Hi, my dad commutes about 160 miles to work everyday. He wants to get a bike to reduce the time spent in traffic. I've only rode sport bikes my whole life so i don't know anything about good commuter bikes. Can someone tell me some good commuter motorcycles that my father could ride? I'm assuming something with a back seat rest would be good so he could lean/sit back. He needs something pretty lightweight that won't have him hunched over with tons of pressure on his wrists. I know that most sportbikes are hard on older people because of the hunched over riding position puts a lot of pressure on your back and wrists. COMFORT is the most important factor...and good gas mileage would be great. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

2004 Yamaha FJR1300.

comfortable, enough power so you can ride for miles without having to play taps on the shifter. good wind protection. the perfect tourer. affordable too.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by falconGSR &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">2004 Yamaha FJR1300.

comfortable, enough power so you can ride for miles without having to play taps on the shifter. good wind protection. the perfect tourer. affordable too.</TD></TR></TABLE>but then he'll be drifting in it coming out of gas stations . hahaha j/p falcon. I like the fjr alot. also what is it your dad likes? cruisers? is he open minded?

 

This will be my dads first bike and he doesn't really care about looks or style. He just wants something comfortable. He doesn't care for power...so maybe a 250cc bike will do.

 

Honda night hawk, the bike I learned on. It was raining that day too, that thing handled like a champ.

 

160mile commute = highway = high speed = high rpm = high vibration = numbness and fatigue, unless you have lots of displacement.

lots of displacement = lots of torque = low gearing = low rpm at high speed = no vibration. do the math.

yes your dad needs to start out on a small bike since he is new to riding. but there are no small bikes that fit his long term needs. so i guess yeah get him a good beginner bike but expect him to start cursing it after that much commuting.

 

Based on his needs I would say look into a nighthawk 750 - big enough to drive on the highway/ not so powerful that it would be hard to learn on, and of course it's as reliable as a rock (honda). Plus the nighthawk isn't a bike that can't handle so if he ever wants to do some spirited riding it's still not a bad choice.
If he's a little braver then he could also look into a zrx1100/1200 kawasaki. I am currently considering this bike myself. Good luck

 

i think the nighthawk is a great suggestion! its pretty smooth from what i've heard.

it says a lot about a bike when its been in production for almost 30 years. with few design changes.

 

what about a goldwing or similar cruiser?

 

i don't think he wants a huge cruiser. something lighter is better since he's only 5'8" 150lbs.

 

sv650?

 

Drive a 929rr like my 50yr old father did for a year, but put a set of heli bars on it... and a bike won't reduce his time in traffic. I would recommend not riding the bike between cars unless you want to pick him up at the hospital

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by blufke &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">sv650?</TD></TR></TABLE>Not a bad idea. I would suggest something "cruddier" but if you don't want any problems pick up and sv. Very commutable yet very rewarding riding experience.

 

How about a medium size cruiser, here's mine:



Its a 1985 Kawasaki Vulcan 700. The entire Vulcan line up is full of good choices, from a 500cc starter bike to a 1600cc torque monster. The Vulcan line up, like the Nighthawk, has been around for a long time with few changes. That says a lot about the quality of the bike. And if he's planning on buying new, the newer Vulcans are very sharp. Check 'em out.

http://www.kawasaki.com/index2.asp

 

Thanks for all your input guys. That kawasaki vulcan looks like "the perfect fit." Thanks for the pic cowtit.