I rode a V65 Magna for 20 years til a minivan took me out in 2005 and nearly killed me. After that I hung up my leather gloves for quite awhile and lately have only ridden a small dirt bike. But the idea of getting back on big bike keeps popping up.

But Im already in my 60s. Comfort means a LOT at this point. And yet I dont really want to be riding an big ol' Aspencade either. So it seems like an older sport tourer would fit the bill. Like a Honda ST1300 or a BMW R1200RT or maybe a Yamaha FJR1300. Something with plenty of torque but still enough power and comfort that I can bring the wife along on the occasional ride. I also still have a mini trailer that I used to pull behind the Magna so I might want to use that again, although my tenting days will probably give way to staying at more hotels.

The biggest comfort feature on my bike was the day I got a Corbin saddle, but I can imagine that now Id definitely want heated grips and maybe a heated seat, heated vest. And Im tall so the adjustable fairings are a bonus for sure.

Anyone drive any of those bikes and have an opinion? Seat comfort? Buffeting/wind noise? Smoothness? Handling?

I've studied for motorcycle driving licenses in both my home country in Europe, and my work country in Asia. Something that really stood out to me was what each country said about braking. This wasn't just advice or anecdotes, it appeared on each formal theory test.

Europe: Front brakes are the strongest, they are your go-to in an emergency. Use front brakes to stop, and rear brakes to slow gently.

• https://bikesaint.com/blogs/motorcycle-safety/braking-on-a-motorcycle
• https://www.cycletrader.com/blog/2023/05/15/when-should-i-use-the-front-rear-brakes-on-a-motorcycle/

Asia: Rear brakes are the strongest, front brakes are deliberately weaker. This is because braking too hard on the front is very dangerous, you'll catapult yourself over the handlebars as the rear half of the bike still has momentum.

Direct translation of exam question:

Which of the following is wrong about using a motorcycle brake?

A use both front And rear brakes

B Front wheel brake first

C rear wheel brake first

D Do not use the front brake too early

Answer B

Look at the problem, to choose " wrong approach ", of course, is to choose " first use the front wheel brake ". The car is moving forward, then the use of front wheel brake, in the role of inertia, easy to cause rollover, we should pay attention to safety!

I guess my overall question is, what are the underlying approaches to brake engineering here? Are either of them 'more correct' or is it a case of different priorities at play?

In the spirit of u/gdp's post on escooters, does anyone ride motorcycles or motor scooters (e.g. Vespas)?

Compared to cars, motorcycles can be far cheaper in purchase cost, gas, and insurance. Additionally, lane filtering or riding the shoulder in gridlock can prevent you from being part of the traffic holding everyone up. Going fast is also fun, if that's your thing.