Quote:
Originally Posted by JollyRoger
What good does life insurance do? You ain't gonna get to collect it. First, see if your employer offers long term/short term disability insurance. Given the risks of motorcycling, it is the smartest thing in the world to have. Believe it or not, your risk of being maimed for life are a lot higher than just being killed. Ah, don't mention the motorcycle to the insurance people....
I have three motorcycles. My "commuter" bike is a 2009 Honda VTX 1300. It is water cooled, which means if you get stuck in the kind of traffic we have in Houston, you're engine doesn't fry. It's also a powerful and comfortable bike, on the down side, the thing drives like a truck. I also have a 2004 Sportster 1200 XLC, which I also use for puttering around town. It's all souped up with all kinds of crap, which you have to do or the rice burners will make you eat $hit. Sportsters handle like a dream.
You can pick up all kinds of nice used Sportsters for five grand or less, they are a great bike if you want to ride a Harley cheap, and if you are looking to get laid. Ricers never get any, Hoggers get it all the time.
I also have a 2010 Heritage Softail. I usually only ride it to rallies or on long bike trips, mainly because I don't want to run up the miles on the little jewel.
You can't go wrong with any of the Honda's, great bikes, extremely reliable, and dirt cheap used. Either a Honda V twin or a Sportster fits your 8 grand budget.
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Good input!
HAD NO IDEA YOU WERE A BIKER TOO!
Although I respect the Harley-Davidson products and company - in fact,
two years ago, Berkshire-Hathaway, Inc. granted Harley-Davidson a loan for a whopping $300,000,000.00 dollars @ 15% APR 
after they asked for one. I of course believe they have a strong franchise and a viable product. If they default - shazzam, Berkshire owns part of HD!
However, where I part ways is the riding experience. I want it quick and manueverable - neither of which a Harley-Davidson is. They're not supposed to be either. So, that is NOT knocking them - they're just not high-performance enough for my riding wants & needs.
The Japanese 4 cylinder 1,200 cc+ superbikes do it for me - nothing is the rush of one rockin' on down the freeway or anywhere, really. They have the speed and quickness I need in a bike, 'cause that's just the way I roll!