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Gr3y posted:So I'm looking at picking up my first bike and found this on craigslist: What, you're here on the interwebs instead of checking out that bike? KZ440 is a great starter bike. Sure the miles are a bit on the high side (maybe I shoudln't mention "high side" in the starter bike thread) but if it runs reasonably, has a title and isn't utterly wretched it's be hard to go wrong. If it doesn't appear to be running on wet leaves and doesn't sound like it is running marbles in the engine instead of oil, you could be golden. You could afford to replace the tires at that price.
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Oct 5, 2008 06:03
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2000 Aprilia Pegaso, like the F650 but lighter, and with better suspension. I had to work at this, it didn't just happen. It's a good starter bike if you are tall enough, very versitle, but not the best bike for long road trips. F650 riders do those long trips all the time, but trust me, there are better bikes for long road trips.
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Oct 7, 2008 04:19
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IIRC, the 06 Peg Strada has the Yamaha 660 single engine instead of the Rotax 650. Practical differences? Nothing substantial, both good motors. Aprilia imported something like 500 Pegasii into the US in 2000 and there were still Pegs in the warehouse in 04, very few peopole here knew what they were. I bought mine new in 2003, heavily discounted. They are pretty good on the highway, my main gripes were that they are not a 2 up bike, just a bit cramped, and once you get to a good highway speed there isn't much extra power so passing can be an issue. I'd go on rides with the local DS guys and the KTM's and Boxers would be sooooo gone while I motored on behind. I just couldn't (wouldn't) make those marginal passes in traffic. They are a bit hard on chains, most big singles are, and the Peg uses a 520 so it's a bit lighter than what most street bikes use. The frame is the oil tank and it cooks what small smattering of grease the factory waves at the steering head bearings, so those need close attention-if a Peg or an F650 wander around like drunken sailors at low speed the head bearings are toasted. They are delightfully light, easy to pick up, inspire great confidence, all around a great bike, and I expect to really miss mine this winter, as that was my bike to stud up and ride all year. I managed to put 17K miles on mine from new over the course of 4 years, while sharing my limited riding time with a flurry of other bikes, which for me is a fair amount of riding and for most of the world isn't jack. The farthest I rode in a day was 500 miles, and TBH by the end of those rides the seat was biting my rear end hard. Other than that I was good to go for more. A good choice for a bike, even a first one.
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Oct 8, 2008 02:37
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Man, I'd buy that if I figured I could hide it before Gnoma'am got home.
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Oct 8, 2008 05:52
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ClockworkZero posted:Maybe something like a 2000-2004 Aprilia Pegaso? I just bought a fairly mint '06 for £2400 which is the new model with the Yamaha engine. Gnomad has one on here, he could probably tell you more about the previous generation. Make that "had" one, but I can still recommend them as a starter bike. You UK guys get the other Pegs too, IIRC there is a 125cc Pegaso? The other kühl bikes you get over there? CCM.  I loving love this bike. This one is pretty bitchin too.  If this bike doesn't scream "wheelie down the sidewalk while flipping the rozzers the bird" I don't know what bike will.
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Oct 18, 2008 04:18
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Orange Someone posted:
Not only is the Peg a better package overall than the F650, it's usually a good bit cheaper and there is no stuffy old man vibe happening there. Aprilia made the F650 for the 1st 4 years, right alongside the Pegasii in the same factory. The F650 is heavier, I guess you buy that bike by the pound so the Peg comes out cheaper.
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Oct 18, 2008 19:05
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After actually looking at those photos, I don't know if that is really even a good beginners bike, it's been thrashed and crashed pretty hard. I'm not that fussy but my definition of "clean" doesn't include dents and a tweaked subframe (look at the picture of the rear end end, it's obviously not straight). If you could find a better one for $2K-ish, I'd do that, rather than take a chance that hidden frame damage may decide to bite you later down the road. You have to think to yourself "can I trust a seller who describes this bike as 'clean'?"
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Oct 19, 2008 18:39
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Pvt. Public posted:Does anyone in here have an opinion of Kikker5150 motorcycles? They are super-cheap and I can probably build the kit on my rooftop and carry it down the stairs (I think they're like a couple hundred pounds dry) and I really want another bike to ride. There are a couple dealers around here, so I have seen built ones and they don't look like cheap parts, but I don't expect to get a totally impartial opinion from anyone at those shops. The thing that worries me is there is a bit of talk on various forums about them being a hassle to get completed due to missing or ill-fitting parts. The dealers I talked to said this wasn't a problem for them. I just took a look at them, interesting, they have potential. I already have a CM400, and now you have me thinking about dropping the 400 motor in a hardtail bobber frame. I would think that a person would never be all the way done with such a project though, and no doubt you'll be fitting and fettling stuff. All part of the fun!
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Oct 24, 2008 04:14
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Stoic Commie posted:So is that gs500e that had been rebuilt a good buy? He said he has no title, but a bill of sale and he would go to the secretary of state with me to make sure it checked out, but I'm not even sure how title transfers and bills of sale work. if it's possible to get a title, why doesn't he just do it himself? I can't begin to recall how many times you see the CL listings "and there's no title but you can go to the DMV and get one with just a bill of sale, a witch doctor, and a copy of the constitution." If it's so easy genius, why not do it yourself before the bike gets sold? There are processes in place to get titles, but it can be fraught with danger. You could be the guy trying to launder a dirty bike, so what if you didn';t steal it yourself, tell it to the judge.
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Oct 31, 2008 03:24
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My state has the same kind of process but just you try to find a place to write you a bond around here. We also have an "abandonment" title process, where you can claim a bike 6 months after it was "abandonded" on your property by sending a registered letter to the last owner of record. Both work but neither are as easy as too many CL or garage sale sellers make the process out to be, and both are going to cost more for the paperwork and such in addition to the cost of the title. For example, I was going to get an abondoned vehicle title for a bike I got at a yard sale...went to the DMV with the form and the check ($10) for a search. Well, turned out the bike had never been registered in the state, whcih means that instead of sending a registered letter I was looking at having to publish legal notice in the paper, which costs a helluva lot more than a registered letter. Or I could pack the beast up, find a dealer to write up an apparaisal, hand 1.5 that much to the DMV to hold on to for 3 years, etc. Basically, it's possible but not that easy and requires a level of commitment that a begiining rider can likely do without.
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Nov 1, 2008 03:01
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The Vision is one of those bikes that does have a following, but as a first bike or only bike, even complete and running, might be iffy. It's one of those bikes that engineering wise was ahead of the capabilities of Yamaha to properly implement it at the time. I'd say pass on that one, spend the $185 on the MSF course if you haven't taken it already.
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Nov 30, 2008 04:41
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The problem with the Magna is that it's a V4 Honda. Working on it will be unpleasant. Getting any of the usual service items out will be a bitch, carbs are stuck in between the cylinders, getting to the valves will be ugly, and then, just to further pee on this parade, the early V4 Hondas are pretty notorious for having soft cams. If the cams are bad they cost $250 each to get reground, there are 4 of them. And if you have to ask Honda for new ones, you'll be able to claim part ownership in the dealer cuz you're spending some money. It's not a bike for someone with limited wrench time, although the limited part will no longer apply once you start in with that critter.
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Dec 3, 2008 04:54
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Z3n posted:If you can get it to start and run, it's probably alright. If it's a non-runner and it "just needs a battery" and it doesn't start with a jump because the "carbs are out of sync" he's full of poo poo and you should run. Pretty much what Z3 said. If it sounds like it's running on all 4 cylinders, the carbs could be basically OK but they aren't opening the same amount, so some cylinders are getting more fuel than others. This leads to vibration and less than optimal running, to get the carbs working in unison they need to be synchronized, hence, "out of synch". OTOH, it is again a early Honda V4, known to be challenging to work on and having soft cams. The price is right for a running bike, the speedo is likely a bad cable that can be fixed with a $10 cable kit from NAPA, and even if the cams are bad it's not the end of the road. I've owned 2 early Interceptors, both had cams with big chunks missing and both would break the national speed limit in first gear (OK, so that's the old speed limit  ) . Even if it's a learning tool and dies on you, $700 is less that what depreciation and interest would cost if you bought a new or recent vintage used bike.
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Dec 6, 2008 19:47
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Linedance posted:I may be mis-remembering but I seem to recall something about those early Sabres as Not Safe. Something about scary handling, I don't remember. Maybe I'm thinking of something else? Someone want to correct me? If the Sabre used the 16" front wheel, that might explain it. Honda and Guzzi were big into the 16" wheel to quicken th steering and sometimes it worked too well. I never had any trouble with my Interceptors, and they both had that design feature.
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Dec 8, 2008 04:48
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Prince posted:I'm a learner rider, I just got my license after a 2 day course (I'm in Australia). I'm looking at buying my first bike, and have come across a 1984 BMW R65. Its a print ad (so no pics yet) but is in good condition apparently. The asking price is $3800AUD (about $2800USD at the current exchange rate). I can't help with Aus prices from the land up over, but yes you would want to have a knowledgable person look over that BMW before you buy. I don't think R65's have the same issues with the final drives that bigger BMW's do, but they do have the same possibilities of leaking rear main seals (oils the clutch) the gas tanks are prone to rust right at the petcock, along with the normal items, forks, head bearings, wheels and tires, etc. You want to be a bit more cautious with this bike as parts and service will be more expensive. OTOH, parts and service will be more available, BMW tends to support their older bikes better than the Japanese do.
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Jan 7, 2009 04:09
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TheUltimateCool posted:Alright, after discovering in this very thread that a V4 honda was not the bike to learn the intricacies of motorcycle repair on, I have returned with a new possibility. A 1978 CB400T has been offered to me for $100. it needs "a head gasket and ignition". The head gaskets and assorted o-rings and oil seals (do not forget them DAMHIK) should be available at the dealer for $100 or so. The ignition is kind of odd though. I would ask the seller how they came to the conclusion that it needs a head gasket and ignition. I would ask this because I was given a 80 CM400E that some DPO decided needed to have the head pulled and then never put back together. Why a person felt that a HONDA would need to have the upper end worked on a 6K miles I cannot say as I found nothing wrong with the head, or the bores, or the pistons, hone marks were clearly visible, rings were fine, the head was perfect...now possibly the head and jugs came off another bike but I don't think they did. The guy I got it from wasn't the guy who dismantled it so he wasn't any help. There were significant carb issues but mechanically the bike was OK. If it hasn't been taken apart, and if there is a title, $100 is a great price. You could bone it out on ebay and make that back. If it has been taken apart, do you want to be the guy trolling ebay for the missing parts? See if you can get some more info and get back to us....but if it is titled and unmolested I vote you pick it up.
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Jan 8, 2009 04:10
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As for why a beginner should start with under 70 hp, and 50 might be even better, it has been said before but needs to be said again. A beginning rider really doesn't have the comprehension of just how motherbumpin fast a good modern bike is. You may have driven some fast cars but they do not prepare you for the sudden rush of speed that ensues when you twist that giggle grip and if you haven't expreienced it before you find the hazards are rushing towards you in an impossibly fast fashion. Suddenly the bike that tipped over so easily in the driveway has become an unturnable gyroscope and the brakes that threatened to toss you over the bars are impotent in the face of the shrieking fury that your bike has become in well less than the time it takes you to read this paragraph. And if you survive this, which chances are you will or their would be even more carnage among beginning riders than there already is, you will discover that the rush of speed and that narrowing of vision and the sheer feral joy of grip it and rip it is a shot of smack right to the brain that you will want to do again and again and again. So, while it is true that most riders survive the initial contact with a sport bike, the penalties for those who don't is so sobering and dramatic that it would be best to avoid contact until you've developed a sobering sense of survival.
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Jan 8, 2009 04:26
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NumptyScrub posted:
See if you can find an Aprilia Pegaso. It'll be less money and more bike. Same general bike as the BMW, same engine except for the Pegaso having a 5 valve engine and the F650 having a 4 valve, but the Pegaso has better suspension, is lighter, and can be a lot of fun. And they will do the ton plus, not plus a lot mind you, but a very capable bike.
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Jan 15, 2009 03:05
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Zenaida posted:The F800ST is quite a bit different though, yeah? Belt drive parallel twin with full fairings. Tis that, but those are going to be well out of his £1500 price range. Very favorable impressions from what I've seen, maybe when I have the GS paid off and I come down with bike rabies I'll look closer at one.
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Jan 15, 2009 06:02
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People ride KLR650's all day long here in Alaska, from all over the country and around the world, it is a fine all day mount. Get an Alaska Leather sheepskin seat pad and ride another 100 miles, as they say.
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Jan 28, 2009 08:02
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wormil posted:
You might not think it, but these are profoundly different bikes. The Connie is a shaft drive Ninja with bags and the ST is a smaller Goldwing with a V4. Of the 2 I prefer the ST for the sport touring mission, bigger and more comfortable, but the Connie is a better bike for twisties.
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Feb 1, 2009 19:27
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Joe-Bob posted:
The KBB is pretty useless for motorcycle values. The NADA is usually closer, but trying to pin down bike values can be rather tough. What seems to screw up the whole value process is that the KBB and NADA get their ideas from dealer sales, and there aren't that many dealer sales of older bikes. So the final answer to how much a bike is worth is "whatever someone is willing to pay". If the market is thin it's harder to weedle sellers down, but if the guy's been trying to sell it for a while he might be willing to deal. As always, money talks.
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Feb 2, 2009 01:17
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sedated posted:I've found an '82 Yamaha xj650 seca that hasn't been started in 1.5 years for $100. When I asked the current owner if the engine turned and had compression and what kind of TLC was required he replied like this; If you have to ask.....yes. If that was all that needed doing, why couldn't he do it? Or, maybe he started and found out that there was a reason that the last guy sold it to him soooo cheap.
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Feb 5, 2009 06:59
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hey, look what I found locally! "1973 suzuki rv90 - $500 (wasilla) Reply to: sale-1043600345@craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?] Date: 2009-02-20, 4:20PM AKST 1973 rv 90 did some work on it. 1 tire leaks air. speedometer works fine. headlight and taillight have been removed as seen in pictures. had it running fine last summer but now seems to be a carburetor problem. has a key. it travels about 40 mph. there is a tear in the seat"   Take that and then use the engine from this! "1971 Honda CT Trail 90. - $250 (eagle river) Reply to: sale-1043433250@craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?] Date: 2009-02-20, 2:09PM AKST I bought this bike with the intentions of doing a restoration but I have too many other projects going and need to make some room. The previous owner rebuilt the top-end but I have never tried to get the bike running. It will need a thorough going over and parts replaced to make it a runner. You know the drill. I don't have a title or registration but I will provide a Bill of Sale. I do have the ignition key for the bike. Call for more info."  Now I am actually tempted by the Trail 90. My first bike was a Trail 90 of that vintage-I'd have to look at it to determine if in fact it was my old bike but it is red, it is missing the side cover and the plastic cover over the downtube, and I am seriously considering having a peek at it. Like I need another project!
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Feb 21, 2009 04:54
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Voxan? Whatever it is, I like it and approve 102.8%.
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Feb 25, 2009 05:32
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Gr3y posted:Beside mine being 2 years older than I am? Not really. If they feel soft, I'd change the brake fluid-a good idea on a yearly basis anyway. New fluid and a good bleed should give you a nice firm lever.New shoes and pads won't hurt at all either.
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Mar 17, 2009 02:58
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You want bad brakes? I got your bad brakes! I have a Honda CM400 in the fleet, which I have been considering selling, figuring it would be an ideal beginners bike. Problem being is that the brakes are terrible. The CM400E has drum brakes, the shoes appear fine but the brakes are just about useless. My concern with it as a beginners bike is that if the n00b needed to stop quickly, it won't happen on that bike-and I have this feeling that it would be irresponsible to sell a bike like that to a new rider. If I wanted disk brakes, I'd have to do a Comstar wheel swap, and I refuse to do that to the bike. Wouldn't be kind at all. If you lack confidence, I would second the motion for you to do what you need to get it back. Lack of confidence makes for nervous, unpleasant riding.
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Mar 17, 2009 05:40
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Gr3y posted:
Depends on the bike, and if there was a version of the bike that used a rear disk. Usually the caliper mounts to the swing arm, so you would have to fab up a mount or use the disk brake swing arm. You'd have a seperate MC for the rear brake and mounting that would take some patience unless you had the disk brake version on hand. And after all that work, you'd find that your braking capacity hasn't increased by much since the rear brake is still only 30% on a good day. If I wanted more stopping poswer, I'd be more inclined to mount another disk to the front.
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Mar 17, 2009 07:24
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As I understand these things-drilled rotors help to ensure that the pads always have a nice fresh surface to press against the disk. They are, if you will, self cleaning and dont glaze (as readily). Wave rotors? Look cool and may be of value on the track, and honestly may be a consumable in that environment. We dont usually change our rotors after every spirited ride. On the street, not so much.
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Mar 18, 2009 03:21
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Another possible problem regarding the steering may be a combo of bad head bearings and misaligned forks. Tire pressure can be an issue but if the bike feels "drunk" it's more likely to be the bearings. Getting the bearing off the bottom of the triple clamp can be interesting, the rest isn't hard, mostly busywork.
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Mar 19, 2009 05:36
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And here I thought that people asking stupid amounts of money for old bikes was an Alaska phenomenom? To me, a $1000 + or - seems high for 20, 25, 30 year old bikes, considering that they were not specical models, those were plain jane vanilla bikes. Nothing wrong with them but IMHO those are $500 bikes.
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Mar 21, 2009 03:35
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Quite a few early 80's Hondas were jetted lean. My CM400 was crazy lean. I put shims under the jet needles to raise them up a bit for better off idle and midrange response, the thing would almost fall flat on it's face when you tried to ride off from a stop before I shimmed them
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Mar 22, 2009 04:00
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TapTheForwardAssist posted:Y I'm not sure whether to laugh or cry, so I'll do both and report back later.
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Mar 28, 2009 07:45
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Simkin posted:Funny, you'd think newer, larger displacement engines would have superseded them by now. Is it just that they're a known quantity, or are they still pretty much the most solid engine to build power out of? The parts are easily available to build them up, IIRC Wiseco makes a 1300cc kit for that motor. Not that many Japanese MC engines have that kind of support and following. If you want bike motorcycle power you grab the GS1000 engine, the Wiseco catalog, say good bye to your fiscal responsibility and hole up in the garage for the winter. You don't have to be the pioneer, which saves a lot of time and money. edit-I looked it up, you can sleeve a 84-86 GS1100 engine to 1600cc. Try doing that to a wimpy Honda! Gnomad fucked around with this message at 16:46 on Mar 28, 2009 |
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Mar 28, 2009 16:41
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MrKatharsis posted:If you like that bike, google a Honda CX500. Looks just as good, but it's not an unreliable piece of poo poo. The difference in riding pleasure between the plastic maggot and a Moto Guzzi is immeasurable. A MG twin at redline sounds like a small block running through glasspacks, a CX500 sounds like a Briggs&Stratton "big twin" in a riding lawnmower. A CX500 is reliable. That's pretty much the only virtue. They make great courier bikes as they last forever and if something unfortunate happens to it, you've never really gotten attached to it because it is such an uninspiring miserable thing. The modern Guzzis have come a long way from the dark days of typical Italian reliability, or lack thereof...I owned a SP1000 at one time from the mid 80s and that bike never gave me a moments grief, once I bought it a new battery. A $20 Wal Mart riding mower battery. If you can go that high, I'd take a look at a Nevada for $4K. What I wouldn't do is put serious pimp funds into a $1000 UJM. Tires, chain, fluids, battery, the maintenence and safety basics of course but if you were thinking of spending another $3k or so, you might want to ride the 400 class for a year and look at other bikes. Shop that extra $3k around in November ands see what that gets you. I've picked up some cool bikes for under $3K.  $2250, end of season sale. Sold a year later for $3400.
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Apr 1, 2009 03:59
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I find the sport riding postion uncomfortable and distracting, other are perfectly happy with it. The bike in the picture was a miserable bitch to ride, until I got it to speed. Over the winter, I removed the fairing and the clip ons, made more of a streetfighter out of it and it was great. Just starting out though, I'd stay with a more standard sit up and beg position. MG went through a period right after Aprilia bought them out where they were pretty bad, that was about '99 to '01 or '02. After that period, they tightened up the QC and the modern bikes are not quite Japanese spec but still pretty good. The Italians bring some attitude to every bike, much more so that Honda. I'd say worth a look.
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Apr 1, 2009 05:31
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Back to TTFA and his GS450L- My first street bike, the one I learned on, bought it new in 83, 84, or so for $1500, just for reference. It's a very competent smaller bike, easy to ride, very manageable but capable of plenty of scoot if need be. I think the HP was rated at 46 or 48 and that seemed about right. It handled highway speeds just fine. I sold it a couple years later when I felt I "needed" a bigger bike. Someone else had mentioned a XS850-would not go there, another one of Yammies ill concieved big triples. You would really need to do a compression test on any of those bikes, paying attention to the middle cylinder which notoriously overheats and wears egg shaped way too soon. For as good as Yamaha is today, they sure went through a period of crap.
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Apr 3, 2009 03:06
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Full disclosure here-I own a BMW boxer. The older BMW's are for the most part enthusiast bikes. True, they are durable as jurassic cockroaches, and parts will be easy to find but shockingly expensive. It's a borderline lifestyle ride, akin to Harley ownership, populated by 2 camps. I like to put myself in the first camp, riders who like any bike within reason but find the experience of a boxer ride very satisfying, and insufferable snobby wankers who won't put any fluid in the bike unless it has a roundel on the bottle. 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. A good first BMW might be the K series bike with the inline fallover triple. It's smooth, torquey, also fabulously durable, the finals don't die with the regularity of the paralever bikes, the seat height is on the low side, there might be more power than a beginner would want and they are top heavy with a full tank of fuel, but if you thinking CB750's or the like, think the K75 also. The newer boxers, the paralever bikes, might be above your comfortable price point. Not a good beginner bike IMHO. Heavy, fairly complex, and the final drive is a weak point. I have touched that third rail of BMW ownership, the replacement of that bearing, and it's doable and not as expensive as you'd think, but every BMW equipped with a paralever swing arm will have this failure. Last night, as I was out on the ride to the car wash (which never quite got to the car wash part ) I found this bike and snapped a picture.  You know, I'm pretty sure the Yamaha Vision has been tossed around as a beginners bike. A specimen in good condition could be worth consideration. And obviously, I don't think a R1150GS would be a good beginners bike! I looked at the Austin CL, found these- http://austin.craigslist.org/mcy/1062367775.html http://austin.craigslist.org/mcy/1077880189.html That F650ST would be a good beginners bike. 650cc single, about 50 hp give or take, it won't be as tall as a dual sport. Easy to ride, and the suspension and brakes are going to be of modern spec so you won't be fighting the bike while learning to ride. http://austin.craigslist.org/mcy/1103694730.html This one will take you across town or across the world, but if you drop it, the tupperware will be expensive. So yes, the BMW will Bleed My Wallet. Compared on paper to pretty much any bike, they lose. But you don't ride paper, and there the BMW riding experience shines. I may be the only BMW rider who waves to scooters, so my results may have varied. Gnomad fucked around with this message at 05:09 on Apr 4, 2009 |
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Apr 4, 2009 04:55
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PlasticSun posted:I think you'd be fine with it as long as you realize that the hourly rate to fix it will be higher and the parts will be more expensive.
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Apr 4, 2009 18:26
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For the R65, at the $3500 level it should be in really nice shape. If it has been cared for at all, it will likely be almost showroom. I don't know what BMW uses to paint their bikes but it is amazing stuff. If it isn't already gleaming, a bit of effort and some polishing compound should bring it back up to beautiful. I had to sand a K75 tank and getting the paint off was more work that it had any right to be. Aircraft stripper barely touched it. I ended up sanding it with 80g to get through the paint. 14K miles are low for this bike, a boxer is barely broken in before 20K. If he has the service records, he's an enthusiast and likely won't budge very much. I wouldn't expect him to go under $3K, $3250 might work-I know that I've never listed a bike on CL without leaving myself at least 10% negotiation room. Sometimes I need it. sometimes I don't. If you try to lowball him, he'll probably tune you out and think you're not serious.
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Apr 5, 2009 05:34
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