What do you guys think?

Things are finally starting to turn for the better for me around here, I'm comfortable with work, SWMBO is back to work, and should be finishing her masters end of next summer. So I've been seriously looking at a new to me bike, if I can get all the projects cleared out of here in the next few months like I'm hoping, and unload the last of them AT the challenge it should cost next to nothing out of the bank account, and will not put too big of a hit on saving for a house or relocation next year.

So, after lots of thought I'm stumped. Originally thought about 200-350 dual sport, good mileage, craptastic roads around here won't bother it to much. Fun right? Now jump to the other end of the spectrum, 1500 Wing, 1200 sport tourer BMW, etc. I grew up on Goldwings, learned to ride on dads 1200, comfortable as a lazyboy on wheels can go for hours and not get wore out.

My last bike was 13 years ago, and was a 96 900RR. Pretty much been off of them since as the ex wife didn't want me on another one after nearly getting ran over by a woman who could barely see over the dash. This wife doesn't have an issue with it. The previous bike is what is causing the issue, I love the looks over a supersport, the ability to almost reach out and touch the horizon(or so it seemed). I love the sound of a big twin supersport, I Drooled over an Aprilia RSV1000 when I was 19, but couldn't afford (could have, was already paying for a FD rx7 though, and that tried hard enough to kill me) to plop down nearly 20k(the R would have run me the 20k). Now I refuse to drop 20k on something that will be worth less than half of that in 10 years. But that same bike I Drooled over then, is now well within my reach, along with the RC-51, interceptor, superhawk, I know the SV1000 also falls in that range, I just can't fall in love with them like the others though. Stumbled across this last night on CL

http://lakecity.craigslist.org/mcy/3827172033.html

Not as dedicated as the RSV, but still dead berkeleying sexy.

So am I nuts for wanting to jump back into a Liter bike after being pretty much a non rider for 13 or so years other than the occasional ride on dads or a friends bike? What does everyone think? Most of my riding will be to and from work, which is about 7 miles of rural roads where the Avg speed limit is about 50mph. Weekend rides would likely be solo and on likewise roads. Not so much freeway riding.

And I have few qualms about selling it when its time to move/relocate/buy a house.

I wouldn't say you are nuts, but will it be the type of ride you want for your commute? Might be boring having all that power and not being able to open it up. Sounds like a lightweight supermoto might be more fun.

It is a pretty bike, though. I won't comment on the wisdom of jumping back into riding with something like that, I don't have the self control on two wheels to own one that powerful.

Spinout007 wrote: So am I nuts for wanting to jump back into a Liter bike after being pretty much a non rider for 13 or so years other than the occasional ride on dads or a friends bike? What does everyone think? Most of my riding will be to and from work, which is about 7 miles of rural roads where the Avg speed limit is about 50mph. Weekend rides would likely be solo and on likewise roads. Not so much freeway riding.

Sexy is in the eye of the beholder.

Not a particularly good match for a short slow commute to work.

You're just getting your financial feet back under you. You're talking about a non-cheap sport bike for a short commute to work and occassional weekend rides all by yourself. Midlife crisis thinking perhaps?

Why buy new? Sport bikes depreciate worse than, well...nothing I can think of actually. Talk about a terrible 'investment'.

The other thing I've learned with bikes is not to get hung up on looks. I've had my heart set on some that, after riding, realized didn't fit me or my riding style at all. A bike I dismissed as too ugly is what I wound up getting because it fit me perfectly and is far more sensible for the riding that I do. Note: you can't see how ugly or pretty it is when you're on it.

Seems expensive. I had this -

Granted, it had a custom paint job due to a tip over, but I had lots of pictures showing only scratches to the side fairing and one of the mirrors.

I sold it with less than 10k miles for $6500 over 5 years ago. Had lots of factory & aftermarket farkel- full akrapovic exhausts.

Shop used. Lots of bikes out there with thousands of dollars in extras that wind up sitting and not getting used. the wife and I both bought used bikes that had lots of extras and that racked up less than 1000 miles per year. One I traveled to pick up, the other I got delivered from a few states away.

BTW: have you considered a used Ducati monster? You can get early air cooled 900 cc bikes for cheap or newer liquid cooled 4 valve bikes for the same as that Aprilia you are looking at.

Well, I asked for opinions and I got em! Rusnak that is NICE! I've looked at ducs but defered maintence on them scares the daylights out of me. I've always been under the understanding the Aprilia is the easier Italian to live with. I guess I need to start learning more on em. This is a couple of months down the line, and I'm still looking at a small dual sport KLR 250 or DR 350 for back and forth to work duty.

Mid life crisis could be accurate. Like I said, I loved em and drooled over them when I was young and invincible. The fastest bike I've ever ridden was owned by an a coworker that was more than twice my age. Granted he was with us when we got stopped going to Cocoa Beach one morning after work. 6 of us all on 900cc or bigger crotch rockets we crested a hill at about 150, I saw the light bar in the opposite lane and yelled it out over the chatterbox and we all jammed on the brakes. Trooper still whipped around behind us and was rather shocked when we started digging out licences we were all still wearing our corrections uniforms under our gear. Got away with a slap on the wrist. Anyway I feel no need for such shenanigans anymore, maybe just thinking about having something I couldn't have then.

And yeah I see now (couldn't then) that sportbikes are not a sound investment. Thinking about a year or two worth of riding on it, maybe then I'll feel like joining dad on the Goldwing boat. Never been a fan of HD's the one I rode was an old chain drive that vibrated so bad I couldn't feel my legs when I got off,(I know the belt drive has "calmed" that down) that and I kinda dislike the fact their ignitions work double time for that "sound".

As for solo weekend rides, They're are some beautiful roads when you get out towards the coast, you just have to know where to find em!

Solo weekends on beautiful roads can be great. But is it a beautiful road because of the scenery, or a beautiful road because of all the exciting apex action? Buy a bike that fits your appreciation of the beauty, and your riding abilities.

If another sports bike is on the bucket list, so be it. It doesn't have to be new to be fast, or to satisfy. Bonus, when you sell it in a year or two you won't take nearly the financial beating. Buy carefully and you might even make a few dollars (probably not).

What about some sort of adventure bike like a BMW GS 800/1200 or something else in that style? Split the difference of having the suspension and go-anywhere-ness to laugh at craptastic roads, but the heft to soak up the miles for hours on end, or the nimbleness to thread through traffic for comfortable commuting.