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Alright so I've been driving a 2000 883 Sportster for almost a year now and I'm wanting to get a legitimately new bike from a dealership or a good quality used one also from a dealership. Specifically, I'm thinking of getting a light to middleweight sport bike. I like the look of a CBR 500 or a Ninja 300 but I'd like to get some goon opinion on this before I go and drop 2 grand as a down payment somewhere.
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Jan 21, 2014 19:11
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| # ? Jun 3, 2024 16:15 |
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Go test ride a bunch of bikes first.
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Jan 21, 2014 19:12
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Yeah def. or at least pick more interesting bikes.
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Jan 21, 2014 19:25
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ArbitraryTA posted:Alright so I've been driving a 2000 883 Sportster for almost a year now and I'm wanting to get a legitimately new bike from a dealership or a good quality used one also from a dealership. Maybe I should explain more because on second read my answer seems like kind of a blowoff answer. There's a LOT of variety out there, and bikes that look very similar in specs can end up feeling very, very different. The shocker bike for me was the GL500, I have a huge soft spot for those giant, absurd couches. It's a terrible motorcycle but I like lots of little things about them, and I can score them for cheap, so I've owned a few now. On the flip side, I've had other bikes that I thought were cool but ended up being staples in my garage (Daytona 675). And bikes that I thought were amazing that I ended up hating (Daytona T595). There's so many little things that can make or break a bike for an individual person that it's just...you gotta ride as many bikes as you can get your hands on. And in my experience, most dealership bikes are a shitshow, because they got them used from a private party on trade in, and they did minimal work, if any, on them. If you want to buy a used bike, find a good deal on one from a private party, and spend half of the difference in price on getting a dealership to go through it. Then you get a used bike and you know it's been checked out. I've test ridden some dealearship bikes from multiple different dealerships that were complete shitshows that they had just polished up to look shiny without addressing any of the basics. (Brake fluid that looks like tea on a used bike? You're not going to spend 10 minutes at least flushing it out? Chains that are totally trashed but clean? It's sad.)
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Jan 21, 2014 19:37
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How does this look for a first bike? http://www.cyclespecialty.com/pre_owned_detail.asp?sid=0679928X1K21K2014J6I00I31JPMQ1134R0&veh=3561809 I'll mostly be using it riding around curvy back roads and driving to work which is mostly a straight shot that doesn't get above 55 mph. I'd still like to be able to get on the interstate if I needed to. I've ridden dirt bikes but never anything on the road. Any common issues with this model I should be aware of? How does that price look?
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Jan 22, 2014 01:06
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Is it street legal?
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Jan 22, 2014 01:17
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nsaP posted:Is it street legal? Yeah it is.
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Jan 22, 2014 01:27
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Hostage Pokemon posted:How does this look for a first bike? It's going to be high maintenance for a bike you ride regularly. Price seems...meh. Not great. Probably not a good choice as a regular commuter just because of the high maintenance of dirtbikes.
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Jan 22, 2014 01:29
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I don't know what 'upgraded to 350cc' entails but that could mean not the original engine. That or a really big big piston kit. At the least I'd make sure what's in it (for future maintenance purposes.) Lord only knows what it's geared for, which could make highway riding unpleasant. Also while it may be 'street legal' in the sense that you can register the frame for a plate, it doesn't appear to have a tail light, plate light or turn signals front or rear. I would recommend something more conventional (and with regular street tires) as a first road bike.
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Jan 22, 2014 08:51
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Yeah those knobbies are going to be a pain on curvy back roads, unless those curvy back roads are unpaved.
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Jan 22, 2014 20:19
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I haven't been able to do the MSF yet blah blah blah. But a neighbor is selling a 1983 Honda Interceptor for $2000 and is probably willing to go lower. I know jack poo poo about bikes still and haven't even bothered trying to get more information on this one unless you all think it might be worth looking into. Is this bike and price reasonable as a starter? I'm 6'0 200 pounds and I would be using it to commute on the highways in LA right now.
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Jan 28, 2014 02:03
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Nah go find something like a gs500. Parts availability will be questionable, it's an old bike, etc.
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Jan 28, 2014 02:05
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'83 falls into the time range they had camshaft oiling problems, IIRC.
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Jan 28, 2014 02:08
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Z3n posted:Nah go find something like a gs500. Parts availability will be questionable, it's an old bike, etc. drat  . I figured there would be problems with it, but it is loving beautiful. I didn't bother to give it a detailed look, but it was pretty spotless at a quick glance from someone with no experience. Oh well.Also I love the way old bikes look, especially ones that looks like ridiculous bosozoku bikes. 
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Jan 28, 2014 02:09
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It's not a bad bike per se but the problems with it as your first bike are a) you don't know what a normal bike feels like so you won't know what it feels like when a 30+ year old part is worn out or failing, and b) it will be down enough while you hunt for 30+ year old parts that you may end up hating it.
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Jan 28, 2014 02:13
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Snowdens Secret posted:It's not a bad bike per se but the problems with it as your first bike are a) you don't know what a normal bike feels like so you won't know what it feels like when a 30+ year old part is worn out or failing, and b) it will be down enough while you hunt for 30+ year old parts that you may end up hating it. Have I mentioned how sexy it is? And cheap? Mostly cheap.
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Jan 28, 2014 02:22
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Yeah, I think as a general rule it's much better for total beginners to start out with a newish bike, and work backwards to the weird retro stuff once they have more experience in riding/mechanics. Not to mention, while you might love bosozoku bikes right now your tastes will change whether you like it or not. When I first started I had a hardon for slimmed-down retro looking Harleys, so I ended up with a Sportster 883. I paid more than I should have for a first bike, because I liked how it looked. In 8months I was on the market for a supermoto, because suddenly I cared a lot more about what the bike did instead of how it looked. In my case I got lucky: I rode the 883 for 8months, never crashed it and sold it for exactly what I paid, because some other guy had a hardon for the whitewalls I'd put on it. This will not always be the case, and I attribute it mostly to Harley hype holding value. Especially for bosozoku, unless you live in Japan 
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Jan 28, 2014 02:26
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Chichevache posted:Have I mentioned how sexy it is? And cheap? Mostly cheap. 2k isn't cheap for a starter bike. Under a grand is cheap for a starter bike. Under 1500 if you don't want to do major work on it. And it might have looked spotless, but if the chain is hosed, the tires are hosed, and it needs fresh brake fluid, replacement lines, and an oil check, your 2k bike is now easily a $2500 bike that's still 30 years old with cam issues.
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Jan 28, 2014 02:31
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Z3n posted:2k isn't cheap for a starter bike. Under a grand is cheap for a starter bike. Under 1500 if you don't want to do major work on it. And it might have looked spotless, but if the chain is hosed, the tires are hosed, and it needs fresh brake fluid, replacement lines, and an oil check, your 2k bike is now easily a $2500 bike that's still 30 years old with cam issues. I've been browsing Craig's List down here in LA and honestly 2K seems pretty cheap from what I've been seeing. Also I don't want to start on a Ninja 250 for the sole reason that the flow of traffic on highways around here is about 80 mph the whole way.
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Jan 28, 2014 02:33
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z3n/xovaan, don't you live in LA and own about a million cheap bikes?
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Jan 28, 2014 02:49
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I'm 6 hours north, Xovaan is ~3 hours south. But the only bike I have right now is a 73 Honda CB500 which I wouldn't recommend for many of the reasons I don't recommend any old bikes without mechanical willingness to keep it running.
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Jan 28, 2014 02:59
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Have you sat on many bikes? Got any big dealers nearby with a decent used selection (to sit on, not buy from)? You should also take the MSF class before committing. I thought the usual pace for LA highways was 'parking lot' anyway. If you're worried that a 250 won't have the rear end to haul rear end with your rear end on it, a Ninja 500 / GS500 / something similar will be more than enough. Also (and I want to say I'm not as pessimistic about the bike as z3n is) there's very very good odds you will dump your first bike in at least one stupid and avoidable accident. I did this, as do most others. If you do this with a beautiful bike you will cry, and if you do it with a bike for which repair parts no longer exist it will be far worse. If you do it with some dumb Suzuki piece of garbage that you can buy cheap chinese eBay plastics for, you will care a whole lot less.
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Jan 28, 2014 03:10
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Until I do the MSF (again) I'm probably just tormenting myself by looking at bikes I can't ride anyway. Give it a month or two and hopefully I will be all ready to go.Snowdens Secret posted:Have you sat on many bikes? Got any big dealers nearby with a decent used selection (to sit on, not buy from)? I've done the MSF before but didn't get around to updating my license. That was 4 years ago so for obvious reasons I want to take it again. As for driving around LA it usually is a horrible parking lot, but I commute between San Fernando Valley and Claremont on highway 210, and it quite literally is 70+mph for even the slowest vehicle unless it is rush hour. I'm probably gonna cry when I drop the bike no matter what kind it is. Chichevache fucked around with this message at 03:13 on Jan 28, 2014 |
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Jan 28, 2014 03:11
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I'm in the same general area and the ninja 250 has no problems going 80-85 for me at 6 feet and 220 lbs*. My fiancee's on the 250 now and well, she's close to 100 lbs less and has no problems commuting from Pasadena to Woodland Hills at 80'ish either**. *your gas mileage will suck at 80+; we're talking low 40's **she now wants my 600 after 15k or so on the 250.
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Jan 28, 2014 03:23
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Angryboot posted:I'm in the same general area and the ninja 250 has no problems going 80-85 for me at 6 feet and 220 lbs*. My fiancee's on the 250 now and well, she's close to 100 lbs less and has no problems commuting from Pasadena to Woodland Hills at 80'ish either**. Same for me, 80-85 is when it starts accelerating much slower. Chichevache, good call on taking the class again. I have a friend who was in the same position as you and he decided not to retake it. I tried to ease him into riding slow but he crashed pretty early and I'm not sure the bike has seen the road since.
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Jan 28, 2014 03:35
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Z3n posted:I'm 6 hours north, Xovaan is ~3 hours south. All you places in california look the same to me anyway.
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Jan 28, 2014 03:37
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Angryboot posted:I'm in the same general area and the ninja 250 has no problems going 80-85 for me at 6 feet and 220 lbs*. My fiancee's on the 250 now and well, she's close to 100 lbs less and has no problems commuting from Pasadena to Woodland Hills at 80'ish either**. I'd heard a few people on here complain about 250s at higher speeds so I figured better safe than sorry. Plus my girlfriend wants to ride with me, though of course not after I've done several thousand miles blah blah. Overall I feel like I'd be happier and more comfortable on a slightly larger bike, even if it does cost a few hundred more. Good to hear that you didn't have trouble getting up to higher speeds though, that was a big concern of mine. nsaP posted:Same for me, 80-85 is when it starts accelerating much slower. When I couldn't remember which hand was the clutch and which was the front brake I realized I needed to take the class again.
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Jan 28, 2014 03:56
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Chichevache posted:I've been browsing Craig's List down here in LA and honestly 2K seems pretty cheap from what I've been seeing. Also I don't want to start on a Ninja 250 for the sole reason that the flow of traffic on highways around here is about 80 mph the whole way. Just wait. I live in LA so feel free to ping me if you want me to come check something out with you. Example: guy is selling his 'crashed' CX500 for $250. He said it wouldn't start and needed blinkers to be street legal. I went and looked at it, paid the guy, bump started it down his driveway and rode away with a $600 profit a year later. Frozen Pizza Party fucked around with this message at 06:39 on Jan 28, 2014 |
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Jan 28, 2014 06:33
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SaNChEzZ posted:Just wait. I live in LA so feel free to ping me if you want me to come check something out with you. I don't have anyone down here who I trust, so if the offer still stands I'll definitely hit you up when the time comes.
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Jan 28, 2014 07:02
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I have a bad urge to go haggle and turn this thing into some kind of Mad Max offroad beater for desert camping trips: 1983 Honda XL600R $1000 6300miles "Starts nicely when cold, hard to start when warm like 6-8 kicks. Runs VERY STRONG. Registered in 2012 not registered after that. $149 to bring active as per DMV. Pink in hand."  Do these things suffer from any awful irregularities that would crush my fantasies?
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Jan 28, 2014 07:45
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Chichevache posted:I don't have anyone down here who I trust, so if the offer still stands I'll definitely hit you up when the time comes. Please do, I've no problem with looking at bikes. And if you want to ride when you get one let me know too!
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Jan 28, 2014 08:00
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The Royal Nonesuch posted:I have a bad urge to go haggle and turn this thing into some kind of Mad Max offroad beater for desert camping trips: My boss' formative years were spent on these things and he absolutely swears by them.
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Jan 28, 2014 20:54
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Looking for general advice as to what models to look for. I live SoCal (Pasadena specifically) and will likely use the bike for commuting (~7mi each way) when I'm too lazy to ride a bicycle as well as general daily riding. Took the MSF course just over a year ago, but recently have been riding a 150cc chinese scooter that was gifted to me. After repairing and riding the scooter more and more I'm looking to get an actual motorcycle, one that I won't be so worried will catastrophically fail on me. My only real requirements is that it will nicely fit myself and girlfriend, bonus points if there's a sissy bar or it will nicely fit a rear storage thing so she has something behind her. I would love to get something that I can take out to joshua tree camping etc, but also know that the first bike may not be everything I want, since I'm likely to drop/crash it.
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Jan 29, 2014 05:06
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Why are you still here and not buying a KLR650 yet? KLR 650 by camerazn, on Flickr Seriously, though, you have the following needs: - Commuting (7mi each way) -- Interstates? Surface streets? - Passenger seat - Some luggage (for camping or whatever) - Inexpensive - Starter biek: rule of thumb would put you somewhere under 600cc for a twin or single cylinder motor (give or take). That's a lot of bieks. How tall are you? Any interest in dual sports? They're remarkably good starter bikes, but tall and not very good for passengers if you're going more than a few miles. Safety Dance fucked around with this message at 05:18 on Jan 29, 2014 |
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Jan 29, 2014 05:13
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Commuting route is flexible, doing it right now via streets simply because the scooter cant hang on the freeway, would save a whole 3-4 minutes if I took the freeway though. I'm 5'10", girlfriend is 5'1". I'm not opposed to a dual sport, I was initially looking into DL650s at the recommendations of a friends experience with a DL1000. Honestly besides the odd dirt road out in joshua tree don't think I would use anything crazy. Being at least somewhat comfortable with a passenger is fairly important. Gillingham fucked around with this message at 05:26 on Jan 29, 2014 |
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Jan 29, 2014 05:24
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Man how many of us are here in Pasadena? I'm gonna go by the usual choices of SV650, Ninja 500, or GS500. KLR would crash better but I don't know how well your 5'1" girlfriend will enjoy climbing on and off of that high seat.
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Jan 29, 2014 05:39
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If you're alright with spending a few bucks, a Yamaha FZ6 might be a pretty good choice.
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Jan 29, 2014 05:53
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Safety Dance posted:If you're alright with spending a few bucks, a Yamaha FZ6 might be a pretty good choice. That website is cycle-ergo.com, if you want to play around with putting yourself on a hundred different bikes. Dammit, edit is not quote. Sorry for doublepostin'.
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Jan 29, 2014 05:55
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Cycle-ergo is great but it doesn't show static sag, i.e. how much the bike drops just from you sitting on it. It's a heck of a lot easier for a pillion to climb on after the main rider does. Also be aware the weight balance, handling etc of a pillion will feel really strange and if you're doing it for any distance you need to increase the rear shock preload to compensate. And not all small bikes have the preload range stock to really handle two people and/or any other cargo. Don't worry if that doesn't mean anything to you right now. Just be aware that desirable features on bikes for carrying luggage / passengers a lot - easily adjustable rear preload, usually more power than a 600 class, bigger bike overall - aren't necessarily ones you want or need on your first ride. Plus, carrying a passenger is a bit of an advanced technique that you do want a good bit of solo miles experience before doing. Basically you may want to think about getting something cheap (like some of the bikes mentioned) and spending a few months beating on it getting the fundamentals down before going for a more long-term ride.
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Jan 29, 2014 10:54
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| # ? Jun 3, 2024 16:15 |
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Safety Dance posted:Why are you still here and not buying a KLR650 yet? I sat on a KLR650 once, I liked it. Pity liter dual sports are expensive as all hell.
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Jan 29, 2014 17:35
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