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Sushi in Yiddish posted:I still love the retro look of the 70s UJMs but drat if this thread hasn't introduced the idea of picking up a naked modern standard like a SV or FZ. FZ1 for a first bike seems like a bad idea. Keep hunting those CX500's. I might be biased, but I think they're literally the best beginners bike. The run forever, make less than 50 hp, weigh less than 500 lbs and no one cares if you beat it up because they're ugly to begin with. BTW, what's wrong with the GL500's you've seen pop up? It's a bit heavier but still a decent bike. If you got one with bags and a fairing that was a stock color and didn't want to destroy that, parting them out would yield you a pretty penny.
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May 18, 2012 00:34
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http://newyork.craigslist.org/fct/mcy/3021654101.html Price seems high for a non-running bike, but it looks in nice shape otherwise. Kinda like the Kawi looks better than Honda, even if this specific one is kinda dull
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May 18, 2012 02:27
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Bloody Queef posted:I do like the touring aspect of the GL500 (and the disc brakes/shaft drive), my main complaint is looks are a little goofy. Like the Nighthawk of the early 80s, seems to me that Honda was trying to do a hybrid between a cruiser and standard. They certainly can be obtained for a song (relatively) in CA http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/mcy/3013109281.html
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May 18, 2012 04:46
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A solo seat GL500 w/bags actually doesn't look too bad and is probably one of the most utilitarian budget bikes you can buy... if you're OK with a bike with a fairing and bags that is. Not a super lightweight, no, but they're really not that bad.
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May 18, 2012 16:56
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These are pretty rare, but decent looking for a CX if you can find one.
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May 18, 2012 17:02
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slidebite posted:These are pretty rare, but decent looking for a CX if you can find one. Totally agree, but parts - especially for for the 650s - are becoming really expensive and hard to get. It's a shame. The CXs are incredible nice bikes.
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May 18, 2012 17:12
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slidebite posted:A solo seat GL500 w/bags actually doesn't look too bad and is probably one of the most utilitarian budget bikes you can buy... if you're OK with a bike with a fairing and bags that is. That color looks much snazzier than the grey. I actually really like the idea of having back luggage, the interstate versions I've seen in Los Angeles CL listings have always been beaten to crap and left in a backyard but if it wouldn't be too unwieldy for a first bike maybe I will keep an eye out for those.
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May 18, 2012 18:43
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I think that photo makes the color look darker than it is, it's kind of a dark burgundy.. but it doesn't really look quite that dark in person. Pretty common color for 81-82 IIRC. I think they're more common than the grey up here.
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May 18, 2012 19:35
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Even more rare but incredibly nice, when I'm old and retired I will have one of these in my garage: Turbo 
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May 18, 2012 23:55
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Sushi in Yiddish posted:That color looks much snazzier than the grey. I actually really like the idea of having back luggage, the interstate versions I've seen in Los Angeles CL listings have always been beaten to crap and left in a backyard but if it wouldn't be too unwieldy for a first bike maybe I will keep an eye out for those. The silver color looks good, but certainly not snazzy. It's a very Honda Accord-like color. The other color is the horrible 80's wine berry color. My GL500 is silver and I wish it was the Interstate model. Sushi in Yiddish posted:They certainly can be obtained for a song (relatively) in CA http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/mcy/3013109281.html 2k for a non-interstate model (no bags and fairing) Silverwing is a lot of money around these parts (Philadelphia) It's also doesn't say if it has the trunk. It's not a top-box, but it replaces the passenger seat and is a lockable storage box that will just fit a 15" laptop in a sleeve (not a briefcase though). I strap my briefcase over the storage box and put raingear and a few tools in the box and commute to work about 2-3 days a week during the summer in this configuration. I'd do it 5 days a week, but then my CX500 or CB350f wouldn't get any love. I've always been of the opinion that the Silverwing is the ultimate commuting bike due to it's price to maintain, insure, and purchase, it's easygoing road manners (air ride suspension rocks) and it's decent power (it's still going to be embarrassed by sports bikes, but it will out accelerate almost every car) I haven't really done any touring on it, but we forgot my dog's medication when we were on vacation and I rode 3 hours on highway and then back on the 'wing and I felt just as fresh as if I had done it via car. Bloody Queef fucked around with this message at 00:20 on May 19, 2012 |
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May 19, 2012 00:07
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SaNChEzZ posted:Even more rare but incredibly nice, when I'm old and retired I will have one of these in my garage: I actually have seen a few CX500/650 Turbos in the wild over the past few years. I cannot remember the last time I saw a Euro.
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May 19, 2012 01:38
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Silverwings aren't looking too bad as a first bike option looking at the listings http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/mcy/3023853028.html what are your thoughts on a 650 and at that price, seem to recall you guys saying that parts for 650s were harder to come by. I'm going email him to see if he has the pink slip and what the condition of the electronics are, anything else to look out for? Sushi in Yiddish fucked around with this message at 06:41 on May 19, 2012 |
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May 19, 2012 02:57
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Sushi in Yiddish posted:Silverwings aren't looking too bad as a first bike option looking at the listings Looks really great for a bike that old. Comes with saddlebags which is cool, looks a lot better than my '82 Suzuki. I started off on a 650 shaft drive and had a lot of time; the shaft drive is pretty cool because maintenance is easier.
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May 19, 2012 04:12
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slidebite posted:I actually have seen a few CX500/650 Turbos in the wild over the past few years. I cannot remember the last time I saw a Euro. I saw one. I even bought the gas tank and wheels off of it. I paid the guy and everything. Then the seller mysteriously disappeared off the face of the planet. I think he died from an infection as a result of getting in a bike wreck. Just one more reason to ATGATT
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May 19, 2012 05:13
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Sushi in Yiddish posted:Silverwings aren't looking too bad as a first bike option looking at the listings That bike is definitely worth a look.
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May 19, 2012 06:48
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Sushi in Yiddish posted:Silverwings aren't looking too bad as a first bike option looking at the listings While I support the principle of not paying too much for a first bike that you may drop in a car park somewhere, why such old bikes? They're more likely to come with a raft of age-related problems and to be hard to get parts for. If you wanted a cheap car, you'd buy something appropriate 10 years old with low mileage - you probably wouldn't buy something 35 years old with the inevitable indeterminate history. Although old bikes, unlike old cars, don't usually come with the horrors of totally inaccessible parts protected by years of dirt and rust, they're more suited to someone with experience and probably a second bike that actually works.
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May 19, 2012 07:30
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Saga posted:While I support the principle of not paying too much for a first bike that you may drop in a car park somewhere, why such old bikes? I think the theory is that the UJM format is pretty much the ideal beginner format, and they essentially stopped making them that long ago. If you think about the (US, Euro is different) market for beginner bikes, you have the sportbike-ish Ninja and CBR 250s, maybe the lowest displacement cruisers, and then you're talking Gladius / Ninja 650, which is a bit much for a very first ride. Now that's new, but it's also (basically) what you're going to find used up to about 10-15 years old, when you might see some old Nighthawks start to pop up. Once you go back that far there's not much diff between a 15-year-old Nighthawk and a 30-year old CB when it comes to parts availability, depreciation, sophistication, rust etc. They made a bajillion of the old UJMs so your biggest hassle might be finding modern tires. The problem with this market segment is that the people smart enough (or well-directed enough) to know to get a mild sub-600cc bike to start with are also going to buy used, so there's no real market for the manufacturers to push new bikes in. (Of course, someone buys brand new Ninja 250s, so who knows.)
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May 19, 2012 07:51
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Sushi in Yiddish posted:Silverwings aren't looking too bad as a first bike option looking at the listings The issue with the 650 is that if it needs any sort of engine work, you're going to have a harder time finding parts. But if the engine is fine now, you shouldn't have to worry about that. At $1600 with the bags, if all seemed well mechanically, I would buy this in a heartbeat. Saga posted:While I support the principle of not paying too much for a first bike that you may drop in a car park somewhere, why such old bikes? I agree with you on principle here and I personally wouldn't recommend one of the 70's Honda CB's for a first bike (even though my first bike was a somewhat running '73 cb350f. But one of the CX series bikes is completely different. Honda made a ton of these bikes and parts are still readily available through your Honda dealer (if you want to get price raped) or through many online bike sites. They're also a shaft drive so maintenance on these things is pretty much oil, brake pads and tires. Bloody Queef fucked around with this message at 11:29 on May 19, 2012 |
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May 19, 2012 11:09
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Bloody Queef posted:I agree with you on principle here and I personally wouldn't recommend one of the 70's Honda CB's for a first bike (even though my first bike was a somewhat running '73 cb350f. But one of the CX series bikes is completely different. Honda made a ton of these bikes and parts are still readily available through your Honda dealer (if you want to get price raped) or through many online bike sites. They're also a shaft drive so maintenance on these things is pretty much oil, brake pads and tires. Honda made a gazillion more CBs than CXs and the Cardan shaft is a lot more part-specific and maintenance challenging than chain and sprockets. The engine is also a bit more complicated than the I4s and is known to blow top gaskets under load. The water pump is kind of designed to self-destruct every 10K miles. Also late 70s and especially 80s parts for CB series has a lot higher availability than CX parts and they are much cheaper. I don't buy your arguments Mr. Bloody Queef. That said, I'd still buy a CX, but if I do so, I'd do it knowing that I'll be raped buying parts.
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May 19, 2012 11:49
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Well, I got my gear and in almost a week I am taking the MSC and then I am getting my license. I have been trolling craiglist for SV650 for almost a month, so here have a few options that have caught my eyes. Pre-2003 SV650, Carb not Fuel injected, don't want one but these have a good price, have nice extras and may be talked down. 2002 Suzuki 650 SV - $2950 - Not naked  nice extras.2002 Suzuki SV650 - $2500 - Not naked Post-2003 SV650, fuel injected. Hipster tax seems to be high cut could be lowered with a nice talk while waving 2005 Suzuki SV650 naked - PLUS EXTRAS!!! - $4300 - Naked  but that handle bar  Suzuki SV 650 - $4400 - Naked but loving much. Already sent him an e-mail asking the hard questions, well see...Aaaaand the backups, I live close to this salvage dealership so it is an option if the marked suddenly dries up once I get my license. 2007 Suzuki SV650 - Naked but missing mirors, don't care about scratches and dents. There are other naked bikes, but are missing mirors AND the gauges, but are at the same price. gently caress that poo poo.2008 Suzuki SV650 - Not naked but mostly complete.
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May 19, 2012 14:34
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Sir Cornelius posted:Honda made a gazillion more CBs than CXs and the Cardan shaft is a lot more part-specific and maintenance challenging than chain and sprockets. How is the shaft on the CX more maintenance challenging than a chain and sprockets? Maybe I'm uneducated, but it's virtually zero. I've never had an issue with the water pump and my CX500 and GL500 have over 60k miles on them combined. I agree that parts aren't as readily available, but you just don't need them. Plus carb maintenance on 4 is a lot more of a pain than a twin. (twice as much) ElMaligno posted:SV650 Bloody Queef fucked around with this message at 19:25 on May 19, 2012 |
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May 19, 2012 19:19
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Sir Cornelius posted:Honda made a gazillion more CBs than CXs and the Cardan shaft is a lot more part-specific and maintenance challenging than chain and sprockets. Yeah but the beauty of the CX is that it will still run just fine while all of those things are broken on it. Me, the reason I don't like CXes is that if the water pump or the stator ever fails, you have to drop the engine and split the cases to deal with it. No thanks. I still buy them because they're stupid cheap though.
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May 19, 2012 19:22
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Well, I've never seen this done to one before http://alberta.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicles-motorcycles-street-cruisers-choppers-HONDA-CX500-TRIKE-W0QQAdIdZ380588294
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May 19, 2012 23:25
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ElMaligno posted:Crazy SV Prices Holy hell are they usual prices for SVs?? have they appreciated in value or something? I bought my SV for 3300 and sold it for 2800 after low siding it. It was showroom pristine condition except for a scratched fairing. The only reason I let it go so cheap is that it went to a good friend.
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May 19, 2012 23:40
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GanjamonII posted:Holy hell are they usual prices for SVs?? 3000 or so is a good price, this however is a godammed crime.
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May 20, 2012 00:09
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Well, that's clearly a dealership, and maybe one that doesn't usually handle motorcycles to boot.
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May 20, 2012 00:23
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Sagebrush posted:Well, that's clearly a dealership, and maybe one that doesn't usually handle motorcycles to boot. Its a motorcycle dealership, they usually handle Harley and cruisers. You can probably guess why its marked up so loving high. Edit: http://www.rhoadsmotorsportsinc.com/
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May 20, 2012 00:25
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Bah, still haven't heard back from the guy selling the GL650. Probably sold it and hasn't taken down the listing yet. There are a couple of listings for Nighthawk 650s, how do those hold up mechanically? Still do like the idea of a standard bike that can be comfortable over long distances. http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sgv/mcy/3027648981.html http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lgb/mcy/2986259242.html The second nighthawk seller got back to me pretty quickly quote:i've had the bike for only 6 months. ya the bike runs great, there is some smoke from exhaust and a very small oil leak from probably the o-ring on oil filter just so you know. no accidents as far as i know. still for sale. thanks. Are any of these deal breakers? There is a silverwing 500 being sold from an actual dealership, 1995 and I'd get the benefit of shaft drive, water cooling and be able to pick up the luggage later. http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/mcy/3013109281.html Sushi in Yiddish fucked around with this message at 07:24 on May 21, 2012 |
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May 21, 2012 03:13
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Sushi in Yiddish posted:
That "smoke from the exhaust bike", sounds like something is burning that's not supposed to or some other engine troubles. I'd ask for some maintenance records or steer clear, if the guy can't put an o-ring on an oil filter... velocross fucked around with this message at 08:44 on May 21, 2012 |
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May 21, 2012 08:41
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So I'm going to go look at this on Wednesday;   '83 Suzuki GS650GL, 13k miles, looks pretty solid except the guy mentions that "...if you rev too high in 1st gear the back tire hops, I am not sure why..." I don't know what he means by that because it sounds like a stupid thing to say because twist throttle = high rpm = potential wheel slip so I don't know. He goes on to mention that it needs new tires which I suppose could be the case. Anybody have any experience with these? Anything to look for/be wary about both model specific and in general? It'll be my first bike so I really don't know what I'm supposed to be critical of (though I'm not mechanically challenged I've just dealt with cars all my life). Edit: Changed main picture so it's under 800px Tanz-Kommandant fucked around with this message at 09:47 on May 21, 2012 |
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May 21, 2012 09:44
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Tanz-Kommandant posted:'83 Suzuki GS650GL, 13k miles, looks pretty solid except the guy mentions that "...if you rev too high in 1st gear the back tire hops, I am not sure why..." I don't know what he means by that because it sounds like a stupid thing to say because twist throttle = high rpm = potential wheel slip so I don't know. He goes on to mention that it needs new tires which I suppose could be the case. My first bike, although mine had stock bars. It ran fine, I had to play with the choke a lot when starting but hey, it's an old bike. Lets see, pulling the carbs is a bitch, and being an older bike it doesn't have the convenient car-style oil filter placement. If you need it, I can probably set you up with a PDF of the service manual, which was very helpful. Mine was a fun bike overall, at twice the mileage of that one. Edit: needs new tires, so go look but then offer him $700.
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May 21, 2012 15:42
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Sushi in Yiddish posted:There is a silverwing 500 being sold from an actual dealership, 1995 and I'd get the benefit of shaft drive, water cooling and be able to pick up the luggage later. I can't explain why you're having such trouble finding one down there, up here there are always some for sale, especially if you're willing to drive a couple hours.
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May 21, 2012 16:51
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slidebite posted:I think that's on the high end especially not coming with the tupperware. You also forgo the dual front discs. If you add bags later you're spending way to much money. Well, there is one that is about two hours away from los angeles with the fairing and bags for 1850. http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/mcy/2971598158.html
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May 21, 2012 17:17
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I do. Anyways, I talked to the guy selling this lovely bike and I'm going to see it tomorrow. I am also taking a bike-knowledgeable friend and a flashlight. We will: - Check the fuel tank for any obvious corrosion and stagnant fuel. - Check the tires and see if they are the original ones. - Check all the plastic and rubber in the bike and check for any rotting. - See if it actually runs and see if he is willing to have my friend test ride it. Anything else I should look for?
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May 21, 2012 21:34
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So I just finished the MSF course this weekend and had a blast. Would this make a good first bike? http://www.nationalpowersports.net/itemDetail.aspx?itemID=7331
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May 22, 2012 00:17
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I'm so glad I misread that and you HAD a blast and didn't BUY a Blast. I care not for the cruiser types so can gift no great wisdom but welcome to team motorcycles, enjoy your stay.
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May 22, 2012 00:22
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Linco posted:So I just finished the MSF course this weekend and had a blast. Would this make a good first bike? Yes, but maybe look for a cheaper, slightly-older one. Whether or not you like riding is still not a sure thing, and you're bound to drop it at a stoplight and then cry about the $5500 it cost. You'll shed less tears over $3000. Examples http://nh.craigslist.org/mcy/3029183578.html http://nh.craigslist.org/mcy/3025182050.html
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May 22, 2012 00:25
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Spiffness posted:I'm so glad I misread that and you HAD a blast and didn't BUY a Blast. There was a kid that drove to class with a Blast in the back of his truck. After reading tons of threads here I just felt bad for him.
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May 22, 2012 00:26
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http://wheeling.craigslist.org/mcy/3029396268.html I'm thinking more along the lines of $400 or 500ish. Carb cleaning, battery, tires, chain, oil change are what I'm thinking right now without having seen it yet. Is that out of line/unreasonable?
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May 22, 2012 04:17
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Sushi in Yiddish posted:Well, there is one that is about two hours away from los angeles with the fairing and bags for 1850. Might be worth a look, but I get a bad vibe from that ad. Maybe it's because I'm always leery of bike with photos where the seller couldn't be bothered to move it to a more photogenic location or clean it up... let alone put the bags it's supposed to come with on the bike. Sketchy on condition... I don't know if I'd go 2 hours to see it as it looks. To give you an idea, this is the kind of poo poo I can even get in the land of inflated bike prices for $2000 or less. http://alberta.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicles-motorcycles-touring-1982-HONDA-SILVERWING-GL-500-W0QQAdIdZ379196956 http://alberta.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicles-motorcycles-touring-1982-Honda-Silverwing-W0QQAdIdZ381187583 http://alberta.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicles-motorcycles-street-cruisers-choppers-1981-Honda-GL-500-SilverWing-W0QQAdIdZ375178499 slidebite fucked around with this message at 04:35 on May 22, 2012 |
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May 22, 2012 04:32
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