Could an older rider go heavier?

[ohiorider]

Since surgery, the old BMW R100GS seems a bit too tall (it always has been), and the 1200 Sport is a bit top heavy.  Which brings me to my point ....... I see a lot of older riders on very heavy HD cruisers, seemingly having no issues with the 700 pound machines.

Question is ....... would a bike like a Guzzi Cali 1400 be an easier bike overall to ride/manage than a taller, more top heavy bike like the 1200 Sport?

I'm not a fan of the B17 Flying Fortress, but the original platform (Cali Tourer and Custom 1400) has some appeal to me. 

Maybe I'm only dreaming, and should consider going way lighter, like with a v7/ll, V9, or a new Bonneville 900.

Any thoughts?

Bob

[GearheadGrrrl]

And it seems that a lot of those 700 pound cruisers end up getting triked...

[Mark Harpell]

Only way to know for sure is to ride a few......

I know a lot of aging bikers(including me), more than most ride Harleys or big Yamahas, Goldwings etc...and although not advertised, quite a few have dropped them more than once.....
Rather than go smaller, lighter, they usually quit riding altogether..a few go three wheeled......i dont get it.....but then again, I wont have a problem goin smaller as needed just to keep riding......

[lucian]

I think it's less about the lb # and more about where it is carried relative to its center of gravity.My friend has a heritage classic which is heavier than my custom but "feels" lighter and is  easier to handle at low speeds. Also much lower seat height and easier to back pedal despite its extra pounds. I guess you've got to ride and decide.

[Sasquatch Jim]

 Sidecar

[Tom]

I vote sidecar too but to answer you question for 2 wheels.  The seat on Cali 1400 Touring and Custom might be too wide.  The Audace or Eldorado might be better.  The weight on all 4 is lower but the pushing around is a little more effort. 

[Roebling3]

I cannot think of a reason to push ones limits when your @ an 'advanced age' or compromised in any way. It should not be a decision regarding your current ability but rather a consideration for your future abilities, comfort, safety and the safety of others.  I want to ride for as long as Fred Marsh (101?). I will not take risks I have little control over. I have great fun riding lighter bikes, - - enthusiastically? I'm aware that for me it is having less stamina for more than 2 days & 500 miles, at a time on light sport bikes. I could never fathom the need for bikes weighing more than ~450#. Now I still enjoy a quick, light, 300# bike and continue riding like I have for the past 60+ years.  Sad to say I watch my annual MC mileage drop precipitously in the last 2 years.  Good fortune,  R3~

[Tom]

The V9 Roamer and Bobber should be under consideration for a light bike with lower seat height.  If you want to stay with MG.  The only limitation is 2 up.  It could get cramped but not impossible.  The Boss would rather do staycations at resort hotels so I'm solo riding most of the time.

[Triple Jim]

While you're test riding things, try a Yamaha FZ-07 and a KTM390 Duke.  Both of those are relatively light at less than 400 lbs (KTM 390 is 338 lbs wet), with plenty of power, and priced right.  Try not to look at them until after you've ridden them.   

[PeteS]

I think it's less about the lb # and more about where it is carried relative to its center of gravity.My friend has a heritage classic which is heavier than my custom but "feels" lighter and is  easier to handle at low speeds. Also much lower seat height and easier to back pedal despite its extra pounds. I guess you've got to ride and decide.

This. Its not so much the weight but the center of gavity. My Goldwing is twice as heavy as my Triumph Tiger but no more difficult to ride due to its low COG. Best bikes are light with a low COG. Check out a KTM Duke.
Pete

[ohiorider]

I truly appreciate every ones' thoughts.  I'm sort of bummed and want to get back to where I was before surgery.  Maybe I should give it a bit more time (like into next spring) and see where I am at that time.  I'm exploring a few possibilities that'll keep me on two wheels and still let me do some long distance traveling if I find I'm able to do it.

It's times like this that I truly appreciate the WG forum.

Regards,

Bob

[wymple]

" Try not to look at them until after you've ridden them.   "

Finally someone comes right out and admits it. Function be damned, they are fugly.

[Tom]

Don't underestimate the large scooters.  A good rider on one can dust someone on a motorcycle.  :shock:

[LowRyter]

Harleys are known for a low CG.  Not my cup of tea, but docile.

I wonder about that Ducati Scrambler.  It seems light and low.  Certainly the Suzuki SV650 and Yamaha F7 seem OK. 

Hard to say what is most controllable until you test ride.  Everyone has a different feel.  Perhaps the Cali 1400 is the right one?

[Tom]

The Indian Scout or Victory Octane are light, low seat and low cg.  They both have umph.  Technical term for torque and horsepower to move a bike down the road.

[guzzisteve]

Maybe go out and test ride a bunch of bikes and see which suits you. Most MG dealers have both the 14 and V7 or V9 Demo's on hand. It's the only way you will know if you are comfortable w/the models you like.
Keep exercising, stay fit, you'll get back there and stay positive. 

[Tom]

 :1:

[ohiorider]

Maybe go out and test ride a bunch of bikes and see which suits you. Most MG dealers have both the 14 and V7 or V9 Demo's on hand. It's the only way you will know if you are comfortable w/the models you like.
Keep exercising, stay fit, you'll get back there and stay positive.

Love you guys!  Good common sense advice as always.  Steve, never forget picking up my Griso 8vSE at R Hill in 2012.  Good memories from that trip.   Daytime temps close to 100F.  Flew into Atlanta .... 3 days ride back.  Stopped at every roadside rest stop and soaked my t shirt under cold water.  All good!

Bob

[Triple Jim]

" Try not to look at them until after you've ridden them.   "

Finally someone comes right out and admits it. Function be damned, they are fugly.

The 390 looked much nicer after I rode it than it did before.  A friend let me give his a try at Deals Gap this spring.  I was seriously amazed at its performance.  The quarter mile time is actually about the same as the V7 series, and the 0-60 time is considerably lower.  Handling is superb, and it's not much more than half the price.

[Ncdan]

Hey Bob, I'm 63, weigh 160ish and my wife and I have put a lot of miles on our 2003 Electra glide which is close to 900'lbs and wife weight around 140. The only issue we ever had was that if you ever get off balance by much you will drop it. It happened to us only one time while coming to a stop at  gas station. Our ridding buddies got a big laugh and helped me pick her up. Personally if I felt like I was no longer safe on two wheels and still loved to ride I would probably look at a three wheeler. I have a couple buddies that have them and they have as much fun as the rest of us:)

[rodekyll]

I think it depends on what you mean by 'topheavy'.  Do you mean it's hard to push around?  Hard to keep upright at a stop?  Hard to get upright from the kickstand?  Hard to maneuver at speed?  Do you think it's a temporary limit from the surgery, or do you think this is the new you?  Is it a physical or balance problem?  If you think it's a recovery thing, just step away from riding for a bit to rest and recover.  I didn't ride again for almost a year after my neck surgery.  My serious miles since then have all been on the trike.  I can ride the bike, but after two years I don't feel confident enough about most of the above questions to try long distance (multi-day) travel on two wheels.

If you think this is your new baseline, then what they said is probably good advice -- ride some other bikes and see if anything is better.  It might turn out that you need to add a wheel somewhere to feel stable again.  Don't listen to the guys that naysay the 3-wheel experience.  It might not be their cuppa, but sissies don't ride conventional three wheelers.  They take significantly more physical interaction -- especially upper body -- to drive.  You have to work up to it unless the steering is perfectly tuned and you're pretty fit to begin with.  Some of the new types like the Can Am (we seem to have one in town now) may be different for a lot of reasons, and of course the Blackjack-types drive like a car.  So find and ride a few different kinds of 3-wheelers, too.

  I answered your question for myself by building my trike.

[jim_W]

Bob, I'm kind of in the same boat. I've been riding a CalVin for a few years now and last April I finally bought my "dream bike" a 2015 Norge. Love the Norge out on the high way or on twisty roads but I'm really finding it too big for me in parking lots and driveways.  I fine the old CalVin is just more comfortable for a day to day ride.  Thinking I should have bought a V-7 or V-9 instead of the Norge.  I was thinking that I'm not "old" yet but my wife says seventy - one years might qualify.
  I'm not sure how much lighter the CalVin is than the Norge but the engine sits about six inches lower and the bike feels much lighter.

Jim

[Chuck in Indiana]

Maybe I should give it a bit more time (like into next spring)

this.
Dorcia keeps saying, "It's only been X months since major surgery." She's right, of course. I began to ache about 50 miles away from the Ohio rally, and the same coming home. Never has happened before. Give it time, work out, give yourself time to heal, then make a decision.

[80CX100]

     I'm in a similar boat,,, for me it's not just the weight, it's the whole spectrum, ergonomics, height, low COG, only recently starting to be more mindful of steering angle and chasis design, as far as high vs low speed handling characteristics etc.

      Can't ride my Lemans CX100 anymore due to neck issues, picked up a Vstrom for an upright big bike ride, found it unsettling at speed and it doesn't make my heart go pitter patter, picked up a 1979 G5, that I hope will be my good comfortable ride,,, I'm already very familiar with the mechanics, same as my CX100,, I struggled all year and still am, trying to get a big road bike going, that I really like,,,I've looked at literally dozens,,, so many of them have potential issues, that I just don't want to live with. I find motorcycling a very emotional experience,,, much more than just a ride, there is a mechanical connection, that when it's working, is nirvana for me.

      The best thing I've done for my motorcycle grin factor recently,,,was when I realized early this spring that I needed an upright comfortable ride, I pulled the trigger on a well set up 2010 Suzuki DR650. I've always had a thing for big singles, owned a Yamaha Xt500 and Sr500 (only bike I regret selling) back in the day,,, and the DR650, blows them out of the water,,, it's definitley not a two up tourer, and it can be a bit tall getting on and off,,, but once under way,,, this thing rocks.

      The front sprocket is lowered to 14 teeth, 3 x 3 airbox mod, Kerker slip on and an FCR 39 mm double accelerator pump carb,,, I shouldn't say it too loud,,, but I almost feel invincible on it sometimes,,, it is so responsive and quick turning,,, it's the only bike, that I somewhat "like" and feel safer on, riding into the city around traffic. Someone on this forum recently commented feeling like an "Outlaw Dirt Biker" riding an enduro bike in town,,, I can relate,,, if I want to get away from traffic,,, or I see a slice of safer daylight,,, I just point and twist the throttle,,, I'm there, right now! This bike makes my heart go pitter patter! It's a lovely ride in tight twisty backroads, a hoot.

      I would love to have a DR set up like I do, but running sticky sport tires and a couple of extra teeth on the ft sprocket so she didn't run out of gas on the top end,, I can see setting something like that up, when I'm through with riding big road bikes,,,, but like you,,, I'm not dead yet,,, I still get a big shit ass eating grin on my face when I grab a fist full of throttle on a big road bike that I love,,, I miss that intensely,,, I feel your pain brother.

     Ps, If I wasn't so allergic to modern electronics, I'd recommend the V7 to you,,, I've yet to read anyone on this board who has made the jump down from a big road bike, for a variety of similar reasons, be disappointed,,, my impression is that owners of the V7's are smiling ear to ear with a nice comfortable, balanced ride, that more than holds it's own in the twistys,,, maybe something like that or the new V9 might be in your future.

     Good luck in your search, ride safe and take care

     Kelly

[Shorty]

 My buddy at work is a small fellow. He has a Street Glide. The low seat suites him well. I asked him if he is afraid of dropping the bike somewhere where is no one to help him pick it up. He opened his tourpack and showed me a small jack he carries. It fits under his crash bars and will get the bike up high enough so he can lift it the rest of the way. Ain't nothin but a thang....

[cookiemech]

OK, for what it's worth . . .

I'm 60, 160 pounds, not especially strong. I find my Harley Road King to be exceptionally easy to ride and confidence-inspiring. Also have a Harley Ultra, which of course has the batwing fairing and top box on back. That is NOT confidence-inspiring, though very easy to ride at freeway speeds. I can ride the Road King at very low speeds in heavy traffic or parking lots with no issues; I can do the same thing with the Ultra, but I am much more aware of its mass up high.

Another advantage of either of these bikes is that the factory crash bars don't let the bike tip over much more than about 45°, so if they DO fall, they are relatively easy to pick up (by yourself or with help).

Don't let negative impressions of H-D prevent consideration of them; I did for many years until I bought one. They are great bikes if left alone (most H-D riders cannot do so). And the used market is absolutely flooded now. The H-D touring bikes are the most comfortable machines I have ever ridden.

[Rotten Ralph]

I vote sidecar too but to answer you question for 2 wheels.  The seat on Cali 1400 Touring and Custom might be too wide.  The Audace or Eldorado might be better.  The weight on all 4 is lower but the pushing around is a little more effort.

I vote sidecar three - it's the bike I use most now.

For other rides I have a V7 which I went to from a Harley Electraglide, BMW R1150RT, and Norge. Those big boys were just too much for this small, old body plus I don't do several thousand mile tours anymore.

[chuck peterson]

Spent three years recovering on a BV250 scooter...Suzuki TU250 is a fun one, too. Gave up multi days but upped the quality of the day rides. Moved to a Nevada after that.

[charlie b]

Interesting and familiar discussion.

I had a Honda NT700 for a while.  In that forum most of the guys there bought it because their RK, Connie, FJR, ST1300, etc became too heavy for them to move around (several due to knee surgeries).  Some kept on those bikes for quite a while.

What was interesting about it was the significant number of them who went back to the FJR type bikes after a few years.  They found that if they were careful they could manage the higher CG bikes.  Yes, there were also a few who went to scooters because they could not get their legs up high enough for any bike (hip surgeries).

FWIW, a couple of those guys ended up on Beemers because they had a slightly lower CG even though they were a little heavier.

The Honda just made me appreciate the Goose more, so I took the time to set it up the way I wanted it.

[steven c]

 Try a loop frame. My Eldorado is such an easy bike to ride, feels lighter then the T3 I have when pushing around the garage.