I can see myself purchasing a motorcycle in the next year or two, and I wanted some opinions from the guys in here. Would getting something like an old Bonneville be a bad idea for a first bike? The extent of my motorcycle experience is riding dirtbikes and four wheelers a few times. Of course, I would get licensed and take the MSF course first. What do you guys think?

 

IMHO I see no problem with it. You aren't going to be overwhelmed with power, but on the other hand, you won't be overwhelmed with braking or cornering.

The only disadvantage I see is the reliability of an old Triumph. I love those bikes, my dad used to build them back in the day, but they're not like a Japanese bike where it never leaks and always fires up. As long as you don't mind turning a wrench here and there, go for it.

 

That's another thing that was bugging me about them. However, I thought maybe buying a "new" Bonneville (as in one produced from 2001-present) would be a good option. All the good stuff about the old ones, with modern reliability. Anybody have any experience with those?

 

unless you're prepared to learn to work on your own bike...... often, , i'd have to not reccomend buying an old trumpet for your first bike, unless you're the type who likes a crash course in motorcycle mechanics. i LOVE old triumphs, but i also LOVE to ride my bikes, hence why i don't own one, lol. they are, for lack of a better way of putting it, finicky, messy, and generally not very relaible unless you're willing to completely go thru the bike from top to bottom, and even then there's no gurantees. they're kick ass bikes, for nostalgic reasons if nothing else, but you kind of need to be a mechanic, or be willing to learn alot, usually with some hard knocks along the way, to really enjoy one. hell, the new triumphs still have almost the same looks with none of the old problems (crap carbs, nightmare electrical systems, etc)

just my opinion though, don't be put off by my thoughts on the subject.

but... if you do end up picking one up... and decide it's not worth the headaches... gimme a call... i wouldn't mind having another one for the weekends

 

^Thats pretty much what I was thinking. However, I did own a cobbled-together E30 for a few years. I basically built that thing from spare parts. Is working on bikes a whole lot different than cars?

 

HAHA I want another 1 also !!! only got a few $K steve do you know of anything hit me up ... http://www.kikker5150.com/hardknock.html <------ LOOKS like FUN I need find out if it needs TAGS to ride on the road since its a 110cc its under the MOPED type I think . NOtags needed ????????????

 

"technicallly" the laws for mopeds state that engine size can be no mre than 50cc, no more than (i think) 2hp, and no faster than 30mph. that's for the whole 7 cities area, the only other special laws that i know of regarding mopeds around here are that norfolk doesn't require a helmet, and that you can ride a moped on atlantic ave at the oceanfront. (except the meter maids). anyone that's been around here for a long time might remember the moped rental place at the beach and can probably figure out why they passed that law, lol.

 

I do know in Richmond now, if you get caught doing over 35 on a ped, it will be considered riding an unregistered motorcycle with no liscence.

Which sucks.

 

Oh and Garrett, Triumphs are rad, One of these days I want one, but for cheap and pretty reliable, get an old Jap bike off CL.

 

Yeah, I was thinking as an alternative an old Honda CB. Basically I want something cafe-ish. I've seen a few sick cafe bikes running around town, and they look like a lot of fun for cheap.