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Scruff McGruff posted:You have just found me a bike If I ever get one of these (or the corresponding Duck or Bonnie) I am investing in a white scarf.
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May 14, 2009 23:20
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I'm sick of car drivers seeing my L plate and assuming I'm some 16 year old who doesn't have a license so the direct access is getting booked next week when I have cash. This got me thinking about upgrading my bike. Currently on a honda NSR 125 which is pretty darn sweet but I can easily sell it for what I paid for it, and I'm seeing used Suzuki GS 500 bikes going for about £1000 which would be right about my budget. I reckon it's a sensible upgrade but I am wondering if there are any issues that these bikes have that I should know about before I jump on one, and whether I would have any problems standing at traffic lights on one because I am a short-arse who can barely flat foot the NSR. Which is pretty drat small already.
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May 15, 2009 10:40
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Budgie posted:
Not really! Very reliable bikes. Budgie posted:, and whether I would have any problems standing at traffic lights on one because I am a short-arse who can barely flat foot the NSR. Which is pretty drat small already. Hmmm, that's another issue. I don't think it's much taller than the NSR. But maybe you should check out a Kawasaki Zephyr. Two 750s on autotrader.co.uk now for under £1000, but no 550s.
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May 15, 2009 11:50
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Budgie posted:I'm sick of car drivers seeing my L plate and assuming I'm some 16 year old who doesn't have a license so the direct access is getting booked next week when I have cash. A lot of DAS courses use GS500s, so you'll be able to find out then whether you can ride one comfortably. Talk to the guys that run the course, and if you show that you're genuinely worried if you'll fit, they'll normally let you sit on the bikes, maybe have a ride around the pad. If you can't fit on them, look for a 1993ish CB400. I've got one, and my friend's just bought one (we really didn't want the same bike, it just happens) and the seat height on them is really really low. There are some courses that use them, don't know where you're located, but, for instance, CMC in Cannock does.
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May 15, 2009 13:34
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Found an ad on Craigslist. Apparently some fellow is cleaning out his storage unit full of old bikes. And I do mean old. He's got a 60-something YDS3 for $100 and apparently several 60's 305 Superhawks in pieces (but complete). I do believe I'm going up there come Sunday and buying one. I already emailed him and received a reply. Will this end in tears? I know the Superhawks still have parts available. I'd buy the Yammy but since 8ender already has one I figure I'd be different  If I can't put it back together I figure I can always sell the parts for a lot more than $100.
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May 15, 2009 17:48
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100 Years in Iraq posted:Will this end in tears? I know the Superhawks still have parts available. I'd buy the Yammy but since 8ender already has one I figure I'd be different No buy the yammy. They're hilarious fun. Also if its in any kind of decent shape you'll be able to make 10 times the bikes value selling the parts.
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May 15, 2009 19:29
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I thought about the Yam, but I believe the 'hawks are 4-strokes and I'm waaaay too lazy to deal with mixing.
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May 15, 2009 19:32
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The yamaha has an oil pump and tank, so it mixes for you. The hawks are 4 stroke.
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May 15, 2009 19:37
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an actual frog fucked around with this message at 22:12 on Jun 24, 2020 |
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May 15, 2009 20:06
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100 Years in Iraq posted:I thought about the Yam, but I believe the 'hawks are 4-strokes and I'm waaaay too lazy to deal with mixing. The YDS3 introduced Yamahas revolutionary Autolube which is a system where you put two stroke oil in a tank on the side and it uses an engine driven pump to turn the oil into massive clouds of smoke.
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May 15, 2009 20:10
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100 Years in Iraq posted:Found an ad on Craigslist. Apparently some fellow is cleaning out his storage unit full of old bikes. And I do mean old. He's got a 60-something YDS3 for $100 and apparently several 60's 305 Superhawks in pieces (but complete). I do believe I'm going up there come Sunday and buying one. I already emailed him and received a reply. Buy the yamaha. They're such cool bikes.
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May 15, 2009 20:11
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http://nh.craigslist.org/mcy/1165035538.html Looking at this tomorrow morning. If it's clean I will probably pick it up. Is the price as fair as I think it is?
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May 15, 2009 20:25
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^^ Looks like a pretty fair price. Hopefully it doesn't get sold out from under you.Budgie posted:GS 500 You probably don't have to worry about the fit. I found that it was a smaller fit than a CBR125, with a lower seat height, and lower overall height as well. It's an unassuming, simple, learner friendly bike. It's also pretty good fun, as long as you don't expect it to pop wheelies everywhere.
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May 15, 2009 20:27
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I'm scheduled to take the MSF course in a few weeks time so I figured I'd start looking for my first bike. I always figured I'd start with a Ninja 250r, but considering I'm 5'11 and 205lbs, am I too heavy for it? Should I go for the 500r or 650r? For my size, would these make good beginner bikes? I prefer the sportier styling, but please let me know if there are any alternatives I should consider.
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May 16, 2009 02:51
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Inertiatic posted:I'm scheduled to take the MSF course in a few weeks time so I figured I'd start looking for my first bike. I always figured I'd start with a Ninja 250r, but considering I'm 5'11 and 205lbs, am I too heavy for it? Should I go for the 500r or 650r? For my size, would these make good beginner bikes? I prefer the sportier styling, but please let me know if there are any alternatives I should consider. As long as you're not climbing mountains carrying a ton of extra stuff, you'll be fine with a 250r.
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May 16, 2009 02:53
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Inertiatic posted:I'm scheduled to take the MSF course in a few weeks time so I figured I'd start looking for my first bike. I always figured I'd start with a Ninja 250r, but considering I'm 5'11 and 205lbs, am I too heavy for it? Should I go for the 500r or 650r? For my size, would these make good beginner bikes? I prefer the sportier styling, but please let me know if there are any alternatives I should consider. What sort of riding do you want to do? Long distance touring? Short hops? Twisty roads? Track riding? If it's the long distance/touring stuff, I'd push you towards the 500s. If it's sportier stuff, I'd push you towards the 250. Smaller bikes are easier to handle, easier to learn to go fast on, and more forgiving of the mistakes someone will make when learning to ride fast.
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May 16, 2009 03:28
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Well, I did it. I picked up a '79 GS750 off Craigslist for $800. The bike is in great shape, but is up for inspection next month, so we'll see how that goes. A more experienced friend rode the bike home for me and seemed really impressed with the ride. I'm thinkin about pickin up a shop manual. Is Clymer the way to go, or is there a better brand (or does it not really matter)? Also, there are some aftermarket mirrors and grips on it that I'd like to replace with something that more closely reflects the originals. Aside from picking up actual GS mirrors and grips off ebay, is there a recommended place to look for parts? Ninja edit: I'm in the midst of my MSF course right now (passed my knowledge test tonight, riding starts tomorrow), so I haven't taken it out myself yet, but look forward to doing it next week.
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May 16, 2009 04:45
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I have a year of riding under my belt (Kaw 250, R6), but have not done much serious riding within the past couple years. I do not ride like a squid either. Having said that, would it be reasonable to consider a '93 ZX6R as a reentry motorcycle? A coworker is trying to get rid of his '93 Kawasaki ZX6R. It only has 8300 miles, is supposedly well maintained (new tires in '08, shop tune-up around then too), has been garage kept(he took it out for 800mi last summer, but I'm unaware of anything since then), and has been laid down twice (according to him, there is no frame damage). What cautionary signs should I be looking out for, and what maintenance should I be expected to perform with a motorcycle of this age? Finally, he's asking for $1400. I haven't had much luck finding sale values for this bike, but would asking for less be lowballing or is $1400 considered to be a fair price?
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May 16, 2009 08:11
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Picked this up a week ago. I am absolutely in love with it. The only thing I have a problem with is the stock exhaust being so quiet, any suggestions on what to replace them with thats available in the UK? Click here for the full 1600x1200 image.  Click here for the full 1078x716 image. serious gaylord fucked around with this message at 17:07 on May 16, 2009 |
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May 16, 2009 16:54
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None of the bikes I've looked at to date have worked out. The KZ650 guy lied about the mechanical condition (I got there and it wouldn't start) and the Virago owner is showing it next week after replacing several parts that he didn't list as wrong in his ad (starter solenoid, front brakes). I'm going to go look at this one tomorrow: 1975 Honda CB500T I was looking at one of these a while back, and it looks like it may be right up my alley. 500cc, 42 HP, and looks sharp even though I'm not a big fan of doo-doo brown. Anyone have experience with these?
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May 17, 2009 03:01
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 If I wasn't saving money for a suit and more gear and crap I'd be all over this for number three in the garage  http://omaha.craigslist.org/mcy/1174757428.html I'm sure it'll be sold very soon too
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May 17, 2009 10:05
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Bhyo posted:Picked this up a week ago. I am absolutely in love with it. The only thing I have a problem with is the stock exhaust being so quiet, any suggestions on what to replace them with thats available in the UK? any aftermarket exhaust is going to make that bike sound sweet, blueflames are nice and cheapish, if you take out both baffles they're pretty loud too.
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May 17, 2009 12:51
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Bhyo posted:Picked this up a week ago. I am absolutely in love with it. The only thing I have a problem with is the stock exhaust being so quiet, any suggestions on what to replace them with thats available in the UK? Tigcraft! Also check out https://www.apriliaforum.com , it's a US based site but there are a ton of UK priler owners there.
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May 17, 2009 16:18
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BigHustle posted:None of the bikes I've looked at to date have worked out. The KZ650 guy lied about the mechanical condition (I got there and it wouldn't start) and the Virago owner is showing it next week after replacing several parts that he didn't list as wrong in his ad (starter solenoid, front brakes). I know the feeling. It's even worse with Ninja 250s and 500s because there's a mad dash to get to the seller as soon as the bikes go up, and 90% of the bikes are way more beat to poo poo in person than they look in the ad. http://forums.ninja250.org/viewtopic.php?p=750653#750653 I was a few hours too late in contacting this guy a week ago. Still kicking myself over that. kylej fucked around with this message at 16:58 on May 17, 2009 |
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May 17, 2009 16:55
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kylej posted:I know the feeling. It's even worse with Ninja 250s and 500s because there's a mad dash to get to the seller as soon as the bikes go up, and 90% of the bikes are way more beat to poo poo in person than they look. Its the time of the year. The bike fever is strong in the new riders and they're all scrambling to snatch up any bike they can find. Hell I put an old motorcycle jacket up on Craigslist last night and had three people emailing me within 10 minutes.
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May 17, 2009 17:00
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I'm sort of cross posting this, so mods please don't kill me... I'm selling my 1996 Suzuki GS500 with 7000 miles on it, reason located in that post. The bike is located in Columbus, OH. Maybe someone might know of someone? Here's the for sale thread... http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3138488
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May 17, 2009 20:55
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8ender posted:Its the time of the year. The bike fever is strong in the new riders and they're all scrambling to snatch up any bike they can find. Hell I put an old motorcycle jacket up on Craigslist last night and had three people emailing me within 10 minutes. Yeah I just gotta stay on top of it. I have a Firefox plugin which alerts me whenever someone adds a listing which should help. I'd rather wait for what I want than buy some turd out of emotion and regret it a week later.
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May 18, 2009 00:11
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kylej posted:I know the feeling. It's even worse with Ninja 250s and 500s because there's a mad dash to get to the seller as soon as the bikes go up, and 90% of the bikes are way more beat to poo poo in person than they look in the ad. Yeah, nothing it better than showing up to see a bike to find it in multiple pieces or totally beat to poo poo when the pics on the web look nice. I ended up getting the CB500T I looked at this morning. BigHustle fucked around with this message at 00:44 on May 18, 2009 |
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May 18, 2009 00:42
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Wow, that's in fantastic shape. I'm not put off by the color, especially with the matching seat.
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May 18, 2009 01:07
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That is a really good looking bike. Congrats!
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May 18, 2009 01:11
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Bucephalus posted:Wow, that's in fantastic shape. I'm not put off by the color, especially with the matching seat. It's very photogenic. There are a few scuffs and surface scratches on the tank and a fair amount of the chrome is spotty, but nothing that can't be cleaned up and polished. The guy bought it and fixed it up for his daughter, who wanted something faster and bought a sport bike instead. I paid $950 for it, which I considered a bargain since put on brand new tires along with replacing the master cylinder, brakes lines, battery, fork seals, and tuning the thing up. The seat is in perfect shape and the tank is spotless on the inside.
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May 18, 2009 01:20
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kylej posted:I have a Firefox plugin which alerts me whenever someone adds a listing... Interesting, what is the name of the plug-in? So yesterday I called a guy who listed a V-Star on Craigslist. I knew right away the guy was flaky when I told him I was calling about his motorcycle for sale and he replies with, "So why are you calling me?" Not in a way like he didn't hear me, but it was just a dumbass response. Then he tells me it's a Yamaha V-Star Sportster 883, at least he thinks it is anyway. I thanked him for his time and told him I was looking for a different model.  BigHustle posted:I ended up getting the CB500T I looked at this morning. Score! Very nice.
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May 18, 2009 04:42
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BigHustle posted:I paid $950 for it, which I considered a bargain since put on brand new tires along with replacing the master cylinder, brakes lines, battery, fork seals, and tuning the thing up. The seat is in perfect shape and the tank is spotless on the inside. You did quite well!
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May 18, 2009 04:50
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BigHustle posted:Shiny drat, that's a deal to be proud of. Too bad about the PO. UNGRATEFUL KIDS 
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May 18, 2009 07:43
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wormil posted:Interesting, what is the name of the plug-in? First do this http://www.lifeclever.com/the-lazy-way-to-search-craigslist/ Then download this extension https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/4808 Voila, now you can keep track of multiple searches in various Craigslist locations without any effort 
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May 18, 2009 14:17
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BigHustle posted:Yeah, nothing it better than showing up to see a bike to find it in multiple pieces or totally beat to poo poo when the pics on the web look nice. Er... good luck with that. The CB500T is pretty famous for its lack of reliability not to mention it has the longest cam chain ever made (with plastic guides). A friend had his engine seize up on him. We bought a replacement bike. I got it to run once... after which it too exploded. Do all preventive maintenance religiously and you should be fine.
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May 18, 2009 17:44
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orthod0ks posted:Well, I did it. I picked up a '79 GS750 off Craigslist for $800. The bike is in great shape, but is up for inspection next month, so we'll see how that goes. A more experienced friend rode the bike home for me and seemed really impressed with the ride. I successfully completed my MSF course and took the bike out for my first ride tonight. It was great, if not a bit intimidating, but I got used to the clutch pretty quickly. I ordered mirrors off ebay and can't wait for them to come in because the ones on it don't work worth poo poo. The bearings are really loose, and they're eyebrow shaped, so I can't get them in a useful position, and they're pretty small. I also posted this in the questions thread, but thought I'd throw it out there again. The exhaust is leaking oil. What is the most likely cause, and do I have any shot at fixing it myself with no mechanical experience? It's up for inspection next month, so I can just have the shop check it out if necessary.
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May 19, 2009 02:14
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Typical dicey description, lousy photos; anything in particular to look out for? Click here for the full 1002x632 image.
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May 19, 2009 03:39
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That's what I ride. Close to it at least. If that's an 85, the r/r is mounted on the frame on the right side, that stops it from frying r/r's. There's not a whole lot to look out for. The key thing is easier to fix than replacing the ignition. It's a $75 fix at the local locksmith. They'll figure out the combination, and cut you new keys. That said, the bike's a basketcase. The plastics are mismatched. Make sure the side covers are all there. The "carbs need to be installed" can mean a lot. $400 is on the top end of what I'd pay for it. If I showed up, and was impressed. Go, offer $250, expect to pay $300-350.
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May 19, 2009 06:12
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Nerobro posted:That said, the bike's a basketcase. The plastics are mismatched. Make sure the side covers are all there. The "carbs need to be installed" can mean a lot. $400 is on the top end of what I'd pay for it. If I showed up, and was impressed. Go, offer $250, expect to pay $300-350. I'd agree. Seems like it stopped running and they tore it apart to try to figure it out without a lot of mechanical experience and then gave up. Expect lots of little missing bits. That said I'd jump right on this if I saw it in my area.
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May 19, 2009 06:25
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