[Porschenut]

Hey fellas!

I'm trying to advise my buddy about bikes he might be interested in. He's going to riding school soon and needs advice on which bikes to look at but I have little knowledge about bikes in the naked class. He'll be riding street exclusively and is very concerned about safety. With that in mind, I've advised him to focus on bikes with cornering ABS and traction control to manage the cold and wet conditions often experienced in my city.

In descending order of importance here are the requirements:
1. Naked bike (he likes the look and perceived comfort of a naked bike)
2. Cornering abs
3. Traction control
4. Reasonable cost (though he would buy a Ducati Monster since he's Italian too)
5. Smaller engine sizes preferred.

We found the 2018 Honda CB650F and Yamaha MT-09/FZ-09 and likes them both but they don't have cornering ABS, only old school upright ABS.

Thanks bike gurus!

 

[GonzoRider]

I think you're going to be hard pressed to find cornering ABS on a smaller displacement naked right now. As far as I know only the Ktm 790 Duke comes equipped with that. Pretty sure "old school" ABS will be good enough lol. My advice would be to not buy a 2018 anything. He should definitely go used. I would also consider foregoing some of those electronics to develop skills without them. Although maybe that doesn't matter anymore since most bikes seem to be equipped with electronics these days. Either way I think it's a great time to start riding as there are more beginner bikes than ever. I don't think he could go wrong with any of the current crop of small nakeds. I'd go with the FZ-09/07 if I had to pick. Just my 2 cents :thumbsup:

 

[Porschenut]

I definitely agree. I did a quick search and came up with the Monster 1200 which just recently debuted with cornering ABS. Given it's Monster's top spec and that the aforementioned Honda and Yamahas don't have it, it leads me to believe that the naked class is relatively devoid of cornering ABS.

Thanks for the tip on the KTM. It's a killer ride but I'm steering him away from KTM because of the reputation for poor reliability.

Bummer for him. Most likely he'll have to settle for old school ABS.

 

[GonzoRider]

I definitely agree. I did a quick search and came up with the Monster 1200 which just recently debuted with cornering ABS. Given it's Monster's top spec and that the aforementioned Honda and Yamahas don't have it, it leads me to believe that the naked class is relatively devoid of cornering ABS.

Thanks for the tip on the KTM. It's a killer ride but I'm steering him away from KTM because of the reputation for poor reliability.

Bummer for him. Most likely he'll have to settle for old school ABS.

Not gonna lie. My KTM 950sm isn't the most reliable bike I've had... It's probably the most fun I've had on two wheels though! There will definitely be a 1290 Super Duke R in my future. Say, that has cornering ABS as well :grin2:

 

[scout]

=ask him to look at one of these two:

https://www.kawasaki.com/Products/2017-Ninja-300-ABS-KRT-Edition

https://www.kawasaki.com/Products/2018-Ninja-400-ABS

 

[R/T Performance]

triumph street triple 675 very capable bike.if I were to buy a naked it's that or the z1000 but a z1k is not beginner friendly

 

[Porschenut]

Scout. I really wonder about your posts sometimes.

My friends #1 priority is a naked bike (as mentioned above). The Ninja 400 fully faired sportbike is well outside the list of contenders.

The Triumph Speed Triple on the other hand is one of my absolute favorites and if it has ABS of some sort, then it'll jump to the top of the list.

 

[SkyDork]

I can officially recommend that all new riders NOT ride their bikes naked! It's not safe nor is it sanitary. It can be downright awkward also.

ATGATT - All The Gear All The Time! Just say NO to naked riding!

 

[SkyDork]

Wait a minute, did I not read this thread right? :dontknow::shady:

 

[Capncalyx]

Whats this fascination with ABS?? Let him learn to ride and build confidence in his abilities w/out the use of such handicaps. Lots of us learned to ride that way and id like to think we/most of us are thankful for that. I can do a panic brake and not lock up, shouldnt have to if you leave an Out. And if one really needs ABS to feel comfy in the corners it makes me wonder about their confidence in their own skills instead of relying on a gyro or whatever or what they intend to actually get from riding. Maybe learning w/out that stuff will make you sharper or less likely to push it knowing there's no safety net?? Learn without it and you might rely on your own skills more is my thought. Sounds like he has Fear but also that he's already trying to lean on gizmo's he hasnt even ridden w/OUT yet lol. Let him learn on a Suzuki GS250 like i rode in my MSF class and build some confidence MUAAAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAA!!!
My 95 zx6R (1st bike) didnt have ABS of course and i had to learn what it felt like when the shitty carbs got screwy and flooded the bike at 60mph killing it and coasting w/out power. Im sure we all have our stories lol... We lived and learned though, hope so at least.

Adding all those electronic gizzmo's will only add to the price of the bike, hinder learning IMO and you wont have that many GREAT learner bikes to choose from that will be perfectly fine "old school" machines to learn on even w/out ABS simply due to the nature of a more subdued bike. I learned to ride a fast bike slow and wish id done it the other way around now. I dont have a suggested bike for your buddy as i think the list needs refined but id agree on the FZ7/9 from Yamaha although all ive ever done is read about it. And, i park next to a Monster Duc at work and have wondered how easy it must be around town, they look fun to me, and light!

 

[Porschenut]

The ABS mentality is based on my 21 years of riding sportbikes and I'm glad that he's taken on the same mindset. I've done all my crashing and hospital visits on older bikes sans ABS and TC and now I won't ride without them. It's specifically why I targeted a 4th gen when I was shopping for a new ride in 2013.

We live in the 2nd worst traffic location in North America (not kidding, it's pretty bad here) and there are too many instances were cagers do stupid shit and cause panic braking situations. ABS is a proven life saver and I believe in it 110%. I have a hard time believing that anybody can out brake ABS when you're riding on a wet road with tar snakes everywhere and suddenly a Range Rover with an overseas driver cuts you off in an intersection and your reflexes automatically grab a fist full of brake. Everybody would lock up the front wheel in that situation. Everybody.

Traction control is also a valuable tool around here because of the cold, wet weather and so much traffic that you can't warm up your tires from fall to spring.

We don't have many opportunities to ride open twisties with sunny skies and dry pavement. Hence why ABS and traction control are so relevant. If he was only riding on the track, I'd say heck ya, ditch the electronics but it's not the case in this situation.

 

[don sholand]

THis guy is a beginner, and many of the bikes recommended above are not for beginners IMO. Even the FZ_09 is a beast when gassed.

Check out a Yamaha FZ-07. Good beginner naked bike. I also have an FZ-09 and a friend with an FZ-07. Great looking bike, low to the ground and comfortable, and sounds killer with an M4 slip on.

 

[scout]

Asphalt bikes for asphalt and naked are simply not asphalt bikes. do not buy naked bikes; do not buy tour bikes; do not buy fat wing or harley bikes do not buy 'adventure' bikes; Asphalt bikes or dirt bikes and that's it.

Psych PR dolts love riders for study of time and learning curves.