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TapTheForwardAssist
Apr 9, 2007

Pretty Little Lyres

Gr3y posted:

TTFA lives in Texas. Over there, and here in Arizona, the riding season lasts roughly from January to December.

TTFA: have you thought about changing the rear sprocket on your Nighthawk?

I'm in Austin now, but moving to NoVA in May. Planning to sell my 2001 Nighthawk here ($1300ish) and then get a new bike after I move. Moving the Nighthawk would be a hassle, and I'm up for a change of pace in a bike anyway.


quote:

If you don't mind ditching the UJM thing, and you just want a good bike for making quick blasts up the highway to get downtown, I don't see why you shouldn't look at big 2 stroke enduros. A same era DT250 or 360 would do nicely.

Funny you should mention, I saw a DT250 out front of a local shop recently, thought it seemed like a really cool bike, and presumably quick-handling.


However, I'd be a bit concerned about taking a bike that light (245lbs) onto the highways. My Nighthawk is slightly heavier (270lbs) and a heavy wind really puts some lean on it when I get up to 60mph.


CB350 is sounding better and better, and there are bunches of them on various sales sites. Puts out 36hp, top speed 102mph, 375lbs; sounds pretty solid overall. I'm just not into cruisers or sport-bikes, and as a small guy living in urban areas I'm not drawn to some 800lb touring bike. Though I admit the cafe-racer sportbikes are pretty cool (Triumph Thruxton), but that posture looks less comfortable than the standard.

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8ender
Sep 24, 2003

clown is watching you sleep

TapTheForwardAssist posted:

CB350 is sounding better and better, and there are bunches of them on various sales sites. Puts out 36hp, top speed 102mph, 375lbs; sounds pretty solid overall. I'm just not into cruisers or sport-bikes, and as a small guy living in urban areas I'm not drawn to some 800lb touring bike. Though I admit the cafe-racer sportbikes are pretty cool (Triumph Thruxton), but that posture looks less comfortable than the standard.

Consider the Kawasaki KZ400 and KZ440 as well. The KZ400 clocks in at 36hp and 380lb weight, the KZ440 is 40hp and around the same weight as well. They also look pretty great.

Only registered members can see post attachments!

Nerobro
Nov 4, 2005

Rider now with 100% more titanium!

TapTheForwardAssist posted:

However, I'd be a bit concerned about taking a bike that light (245lbs) onto the highways. My Nighthawk is slightly heavier (270lbs) and a heavy wind really puts some lean on it when I get up to 60mph.
Trouble with wind is YOU. Not the bike. A heavy bike really only changes gust response. In strong winds, it's just about ignoring lean angle. :-)

discostu
Feb 8, 2008
Newbie looking for advice here. I have never ridden a bike. I'm rather interested in road touring with occasional simple(and I emphasize the word simple) trail riding. Can a gs500 do that? Or will the trail riding destroy its suspension and/or tires? If not, then what bike is recommended? I was looking at something like the bmw f650gs. Will the f650gs kill me? Price isn't too much of a priority.

Nerobro
Nov 4, 2005

Rider now with 100% more titanium!
Yes, a GS500 can do that. Depends on what you call trail though. I've done miles upon miles of gravel on my GS550, which is a pure road bike. If you're just thinking fire roads, I'd even go at it with a sportbike.

If you want to do touring, I'd point at a KLR. Or F650. Or DR650. Or KTM690/640. Or really any big thumper that comes with dirt sized wheels. Be prepared to lower it a bit.

MrKatharsis
Nov 29, 2003

feel the bern
YOU FORGOT THE VEEE-STROOOMMMMMM.

The ultimate 90% road, 10% dirt bike.

discostu
Feb 8, 2008
Thanks for the advice. I'm actually looking 98% road and 2% trail. And by trail, I mean rally car terrain stuff at the most. Not motorcross stuff.

PlasticSun
Feb 12, 2002

Unnaturally Good
A KLR, F650, DR650, XR650L, will all be just fine for a newbie, the biggest problem you'll have will be that all the bikes are tall and top heavy. If you have long legs it won't be problem if you don't then you'll likely end up feeling less confident when comming to a stop.

The DL650 VStrom is a great bike and sounds perfect for you, it'll have more power but it will also be much smoother. If price is no problem check out the new F650GS (which is actually an 800cc detuned F800 motor). They make the F650 with a lowered frame if you're inseam challenged but it'll be more expensive than a DL650.

I'd stay away from KTMs like the LC4 or 640 Adventure as they're going to vibrate more which will annoy you on road trips. The KLR is also a bit buzzy.

PlasticSun fucked around with this message at 18:00 on Mar 24, 2009

Budgie
Mar 9, 2007
Yeah, like the bird.
I just got myself a Honda NSR125 Foxeye 2003 model at the weekend, restricted version since I'm still on my CBT. It's so fun to ride, so much better and easier handling than the CG I learned on.

I've also learned just what people mean by the powerband on a two stroke, the front lifts a bit when I reach it. It was a nice little surprise the first time!

I'm actually way more impressed with it than I thought I would be. I think it will be great for a few months before I go in for my direct access test, then I will see about either buying a derestricted exhaust/jet set or maybe selling it on and getting a bigger engined bike.

DiscoKid
May 25, 2004

by Fistgrrl
Is $1150 for a 78 GS 1000 a reasonable asking price?

http://greenbay.craigslist.org/mcy/1090684886.html

Got lots of miles on it, but man that's pretty.





edit: vvv That's very nice of you, thank you. I think I'm going to give him a shout tomorrow and maybe go take a look at it, I will definitely be in touch if I end up getting it.vvv

DiscoKid fucked around with this message at 01:10 on Mar 26, 2009

CoolBlue
Jul 23, 2007
Bags of cereal are awesome

DiscoKid posted:

Is $1150 for a 78 GS 1000 a reasonable asking price?

http://greenbay.craigslist.org/mcy/1090684886.html

Got lots of miles on it, but man that's pretty.

Those 2 valve motors are absolute tanks. It still has plenty of life left in it, especially if it was well maintained. Keep up on regular maintenance and you won't have any problems. And yes, that's a fair price. If you end up buying it, shoot me an email at liloaty at gmail dot com. Chances are I've got a speedo sending unit and a speedo cable (maybe a tach cable too) for it that I'd gladly give you just to get it out of my garage.

The only downside is that ugly rear end seat, but that can be fixed. I'd offer a grand just to see if he'll take it, but like I said that asking price is pretty fair.

Taelrin
Jul 17, 2004

PlasticSun posted:

A KLR, F650, DR650, XR650L, will all be just fine for a newbie, the biggest problem you'll have will be that all the bikes are tall and top heavy. If you have long legs it won't be problem if you don't then you'll likely end up feeling less confident when comming to a stop.

The DL650 VStrom is a great bike and sounds perfect for you, it'll have more power but it will also be much smoother. If price is no problem check out the new F650GS (which is actually an 800cc detuned F800 motor). They make the F650 with a lowered frame if you're inseam challenged but it'll be more expensive than a DL650.

I'd stay away from KTMs like the LC4 or 640 Adventure as they're going to vibrate more which will annoy you on road trips. The KLR is also a bit buzzy.

To say that the KTMs are buzzy and the KLR is just a bit buzzy is kind of funny. The going joke is that KLR stands for "Keep Locktite ready"

I've got a KLR and the big V-strom and I'd highly recommend the 650 V over the KLR any day. You really have to flog the KLR to do well on the street over 65, and there's problems with sustained high speed/rpm usage warping the cylinder bore and them burning oil faster than normal. They're bulletproof to a degree, as long as you don't ask them to do what they're not supposed to.

For information on the KLR hit up klr650.net and for the v-strom stromtrooper.com They're both friendly, useful sites.

Nerobro
Nov 4, 2005

Rider now with 100% more titanium!

DiscoKid posted:

Is $1150 for a 78 GS 1000 a reasonable asking price?

http://greenbay.craigslist.org/mcy/1090684886.html

Got lots of miles on it, but man that's pretty.

63,000 miles isn't a lot of miles for a GS. Not even ballpark "a lot." I got my 1980 GS550E with 60k+ on it, and it didn't even need swingarm or wheel bearings yet.

A GS1000 has roughly 90hp. And torque like you wouldn't believe.

That's also a highly desirable "skunk" GS. The black with white side stripes is uncommon, and somewhat collectible.

The seat is called a "king-queen" seat. Find a stock seat, they go for $40-80 on ebay.

A grand is about right for that bike. Especially with the new ignition system on it.

TapTheForwardAssist
Apr 9, 2007

Pretty Little Lyres

kdc67 posted:

Quit looking at craigslist for everything. Go to ebay motors.

Not quite following how that's going to help.

Granted, the search engine is 1000x better than Craigslist, so it's cool that I can specifically search "Standard/Naked motorcycles 250cc-500cc within 200 miles of zipcode 12356", however when I do that there are a grand total of like three even semi-interesting bikes (CB400, KZ400) within 3hrs of Washington DC, and two of those three are rotting away in barns in rural Pennsylvania "DOESNT RUN BUT PRETY GOOD OVERALL $300".

Whereas with Craigslist I have to sort through hundreds of listings per week (since "400" in Search won't catch 400cc, KZ400, or CB400), but at least there are a ton of bikes within my area.

kdc67
Feb 2, 2006

WHEEEEEEE!
GS400s pop up quite often on ebay motors in the warmer weather. You should be able to find one.

Simkin
May 18, 2007

"He says he's going to be number one!"
You're in DC, right? How about any of these?

Some older Kawis
http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/mld/mcy/1086033212.html
http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/mcy/1087050750.html
http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/mcy/1091695300.html

And if you want a ... sportier 400,
http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/mcy/1086721982.html

TapTheForwardAssist
Apr 9, 2007

Pretty Little Lyres

Much appreciate the heads-up, but I don't move to DC until mid-May.

Again, since CL's search engine sucks donkey balls it does help me to have some notion of what keywords to go for, so thus far these are promising:

KZ350/400/440/500/550
CB350/360/400/440/500
GS400/440

Or I can just run searches under Yamaha, Honda, Suzuki, and Kawasaki and see what jumps out. CL is pretty cool overall, and I realise that improving their search engine would cost money, but it does kind of bite that there's all this content and yet I can miss a CB400F if I type in "CB400", and I'll miss a CB400 if it's listed as "CB 400".

Uncle Ivan
Aug 31, 2001
I just got a 1981 GS850 for $1000, posted on craigslist earlier today. It has a few minor problems, and cylinder #1 isn't firing though, but I hope it will be an easy fix, since the bike looks to be in good shape otherwise and these engines are tanks so with 26,000 on the clock I'm hoping it's nothing serious.

I'm pretty pleased with the price considering this is NYC, where anything that turns over and rolls starts at $1000.

I was also wondering if anyone had any spare parts by chance for the old GSes.

Ola
Jul 19, 2004

Uncle Ivan posted:



I just got a 1981 GS850

Welcome to the fold.

Behold, the tablets of truth and wisdom:

http://www.thegsresources.com

http://members.dslextreme.com/users/bikecliff/

Regarding your #1 cylinder, the first answer is always "clean thy carbs".

Also post pics of it.

CoolBlue
Jul 23, 2007
Bags of cereal are awesome

Uncle Ivan posted:

I just got a 1981 GS850 for $1000, posted on craigslist earlier today. It has a few minor problems, and cylinder #1 isn't firing though, but I hope it will be an easy fix, since the bike looks to be in good shape otherwise and these engines are tanks so with 26,000 on the clock I'm hoping it's nothing serious.

I'm pretty pleased with the price considering this is NYC, where anything that turns over and rolls starts at $1000.

I was also wondering if anyone had any spare parts by chance for the old GSes.

What do you need, I've got a crap ton of stuff.

Simkin
May 18, 2007

"He says he's going to be number one!"

TapTheForwardAssist posted:

Much appreciate the heads-up, but I don't move to DC until mid-May.

Well, where are you, then? Some of us search for vehicles just for entertainment, so...

Also, searching for '400' '450' etc will usually yield all the bikes with those numbers anywhere in the description, so you'll end up with CB400 GS 400, without the hassle of individually searching for each marque. If you have the equivalent of usedvictoria.com in your area, their search allows for much better refining, including limiting by engine displacement.

TapTheForwardAssist
Apr 9, 2007

Pretty Little Lyres

Simkin posted:

Well, where are you, then? Some of us search for vehicles just for entertainment, so...

Also, searching for '400' '450' etc will usually yield all the bikes with those numbers anywhere in the description, so you'll end up with CB400 GS 400, without the hassle of individually searching for each marque.

"Usually" maybe, but if someone calls it a "CB450" and doesn't put the word in the title, then no, it won't pop up.



I'm in Austin now, but I have a CB250 down here I'll be selling when I move (early May), and then buying a larger bike in the DC area.

I'm sure this will be sold by then, but just as an example: is it a horrible idea to buy a non-working Honda for $400-800, pay $100 or whatever to have it hauled to a Honda mechanic nearby (Baltimore), pay $500 (or whatever) to have it totally cleaned/fixed, and then just pick it up and ride it back to Virginia?

http://baltimore.craigslist.org/mcy/1077732679.html



Just wondering if buying a $700 (quality) bike with some problems and having it fixed up is cheaper/easier than looking for a CB400/450/500 that 100% runs, which seem to cost a ton more and be less common.

While I'm here, what's the general "do not buy earlier than year 19XX" for the CB series, assuming I want something that runs reliably without undue effort?


EDIT: I'm not this unethical, but it'd be hilariously manipulative to buy a bike, push it down to the street, then call up your "valid with whatever vehicle you're in while carrying your cellphone" roadside assistance plan and have it towed to a mechanic for free.

TapTheForwardAssist fucked around with this message at 00:06 on Mar 27, 2009

Nerobro
Nov 4, 2005

Rider now with 100% more titanium!

Ola posted:

Welcome to the fold.

http://members.dslextreme.com/users/bikecliff/

Regarding your #1 cylinder, the first answer is always "clean thy carbs".

Also post pics of it.

First off, BassCliff is awesome. I got to hang out with him this summer.

Seconding the carb answer. Also, you can check the boot on your coil. spark plug boots go bad sometimes.

The carbs are most likely though. I love seeing new people with GS's

Uncle Ivan
Aug 31, 2001

CoolBlue posted:

What do you need, I've got a crap ton of stuff.

Can you email me, I don't have PM. uncle.ivan.sa at gmail.

Simkin
May 18, 2007

"He says he's going to be number one!"

TapTheForwardAssist posted:

I'm in Austin now

Well, it does look pretty dire, but there are a few potential candidates on your local CL.

Oh, look, it's a GS450. I wonder if you can still find parts for that...
http://austin.craigslist.org/mcy/1092448718.html

Here's another 80s Suzuki UJM, but it's not a GS. :monocle:
http://austin.craigslist.org/mcy/1085388540.html

And, if you really feel like a project bike, this one 'just needs a carb and a batter.' :v:
http://austin.craigslist.org/mcy/1085477190.html

TapTheForwardAssist
Apr 9, 2007

Pretty Little Lyres

Simkin posted:

Well, it does look pretty dire, but there are a few potential candidates on your local CL.

Oh, look, it's a GS450. I wonder if you can still find parts for that...
http://austin.craigslist.org/mcy/1092448718.html

Here's another 80s Suzuki UJM, but it's not a GS. :monocle:
http://austin.craigslist.org/mcy/1085388540.html

And, if you really feel like a project bike, this one 'just needs a carb and a batter.' :v:
http://austin.craigslist.org/mcy/1085477190.html


Thanks, but I'll just stick with my CB250 for the next six weeks until I move to DC. It's enough that I have one bike and one moped to sell anyway. But I'll definitely be UJM-hunting in DC when I get up there.

Two quick UJM questions:

1) Are there any 1990-Present UJM bikes very similar to these older ones I've been looking at? Or just the CB series? It just seems that all the UJMs I see are 1970-1985 bikes. Did the style just completely fall out of favour?

2) I've seen some UJMs that seem much smaller in frame than others (GS400?). But I vaguely think I've seen 400s that are just as big as 550s as well. Is there any way to tell, short of looking at the bike in person, which UJMs are more compact? The XS400, for example, when I saw it in person looked almost closer in size to a Honda Rebel more than my CB250 Nighthawk, despite having more than twice the hp of a Rebel.

Basically, looking for a compact/cute UJM, and not sure which 400s are tiny and which are just as big as 650cc bikes with a smaller engine bolted on.


EDIT: I would totally consider jumping on that GS450 if I were staying in Austin.

Simkin
May 18, 2007

"He says he's going to be number one!"
There were a few more recent standards/UJMs, like the Kawasaki Zephyr, and the W650. I stick by the GS500 as being the defacto standard/UJM, as it has all the right parts - relaxed seating position, not enormous, very simple mechanically, and cheap (both to buy, and for parts). The bike I have as my daily is considered a standard, but with a bikini fairing, it looks part UJM and part sport tourer - it's a ZR-7S. Then, there's also the Bandit and the CB599, both of which have the styling part down.

Here's the Zephyr:

This is a pic of the 400, but I'm pretty sure the one sold stateside had a 600 or 650 air/oil cooled I4 in it.

Ola
Jul 19, 2004

The Zephyr is easily one of the best looking standards. Displacement from 400 to 1100 is great. No buying advice, just posting nice pic.

Simkin
May 18, 2007

"He says he's going to be number one!"
It's definitely on my wishlist, plus, I would be able to apply most of my knowledge of my engine to it as well. :)

Anyone in Seattle, that's looking for a really nice deal on one of the prettiest UJMs to ever be produced, here's a 1990 Zephyr 550 for $1000. :monocle:
http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/mcy/1091288347.html

Edit: Goddamnit, I really wish there were deals like that on this side of the border. :smith:

Simkin fucked around with this message at 01:34 on Mar 27, 2009

TapTheForwardAssist
Apr 9, 2007

Pretty Little Lyres
Given that I don't move to DC for another 6 weeks, would it be completely daft to put in a bid on this, and then if I win road-trip out there (150 miles) in a buddy's car to pick it up and drive it back sometime in May?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1981...A1%7C240%3A1318


This seems to be just about what I want, and allegedly in 100% "ready to drive off" condition.

Or is it very likely that a similarly good deal will pop up closer to DC in the next 6 weeks, and I should just continue to watch eBay and CL, and not actually buy a bike until I'm all moved and settled-in to Northern Virginia?

EDIT: How hard/pricey is it, generally, to have a bike shipped 150mi, or to pay someone to ride it down to DC?

It'd be $400 to have it shipped even just that far, so it'd be easier just to ask a 17yr old cousin to drive me two hours out, and then treat them to a big steak dinner or something that evening. I could make it a nice long all-day road-trip back to DC, again assuming everything is as running as it's claimed to be.

TapTheForwardAssist fucked around with this message at 02:37 on Mar 27, 2009

8ender
Sep 24, 2003

clown is watching you sleep

TapTheForwardAssist posted:

Given that I don't move to DC for another 6 weeks, would it be completely daft to put in a bid on this, and then if I win road-trip out there (150 miles) in a buddy's car to pick it up and drive it back sometime in May?

Doesn't seem like a bad bike at all. Looks like its had some work done recently all over. Wouldn't be surprised to find that this was someone's winter project and they've got it ready to flip. I'd buy it if you can score a good price on it.

CoolBlue
Jul 23, 2007
Bags of cereal are awesome

Nerobro posted:

First off, BassCliff is awesome. I got to hang out with him this summer.

Seconding the carb answer. Also, you can check the boot on your coil. spark plug boots go bad sometimes.

The carbs are most likely though. I love seeing new people with GS's

OK, BassCliff is a cool dude but do his posts on GSR drive you as crazy as they do me? The "Thanks for you indulgence" poo poo really irks me, seeing as its on every post he makes (which 99% of his posts are the MEGAWELCOME!)

TapTheForwardAssist
Apr 9, 2007

Pretty Little Lyres

8ender posted:

Doesn't seem like a bad bike at all. Looks like its had some work done recently all over. Wouldn't be surprised to find that this was someone's winter project and they've got it ready to flip. I'd buy it if you can score a good price on it.

So what is a good price for an '81 GS450L in the PA/MD/VA area? It's only got 3400 miles on it too.

Glancing at Craigslist there are a few decent ones asking $2000 (which seems pretty high) some "not too many serious problems" with 25,000+ miles for $1000-1200, and then a bunch of "doesn't run, might be fixable" for $300-800.


I dunno, I'm half-tempted to BiN, but that seems a bit high and I'm not convinced that many folks are going to make a trip out to bumfuck an hour west of Philly to pick it up, or pay $400+ to have it shipped practically two hours away.

I dunno, since this is pretty much what I want, and I'm about to sell a $1500 bike here in Austin, and have no particular shortage of cash (being a godless yuppie), should I bid $1999 for it? That way I avoid triggering the BiN, but I'll still beat anyone else who isn't willing to BiN.

Will call the phone# in the ad tomorrow, ask if they're cool with holding it for me for 6 weeks if I pay the money down.

Bugdrvr
Mar 7, 2003

The price is kinda high for what most of us are used to paying for older bikes but if it is ready to hop on and ride then it might not be such a bad deal.

From your posts it sounds like you will be having a shop do most of your work so you have to figure that into the older UJM equation. If you picked something like this up for $400 out of grandad's garage after it's been sitting for 20 years (I'm betting the seller did just that), you are going to have to pay a mechanic a good pile of cash to get it going again. Not much in parts, just a ton in labor.

TapTheForwardAssist
Apr 9, 2007

Pretty Little Lyres

Bugdrvr posted:

From your posts it sounds like you will be having a shop do most of your work so you have to figure that into the older UJM equation. If you picked something like this up for $400 out of grandad's garage after it's been sitting for 20 years (I'm betting the seller did just that), you are going to have to pay a mechanic a good pile of cash to get it going again. Not much in parts, just a ton in labor.

Yeh, I hate to sound like a yuppie rear end in a top hat, but I really suck at anything mechanical that's any more complicated than cleaning an M16, or hosing out the carb on a moped.

Given that it's a better use of my time (since I wouldn't enjoy totally rebuilding a bike) to spend those hours doing profitable labour and then just give the cash to a mechanic, I'd rather just spend a little more for a running bike in the first place.

I don't know if it's CA heresy to admit this, but I'm mostly interested in riding the drat thing, and not too fascinated by maintenance above and beyond fueling, oiling, and inflating the critter.

8ender
Sep 24, 2003

clown is watching you sleep

TapTheForwardAssist posted:

It's only got 3400 miles on it too.

3400 miles is a really nice low number for a bike that old. However, there really isn't stopping anyone from swapping speedos when they're working on a bike, so its buyer beware when it comes to mileage. My KZ650 went from 19,000 miles to 14,000 miles when I switched speedos.

I dunno, if you're willing to pay up to $1999 for a nice old UJM then I'd say bid that and see what happens in two days. There is no guarantee the bike is going to be flawless, but the UJMs are, for the most part, legendary for reliability.

Gr3y
Jul 29, 2003

TapTheForwardAssist posted:

Yeh, I hate to sound like a yuppie rear end in a top hat, but I really suck at anything mechanical that's any more complicated than cleaning an M16, or hosing out the carb on a moped.

Given that it's a better use of my time (since I wouldn't enjoy totally rebuilding a bike) to spend those hours doing profitable labour and then just give the cash to a mechanic, I'd rather just spend a little more for a running bike in the first place.

I don't know if it's CA heresy to admit this, but I'm mostly interested in riding the drat thing, and not too fascinated by maintenance above and beyond fueling, oiling, and inflating the critter.

If you can properly disassemble an M16 and put it back together there's probably a fair bit of stuff you can do to your bike. I says this as the AR 180s and 15s I've played around with seem to be about as mechanicly complex as my '82 Nighthawk. I still need to post pictures of the brake work I did on mine last weekend but it was ridicouliously simple. A shop manual, an $8 socket set from Autozone, and about an hour of my time was enough to swap out the front pads. Which I did in the parking lot of my condo. All I need is a little piece of tubing and I can bleed the bastard and start bedding them in proper.

Also: If you go for that bike on Ebay, you may want to call the guy and make sure he's cool with hanging onto the bike for another six weeks. Freeing up some floorspace/getting their SO to stop bitching about the drat thing may be as big a reason to sell as the cash.

Z3n
Jul 21, 2007

I think the point is Z3n is a space cowboy on the edge of a frontier unknown to man, he's out there pushing the limits, trail braking into the abyss. Finding out where the edge of the razor is, turning to face the darkness and revving his 690 into it's vast gaze. You gotta live this to learn it bro.

TapTheForwardAssist posted:

Yeh, I hate to sound like a yuppie rear end in a top hat, but I really suck at anything mechanical that's any more complicated than cleaning an M16, or hosing out the carb on a moped.

Given that it's a better use of my time (since I wouldn't enjoy totally rebuilding a bike) to spend those hours doing profitable labour and then just give the cash to a mechanic, I'd rather just spend a little more for a running bike in the first place.

I don't know if it's CA heresy to admit this, but I'm mostly interested in riding the drat thing, and not too fascinated by maintenance above and beyond fueling, oiling, and inflating the critter.

I wouldn't bid that high for that bike straight off. See where things go, monitor the auction over the next few days, and see if it spikes up all of the sudden. You've still got 6 weeks before moving, so I wouldn't jump at the first bike to strike your fancy just because it's there. Plus the buyer may not want to deal with storing it for 6 weeks, blah blah blah.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with not wanting to work on your bike. I only learned how to work on bikes because I couldn't afford to have someone else do it...If I could afford it, I'd hand everything off to a mechanic that I trusted and only ride. I can't, so I work on my own bikes. Most motorcyclists don't sign up to be mechanics, some of us end up doing it anyways ;) Some part of me enjoys working on bikes, I'd be hard pressed to tell you what part it is though. :v:

You'll notice that that's the key difference between how me and Nero approach bikes. He wants to understand how it works, tear it apart to make it better, etc., I just want to make the loving thing run so I can ride it. Thusly my lack of understanding on a lot of the theory fronts. I don't care, just make it work. Rewinding stators? gently caress that, couldn't pay me enough to do that poo poo. :shobon:

Nerobro
Nov 4, 2005

Rider now with 100% more titanium!

TapTheForwardAssist posted:

Two quick UJM questions:

1) Are there any 1990-Present UJM bikes very similar to these older ones I've been looking at? Or just the CB series? It just seems that all the UJMs I see are 1970-1985 bikes. Did the style just completely fall out of favour?
UJM's became todays sportbikes, sport tourers, and cruisers. The whole breed took two different paths. One half went chasing harley, the other half went chasing corners. There's a reason

quote:

2) I've seen some UJMs that seem much smaller in frame than others (GS400?). But I vaguely think I've seen 400s that are just as big as 550s as well. Is there any way to tell, short of looking at the bike in person, which UJMs are more compact? The XS400, for example, when I saw it in person looked almost closer in size to a Honda Rebel more than my CB250 Nighthawk, despite having more than twice the hp of a Rebel.
There's really two sizes of GS. The GStwins: 250, 300, 400, 425, 450, 500. And the four cylinder bikes: GS550, 650, 750, 850, 1000, 1100, and 1150. I'll drag out the bikes this weekend for comparison shots. Honda has a similar situation. Their parallel twin bikes are about the same size as the GS twins. And their 4 cylinder bikes are much larger. I think kawasaki's twins are larger.

TapTheForwardAssist posted:

GS450L
Oh, you mean like this one?

Yes, bid on it you fool. That one I sold last spring for $871, without title. $2k is high given the paint condition. I'd go $1000-1100.

TapTheForwardAssist posted:

I don't know if it's CA heresy to admit this, but I'm mostly interested in riding the drat thing, and not too fascinated by maintenance above and beyond fueling, oiling, and inflating the critter.
Then a GS is perfect for you. I understand that desire entirely.

Z3n posted:

You'll notice that that's the key difference between how me and Nero approach bikes. He wants to understand how it works, tear it apart to make it better, etc., I just want to make the loving thing run so I can ride it. Thusly my lack of understanding on a lot of the theory fronts. I don't care, just make it work. Rewinding stators? gently caress that, couldn't pay me enough to do that poo poo. :shobon:
Total maintenance on my 1983 GS550 for the last 18 months. Two oil changes, and charging the battery after it sat for two months. *grins* Then again, I did all the work to make the bike run like that.

A side note from last nights ride. Leather does absolutely nothing to keep you warm. 35 degrees....

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kdc67
Feb 2, 2006

WHEEEEEEE!

CoolBlue posted:

OK, BassCliff is a cool dude but do his posts on GSR drive you as crazy as they do me? The "Thanks for you indulgence" poo poo really irks me, seeing as its on every post he makes (which 99% of his posts are the MEGAWELCOME!)

Alright already what's your name on the GSR? You seem to have an.. interesting perspective on them. A lot of people "sign" their posts there.

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