop you from buying a $5,000 jr. s2000...

amongmany

Its not really a question of not being manly enough, I just think the miata is ugly as sin (no flames intended, no battles starting, just my opinion). The newer ones aren't terrible, but the old ones I'm not fond of. I just got my celica gts about 6 months ago and i think I'll stick with it until I can really afford the S. I got a great deal on it and I enjoy driving it, it just isn't the honda that I wanted it to be. I think that in the next two years I'll be able to afford something else, so I'll have to just wait it out.