Mrs. Chumly

What kind of motorcycle?

2004 Suzuki AN400 Burmgan is her main machine

I don't have the guts to ride one in traffic.

That's a scooter!

You should put her on a MV Augusta:

Mrs Chumly is right on all counts -- except about your small ass.

Mrs. Chumly likes to get a pass for the PNE Playland and ride the big ones like Drop Zone, Hellevator, Hell's Gate......I can't keep up.

Mrs. Chumly calls herself religious, but when I question her on basic aspects of the Bible she readily admits it make no sense; she would prefer if I did not bring it up at all.

Mrs. Chumly would like to travel a lot more, and has in the past, but I'm not so driven.

Mrs. Chumly loves to take the van and fill it up with lots of soil and big plants, and landscape-up our hilly rocky property.

Mrs. Chumly built granite stairs up the center of the long front of our hilly rocky property.

Mrs. Chumly will almost never ask for help, even if she is really struggling, she says she's saving her favors.

Mrs. Chumly lived on her own for 15 years before she met me, and would not move in with me, unless I agreed to a date for marriage.

Mrs Chumly, upon watching the John Stewart Show was not sure if the guest (who was a Christan priest talking about the Pope) was real, or if the interview was staged.

Mumpad is saving for a motorcycle. She has $2000 in her midlife crisis account.

If you want great weather protection, luggage, and no worries about shifting the Suzuki Burgman 400 is a good choice:

Overall Length: 89.0 in
Wheelbase: 62.6 in
Dry weight: 405 lbs
Engine type: Water-cooled 385 cc SOHC, 4 valves, single cylinder
Transmission: V-belt, CVT- automatic
Final Drive: Shaft

Mrs. Chumly insisted I buy this 1980 Kawasaki KZ440 so she can stay familiar with shifting. This is not the exact bike, but hers looks identical. I spent a chunk of time rebuilding the carbs, and bringing the electrics and mechanicals up to snuff. It uses points and condenser ignition, it was pretty funny using an ignition timing light for the first time in years.

Mrs. Chumly does not want to use my chainsaw when cutting smaller trees and brush, she uses my aging electric Back and Decker circular saw!

Sometimes, on sunny days, you can here her out on the steep property, blade screaming through the green wood; then the grinding hum of a stall from too deep a cut, then the motor chasing up to speed as the howling cut continues.

That old Back and Decker circular saw was the first saw I ever bought some 35 years ago, it won't die.

As a low paid framer, over 20 years ago, I usually bought the cheapie Black and Decker circular saws. There were many times they would outlast the other framers' more expensive ones.

Has she ever had one?

If it's her first, check out the new Kawasaki Ninja 250. Plus it's only $3500. They're pretty much sold out everywhere though.

They're a nice little bike as long as you don't mind sportbike ergonomics. New riders are probably going to smack up the expensive-to-replace bodywork though so a used naked may be a better choice.

62% of Ninja 250 owners are new riders, and 33% of that group is women.

They're not a cruiser, but the ergos are nowhere that of a supersport. Probably the fastest 250 out, it'll hit 100mph. For a naked bike, the older Suzuki GS500F is a great first bike too. You're right on the plastics...my first two bikes came to me pre-dumped, so I didn't worry about it too much.

My first bike was a Ninja 250. I'd love to get back on one and ring the hell out of it.

Where I live there are tons of really tight narrow twisties so a little bike like that actually can be more fun......my VRF ABS with fluids and hard bags is hitting 600 lbs.

VFR ABS 99 HP / 600 pounds wet = 0.165 HP per pound

Kawasaki Ninja 250R 36 HP / 355 pounds wet = 0.101 HP per pound

I sold my '03 VFR last spring. That was plenty fast for me. The 250 is a dog on the highway.

My break from riding didn't last long...picking up my '08 Triumph Daytona 675 Special Edition tomorrow...363lbs dry, 120-something hp(not at the wheel). And it's a triple...mmmm.....should be interesting...I'm looking forward to trackdays with it more than anything.

You're not a little heavy on the VFR? I thought mine was about 440-450 dry weight. And didn't think they made ABS in 99...at least in the US?
(edit...03 VFR 470lbs dry)

My VFR ABS is a 2004. The steel brackets for the luggage, plus the Honda OEM luggage, plus the ABS, plus all fluids does add a fair slab of weight.

Honda claims the weight of the 2004 VFR ABS is 557 lb. wet.

OK.......if we assume Honda (like many manufacturers) is a bit optimist on that number, then perhaps it weighs closer to 570 lb. wet.

OK.......each of the two Honda OEM luggage units weighs 5 pounds, so now we are at 580 lbs. wet.

OK........I've never weighed the steel brackets for the luggage, but they are surprisingly heavy, I figure they weight the better part of 15 lbs. so that's hitting 600 lbs........or damn close to it.

I've heard good things about the Daytona 675!

Mrs. Chumly doesn't get interested in numbers when it comes to bikes, she likes what she rides, and rides what she likes.