christhisguy

Got it, thanks 88.

Fugazi - Long Division

John Lee Hooker - "Dimples" (I love the way you walk)

Currently: just a Ruger 4" .357 (shoots comfy), and some airguns I've had for years, incl a Webley Tempest pistol w/ walnut grips and a lefty holster, and my grandpa's old rifle. Planning: wife wants a nice slim auto, won't let her go smaller than a 9. Need to hit a shop or two and see what's out there. Looking for a single-stack, barrel 3.5"-ish, pref SA/DA but DAO is ok if it fits. Might go for a look this weekend. Then a 12g Mossberg. I've always wanted an HK USP compact, but since I'm wrong-handed their newer P2000 looks good too. Ambi slide release... Pricey though. Eventually wife wants a lever action, that'll be 38/357 too, carbine length. Get 'em while you can...

Yep, hard to go wrong with Bass or Newc Brown. If both are avail on tap... or not... try a mix. Other good Brit stuff: If you like Black & Tans, try Newc instead of Bass/Harp for a Black & Brown. Another variation: use a hard cider instead of Bass/Harp with stout of choice for a Poor Man's Black Velvet. ["proper" Black Velvet is Guiness on champagne, but I'll take the cider] Yes, tap stout should be served/stored just below room temp -- we used to keep the keg on the floor behind the bar. Besides tasting and pouring better, it helps keep the stout on top in these half&half pours. -alcohol-

Not shutting up... Good call on waiting for the MSF -- like I said it may change your thoughts on the style of bike you want. The Duc 620 (Multistrada has same engine as the Monster fyi, and better ergonomics for taller folks) is a decent choice, but be prepared for Italian maintenance costs. Whatever you end up with, I'd strongly recommend buying used first. Drops happen. Good luck!

Beer snob alert... Tons of good micro's in CO so I've usually got a 6er of one of them in the fridge. Foster's is often there too. If I could only drink one beer for the rest of my life, it'd be Avery's Hog Heaven. 22oz of 9.2% baby! Sorry... waited at the (then) only Brit pub in Chicago for 3 years, started working there before I was even legal. Been spoiled ever since. Don't get me started on Scotch... I was wearing a kilt at my wedding, and we've been to Scotland 3 times now (incl honeymoon).

Congrats man. My only nephew is going on 4 now, and I treasure every moment with him (I'm in CO, they're in ATL and about to move to Vancouver). Forget the grandparents - uncles by definition get to be the corruptive/spoiling influence. Use your powers wisely...

Feature-length follow up... did I say I tend to have long posts? Wasn't trying to single you out man, just a general bit of bike advice there. Now that you mention it though, I'll go ahead and use you as an example, heh... (seriously, no insult intended, just a good opportunity to make a point): Two weeks on a 600 and you moved up?? Newbie or not, would you claim that you had really mastered the 600 in that time? Wore the tires near the edges from consistently deep lean angles, could handle slow-speed maneuvers, obstacles, accident avoidance at any speed, all that? Of course not. Just mentioning that because it's all too common for folks to think they've got it down after a few successful (read: no crash) rides. In fact, one of the most dangerous periods in a rider's career is in that 1-3 year range when they really think they're doing well and know the bike, and then start getting complacent. Again not trying to bust your chops Jmax, just a handy example. As with Jmax I did not intend to point fingers or judge ya zb, just mentioned the model name mix-up as another example. I've seen plenty of bikes for sale whose owners clearly knew almost nothing about them. These are often recent models with low mileage, and many have been laid down. I completely agree about starting on a dirtbike, or at least a fairly light bike, if at all possible. Hey... whaddya mean ALMOST??? Wanted to add a couple notes too... The MSF class: in several states it's free (use the site I linked above to find locations). In many more it'll be cheaper than the HD Rider's Edge class, which afaik is always $200-350. In the MSF you'll likely ride a Nighthawk 250, Eliminator 125, some 250 cruiser like the GZ250, or a 200cc-class dual-sport... occasionally you'll find a class with Ninja 250's. In the HD class you'll ride the Buell Blast only. Either way, you'll get a chance to ride someone else's bike with the expectation that you'll probably drop it, and many times the bike used in class has helped people better decide what they want. When I started I thought I wanted a Yamaha V-Star (cruiser/HD clone). Sit-tests alone killed all thoughts of cruisers, so I looked at "standards" like the Ninja 250/500 and the GS500. [We call 'em standards because of the fairly upright seating position, feet below your hips - not a racer crouch or laid back w/ feet forward like a cruiser.] Ended up with a dirt bike and I've never regretted it. Also, don't sweat it if you've never thrown a leg over before. These classes are designed for total noobs. I'm on a couple forums with several MSF rider coaches, and many times I've seen them post about it being preferable if the person has never ridden at all. Means they don't have to worry about correcting any bad habits you might have picked up, and they can focus just on teaching you the good stuff. Helmets: when I said "it's important" I meant finding one that fits right as much as wearing one. Hit a dealer and try every brand they have, and keep each lid on for at least 5 minutes (20 is better). Hot spots are bad/will get aggravating quickly, and you're less likely to wear it if it bugs ya. The helmet should be snug all over (the liner will break in some), and if you strap it on and try to roll it forward from the back w/ your head held still, it shouldn't move much. Good luck w/ this... I tried at least 8 brands, misc models, and found a whopping ONE that fit right - but it had awful graphics and it had been discontinued. Fortunately I found a leftover at an online shop, and I knew the size I wanted from the try-on. It MUST be DOT certified, and that helmet link I posted will tell you more. I'll shut up now, promise. Maybe.

Gotta jump in as an mc enthusiast for many years. Finally got one of my own last summer (a 250cc dirtbike, and I haven't begun to tap its limits even with rocky runs to ~12k feet... and yes I've ridden street/bigger bikes)... I spent many moons in research-mode, and the best street bikes for a noob (if you want something sporty) are the Ninja 250 and 500, and the Suzuki GS500-E/F... "E" is the pre-04 naked model, "F" is the 04+ version w/ sportbike fairings. You get big points in my book for looking at the Ninja 250 up front. By all accounts it's a blast, it's run the famous Iron Butt rally, and at 6'1" barefoot it fits me better than the 500 (better seat-to-peg distance... GS500 fits great too). It'll also cruise at 75 all day, and there's the built-in fun of wailing past the radar trap at 10k rpm's... within the speed limit! The price point is so low because Kawasaki knows it's a great bike for bringing in new riders. Last time I checked the dealers were actually taking a loss on it if sold at msrp (which you should shoot for if buying new). If you don't like to shift, get a scooter. For me, bikes are all about being one with the machine, whether it's 80cc or 1000cc. It's just you out there in the air, working every control with all 4 limbs, carving a line on two wheels, and there's nothing like it. Basic rules of getting into riding: 1. Take an MSF course. If you pass, go get the M endorsement on your license. If not, take it again. Many folks have. Think of it as personal life insurance, especially if you've never ridden before. In many states you can take a similar course called "Rider's Edge" at Harley dealers. This gives you the minimal basic skills to operate a bike, and usually waives you from taking the DMV riding test - just need to do the written. 2. Get good gear. Budget $500 minimum (helmet alone can easily cost more), newenough.com was mentioned before and they're great. The MSF class will require over-ankle boots, pants, long sleeves, gloves and helmet. You don't want to use one of their loaner lids, so hit the dealers and see what fits, it's important. Brands vary significantly in shell shape. There's a great (and semi-controversial) article here. 3. Check insurance on models you're considering. Single males under 25 get the worst of it, and companies vary in their policies. Some go by engine size only, some go by model names, theft rates, etc. 4. NOW start looking at bikes that fit the bill. Definitely go used if possible, though as you said, with the Ninja 250's $3k price it's easy to justify buying new. IF your budget allows after gear and insurance, go ahead. Just sit on everything you can first, remember what felt right/wrong on the bike(s) you rode in MSF, and shop around. A good rule of thumb is keeping the weight under 500lbs (400 or below is better), and under 60hp. 5. Remember it's your first bike, not your last... if you do it right. 6. Don't listen to anyone who claims to have owned a "Kawasaki GSXR", or who says you should start on a liter bike. If you don't have a healthy dose of fear when riding, whether trails or street, you're not appreciating the risks... or the rewards. Nothing like showing your tail to someone on a bigger, "more powerful" bike. 7. Don't let friends train you, unless they're an MSF coach, mc cop or similar. Your buddy may have the best of intentions, but odds are they don't have the eye to see bad newbie habits forming and so on. They're also likely to be biased by their own choices/history, and you should be looking for a clean slate. Off-road experience is great. You get some time to make the controls automatic without worrying about that bus/cab/soccer mom around the corner. It had been so long since I'd ridden that I decided to get back to basics away from traffic. Hey, you're on the Nissan Pathfinder OFF ROAD forums right? You should understand. Ok I'll stop now... final reco is to check out this site's forums and articles Feel free to PM me for more. Good luck!

Heh, just messin' w/ one of the resident experts Slick (like I said, jealous). Hey I did give ya a credit... :bow: Renn, thanks for the advice on the injector additive. Gotta look up that German stuff.

Um, headers/cat/muffler would be the "fart" end, eh Slick?... Just a newbie repeating gathered info here renn, but on the intake side the options seem to include: -ghetto airbox mods of misc flavors, usu. at least removing the resonator tube (runs along the top of the radiator from the elbow-thingy on front of airbox) -misc drop-in filter upgrades -clean the MAF (and your filter natch) -K&N adapter or similar for cone filters like Slick said, might do that soon -snorkels for those water-crossing folks -injector cleaner fuel additive (frequency?) I'm know I'm forgetting more. Wanted to show my good newbie spirit by trying to cover some basic answers I've seen in other threads... ...and maybe on Slick a little. Just the jealousy talkin'...

O rly? :idea: And dangit mws, what kind of help is that? No compressor. Sheesh. Seriously, thanks again guys. Now if my bank account can just keep up with my wishlists...

Hell yeah! My friends at work love it, 'cuz on the return trip from lunch the folks in back can recline. I think it's a significant factor in why I'm usually the one driving. Hmm, other coolness... When we first got it I thought the XE was the upper-end version, partly because it had the same stereo as my dad's '91 G20, with better speakers (I almost cried when he traded it for a J30). Mine's still stock and it's low on the upgrade list. With snow tires and 4wd as needed, it's been unstoppable in the CO winters. Had an (admittedly older) 4wd Subaru that slid around an icy mtn turn and right into/along the side of a guy's pickup while he was parked to put on chains. Never needed chains with the Pathy so far. Even before I put on the 31's I laughed at many other suv's/truck's excuse for ground clearance. IIRC many significant elements of the frame/drivetrain/etc are beefier on my 93 than later models... incl my bud's new Xterra.

Much appreciated guys! The Air Lifts look like just the ticket, and easy install is always a plus for this noob. Added to notes/wishlists. SC88/anyone: know which JGC springs will give the least/lesser lift? Not sure where to start/what to look for with those. Tranny temp gauge seems like a good idea... MORE GAUGES! I'll check my cooler/records to see exactly what I have, can't remember. Did a complete flush 6-8months back when we installed it, and the fluid is still nice and clean as of yesterday. Those of you with air setups: what psi rating/kind of compressor do you need/use, whether air lifts or shocks? We've been wanting an excuse to buy a comp for a while now anyway. Cheers!