OK.  So, I think we've all at one time or another either wished we had a bigger bike or been told we need a bigger bike.  I've thought I've needed a bigger bike many times.  So now that I have a bigger bike, I'd like to put to ink some of my musings of being the owner of a "bigger" bike.

This week I bought a 1996 Honda Shadow 1100 ACE.  This is a bike that was "recommended" to me once by a salesman at the local dealership as a good first bike.  The salesman told me he never recommended less than an 1100, because people are just not happy with a smaller bike.  I think we've all heard or felt that at one time or another.  So when my wife gave me the go ahead to get another bike, I didn't hesitate to go for a bigger bike.

The first thing I have to tell you is that it is HEAVY.  It weighs 600 lbs, which is not the top of the scale for a larger bike.  But it feels every bit of the 600 lbs.  It is hard to turn at a stand still and it feels like I'm going to drop it every time I move it around.  Now my Savage I can hold one handed while I check the oil level.  The 1100 I don't even TRY that trick with.  It's harder to balance at a stop light, gotta use both feet.  It's harder to take off and jump into traffic.  And it doesn't turn as tight.  All around, the Savage is so easy to handle compared to the 1100.  I've taken the 1100 up through the hills and it scared me at first.  It feels like it's going to fall over in the turns or push through the turn off the road.  I know that is just me getting used to the bike, but can I just say that this is NOT a beginner bike.  It's got WAY to much power and weight for a first timer.  It makes me wonder about the HD riders that just have to have a big twin.

But, let's talk about the freeway since that's what I got it for.  First of all, I still can only get a little over 100 miles out of a tank, which is only about 1/2 a gallon larger, with less MPG.  And the wind still blows me around when I get around trucks.  And the front wheel still gets moved by the rain grooves, albeit not as much.  It does cruise a little faster than the savage, but that cuts into the MPG more as well.  So really my savage with the chain conversion is almost as good of a freeway bike, and in some respects better (MPG).  And did I mention the seat, although much bigger, still hurts after awhile.

Now, lets talk about maintenance.  The 1100 has already been in the shop with a flat tire and rear brake pads.  Could I have done it myself, maybe but didn't want to even try.  The savage I've taken down to the frame and engine with no problems.  All I've done on the 1100 is take the seat off.  Everything looks so much more complex, and heavier, with more things to worry about....coolant, carb synch, 2 plugs ect.  

So in summary, what I've found is that bigger is not always the answer to our "issues".  The Savage is a great bike, and so are others.  My friend's dad has a Honda 750 ACE and I loved it.  Classic look, more weight, but not too much.  Will I get rid of my 1100?  No way!  It' bad to the bone, looks and sounds like a HD, and is fun to ride.  Will I get rid of my Savage?  Absolutely not!  It's fun to ride, work on, and can be loaned out to others safely.  If I had to choose one, that would be hard.  But only because the 1100 is in better condition than my savage.  If looks we're equal, the savage would win.  But, I'm just glad I don't have to make that decision.  I can have the best of both worlds!  (Now all I have to do is convince my wife I NEED a dual sport )

Gary On A Savage wrote on 05/09/08 at 00:26:37:
unless your pretty long legged some of the dual sports can be a little tough - but if you find a good price on the little TW200 dual sport - grab it  

I know what you're talking about, Gary.

My wife's new Maxi-Scooter tips the scales at 470lbs.  When you get on it and take it off of the side stand, you feel every pound of that weight.

Take a tight corner and it feels like it will just keep tipping over. For all of the cushioning, the saddle still makes your butt hurt after 30 minutes or so.

The only thing it does better than the Savage is take up room in the Garage.  

No thanks, I'm keeping my Savage...

KenGLong wrote on 05/09/08 at 09:07:27:


I've looked at the 900 and definitely was considering one.  If I could have found one in my price range I probably would have bought it.  But I found this 1100 in good shape at a good price, and my wife really liked the look of it (she's funny that way...more interested in the "look" of my bike), so here I am with it.  Will definitely be running it on the open road, but I think the savage will be the bike I ride to work...once it's running again.

I thought that you wrote this thread specifically for me.   I bought the S40 on March 29 - my wife's birthday.  Did I catch hell about this.  

I had been wanting a larger bike until today when I was in a parade.  45 minutes of stopping riding two feet and stopping again.  It was not a real fun thing to do, but riding a 352 pound bike in a parade is probably a dream compared to the ST 1300 I have been lusting for.

Will definitely stay with the S40 for a good while longer.  Thanks for posting this thread.  It brought me to my senses.

On the bigger Bike thing.
In a way I guess I,m lucky,I started riding in 1951 in those days there was a "Standard" or "Class"  125 ,250,350,or a 500 cc,and one bike that didn't have a class rating was the Vincent @ a 1000cc,very few people could afford one anyway.So that was it,I started with a  BSA Bantem 125cc,I skipped the 250 and went to a 350 Royal Enfield,after I got out of the army I inherited my Dads ES2 Norton 500cc or as we called it in those days "a Monster" ,it was big, it was heavy,looking back it was very cool,So what I'm trying to say is "It's all relative" the times dictate what is to big , I cant emagen how I would have felt looking at a bike that could do 180mph with an in line four.
Oops I did forget to mention the very first bike my Dad gave me it was a 98cc ohv Ducati ,a great little bike that I gave to my sister,it was just a tad to slow 60mph with a good tail wind. All that being said My Savage is the biggest baddest bike I have ever owned,My dear Dad who is now 94 years old (he still smokes and drinks JD) thinks it's to big for me,I'm just a little guy 5' 7" 140,oh well I love it ,to me it's the way motor cycling should be,A bike were you can do just about all your own repair work , it's a man and machine thing ,you know it ,and it knows you,I even speak to mine, and it answers with a hearty thump thump thump.AAAAAAH music to my old ears.

wow!

Fiat 600!! My mom had one, bought in 1962!  

Hey I had a Fiat 600 while in the service. Also had a BMW Isetta, a Subaru 360, a couple of Honda 600's and I still have the one below bought in 1970 from the first owner, a 1960 Vespa 400, very rare even in Italy. and smaller than the even the Fiat 500.