08GatorBait wrote:Final first bike choices. I've ridden all and still undecided figured yall could help me on pros and cons
2013 Honda cbr600
2013 Iron 883 Harley
2007 Honda Shadow (best price cruiser for sure)
NINJA 300 it's the weakest by far..but maybe first bike should be weak? I am in Florida and it rains ever day maybe a low response throttle is the best idea.
My concerns with sports bikes are rain traction. Seems their tires tread aren't as deep worries me if I get caught in rain and they aren't as heavy could make them easier to slip.
But the sports bikes are more fun hands down. Atah. Are these a pain in long trips though? I want to take it around the neck in Gainesville a lot because they have awesome back road curves to hit but it's a three hour trip
The CBR 600rr is a great sport bike. Honda really broadened the power band sacrificing some HP for torque, which, unless you're a track monster, is a bonus as the bike doesn't have to spin the engine to a billion RPM before getting up to speed. Honda bikes run a tad on the small side - some guys think they're the most comfy, some guys think they're torture racks. It's really a personal thing, but I'm 6'1" - 6'2" and frequently did 400 to 500 mile/day rides with my 600rr, so as long as you keep your core strong I don't think you'll absolutely hate it. That said my next bike will be something a bit more upright - they're a fair amount more comfortable, and in the hands of an experienced rider can dance rings around a sport bike:
BMW S1000r
BMW S1000xr
Honda CB1000r
Yamaha FZ8 (any FZ, really)
Triumph Street Triple
Ducati Monster
I really don't think you're any worse off on a sport bike in the rain that you are on a cruiser. The rubber is softer and the channeling can be quite aggressive. It's always key to keep good rubber on your bike, and a fresh set of tires such as a Dunlop Q3 has deep channels and does a good job moving water away. I always run these on my street bikes, and my friends who race use these tires as the default for wet track days.