Remember that time I took off a bit back? I was doing a literal nightly crash course in motocycle riding and history.
Before anyone asks, in NY you have to take the regular driving test first then you can take courses on motorcycle riding and safety.
I was looking to originally get a Honda Rebel 500.
About 47 horsepower, low to the ground, and it's price point is under $7,000. It's a standard starter motorcylce that can still be a "forever bike". It's also highly customizable. In fact, you kinda have to customize it.
Brand spanking new you still have to put some after market additions to it. Thus the low price point. And this I've found is like standard for motorcycles. Like, motorcyles require uber regular maintenence. The chain has to be cleaned and lubed ideally every 3 weeks or so if not more, ditto aligning the rear tire, checking the chain tension... Thing is that's really difficult to do without a center stand, not the side stand most come with standard, but a stand under the belly of the bike that lifts the back wheel totally off the ground. You'd think by now that would be standard on all motorcycles. It's not. Crash bars, engine guards, frame sliders... Really important stuff that helps to maintain the bike or is important to keeping one undamaged if it should slide out from under you is usually aftermarket the owner has to buy themselves.
I was really all into the Rebel for a long time and did the calculations. To get it really up to snuff performance wise and aesthetically would require at minimum an extra $3,000. Which was fine, the project aspect was one I was interested in. I figured I'd take care of the most important stuff first like the center stand and crash guards etc. and then over time mod the rest to my liking, upgrading the fuel injection and adding saddle bags and other goodies.
Part of it is to have that freedom of movement. Part of it is a little mid life crisis and part of is I want to be able to go out and visit mom and grandma more often. Given the state of Pa. roads some further mods would be necessary.
I was so all in on the rebel... And then I saw this mamajama:
The Yamaha Tenere' 700. 75 horsepower so it's got more get up and go than the Rebel but it's still manageable. You're not gonna die just from one twist of the throttle but it can more than cruise comfortably at highway speeds. Now yeah... It's what's called an "Adventure Motorcycle". It's basically the functional SUV type of bike. It's got definite off road capability, and it's a bit more robust in terms of the beating it can take, say if a newbie rider drops it. Which... I guarantee I will at some point. So might as well have a bike that can take it. Other pluses, the suspension and tires will eat up all the rocks and potholes of Northeast Pa. roads, and unlike other bikes I don't think I'd have to totally store it for the winter. No, you wouldn't ride it in the most inclimate weather but on days in winter like we had MOST of this winter you could be confident in how it would perform on roads as long as it wasn't covered in ice and snow.
The Tenere' has been available world wide for a bit now but it won't be coming to America until the end of summer. It's $10,000, but I was creeping up on that with the Rebel just from adding a lot of stuff it NEEDS to be truly highway/road worthy. The Tenere' is good to go for the most part right out of the box. (Sadly... Center stand and a few other "essentials" are also not standard.)
