I love my little GS, but it is a bit small for me, and gets uncomfortable after awhile.

I was thinking about upgrading next season. I was really liking the idea of an SV650, then i checked insurance prices. goes from $330, to $1500. No way.

Then the other day, i had a life altering experience. I rode a 2001 softtail. My god, the thing weighs almost twice what the gs does, has 3 times the motor, but is smoother, more well balanced, and easier to ride. Just much harder to walk.

So i am thinking about financing a brand new 07 sportster 1200 custom (if i can save up enough down payment over the winter).
And heres the kicker: full coverage insurance on the sportster is 200 more then comprehensive only on the GS.

S6

Quote from: Wrecent_Wryder on August 28, 2006, 06:37:20 AM
Sounds like youi're leaning that way, but, for what it's worth, I checked rates on the GS500 vs the SV650 with Progressive when I was bike shopping, and the difference was pretty trivial (for liability and supplemental medical - the bikes are cheap enough I didn't price comprehensive), it came to something over $20 a year.

For a $3k bike, I skipped comprehensive. For a $6k bike I probably would too (not like it's my primary transportation, it's essentially a luxury item, if I break my toy I'll eat the cost). For a Sportster, at that MSRP, I'd want everything covered, including towing. No way I'm going to get that thing up a ramp onto a trailer single-handed if it's disabled.

Personally, the cultural baggage that comes with a HD combined with the cost make it not worth considering, but there are other costs besides gas and insurance. They're expensive bikes. They'd better be stable- there's a huge downside to going down.

When i got the GS, i got liability and comprensive (also from progressive) for $330. I figured i would get comp because i live in the hood and theres a good chance the bike is gonna get jacked.
Rates i quoted were both full coverage, with $1K deductables, on brand new bikes. I think statistacally, people drop SV650s more then they drop harleys, because im betting more people actually take them out and and ride them.

other thing i really liked about the harley is that i could ride with my girlfriend on the back comfortably - i cant do that on the GS, im scared to put her on the back of it, and she isnt comfortable on it.

Im certainly not knocking the GS, i love that thing to death, but riding that big fn harley was just SO fun.

Whatever you choose as your next bike is  ! Anything on two wheels is  !!

I'm surprised your insurance would go up so much for the SV? I paid about $200/yr for liability on my GS, and now I think I pay about $600/yr for full coverage (and not the minimums...the maximums) on my '06 SVS...did you check more than one source for the insurance, cuz that jump seems 

Can't wait to see what you get next! 

Quote from: pandy on August 28, 2006, 07:32:00 AM
Whatever you choose as your next bike is  ! Anything on two wheels is  !!

I'm surprised your insurance would go up so much for the SV? I paid about $200/yr for liability on my GS, and now I think I pay about $600/yr for full coverage (and not the minimums...the maximums) on my '06 SVS...did you check more than one source for the insurance, cuz that jump seems 

Can't wait to see what you get next! 

Thats weird pandy. I pay 155yr for liability on the GS. I got a quote fro progressive on the SVs and they wanted 1900yr for full. And a little bit less for the naked.

I pay about 450 on the GS per year full coverage with a $250 deductable, oh the GSXR 600 I'm paying $550 a year and 750 is $650 a year both with added medical and $250 deductable. 

Funny my nephew got his insurance quote for the 750 at $900 a year.  After he bought the bike he tried to get insurance, ad was told $4500 a year    lowest he was able to get was $3600 so I just added it to my policy for $650 a year.

Quote

Thats weird pandy. I pay 155yr for liability on the GS. I got a quote fro progressive on the SVs and they wanted 1900yr for full. And a little bit less for the naked.

yea, all my quotes are from progressive. since i already have an account with them, i can just put in a new bike model and get a new price, without having to fill out a bunch of nonsense.
Either way, ima be on the GS at least the rest of this season (after i get the new chain put on, and no after going out there last night and trying to start it, probably get a new battery)

i have full coverge on my gs ( 05 and finaced i wont buy any thing new that i cant get full covrege on you never know what might happen )  and i pay about 76 bucks a month on my gs . i'm 22 and have a few tickets on my sheet

State Farm....have cars and homeowners with them, so the really give good moto deals.

I figure that the bike won't do much dammage to anyone ense in a vehicle, although it could do some dammag :oe to a pedestrian. So I spend my money on health insurance instead of bike insurance. I know I should have it but it isn't required in WA so medical is my first priority. If I do enough dammage to somebody else, I'll probally be dead anyways.

could progressives incrediblely good rate on insurance for the HD have anything to do with the fact that progressive provides the harley davidson branded insurance that is advertised on HDs site?

i think it may

Geico has been advertising the hell out of their motorcycle insurance on tv around here... you could try a quote from them.

Um, a cruiser style motorcyle is always going to feel more balanced than a standard bike (like the GS) or a sportbike.   

Quote from: TarzanBoy on August 28, 2006, 11:10:07 PM
Geico has been advertising the hell out of their motorcycle insurance on tv around here... you could try a quote from them.

Um, a cruiser style motorcyle is always going to feel more balanced than a standard bike (like the GS) or a sportbike.   

that is probably true - ive only ridden my gs, and my buddies 81 honda cm400e, so getting on that big harley was just such an experience.
Ive got a bad back, so the more relaxed riding position and the forward controls made a huge difference for me.
either way, when i eventually get my HD, im keeping the GS to commute. You just cant beat getting 50mpg

Quote from: jdanna on August 28, 2006, 05:52:50 AM
insurance prices...

Call you're local State Farm insurance agent. 


I'm waiting for my 2007 Triumph Daytona 675, I'm 21 with one speeding ticket on my record in the last three years (last week), and one accident (600RR - last october).  With full-coverage w/ $500 deductibles, I'm quoted for $48.23 a month.  My car is also on the plan, but I'm only paying $53 monthly for liability on it. 

Quote from: TarzanBoy on August 28, 2006, 11:10:07 PM
a cruiser style motorcyle is always going to feel more balanced than a standard bike (like the GS) or a sportbike.   

ha ha ha 
You let me know when you find a cruiser that can handle twisties as well as a middle-weight sport bike.

Quote from: TarzanBoy on August 28, 2006, 11:10:07 PM
Geico has been advertising the hell out of their motorcycle insurance on tv around here... you could try a quote from them.

Um, a cruiser style motorcyle is always going to feel more balanced than a standard bike (like the GS) or a sportbike.   

geico advertises alot in my state, but when I try to check the rates, they tell me t hey dunt provide coverage in my state 

I have my car with Geico, and we inititally put our bikes with Geico. When we switched our bikes to State Farm, our premiums were cut in half. That rawked! 

so, im still kind of casually shopping for a new bike, and i looked at the v-star 1100 custom the other day.
i think ive fallen for it harder then the harley.

anybody own, or has owned one?

on a different note - got the new chain and sprockets on the GS. thing is like a whole new bike. my chain must have been horrible.
Whatever big cruiser i end up getting, im keeping the GS.

its the same bike as the first bike I ever rode-a vstar 650. nice and comfortable if you like that style bike. tank seemed to spread my legs apart quite a bit (shush pandy!). pipes, windshield make the bike a classic looker.

yea, the tank is wide as hell, but im 6'2 so it didnt so much bother me.
and i love the style.

what about performance? i know the 650 is probably a bit slower then the gs, but im hoping the 1100 is a bit faster. massive speed isnt really what im after, but i have been known to engage in high speed foolery from time to time. something with a little more straight line grunt then the gs would be nice. the gs is quick, but i do find myself having to wrench open the throttle pretty far when i want it to get up and go.

i love that the v-star's torque peaks out at about 2000rpm, and then stays pretty level all the way thru the rev band
http://www.totalmotorcycle.com/pics/VTwin-Dyno-YamahaV-Star1100Silverado1063cc.jpg   <-- thats what i call a torque curve