PARTNERS BLACKIE AND RED

when i first thought about getting a bike this is what i figured i would get:

the honda rebel. a classic, so they tell me. one of the most reliable starter bikes in the market. the main complaint with this bike is that it is small. so some one my size is about all the weight it can handle. wonder why it has two seats then...

but still, it is supposed to be exactly what im looking for--an in-town commuter bike. and with a price tag of only 3 grand off the lot, its hard not to take it. but i probably wont.

if i go the small/cheap bike route i will probably go with this one:

the yamaha virago. similar to the rebel, but it is longer and wont give you leg cramps. also, it looks pretty.

but salesmen are smooth talkers and im considering a bigger bike. i mean, im not a small person, so its only logical right?

the first big bike i considered was the honda shadow.

just take the rebel and double every thing. especially the engine. the rebel is only 250cc. this bad boy starts at 600cc.

it is wide, heavy, and still a great starter bike. and it has tons of features and accessories.

but it only has 4 gears (dude, even the rebel has 5 gears. what the crap?). and according to consumer reports it has the most uncomfortable stock seat ever made.

so in order to ride on the freeway (which is the main difference between big and small bikes) i would have to upgrade even more to the 750cc model. the shadow spirit. same as the regular shadow, except for the bigger engine and the absolutely necessary fifth gear.

but there is still the seat issue...

so we move on to the yamaha V star. very similar in size and make to the shadow except for a slightly bigger engine (650cc) and it has a fifth gear. as for the seat, it felt very nice.

and it is roughly the same price (a couple hundred more than the shadow, but still under 6 grand).

so i think i have decided on the V star. so now all i have to do is decide between red and black...

oh and the safety course and riding test, yada yada yada. and let's not forget about leather jackets and chaps.

some day, little buddy. some day...