Topic: less than n00b - Central NJ

[pistolpete]

i wouldn't quite call it a mid-life crisis so much as giving my friends material, i've decide to get a motorcycle and have been looking at a CB400f.  i've gotten the reluctant tolerance on it from the wife so the hardest hurdle is over.  not ever having ridden or owning a motorcycle before (i'm not counting a vespa i had in college), i'm sure i'll have tons of questions; sorry in advance if any of them will seem obvious.
thanks in advance,
Pete

[nomad]

Welcome to the forum.  I'd suggest looking into the MSF (Motorcycle Safety Foundation) beginner's riding class near you.  It's only 3 days long (held on a weekend - Fri. evening/ all day Sat. & Sun.) and well worth the money imho.

http://nm.msf-usa.org/msf/ridercourses.aspx?state=NJ

[flopshot]

welcome Pete.  ex Jersey boy here. 

[pistolpete]

nomad - already looked into it - next open class is in june and i'll be registering tonight.

[pistolpete]

flopshop -  i only got one word for you "porkroll".

[weekend_junkie]

flopshop -  i only got one word for you "porkroll".

No, Taylor Ham.

Good luck with the search.  Where in Central NJ?

[pistolpete]

bound brook.

[pistolpete]

so now the wife says she'd be more comfortable spending (more?) money on a newer used bike from a dealer.  i'm 5'8" and 130 lbs - there's NO WAY i'm getting on a 600+ racemachine.  newer bikes are either too big or too small - why ride a 125 - i'd just get an old vespa like in college.  she's worried about parts being hard to find (CB's not so much), breaking down (probably happen no matter what), and my mechanical skill (thinks i'm not good - her old man was a mechanic)...everything she's encountered with her classic cars (has a 68 camaro now).  she's nervous the bike i'm looking at is a POS which isn't the case - i'm just lucky the first one i looked at is decent relatively speaking.  this is the one i'm interested in - http://cnj.craigslist.org/mcy/2300231510.html obviously not going to pay asking price.

help me convince her this really is a better way to start without making her mad.

[Johnie]

Welcome to the forum...I once knew a guy named Pistol Pete Maravich. Cool guy...

[flopshot]

flopshop -  i only got one word for you "porkroll".

with an over easy egg and cheese on a hardroll.   if you couldn't eat it and drink a cup of coffee while driving a four speed big block you weren't a man.