Your questions about bmw motorcycles

Wize Guy answers:

BMW are very reliable. But they cost more. You get what you pay for remember, 2- Many German companies bid on government contracts before and during the war to supply equipment. It was simply economic survival .

Wize Guy answers:

A BMW motorcycle is great, if you have a dealership near by (just in case)…

The are great rides in my opinion. Very smooth and comfortable. My personal favorite is the R1200RT (I would get the K-model but valve adjustments are easier on the boxer motor). I almost bought a used one, but my wife found the VTX to be more comfortable as a passenger (I couldn’t make up my mind between the BMW versus the VTX).

I currently ride a cruiser-type bike (Honda VTX1800T), and I find it very comfortable with plenty of power. Another to look at might be the Honda Goldwing, or any of the other larger displacement metric bikes.

As billy said, one person’s comfortable ride may be different to the next. Let your brother decide what HE likes!

Wize Guy answers:

The one thing that comes to mind when I see a bike with a lot of miles is that somebody really liked that bike! If they rode it that much, it must have been comfortable and ran good with few breakdowns. I bought my Harley Davidson with 27,000 and put over 12,000 on it the past year and it still runs beatifully. BMW is even more dependable than HD. I say go for that bike. If the last guy had that many miles on it – HE HAD FUN ON IT – and so should you.

Wize Guy answers:

BMW have discontinued their C1, that had CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) which is the closest most motorcycles come to being automatic.

http://www.motorcycle.com/manufacturer/bmw/bmw-c-1-cityscooter-13940.html

Aprilia makes the Mana, Honda makes the DN01, Yamaha has the FJR1300 (which does require gear changing but has no clutch)

http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcycles/aprilia-mana/aprilia-mana-850.htm

http://www.webbikeworld.com/Motorcycle-news/honda-dn-01.htm

http://www.yamaha-motor.com/sport/products/modelhome/180/home.aspx

Part of the fun of riding a motorbike is being in charge of the mechanicals, that includes the gearbox, it really isn’t hard to learn and improve on your skills. None of the above are ideal for first-timers – virtually any scooter would do that – but you will restrict yourself to a very small niche by not learning with a proper gearbox. Automatic motorbikes are always heavier than they need to be to cater for automatic changing.

Wize Guy answers:

Expensive to buy,own, and they have a rounded seat in front like a girls horse saddle. ( not made for male parts ). clunky shifting,weird things happen when you give it the power like suspension shifting. ok for some but not me.