Riding after 20 years

[DXB]

I haven't ridden a motorcycle in 20 years. Had a Honda 450. I am looking at a BMW 1250 RT. Is this too large to jump back into? I may take a refresher course in the spring prior to purchase. 90% of the riding with be solo and trips under 1 hour. Am I better with a Yamaha Tracer 9 GT+ at 890cc's?

[Rougarou]

No, I think not. 

 

I got back on a bike in 2010, bought a 2006 r1200rt without a test ride, nor cycle endorsement.  My previous bike was a 1995 Nighthawk 750 that was last ridden in 1997, then sold same year.

 

When I got the RT, I just started slowly on the back roads getting my feet wet, hitting longer rides until fully comfortable to be back in the saddle.  Over 200k miles amongst four bikes since 2010 and still have that rt.  Haven't stopped since then.

 

 

[wbw6cos]

Welcome to the forum.  Too large?    Could be. You are the rider and better suited to answer that than us riders on the internet.   Perhaps you can visit a local dealer and try one out.     

 

Take the MSF course (beginner) for a refresher; it will be on their bikes, usually 250cc Honda Rebels or equivalent.

 

Have fun and keep us posted!

[Skywagon]

You will be fine if you had a lot of time before. The 1250 has different riding modes so recommend you start on the one with least reaction to throttle. You can still open it up but requires more throttle twist. I think it is called rain mode

 

The 1250 ain’t your Honda 450. It’s wicked fast and quick, but loaded with safety features like ABS and traction control. 

[Rougarou]

9 hours ago, Skywagon said:

You will be fine if you had a lot of time before. The 1250 has different riding modes so recommend you start on the one with least reaction to throttle. You can still open it up but requires more throttle twist. I think it is called rain mode

 

The 1250 ain’t your Honda 450. It’s wicked fast and quick, but loaded with safety features like ABS and traction control. 

 

When I bought the Nighthawk in 1995, I hadn't been on a bike since 'bout 1979-80ish, and that was a RM125.  Never had a street bike until I bought the Nighthawk.  I got that one while I was on recruiting duty and did the same thing I did with the RT, ......ride the back roads until I got a good feel for the bike, then hit the main roads.

 

Only reason I got rid of the Nighthawk was 'cus when we moved to Camp LeJeune, it was a requirement for base riding to do the bike safety course,.....rebellious, I chose not to attend something to tell me how to ride, so, sold the bike.

 

Fast forward to 2010, I buy the RT.  No endorsement, start off slow getting back in the saddle.  Two years of riding, wife says she doesn't like it on the back so we get her a Shadow.  I tell her I'm not teaching her my bad habits of riding so she needs to attend the course to learn from "professionals"........she ask me to attend with her.  I go for moron support.

 

With that course over, I finally have the road portion of the NC Riding test done and go ahead and get my bike endorsement (two years riding with no endorsement)......'twas a good thing too 'cause a few months after, I rolled through a checkpoint.

 

Anyway, I guess the point of my story is that I had many years separating my riding, but since 2010, it's almost been daily. 

 

I went from a baby bike in 1980ish to a mid-size in 1995 (maybe put 10k on that bike) then a large bike in 2010 (barely putting toes on the ground), then balled up and got the liter bike (woohoo) to play with.    

 

I guess it depends on the individual and their confidence in getting back in the saddle. 

[Lowndes]

I didn't ride for 25 years, too.  Came from a Honda CB 750 (and CB450 before that), also.  Bought a '99 R1100S to get back into riding.  82 HP on tap.  I was terrified of it and in love with it at the same time.  Have 4 BMW's, two Hondas, and a Suzuki, now.  The riding skills come back quickly.  You will be OK with it.  Take it slowly, deliberately, building up reactions, learning the bike, it's controls and reactions.  Maybe on lonely two lane back roads for a while.

 

That 1250 is powerful, but that's OK.  You will grow into it.  My main ride now is a K1300S with 175 HP, but I only use 16 of them.

 

Edit:  Also, I forgot to mention that you will have a steep curve catching up on all the improvements in bikes over the last 20-25 years.  I.e. fuel injection, telelever and paralever suspension, shocks, GPS, tires, canbus, etc etc.  Never will forget the first morning we found a dead battery on my R1100S.  My bro and i were about to have a coronary each pushing and pulling it up and down a big hill in front of his house trying to jump start it.  A neighbor stopped and offered to help, asked if it was fuel injected. We looked at each other as the realization sank in; "we're idiots".  It's easier to push start a portable water pump.

[MikeB60]

On 10/10/2023 at 4:43 PM, DXB said:

I haven't ridden a motorcycle in 20 years. Had a Honda 450. I am looking at a BMW 1250 RT. Is this too large to jump back into? I may take a refresher course in the spring prior to purchase. 90% of the riding with be solo and trips under 1 hour. Am I better with a Yamaha Tracer 9 GT+ at 890cc's?

I don't think the bike would be too big or powerful. However given the intended use, I would lean more toward the Yamaha or even a GS, RS or R1250R.

[TEWKS]

Not trying to steer you away from BMW and you can’t (AFAIK) get this bike in America (why?) but this just screams easy going sport tourer.

Honda NT 1100

[DXB]

I like it. What about the Yamaha Tracer GT +? 

[TEWKS]

Yup, nice bike also (no direct experience with that model) but Yamaha builds great motorcycles! Maybe a little less wind protection on the Yamaha  but, it’s a bike you can purchase here. 

 

And the other thing worth mentioning, no matter what brand you buy, you’re here, there’s no kick out policy because of what bike you ride! 
 

Edit. @Rockosmith might have a word or two about the Yamaha, he rides one, or one very similar to the Tracer.

[Hosstage]

Right now the plan is for most riding to be trips that will be under an hour, but if you get the RT, you may find that 3 and 4 hour trips or more will start to have a lot of appeal!

[wbw6cos]

@randy to the white courtesy phone, please.  He has a Tracer 9GT.

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

On 10/10/2023 at 9:20 PM, Skywagon said:

You will be fine if you had a lot of time before. The 1250 has different riding modes so recommend you start on the one with least reaction to throttle. You can still open it up but requires more throttle twist. I think it is called rain mode

 

I think this is good advice.  The 1250 has enough torque and power to wheelie you flat onto your back if you get careless with the throttle.  The different riding modes implement varying degrees of restraint, managing engine power and braking to reduce/eliminate wheelies, wheel spin, and slides.  Rain mode can be helpful while you're getting used to the bike.

[RogerC60]

Years ago I put about 45000 miles on two motorcycles, a Suzuki GS550 and a Honda CB900C. Then I quit riding for 29 years. When I got back into riding, it was on an R1150RT (probably heavier than the R1250RT you are considering). After a couple of days and a couple hundred miles I felt right at home on the bike. Your experience would probably be similar.

[DXB]

Thanks for the vote of confidence Roger!

[Rockosmith]

11 hours ago, TEWKS said:

Not trying to steer you away from BMW and you can’t (AFAIK) get this bike in America (why?) but this just screams easy going sport tourer.

Honda NT 1100

I agree this looks like a fine sport tourer but as Pat stated, it is not available  the US. Gotta wonder why Honda would put a chain drive on a bike clearly intended to travel on.  Maybe because the engine was basically lifted from the Africa Twin?

[DXB]

I think Yamaha copied it with the Tracer 9 GT+.