|
Gnomad posted:There are some good boxers to look for. A mid 80's R65, small frame size, comparatively lightweight, basic service access is absurdly easy, and the drivetrain will last forever, even the finals. I've seen them go for $2500 or so and you should be able to get that back when and if you sell it. The gas tank rusts out by the petcock, scrutinize carefully. Not to make folks keep track of my movement, but I am still facing the "am in Austin until early May, then moving to DC" obstacle. However, Captain Apollo did offer to ride any bike I buy in Austin up to DC for me... In whatever case, that R65 does look pretty awesome, and puts out 43hp, so good enough for my "don't like riding any faster than I have to" purposes. 406lbs, only 26 heavier than the GS450. I dunno, that is a tempting change-up from a UJM. Not to get snobby, but it does sound classy and look cool, and from what I recall of the ones I've seen around town it seems a similar size. The one in San Antonio is $3000, but, within reason, price isn't a huge obstacle since I just landed a pretty good job. This FAQ seems pretty awesome, and the "Cons" they list don't sound too troubling, so long as parts arent' a huge issue: http://www.nebcom.com/noemi/moto/r65faq.html When you say "easy to maintain", are we talking "Honda easy" or just "easier than most Euro bikes"? Can I just ride this sucker, keep the fluids topped off, and take it to a mech for a tune-up every other year? drat, this does complicate things. On the bright side, the one thing that hasn't changed is that I've consistently been looking at Standards that are easy to maintain with a relatively small frame (so my 5'6" self can stand flat with ease, and not look like a tiny monkey riding a people bike). EDIT: The only parts that give me pause is some folks say they vibrate a lot at higher speeds, and/or get pretty uncomfy at 65mph+. Then again, it theoretically does 100+, so it has the power for that much. I don't expect to do any long-distance interstate driving with it, so as long as I can commute with it in DC, and zip up to Philly or down to Richmond, or take road-trips up into the WV mountains on the back-roads for twistie kicks, I'd be cool. 
TapTheForwardAssist fucked around with this message at 05:46 on Apr 4, 2009 |
#
¿
Apr 4, 2009 05:40
|
|
|
|
| # ¿ May 16, 2024 11:40 |
|
|
Gnomad posted:Because you'll need to take it to a specialty shop or, huzzah, a dealer. Yes, BMW dealers will work on the old bikes, and they have people there who actually know how to repair and maintain them. Try getting the dealer to even look at your older than 10 years HoKawaYamaKi, much less have competent staff on hand. I'm pretty interested now. I'm busy as hell for a few days, but if that '83 R65 (14K mi, $3500) is still there next Tuesday or so, I might drive down to check that out. You're saying that it's a bit on the pricey side though, even given the year/mileage and that he just got it serviced?  Dumb pondering here: my new employer is giving me a $2500 moving allowance. Since I can't possibly burn that up, since almost everything I own fits in my car, would it be a total dick move to use part of that to ship a motorcycle? Say I buy this R65, and spend $500 to crate and move it, is that reasonably ethical? I mean, they did give me a fixed budget, and maybe I would just rather move a motorbike instead of a bunch of crappy furniture like their other employees do. Glancing at eBay shipping quotes, seems it'd be about $500 to ship it. That's be a lot for a $1500 UJM, but for a $3500 bike not horrendous (since it's not me paying for it anyway). So I'll probably at least check it out down in Saint Anthony on Tues or Thurs if it's still there. If I try it out and am in love with it, is the current price blatantly so high that simply must argue him down to $2500-3000? Is having my employer pay to crate and ship it reasonable, and not taking a major risk of damaging the bike? TapTheForwardAssist fucked around with this message at 19:13 on Apr 4, 2009 |
|
#
¿
Apr 4, 2009 19:10
|
|
|
Gnomad posted:(BMW R/65) Okay, so my main points to check out: -overall shape -does he have maintenance records -any rust around the petcock (where am I looking exactly?) Any deviation on those points and I have room to bargain down, yes? Still, I'm willing to pay market for a decent bike, I'm not starving to death. I just don't want to overpay. And it'd be nice to buy a bike prior to moving so I don't have to get a ride to bumbfuck PA four hours away to pick up a bike after I move to DC. Might as well by here while I have a time and a plentiful company moving budget. I've been reading the reviews and whatnot online, and not really seeing much (if any) disadvantage to this over a GS450 (besides purchase price, and BMW service being competent but spendy). All the negatives, mostly on stability/comfort on the interstate seem pretty much inevitable with any standard smaller than a CB750 or so. It is kinda funny, coming from a CB250 (270lbs and 20hp) to read: "the problem with the R/65 is that it's only 43hp, and I don't feel comfortable riding a 420lb bike on the Interstate." I ride my 250cc on the interstate within Austin, and don't have any trouble unless it's really windy. So a R/65 sounds like a huge powerful beast by comparison. Before I go down to look at this on Tuesday, is there any reason I should drop the R/65 idea and go back to looking at a GS450 or CB450?
|
|
#
¿
Apr 5, 2009 05:44
|
|
|
Dammit, the BMW R/65 sold today before I could go down there to check it out. I don't see a single R/65 listed on eBay, so it looks like I'm back constantly checking an Craigslists within 3hrs for a GS450, CB450 or an R/65. Are R/65s pretty hard to find in general? Or is this one of those "if you miss this one, you'll find another in a few weeks, don't sweat it" ? EDIT: I dunno, as I'm considering slightly larger and larger standards, the Triumph Bonneville doesn't seem too excessive. It's 450lb, so not ginormous. A 2001-2007 790cc Bonnie would run $3500-4000 on a good day. Not to drag fashion into it, but I am somewhat put off by the Bonneville because they're incredibly common in Austin. Is that true of the East Coast as well? It seems I see them in every motorbike parking lineup, probably the most common single model standard in my part of town. TapTheForwardAssist fucked around with this message at 22:16 on Apr 5, 2009 |
|
#
¿
Apr 5, 2009 20:35
|
|
|
$4,000 is way to much for a Kawasaki W650, yes? http://austin.craigslist.org/mcy/1108916691.html Even with only 6K mi? The BMW R65 I almost got was cheaper than that (with 14K mi), and I think a Triumph Bonnie with fair usage isn't much pricier.  Hmm, Thruxton for $5000: http://sanantonio.craigslist.org/mcy/1107765327.html But not sure I'd be as comfy with that seating posture, think I'd be happier with Standard. I've just never tried a sporter, and find the idea uncomfortable. TapTheForwardAssist fucked around with this message at 06:57 on Apr 6, 2009 |
|
#
¿
Apr 6, 2009 06:53
|
|
|
Gnomad doesn't have PMs, so I'll post it here instead: A 1973 BMW R50/5 falls into the "enthusiasts only" category, so far as maintenance and draining your wallet, yes? http://austin.craigslist.org/mcy/1106815619.html I'm still kicking myself over that R/65 I missed out on. Not sure how often they come up, so maybe I'll just buy a 1980s UJM as soon as I move to DC, and then wait however many months until a decent R/65 pops up so I can at least go and try it out. I'm thinking I'll go drop by and check out the R/50 tomorrow just to see how down with the BMW feel I am.
|
|
#
¿
Apr 8, 2009 04:38
|
|
|
PlasticSun posted:There's a nice looking R75 in your area: http://austin.craigslist.org/mcy/1106366172.html That actually looks pretty awesome! And the guy seems to have done a lot of upgrades on it. However, I'm vaguely concerned as to how many upgrades he might have had to make just to keep it running. From Gnomad's posts, the 1981+ R65s are pretty reasonable for maintenance, but would a 1972 R75 have even more backwardness and parts difficulties? If someone has any reassurance on this whole thing I might just swing by and check it out this evening, and if it feels awesome and nobody has a "NOOOOO DON'T BUY IT!!!" post, this does look pretty close to what I'm looking for. A little big, but it's a short-wheelbase model. Again, the thought is to buy in TX (where prices are better), and use part of my over-large company shipping allowance to ship this bike to Washington DC in May. Plus this way I can buy while I'm still not working and have time to go chase CL deals, as opposed to DC where I'll have a steady job and have to fight traffic all over the Eastern Seaboard to find bikes. EDIT: The more I look at it, it does look really nice. I almost fear I'd be nervous having a bike with that little cosmetic wear, like I'd feel guilty for jacking it up or just putting wear on it by commuting. TapTheForwardAssist fucked around with this message at 20:19 on Apr 8, 2009 |
|
#
¿
Apr 8, 2009 20:14
|
|
|
The guy with the R75 lives two blocks from me, so I'll be dropping by in an hour when he gets home from work to look at it. $2800 seems really reasonable considering how many upgrades he's done, and how clean it appears to be. He doesn't mention mileage, so I'll check that carefully on dial and on title. Overall this seems to be a pretty good option. I wouldn't mind buying a slightly upscale bike now that I have a good job in DC, I really like standards, and a BMW is unusual enough to be interesting yet still common enough to get parts/service easily. Wish me luck, will report back either way later this evening.
|
|
#
¿
Apr 8, 2009 22:33
|
|
|
Went to go look at the R/75, but the guy was having trouble showing it. Really high idle, and when he got that down there was still a pretty steady *pop* and dark exhaust out the left pipe, while the right pipe looked/sounded fine. He let me try it out, and I found the seat really uncomfortable, the brakes were really weak and had me giving massive following/braking distance for fear of rear-ending a car even on a 25mph street. Plus the clutch and handbrake were giving me carpal tunnel syndrome from the get-go. On the plus side, I rather liked the clubman bars and the slightly crouched stance they require. Aside from the above maintenance issues, and general slight discomfort, it also bugged me that the bike was too tall for me to stand anywhere near flat on, so at a stop I had to reach my toe out and pick which side to catch myself on. I'm 5'6" with a 30" inseam, so kinda short but not that tiny. So not going for that. The bike he was replacing the BMW with was a modern Bonneville, and the seat actually looked lower on the 865cc Bonnie. I understand some of the early 2000ish Bonnies were a smaller frame size, so I might need to look for one of those. That aside, I'm back to looking at the Suzuki GS400-450, or a CB of similar displacement. I take it the CB750 would also feel too big if the R75 did? Any tips on how to figure out which Bonnevilles are the smaller variants?
|
|
#
¿
Apr 9, 2009 00:39
|
|
|
rope kid posted:At the risk of sounding too fanboyish, there's also the Triumph Thruxton, but I think even the oldest (Hinckley) examples are out of your price range. Not by too much, at least in my area: http://austin.craigslist.org/mcy/1112328611.html $4900 for a 2004 with 6K miles. I'll admit I'm almost tempted myself, except that I'm not accustomed to that crouching position. I was going to say that it's probably way to powerful for me too, but turns out those 900ccs are only doing 70hp, same as the Bonneville I'm considering.
|
|
#
¿
Apr 10, 2009 20:37
|
|
|
Longer report in the Bonneville thread, but since folks in this thread have been so helpful, here's what I got off of eBay: 2001 Bonneville, 10K miles, optional center-stand, tachy, off-road pipes. $4250. The seller is holding it for me until I move to DC next month, so I'll be making an 80mi road-trip to go pick it up in a few weeks. Really pretty stoked, and appreciate all the advice folks have given here, even though it took me a little while to figure out that a Bonneville was just small enough to not be too big for 5'6" me.
|
|
#
¿
Apr 15, 2009 04:24
|
|
|
Z3n posted:I'm so angry that I missed the days when Vincents were available for a relatively reasonable price. Maybe now that the economy has crashed prices will come back down and I'll have the chance to one day own one. Ideally, it'll be about 10 years down the road when I have enough money and have damaged my body enough that supersport bikes are no longer appealing. I dunno, what are the odds that Retro will get big in the next 10 years? I wouldn't mind a re-issue of Ariel or Norton if they were made well. For firearms, there's a lot of interest in Vietnam-era M16s now, lots of folks producing accurate retro parts to build all the obscure early variants faithfully. That'd be a neat contrast to the current American focus on high-power sporters and huge chromed cruisers. 
|
|
#
¿
Apr 22, 2009 23:03
|
|
|
As update: started on a CB250 in 2008, rode that for a year, moved to DC and bought a 2001 Triumph Bonneville 790cc for around $4K. Minor wipe-out in fall that did little to the bike except bust the shift lever, but it left me a little bike-shy and by the time I was ready to get back on I hit some repair issues trying to drill-out the broken bolt, then hit a string of bad winter weather, and then in January got suddenly deployed to Afghanistan. So now my Triumph is sitting in storage at my uncle's house, broken lever fixed but carbs clogged from sitting, and with a few minor scratches from the fall. Pissed at myself, as the paint was perfect prior to that. In any case, the Triumph was fun and steady on the open road, but not much fun to drive around town in DC compared to my little CB250. Plus I don't like having a bike where I worry about getting the paint scratched up. Further, Triumphs aren't too rare in DC, and I want a little more character. Another factor is that the aftermarket for Triumphs is a little sparse. My current thought is to sell my Triumph, as I have a coworker going home before I do who really wants to buy mine (I figure I'll swallow several hundred bucks for the scratches I put on it). What I'm looking to get in its place, whenever I happen to get back from Afghanistan mid-2010 or early 2011, is to buy a UJM somewhere around the 500cc, 50hp, 350lbs mark. A casual glance seems to indicate that the old 1970s Honda CB500T, or the 1990s CB500 Twin, might suit. Not sure about the CB500 Four, as more carbs to clean sounds annoying, and it's a heavy bike at 420lbs (vs 450 for the 790 Triumph). I'm thinking to buy one as beater but functional as I find it, put on some M-bars and bar-ends, paint it matte black if it needs paint, maybe stencil on some Arabic calligraphy, and make assorted rat-bike mods (not to include putting in poser artificial dents). I figure I'll end up with a bike just powerful enough for basic highway work, but nimble enough to be fun in the city, and that will be more quirky and less yuppy. And hopefully more Honda-reliable, as the Triumph was a little finicky. Does this sound like a workable plan? On a minor sidenote, the buddy who wants to buy my Triumph might want to trade his current bike towards mine. It's a restored, clean, and running 1981 Yamaha XS400. I dimly recall I was warned off that model at some point in this thread, but I might be thinking of the similar Kawasaki.
|
|
#
¿
Feb 22, 2010 16:11
|
|
|
Doctor Zero posted:
Hmmm... Looked into it a little, and the XS400 weighs a solid 400lbs and only gets 35hp. The Honda CB450 is of similar weight but puts out 43hp with a claimed 110 mph. But looking at the 1990s CB500 Twin, it puts out a whole 57hp at 374lbs, and the older 1970s CB500T (also twin) does 42hp at 430lbs. Looking at all the numbers, the 1990s CB500 looks to be really powerful but a good chunk lighter than the others. Plus hopefully fewer electrical and other maintenance issues than a 1970s bike. Only problem appears aesthetic; the 1990s CB500 is swoopier than I'd like:  I like the funkier look:  I dunno, if I get a good deal on a cosmetically-beat 1990s CB, can I just rip off some fairings, get a more brutal look? Are there any funky Kawasakis or Yamahas from the 1980s-ish period I should consider, which also have a low seat height and are under 400lbs?
|
|
#
¿
Feb 22, 2010 18:45
|
|
|
Backstory: had a Honda CB250 (naked Trad bike) for about a year in Austin. Learned on it, really enjoyed it, but arbitrarily felt I needed something with more oomph and more highway stability, so sold it when I moved. Got a 2001 Triumph Bonneville. Loved the look, but it felt really clunk and top-heavy. About five months in did a minor controlled wipe out up in the mountains in West Virginia that put me off riding for a while, and while the bike was in storage I ended up going to Afghanistan most of a year. At this point, though it may sound crazy, I'm thinking to sell the Bonnie to a friend who desperately wants one (and since it only took a couple of scratches in the fall I think I can get most of my money back on it). Goofy though it sounds, I kinda want to go back to a CB250. Reasons: I mostly like cruising around city neighborhoods, and when I go outside the city I prefer quiet country roads as opposed to big highways, so the 70mph ceiling isn't a big deal to me. The Bonnie just felt way too "big" in the city, plus I never felt like I was using much of its power unless I was on a big highway at 70+. My current thought is to get a moderately used CB250 Nighthawk, maybe do some basic mods like M-bars, bar-ends. If possible, I'd like to strip the plastic off, and if feasible put on a longer bench-type UJM-style seat vice the sportier up-sloping stock one. I'm looking for mainly a city dick-around bike, honestly something that's close to being a moped while still big enough to do 2-up on occasion and do a little rural cruising, and a CB250 is *just* big enough to do those things, but small enough to be a great city bike. This is basically the model I had before, that I'm looking into getting again:  Is it crazy to downgrade from 765cc to 250cc?
|
|
#
¿
Mar 1, 2011 05:18
|
|
|
Z3n posted:Tap, you should ride what you enjoy. I've had some of the most fun on a 75 CB200 (see avatar) and my drz400sm. If you enjoy riding that bike, go for it! I've got a little time to puzzle it, but I have been leaning towards another CB250 for some months. It just feels a bit odd to go against the usual American grain of +cc's=better. The CB250 was a little unnerving on a four-lane Texas highway with 70mph traffic, heavy wind, and intermittent rain. Probably my most white-knuckle biking experience. But as soon as I got onto a smaller 2-lane highway and was cruising I felt great. Honestly, I could almost say "a bigger engine just lets me ride the kind of places I don't generally enjoy riding anyway." Plus, CB250s are so  when they're cafe'd out: I'd like to mod a CB250 into looking a little between a cafe racer and a Ducati Scrambler: 
|
|
#
¿
Mar 2, 2011 01:12
|
|
|
What say you: if this is the model I want, is it worth driving three hours, or taking the Greyhound 1-way for 4 hours and assuming I'll ride back, to buy this?quote:2001 Honda Nighthawk CB250 - $1600 (Hershey) Or is this not a good enough price to warrant the trip and I should just keep watching CL in a 1-hour radius from home? EDIT: got an email back; he can meet Saturday. Also he says that if I don't want him to order the new seat for it, and just leave the duct-tape repaired one, he can go as low as $1300. That sounds pretty drat good unless his description above is way, way off. I was looking to change seats anyway, so good deal there. quote:Did the USA ever get the GB250? Might be the go. Basically a factory cross between a CB250 and Bonnie/Thruxton. Dammit, that looks loving awesome, and it's pretty close to the mods I'm thinking to do to whatever CB250 I get. On that note, do you reckon the basic frame is probably the same on a GB? That is, maybe I could just by a GB seat and drop it into a CB? Or would there be issues with the tank footprint? If nothing else, on a CB I can put on clubmans and bar-ends, and then figure out what to do about the seat. TapTheForwardAssist fucked around with this message at 05:52 on Mar 3, 2011 |
|
#
¿
Mar 3, 2011 01:14
|
|
|
Bukanza posted:Looking for a new, non-sport 250cc bike. Currently leaning towards a 2010 Suzuki GZ250 that runs $3k. I know the Rebel is comparable, but it's $4k. I was going to say Honda CB250, since that was my first bike, and now I'm "downgrading" back to one since it was awesome. But I notice you said "new", so if you're dead-set on that, not so much. I'm about to pick up a 2001 in good shape with 9,000 miles and a torn seat for $1300 though, so the used ones are quite affordable. quote:There's also the Suzuki TU250. Dang, I hadn't seen those before. That's a really cool little UJM throwback. I actually like the look of the TU250 more than the CB250 that I'm about to pick up (particularly like the bench-style UJM seat). However, I'm planning to mod the CB250 anyway, so some of the advantage in looks will even out, and my used bike will be nearly 1/3 of what a new TU250 is, and even used TU250s are looking to be like $2800 or so if you can find them (2009 introduction?). Really glad to see a 250cc UJM back on the market though. I could totally see picking one up in a few years once there are some good deals on used ones, and/or encouraging newbie friends to try one. I'm no bike expert, but I have been somewhat mystified by the lack of competing 250cc bikes on the US market, given that people seem to love the poo poo out of 250 Ninjas, Rebels, and CBs, and it seems like there are a lot of people who probably could get by just fine on 20hp while making very few compromises in their choices of rides. TapTheForwardAssist fucked around with this message at 03:39 on Mar 5, 2011 |
|
#
¿
Mar 5, 2011 03:27
|
|
|
tl;dr: my 250 Nighthawk got stolen and the local landlord might owe me a bike, skip to "Criteria" to avoid the story. Background: I moved into DC and sold my car, so primary transport is subway and bicycle, and I frequently use motorbike for errands/visits far off the subway, two-up for dates, or cruising backroads outside the city. I had a Honda CB250 Nighthawk, until today when I went outside and it was gone. Complicated story, but a local landlord decided to repave a strip of land he (contestedly) claims. My bike was parked there, and there was no "no parking" signage, but since it was in the way of the paving the property manager had his workmen lift it up and move it to the backyard of an abandoned house down the row, it was there for a day and then disappeared. I may have totally lucked out though, since the DC cops said that the property manager performed an illegal tow (he's required to call the City and have it tagged before moving it, regardless of whose property its on), so he/his boss may be fully liable even if they did not ultimately drag it into a truck bed and drive off with it. I'm hoping that the local landlord will pay full replacement cost to avoid legal proceedings, and I'd really like to get another bike sooner than later. I had a 2001 Triumph Bonneville, but it felt really top-heavy to me, felt like a boat trying to maneuver and park in small city streets, etc. Felt like a rock-soid dream at 75mph on the interstate in a straight line, but that's not how I generally ride. The Honda 250 was almost ideal for most street driving, but on the few occasions I wanted to go on 50mph+ highways or urban stretches of interstate, it was short on pickup and easily wind-buffetted. My criteria: - I like really light and maneuverable; the Nighthawk was 290lbs dry, and that was great except on highways where I could have had a little more weight for stability. The Bonnie was 400lb dry, and again felt kind of top-heavy and didn't turn so great. - I don't need to go blazing fast; don't expect to go more than 80mph (while passing on highways) basically ever. That said, I'd like to get from 60mph to 80mph without taking most of a mile to get up to it. - Comfortably doing two-up is important, though not necessarily 8 hours of it, just comfy enough for an hour or so at a time for local riding. - Under $5K used would be good, ideally well under. - Looks-wise I can go a few different ways: I really like older-looking WWII-ish bikes like the Enfield, BMW 60/5. From that look, I could go a little cruisery so long as it's not a HD monstrosity or has my legs straight out; Honda Shadow looks reasonable and comfy. I like the look of dual-sports, but I wear 30" length trousers so a lot of them are too tall for me. Not big into sporters, except that I really like smallish, very minimalist naked bikes like the Ducati Monster. I'd also be more tempted by sport-ish naked bikes that aren't in such an extreme "fetal leaning forward" riding position. Kind of a broad array of interests, but basically just trying to find a really maneuverable bike that's great for street riding, can handle quieter highways, more minimalist than flashy, and where my short self can reach the ground. TapTheForwardAssist fucked around with this message at 04:48 on Oct 10, 2011 |
|
#
¿
Oct 9, 2011 23:04
|
|
|
quote:/\/\/\ This post is sort of confusing to me because I have a 30-inch inseam and I'm 6'7" with proportional-looking non-mutant legs. Are bike inseams measured differently? Sorry, I mean I wear trousers of 30" length, I apparently was using the term "inseam" wrong. quote:Yeah, you could do a lot worse than a naked SV. I did have the impression that the SV650 was the standard econo-alternative to the Ducati, so I'll have to check out the SV650 thread, and also read up on the smaller SV variants. I'm having a hard time telling at a glance at forums on Google: are the SV400 and SV325 available enough in the US to even consider, or is the 650 the only reasonable American option? So far as being a little more upright, and less hunched forward, any particular model or modifications to watch for, other than avoiding the "S" variants? I've seen at least a couple reviews describing the SV650 as a Standard, vice Sport, bike, so that's interesting. EDIT: Huh, at least one guy mentioning that insurance companies consider the SV650 (not "S") a standard, non-sport bike. TapTheForwardAssist fucked around with this message at 05:16 on Oct 10, 2011 |
|
#
¿
Oct 10, 2011 04:47
|
|
|
Still trying to puzzle out a good city bike, something lightweight and maneuverable, but with enough power that it can hold highway speeds, or do 2-up for city riding. Still looking for something with close to Standard seating position, or moderate lean, and with a naked/clean/minimalist look. Had a Honda CB250 Nighthawk that got stolen, looking for something vaguely similar and city-handy but more powerful. Have a Triumph Bonneville in storage but just find it too heavy (and top heavy) to enjoy on city streets. Still keeping the SV650N and the Ducati Monster in mind, both being in that category of Sport bike that leans toward Standard in styling. Question: would some sort of Dual-Sport or Enduro type bike be a decent option as a city bike and occasional quieter highway? I have zero interest in offroading, but they seem agile bikes, lightweight, upright position. My concern is that I'm really short (5'6", 30"-length trousers) but supposedly the DR650 is accommodating of short people. Other concerns with these type of bikes is how doable 2-up in a city environment is; I see lots of warnings against 2-up on these for trails, but should it be fine on pavement? Also, for the ones that are thumpers/"big singles" will they be incredibly uncomfortable to ride on longer trips between cities?
|
|
#
¿
Oct 15, 2011 01:27
|
|
|
Okay, narrowing down the upgrade/replacement for my stolen CB250 Nighthawk. I'm coming to find that the best combination of classic/minimalist looks, compact/agile, and decent power is probably to do some sort of streetfighter. The goal again is to have a great city bike for tooling around DC and the surrounding areas, with just enough power to hold highway speeds fine, maybe pass at 80-90mph as needed. No desire for fancy stuff like burning at 150mph, popping wheelies, offroading, etc. Majority city riding and arterials, sometimes 2-up. I'm short (5'6") and also like light bikes, so my decision right now is: what's a good sport bike that goes naked well, is pretty compact/low, good city bike, and reliable and reasonably common used so I can find a (cosmetic) beater to muck with? I don't want to go as small as a Ninja 250 (35hp), but anything 40-50hp+ and 350-400lb dry would be fine. I really like the streetfighters that lean more towards a Standard sitting position, and my impression is it's common to replace clips with bars, maybe lower the seat, and end up more upright. True? Easily done? If I have just minimal mechanical experience, am I best off to buy a stock naked model? I thought I could just buy a faired bike and strip the fairings off, but looking at other forums there are "ram air" and other such issues, how some bikes are built with the intention that the fairings keep it running right.
|
|
#
¿
Oct 16, 2011 22:03
|
|
|
invision posted:SV650/s Wait, get a SV650S, remove the fairings, lower the seat, and add 'bars... rather than just buy an SV650N?
|
|
#
¿
Oct 16, 2011 22:56
|
|
|
Saga posted:Monster 696, other than the pillion thing. Very light and tiny (by modern bike standards). Hopefully no burning, but with Italian electrics who knows? My impression was also that Monsters are smaller, but both the 600 and 696 (the smallest ones) have basically the same wheelbase and weight as the SV650, and maybe 1" shorter in the seat. Are these numbers misleading, and they're somehow smaller in some measurement than the SV? So far as price, might this be worth bidding on (setting aside goofy paint)? Reserve is $2,900: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120795580376&viewitem=&sspagename=ADME%3AB%3ASS%3AUS%3A1123 Though again, the word on the street (except for from Ducati enthusiasts) is that they're more maintenance intensive than a Japanese bike. If they're notably smaller, that it tempting, but otherwise the only advantage seems to be they look (arguably) somewhat cooler than the SV.
|
|
#
¿
Oct 18, 2011 02:53
|
|
|
invision posted:If you hold out, you should be able to find a 2nd gen SV that's had the front end gixxer swap and the rear shock swapped for something else, in pretty good condition for fairly cheap. I know there were a few when I was looking, but I was set on the fully faired S version, in red or blue. Yep, but since I a) don't have a car, and b) don't have a motorbike since mine got stolen, my ability to just run up to Baltimore to check out a bike is somewhat limited. I'll keep watching DC Craigslist; checked CycleTrader too but not seeing much good there. Best to just stick with CL? I've heard of the gixxer fork conversion, but haven't seen that even on the used bikes that have a fair number of mods. Will watch for that. I know some folks like 1st Gen SVs, but for a non-aficionado is a Gen2 definitely preferable? I don't necessarily need the extra power just for cruising around, so if a good deal on a Gen1 comes up, any reason not to jump on it? Current plan is to get an SV650, sell/swap any nice parts for cosmetically-damaged parts + cash, and then paint, raised handlebars, and see how it is from there. A couple of the streetfighter boards were whining that flat black is played out on rat-fighters, so in an effort to expand the palette I'm thinking of getting desert tan paint, and then stenciling on some Arabic script along the side, military-crate style. Aside from just liking interesting stuff, and wanting a bike that I'm not afraid to get rained on or scratched in a parking lot, it also wouldn't hurt to avoid looking too yuppie, and also having a bike that looks less tempting to steal. Whether through being more visually distinct, or else just cosmetically looking rough. I don't want to go quite this deliberately goofy, but this kind of look is awesome (on a GPZ750r Ninja):  Minor SV question: is there any mod/alternative to that really pointy-ended tail? I've seen even more pointy mods on custom bikes, but is there any way to have the full seat be a bit more bench-like, such as on the Ninja?  Not to demand one bike be everything, but it seems there are a lot of ways to mod an SV650 seat, but I just haven't seen one that has that more old-school UJM look to it (and would presumably be comfier for a passenger too).
|
|
#
¿
Oct 18, 2011 05:50
|
|
|
There's a '93 GS500E with 7k miles locally for $1700, with Dyno Jet Kit, K&N Air Filter, Vance and Hines Exhaust ($275 new from BikeBandit), and new sprockets/chain/tires/forks/seals this year. Worth at least checking out? Only problem is he's a bit far from me, still 17mi even if I take the subway up to the end of the line, so I'd hate to drag him down unless I'm pretty seriously interested. CL bike:  At first I thought $1700 seems a little high (and maybe it still is), but the mileage is low, the guy seems to have taken care of it (unless he's just suddenly making up for years of neglect), it has a few hundred bucks of actual decent parts on it, and most importantly basically all the <$1200 GS500Es I'm seeing in the area have extensive damage, are "a little clogged up but will run great with some TLC", have 40k miles, etc. Does it matter that it's a somewhat older bike, or is the low mileage the more important issue? Minor cosmetic question: the silvery bit of the frame that comes down from the frame to the kickstand area, would painting/coating that be more of a pro job to avoid unduly ruining the bike long-term? I only see a few pics of GS500s where it's black rather than silver, so can't tell if a few models had black, or whether folks powdercoated it or something.
|
|
#
¿
Oct 19, 2011 04:39
|
|
|
Thanks for all the advice, I think my goal now is to get an SV650, sell off any clean/undented parts and replace them with cosmetically beat parts, paint the tank, do a few rat-fighter mods, etc. Trying not to double-tap, but I posted a question in the SV650 thread as to whether I should beg/buy a ride up to Philadelphia from DC (3+ hrs) to buy a 2005 SV650 with only 3k miles for $2500. Price seems almost a little too good, and the guy's another 20mi north of downtown Philly itself, so it'll be haul to even get to the bike. But it's just what I'm looking for, and has the very popular mod of a 750 front end. If anyone has thoughts to add to the SV650 thread that'd be great since I pretty much have to decide to do it this Saturday or not at all.
|
|
#
¿
Oct 20, 2011 04:21
|
|
|
Okay, I've been watching for SV650s on CL, and each one I'm finding under $3K has various things discomfiting about it. Thinking on it further, I've also been apprehensive about tripling the horsepower from my previous CB250. I took up motorcycling because I was uncomfortable with the idea of riding, and I gained a lot of confidence riding the smaller bikes, but jumping to 80hp and lots of torque had me hesitant. I was checking out CL and found an example of another bike I'd considered as a safer and beater-er option: 1991 Kawasaki EX500 pre-Ninja. 16k miles, new rear tire, new front brake pads, just passed VA inspections, V&H exhaust. Fairings are beat and patched, and repainted, but I want to take it naked anyway. Went out to look at it, agreed on $1000. I'd asked him coming in if he had the title, and he had it on him, but when we went to sign it turned out it's his buddy's title that buddy pre-signed for him. I thought that was sketchy, and he couldn't raise his friend on the phone, so I walked away. I'm only a few stops towards home on the subway when I get a call, he got a hold of his friend and the friend is coming in to do the deal. I buy, get it insured over the phone, and ride it home somewhat apprehensively since I'm not at all used to riding even a weak sportbike and the roads were wet. Great foggy ambiance though. Bike seems to be running and handling well, though to pass DC safety inspection I think it's going to need two mirrors vice one, and there's something odd with the turn signals where they stay on rather than blink, so I'll have to troubleshoot that. I know that first generation EX500s are known for having a crappy flywheel that can be replaced with a slightly modded post-'94, and a cam chain tensioner that can be replaced drop-in with a post-'94. Video clip from the seller  These do look pretty awesome streetfightered out; something along these lines doesn't look too difficult other than the seat mods:  Overall, decent option for someone who's not sure he's ready for an SV650, who wants a beater and city runaround bike, and wants to rat/streetfighter a bike out without destroying too much value?
|
|
#
¿
Oct 25, 2011 06:51
|
|
|
Z3n posted:I think you did good. Enjoy the bike! Glad to hear it; it's going to take some small work to pass DC inspection, and more to get it how I want it, but it runs well and definitely is a beater I won't mind ratting or dropping. I'm already ahead of the game on the latter: in a burst of impulsiveness I went to look at it at 9PM last night as soon as the CL ad posted, ignoring the fact that it was raining. Did the test drive in the park-n-ride outside a subway stop, which was greasy, wet, and also not level ground. At five mph I was making a slow turn, and braked slightly going into it. Foot brake had a lot of travel, so I momentarily freaked and tried to tap the front brakes a little (don't think I grabbed a handful or anything). Turns out the rear brakes are an older but functional drum brake set with a lot of travel... and the front was brand new disc brakes with minimal travel. So I laid it down, no injuries except skinning my thumb knuckle despite gloves, and broke the little ball of the tip of the clutch, put a few more scuffs on the already cracked/scuffed/repainted fairing, and cracked the wind screen. Overall good thing I was happy with the bike itself and bought it, since that would've been awkward. No pain at the time, but I woke up at 4AM with a terrible pain in my right hand. No pain at my wrist or lower, but the fatty pads of the hand hurt and it's painful to close my grip, so I'm guessing I overextended the muscles there. Will be icing/heating the rest of today, and I think I'm going to have to be doing alternative exercises for most of tonight's Crossfit routine. Lot of lesson learning with this purchase. I had momentarily considered just buying the bike with the signed-over title before the owner showed up, reckoning "well, the title is the bike", but a 15 second glance at Google for "different name on title" indicated the popular consensus that this is a terrible idea. quote:Honestly the bike looks in good condition and the guy sounds like he's willing to negotiate down. My fiance is incredibly small (5'5" or so and barely 110lbs) so she should fit well on a 250 and I don't see her wanting "more power" at any point soon. Would paying between $1500 and $1700 be bad for a bike in this condition? We're probably going to go check it out this weekend pending him sending us over the VIN so I can run it and all. I've owned two 2001 Honda CB250s, one for $1500 and one for $1300. Both had decently more mileage (14k or so), the first some bad dents and scrapes, and the second a really tore up seat. If the bike's in such great condition and only 6k then $1500-1700 sounds good to me. I really like the little Nighthawk, has been a great city bike for me. Very easy handling and light, and short of going on the interstate has plenty of power for everything in town and the quieter roads between towns. I have actually done interstate on it in Austin, and the main limiting factor there is that if the weather is gusty you'll really feel it. On roads any quieter/slower, it's great short of being out on the prairie with high winds (done in TX and made it fine but not enjoyed). TapTheForwardAssist fucked around with this message at 13:21 on Oct 25, 2011 |
|
#
¿
Oct 25, 2011 13:13
|
|
|
Snowdens Secret posted:A 600cc or 750cc Honda Shadow is going to be comparable to an 883 Harley and can be tweaked into an essentially identical style for cheap if it's not like it from the factory floor already. Case in point, here is a bone-stock two year old Shadow Phantom: Out of curiosity, for small/affordable/mellow starter cruisers is the Suzuki GZ250 considered to be an okay option? 
|
|
#
¿
Oct 26, 2011 05:11
|
|
|
These are drat fun little bikes, and I'm really glad I got one as my first bike. Sold that one, the stolen one was my second CB250 for a city-riding bike. EDIT: Going out to auruspex. 
TapTheForwardAssist fucked around with this message at 19:50 on Oct 30, 2011 |
|
#
¿
Oct 30, 2011 18:03
|
|
|
Still dicking around with a '91 Ninja 500 I picked up as a beater, and am going to try a very amateur streetfightering job on since the fairing is both dowdy and held together with epoxy. The size feels pretty decent to me (I'm short), and the weight decent for street riding. However, whenever I see the slightly smaller Ducati Monster 600/696 or a Buell Blast, I envy the even lower profile and compact size (though roughly the same weight). Are there any decent and readily available sport-standard bikes on the market in the 500-700cc window that are closer to those small bikes in size?
|
|
#
¿
Nov 16, 2011 06:24
|
|
|
Back again, trying to figure out something to replace my previous ill-advised purchase of a beater 1993 EX500 (pre-Ninja 500) for $1000. Previously I've twice owned a Nighthawk 250 which was about ideal as a city bike but kind of pushing it on the highways, and a 2001 Bonneville that just was tranquil on the interstate but felt really clunky in city traffic, on tight turns, etc. The EX500 has some cracked plastic, so I was thinking to streetfighter it before realising that there is about zero aftermarket for this model, it's about impossible to change the bars, and since it's pre-1994 there aren't even bar risers for it. Plus pre-'94s have two major known flaws: some kind of problem it develops with the cam tensioner, and the flywheel has a tendency to suddenly fling its magnets without warning. I actually don't mind the ride of the EX500 overall, it's good power and weight for what I do, I just dislike not knowing when this thing will throw (cam tensioner I could replace, but flywheel is beyond my skill level), and the lack of parts is kind of a buzzkill for streetfightering since I don't have the tools or skills for fabrication. Looking for something that'll be 85% city traffic and 15% highways (probably not much Interstate if I can avoid it since it's dull to ride). I'd like something fairingless or easy to strip the fairings off of since it's inevitable some DC rear end in a top hat will knock mine over parallel parking (happened twice in the last year). Ideally something <$3500 due to inherent city risks (previous Honda Nighthawk was stolen in Shaw-Howard neighbourhood) and for insurance. I live in an apartment, no covered garage, and just basic tools, so something durable would be good. I'm 5'6" so anything above 31" seat height is kind of annoying, and I'm looking for a more upright posture for comfort and field of view in city riding. Which of the following seems reasonable: - Ninja 250, get a banged-up one and streetfighter it, maybe 1" bar riser, use it as a city bike and non-interstate highways. - Post-94 Ninja 500 that's not a ticking time-bomb, or a Suzuki GS500, strip off some plastic, strap on a bar riser, call it good enough. - Naked SV650 Am I just putting way too much effort into avoiding buying the SV? It'd be awesome if they had an SV450 or something similar; the new Ninja 300 (39 horse) would be great but it just hit the market and I'm not buying new. Thanks for any advice for a short guy wanting a city knockaround. TapTheForwardAssist fucked around with this message at 01:47 on Jan 15, 2013 |
|
#
¿
Jan 15, 2013 01:45
|
|
|
M42 posted:What are some other beginner-friendly (both in power and maintenance requirements) sport style bikes besides the ninja 250/500, gs500 and sv650? I've had really similar questions to yours in the past, and the US is kind of weak on middle-weight bikes. I was momentarily excited by a good CL deal on a Suzuki GSF400 Bandit, a bike that looks close enough to a Ducati that I've seen it called a "Little Monster". However, turns out that it's a bike made to scream along at really high rpms, and is stall-prone at low speeds, which is exactly what I don't want for a city-bike. ThatCguy posted:M42, what's your budget? Other than the maintenance requirement, I'd throw a Ducati Monster out there as a comedy option, the small CC motored ones are light and have a real tiny seat height, and frankly look cool. FZ6 & GSX-F is also out there depending on $$. Dammit, you've got me back to thinking about Ducatis again. Even though they're about the same weight and seat height as a SV650, they definitely look a lot smaller. Not sure if it's just the overall height is set lower, or what it is. But from what I've read folks opine that they feel a lot smaller to ride, nice low center of gravity, etc. As a short guy who likes stability, that's appealing. Same as back last year when I was reading up on SV650N vs. Ducati 620/696, it seems a pretty interminable online argument with probably most folks calling the SV650 a much better deal, better specs overall, etc. Then Ducati folks counter that the used Ducatis aren't that pricey, maintenance is nowhere near as bad as claimed except the valve stuff can take some time, and that it's overall a higher-quality bike (noting you can put a good grand into improving an SV650's stock suspension/front-end). That, and the whole "I just like Ducati more" subjective bit. Smaller is better as far as I'm concerned, so I'm looking around at 620s in my area, since the earlier 600s don't have fuel injection and apparently are trickier to keep running smooth. The KBB is saying $2900 for a 2002 620 in my zipcode, but the only one I'm seeing within 2hrs from me is asking $4,000 for a bike with 14k miles. I'm really kind of torn on the issue: Ducati is lower, looks cooler, and is arguably better made, but the SV650 sounds a lot more reasonable to maintain. Plus since I do mostly city riding I'd feel less-bad if I damage the SV650 during some traffic emergency or have some rear end-hat knock it over while parallel parking (as has happened to my Ninja twice last year). In any case, is the KBB just running really low for its "Dealer price" (bought from a dealer, not trade-in) these days? All the SV650s I'm seeing are running around a grand above the quoted prices, same for most of the 620/696 Monsters I'm seeing.
|
|
#
¿
Jan 17, 2013 05:56
|
|
|
Monkey Wrangler posted:Okay I'm back again, this time for my wife. We're looking for a cheaper starter bike for her and found one that isn't ridiculously marked up due to its presence in California. I can't speak to the mechanical stuff, but I will say i just loved the 250 Nighthawk as a city bike, especially as a 5'6" dude. Nice low seat, really upright posture, and very light bike. If the tech-smarter folks here say those mechanical issues aren't big, a grand seems a really reasonable price for CA and nearly spring.
|
|
#
¿
Jan 18, 2013 14:40
|
|
|
I'm taking a pause in the SV650 vs. Ducati 696 fight, as while I was comparing my '93 EX500 Ninja for seat height, I had a bit of a change of heart. Yes, the bike is a little problematic, but most of the reason I bought this beater in the first place was to make a hooligan/rat bike out of it. Also it's a parallel twin, so only two carbs to clean, so this has to be reasonably easy to wrench on, yes? I actually like the size and overall feel of it, it ran just fine when I was running it regularly, and though I'm not thrilled about the lack of aftermarket, the stock bars aren't necessarily ungodly. I'm starting to think about just putting this back into running order and doing a minor streetfightering might be a good experience, and get me a bike that meets my overall goal of a good city bike that can still handle moderate highways. Supposedly pulling/clean/reinstall these carbs takes "an hour", so accounting for my ineptness maybe 3-4, so getting this thing back purring should be just an afternoon's work, nothing crazy. Then after that I just need to replace the alternator and cam tensioner that are known flaws of the pre-'94 models. Then pull off the front fairings and figure out how to get mirrors, blinkers, and headlights back on to a bare frame. I live in an apartment with no garage, so it's going to be fun figuring out how to make the bike look complete when I'm not with it so I don't get ticketed for having a dismantled work in progress parked on the curb. End goal is to get something resembling this dude's build, but within my limitations as a tinkerer (I mostly just fix dulcimers): 
|
|
#
¿
Jan 19, 2013 04:02
|
|
|
I have a female friend about to take MSF, and I talked to her some about 250cc bikes (which she's keen on as a cautious beginner). I'd offered my opinion that fairings are at risk to get cracked and tanks dented on a first bike, and that a naked Ninja 250 (not that they make one) would probably be lower-hassle than a faired one. Checked CL, and it turns out there's a guy with a 2009 Ninja 250 with the fairings stripped and tank dented. The price ($2000) is silly given that CL has 2008-2010 bikes with intact fairings for barely more than that, and 2012 models new are on closeout for $3300 at some local shop. If it were more like $1300 would that be a possibility as a city-bike, or are there just too many red flags ("was laid down", "mileage is not correct, had to replace speed odometer", etc)? If the guy just dropped and dented the bike with no other severe damage (except the speedo somehow?) this would seem a good streetfighter candidate, but it does seem a little sketch. http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/mcy/3513056737.html  EDIT: Is the headlamp full-on busted loose, or is the front pic just a bad angle? Oddly enough, my Ninja 500 looks rather like this today, since I stripped all the fairings off as part of both an overall cleanup/maintenance and to prep for streetfightering. I'm keeping my side-fairings (though cleaned them and about to rattle-can black) but the front fairing was cracked and patched enough I just stripped the small parts and dumpstered it. Just like the above bike, I still have the lame-o panel/light "cage" up front of the forks. I'll eventually remove that and put on a bucket headlamp and aftermarket speedo/tachy, but in the short term leaving the cage there lets me keep it street legal while I work on the other bits. I bolted my left mirror to the cage, stock headlight and panel, and with some short-stem front blinkers zip-tied to the cage I should be fully kosher, if not classy. TapTheForwardAssist fucked around with this message at 23:42 on Jan 27, 2013 |
|
#
¿
Jan 27, 2013 23:37
|
|
|
Of about four friends I have at the moment who want to learn to ride, three of them are even shorter than my 5'6", so I've been googling "X Model seat height" a lot these days. I have a drinking buddy whose bike aspiration is to own a bike "like in all the 80s movies". After some further questioning, it turns out he means something like a dual sport, with the old Honda XR and XL series jumping out at him as just what he was thinking of. Dude is like 5'5", so I dug into the online wisdom for small girls and Hobbit-esque guys, and came up with the Kawasaki KLX250 and KL250 Super Sherpa, Suzuki DR200, and Yamaha WR and XT 250s. I think I feel generally okay with identifying the shorter dual sport bikes which are good for short people and can keep up on non-Interstate highways (hold 55, pass 70, etc). My question though: if he's not actually interested in the whole offroading side of things, but is just going to be all ironic 80s bike hipstery driving around the city, or occasionally some quieter arterials out to the suburbs, is a dual sport still a decent idea? Or is getting a dual sport as a 100% paved road bike a bit nonsensical? 
|
|
#
¿
Feb 5, 2013 03:06
|
|
|
MarquisDeCarabas posted:I am looking at getting my first bike and have little-to-no clue where to start. ... I did ride dirt bikes and quads as a kid and rode with my dad on his street bikes and do not foresee me NOT choosing to get a bike after I complete the course. ...I am looking at bikes in my price ($1k-$3.5k) range on Craigslist daily and constantly see bikes that I love the looks of (ranging from dual sports to Ninjas to SV650s), but how do you know if something makes for a good beginner's bike? What are you wanting the bike for? It'll help give advice if you can generalize whether you want purely a street bike, or also want to do off-road stuff. Do you want something more for short trips and having fun zipping around, or something for long-distance travel? Would you have a passenger frequently (and for long stretches at a time) or just rarely for a quick fun trip? Are you reasonably set on dual sports and sport bikes, or are cruisers, traditional standards, etc. in the mix as well?
|
|
#
¿
Feb 18, 2013 07:15
|
|
|
|
| # ¿ May 16, 2024 11:40 |
|
|
Koruthaiolos posted:The biggest problem is that one of her restrictions is that it needs to be new - after a bad used car experience she's very scared about me getting a dud. Is there any wiggle-room in that restriction, like if it comes from a dealership with some kind of X miles guarantee on a used bike, it's okay? And/or if you buy used private party, but pay for a professional mechanic to inspect it prior to purchase?
|
|
#
¿
Feb 19, 2013 01:02
|
|