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Old 01-25-2016, 11:28 PM
 
Location: Minneapolis, MN
10,244 posts, read 16,450,039 times
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Have you considered a used BMW F650GS (parallel twin version)? You should be able to find a 2011 or so model in your price range. I would argue that this bike is far superior to the CB500X.
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Old 01-31-2016, 02:21 PM
 
3,298 posts, read 2,487,082 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Cruz Azul Guy View Post
Here are the bikes I would look at:

1 Honda CTX700N
2. Suzuki SV650
2. Yamaha SR400
4. Triumph Bonneville
5. Ducati Scrambler
6. Harley Davidson Street 750
SV650 is an excellent bike - I've owned two of them. OP could probably find a used one for less $ than any of the others listed.
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Old 02-01-2016, 02:26 PM
 
Location: Londonderry, NH
41,458 posts, read 59,964,742 times
Reputation: 24865
I returned to riding a few years ago and wound up with a Suzuki 650 cc Burgman Scooter. Powerful enough to keep up with expressway traffic, handles well enough to let me ride away from the cruisers on a twisty road, decent ride and enough storage that outside bags are not needed. Oh, it has a variable ratio belt drive so no clutch is needed.


Otherwise few year old Triumph Bonneville just because they look so right and are low enough for this inseam challenged rider can put both feet flat on the ground.
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Old 02-07-2016, 09:25 AM
 
344 posts, read 553,627 times
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Another possibility...V7 II Stone - Moto Guzzi
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Old 02-07-2016, 09:55 AM
 
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Guzzi V7 variants come to mind.. but I can't comfortably ride bikes with feet-forward positioning (kills my back).

Honestly, I'd just buy something cheap, local and used from criagslist/kijiji (or whatever the local independent mechanic might recommend as a good, needs nothing but a rider, bike... they always know the used market locally). Doesn't really matter What as your experiences with Modern motorcycles is limited. It'll be a re-entry bike, something to ride for a season to see if you Will ride, then sell off to buy whatever's more suitable.

You won't be That far from Tornoto, which means you can have any bike your heart desires. If you were 8+ hours from the closest dealership for a given brand, that'd be a different story. 2 hours though? Annoying but not really a big deal.
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Old 02-07-2016, 01:16 PM
 
344 posts, read 553,627 times
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Another great choice is a used Ducati Monster. Just verify maintenance and buy a PPI.

I don't like feet forward either, the V7's aren't particularly, esp the Racer.
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Old 02-11-2016, 06:13 AM
 
Location: Del Rio, TN
39,947 posts, read 26,672,163 times
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Quote:
So mostly paved two lane roads, sometimes a gravel road or stretch of highway.
Any number of bikes will perform fine in those applications. For your first bike getting back into the sport, don't stress too much about the "perfect" choice. Get something and start riding. It will take some time to really figure out what type of riding you most enjoy and want to optimize the bike for.

From your requirements, I'd recommend the V-Strom 650. For a 650 "UJM" it makes very good power, is comfortable and does great on gravel roads and is a ball on backroads. It also has plenty of power and adequate wind protection for long stretches of high-speed highway riding. It's also rock solid reliable and pretty affordable. But if you see a good deal on any of the bikes suggested in this thread, grab it and don't stress about the selection. Bigger issue is to look for a decent deal on a used bike, get out and ride, and get a feel for what you really want. If you decide you want something different as you learn what you really want, sell it and get something different. There are so many good deals on used bikes. I stressed far too long when I got back into riding and picked up my first ADV-style bike.

Honestly, you can pick up many of the above bikes in the $3-4k range (or less if you go older or score a really good deal). Ride for a while and sell it for nearly the same money-then if you figure you want something different (or maybe a new version of the same bike) go for it.
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Old 02-11-2016, 07:42 PM
 
Location: North West Arkansas (zone 6b)
2,776 posts, read 3,273,224 times
Reputation: 3918
kawasaki versys
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