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bradwill

New local member in North Park

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Hi everyone. My name is Brad and I'm looking to get back into riding after a few years hiatus. I'm hoping to get connected with some folks here who can help :)

A little history. I road a Suzuki DR 80 and 100 growing up in the local canyons in Bonita and then picked up a Kawasaki Ninja when I went off to college in LA. I was bikeless after college for awhile until my wife and I got a scooter when we moved to North Park and felt like outsiders without one. ;) We sold that last year and I've been dreaming of a getting a BMW GS or similar and setting off on some rides, camping trips, and other adventures. Our family already camps a ton and I love bikes, so it's only natural...

As I said, I have nothing at the moment (no bike, no riding gear, no helmet, etc). Just an M1 license and a lot of questions as I figure out what's there, what I need, where to start, etc. Looking forward to it all.

Cheers,

Brad

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Awesome bradwill.

Sounds like your getting a bike soon.

Sd is a whole other life style compared to LA.

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Thanks, 350thumber. I'm born and raised San Diego and only lived in LA during college. My wife and I have been living in San Diego since 2002.

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Welcome! I just got a new bike after years of not having one and I am very please with my decision to do so. I hope you pull the trigger.

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Welcome Brad. Full range of bikes on here and tons of experience. Opinions will vary as to what bike, type, etc so ask away. Might even be good to state your specific target mission as you did but with more specifics, offer to meet somewhere convenient, and folks might ride in some examples.

I don't know anything about GS's so can't be of much help there........

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Welcome to the board. Start with buying a bike. Then join on a ride.

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Welcome aboard.

To the rest of the gang,

Is Vannjoosten's bike still for Sale? That bike is awesome.

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Thanks for the welcome, everyone. And good tip on defining my mission, TrophyHunter. I have a few thoughts, but being brand new to all this I'm sure I'm missing some things:

  • I'm lucky enough to work from home, so this bike does not need to be a commuter, although it would be a handy for occasional trips around town.
  • Likewise, I'm not really envisioning myself doing a lot of serious off-road riding, at least not to start.
  • An adventure bike feels like the sweet spot of "not a commuter" and "not a dirt bike."
  • That said, I would like to get back into riding on dirt after many years away. To start, I'm envisioning this as day trips / trail rides in the local hills and deserts.
  • I'd like to try some overnight motorcycle camping trips with my wife. We already camp with our two boys, but I love the idea of getting out there on a bike.
  • Eventually, I'd like to try some longer road trips to National Parks or other scenic destinations. Yosemite? Death Valley? Joshua Tree? Zion? Bryce?
  • I'm happy with used and scratches are OK. I'm more interested in reliability, comfort, and utility than showroom condition.
  • I'll need a helmet, boots, pants, jacket, gloves, etc. I noticed some items like that coming on going on other threads, so I'll keep my eyes open.

As for me, I'm 6-1, about 185. My friend just broke 50k on his 2010 F650GS and recommended any F-series BMW 2009 or newer. I'm biased heavily towards BMW's for whatever reason, but if there's a better first adventure bike, I certainly would consider it.

Oh, and TrophyHunter, I love the idea of folks riding in some examples. Maybe we can put something together? Or maybe I just show up early to the start of an upcoming Noob ride? Somebody else mentioned the Spokesmen meet ups as a place to see and chat bikes. Anybody ever meet up with those folks?

Wierrider - who is Vannjoosten?

Thanks again, everyone.

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Welcome to forum not to turn down vanjoostens sale but as i have a ktm 950se its kinda way overkill for what you want to do but its one damn nice bike you would never need to upgrade keep it and never sell it. and i have a 2011 husqvarna te630 when bmw owned and build a lot lighter and more offroad capable than a gs650 but still good on highway. Pm me if you want more details but its in good condition and has all its minor scrathes already there so you wont be worried about dropping it.

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Nice find, Jim. I don't know BMW's but based on his write up, a lot of preventative or time sensitive stuff was replaced recently. Sounds like the guy took care of it and probably has every receipt and service record done. It it's a smokin' deal, it won't last long - just don't know the BMW market at all.

I'm shopping for a replacement DR650 for a buddy and she sent me one in Mira Mesa from CL. It was a great deal and I suggested she get a phone vid of the thing running, have the seller ride it on vid shifting thru gears, etc (she lives in the SF bay area) and then put a deposit on it. I agreed to go look at it in a few hours and drag it home. Checked back when my schedule cleared - gone.

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Do some research, do some looking and then get a bike. If you don't like it you get to start over again, it's a fun process. Welcome to the group, see you on the trail.

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As Tom says...buy a bike. There is no "do it all" bike, but most can do a lot. After you purchase, you can get some experience and find out what REALLY appeals to you; then start again with a different bike

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As Tom says...buy a bike. There is no "do it all" bike, but most can do a lot. After you purchase, you can get some experience and find out what REALLY appeals to you; then start again with a different bike

Sounds like this could be both bike AND relationship advice...

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As Tom says...buy a bike. There is no "do it all" bike, but most can do a lot. After you purchase, you can get some experience and find out what REALLY appeals to you; then start again with a different bike

Sounds like this could be both bike AND relationship advice...

Ha! Not sure my wife would agree on the relationship part. But great bike advice for sure.

I appreciate the warm welcome and all the tips. Now to do some saving and shopping. Hope to see you fine folks out on the trail soon...

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