the_Wife wants me to buy a bike (advice)

[springer]

How about this for my first bike (in about 10 years). Actually I had a V65 Honda many years ago.

I'm buying hlaf of this from my brother. 1999 Heritage Softail

which hlaf?


The autos that survived are good bikes I have a 1981 Hondamatic 450 the smaller bikes lasted because the trans could not handle the HP of the 750's. I found this bike in 1997 when I went to look at 56 tbird it was under a pile of old blankets and had 47 miles on it . Fun bike to ride even for my 5'10' slightly roundish frame. These are now collectors items mine has 1800 miles on it now.


But for the kind of money we are talking you can pick something up that would suit your body much better something like this for less money750 and you wont outgrow it all that fast.

Do take the MSF I take the advanced course every 3 years good discount on Ins and it corrects bad habits that you fall into.

 

[the_bird]

Now that I'm looking, I've seen a fair number of old Hondas that I'd take long before the automatic. '84 Shadow for $1,750, there's a 2001 Rebel here in town for $1,500 (probably too small for me), '86 Kawasaki ZL600 for $1,750, could even get started with a small Yamaha SR250 for $850.

There were a few others around, but I can't find them right now...

In any case, I'm in no rush. I'm curious to see what Glib finds out with his old man's bike. Definately taking the course, there's a place that does the course about an hour from here, I may talk to the_Wife tonight about signing up in early summer.

Really, I'm just looking for a bike in the 400cc-600cc range, a cruiser (not a sport-bike guy, although some of those Buell Blasts are pretty cool looking and supposedly a great starter bike). Not afraid of buying an old Japanese bike with twenty or thirty years under it, I'm not sure that those old Hondas CAN be killed. Gotta love a bike where there are so many that have survived 25 years of use.

I just don't want something that needs a lot of work to get going, I just don't know much about fixing bikes. Suppose I'll have to re-read this:

 

[nystevecf]

Another bonus to MSF I forgot about is the insurance break. And I met one of my first and best riding buddies at that class. Just make sure to be safe and above all else enjoy!

 

[the_bird]

In MA, if you take the course you don't have to take the road test to get your license. I have to find more out about this; I know there's a written test to get your permit, but I *think* it's just that and the safety course for the license. The only bitch is that the closest course location is more than an hour away, and the course is spread over two days.

 

[nystevecf]

In MA, if you take the course you don't have to take the road test to get your license. I have to find more out about this; I know there's a written test to get your permit, but I *think* it's just that and the safety course for the license. The only bitch is that the closest course location is more than an hour away, and the course is spread over two days.

In the MSF class you take a written test and the road test so all you have to do is show up to the DMV with the paper and they give you the motorcycle license (in NY). I drove about 45min to get to mine as well and I wouldnt worry it is one weekend or two days that will let you enjoy many more on 2 wheels.

 

[Joe C]

In MA, if you take the course you don't have to take the road test to get your license. I have to find more out about this; I know there's a written test to get your permit, but I *think* it's just that and the safety course for the license. The only bitch is that the closest course location is more than an hour away, and the course is spread over two days.

That is completely correct. You take a test at the end of 2 days, but before hand you must take the permit test before hand (20 questions)

 

[TwoHeadsBrewing]

For a first bike after many years, I'd recommend any 80-90's "standard". Cheap, still relatively new and maintenance free depending on milage, and won't break your heart if you drop it a couple times. My choices:

1987 Nighthawk 700s - about $1500

2003 Nighthawk 750 - about $3750

2000 Suzuki SV650 - $3500

Of course, if it were me...I'd buy the almost brand new Honda 919!

 

[Zul'jin]

About the 1983 Suzukimatic (Suzuki GS 450GA). If you got it for $900 or less, wanted it for around town solo riding, won't be too upset when it goes to pot and is just gone or have the means to keep it repaired and were into the neat-o factor of an old automatic bike, it'd be a cool bike to have for a collector or enthusiast. If I had $900 to spend on that, I'd buy it for those reasons. For $600, I'd probably do it.

Since it doesn't sound like either of you are interested in the neat-o collector enthusiast factor and may want a 2 up bike, pass on this one. Or get it for $900 or less for your wife. That leaves more money for you to get something nice and when the auto gives up the ghost, 2 up with your wife on your bike till you get another and pass your old one to her.

As for cruisers, I have one. An '05 Suzuki Boulevard C50. It's 805cc, shaft drive, 5 speed manual, liquid cooled and about $8,000 for an '09. '05s go for $6,800 and lower. Mileage and condition considered, as with any used vehicle. The C50 and it's older cousin, the Suzuki Intruder 800 Volusia, have a huge following. Spare and after market parts abound. People love to modify them. I've put around 7,000 miles on mine in 11 months and I love it. It's mechanically stock with very few body mods; Suzuki padded sissy bar, Sportech windshield and bullet rear signals. we just started 2 up on it and it does the job. People 2 up on these all the time.

In general, if you want a cruiser for any thing more than around town, back roads and the occasional cross town highway rides or any 2 up at all, get at least a Honda VLX (often called a 600 but I thinks it's really 583cc) or bigger. 250s will do 60+mph, but not for a daily driver and no 2 up unless you're both squirrel size. Daily highway use will kill a 250 cruiser, quick. Slow road use, no problem, a long term bike. 250s are the most common MSF course bike. 500s are better, mostly found on the small end of sport bikes or standards, but for a few dollars more, you can go bigger and better. For 2 up, go bigger, it's better. A 750cc would do. It looks like the 750 is fast becoming the smallest highway cruiser.

Suzuki still makes some 650cc standards and a cruiser. I was on the verge of buying an S40 when I found the C50. My wife is looking hard at an S40 if she decides she wants to drive a bike. She says the C50 is too wide and heavy. It's not, but you know opinions. The S40 and earlier Savage have cult like followings.

One last thing. You may hear it said that noobs should buy 250s or nothing bigger than 650s, tops, and only if they aced the course. Balderdash! I went from The Course on a 250, my first time driving a bike, to an 805. I know two women who went form The Course to a 750 and an 883 Sportster. Be careful. Be adult. Be just fine.

PS. My shaft drive did shift with a feeling the 250 chain drives didn't have. Learning to ride my bike has fixed that. It's one of those subtle nuances.

 

[david_42]

I think that might be too small for your height and an automatic on a motorcycle is a bad idea. I started on a Kawasaki GPZ550 a friend was selling and it was a tad too tall for me. My personal preference is to have 1-2" of seat clearance when I'm standing with both feet on the ground. The guy I bought my Shadow from was 6'2" and he had to sit too far back on the seat. At 5'11", it's a great fit for me.

Sounds like your wife wants you to do her friend a favor, but I wouldn't.

 

[the_bird]

Sounds like your wife wants you to do her friend a favor, but I wouldn't.

There's that element of it, which helps my cause!

I've already decided against the auto. I'm going to sign up for the safety course next month, to get my feet wet. There's enough bikes I'm seeing listed everyday that fit my basic criteria that I'm not in any rush. 400-500cc cruiser is what I'm thinking. All things being equal, I'd like to buy from someone that I know, so I'm interested to hear what Glib reports back from his old man.

I'll also bring my brother along with me when I check anything out, he's more mechancially inclined than I am and he's been riding for a while. That's one of the things I'm looking forward to, if I can be honest. I'd be a blast to go riding with him, he doesn't live that far away where we couldn't do that pretty regularly.

 

[Bernie Brewer]

400-500cc cruiser is what I'm thinking.

If you're just going to go tooling around, that'll be a great bike. But if you plan on going on any extended rides, you might think about going a little bigger, say 650-850 or more. Your butt will thank you after a day of riding.

 

[the_bird]

This is my first bike, Bernie - not my last! As long as I don't totally **** it up, no reason I won't be able to resell whatever I buy in a couple years. I also don't want to spend a ton of money right now; I'm in the middle of the kitchen project, the class is going to be a couple hundred bucks, not sure how much I'll end up spending on a good helmet and riding gear (figuring what, a couple hundred total?).

 

[BierMuncher]

A few thoughts:

• MSF is an absolute must and an absolute blast.
• Get your written permit first. Then...when you "graduate" the class, you can go straight to the DMV and get your full endorsement. They will give you the written exam at the course, but it does not count. You must take it at the highway patrol stations.
• Buy what you can afford and ride immediately. Understand though that like owning a boat...it doesn't take long to start eying something bigger.
• Make yourself as visible as possible…then ride like you’re invisible. Assume nobody sees you on the road.
• Get on line and search out and read about motorcycle accidents. What happened, how, what could have been done differently? It can be a sobering exercise, but I can tell you that when I returned to riding, those “lessons from the road” came into play a number of times.
• You will drop your bike.
• If you go on a group ride…the newest rider goes up front.
• Finally…get that kickstand up and ride…baby…ride…

I put 6,000 miles on this bike...THIS WINTER.

 

[TXCrash]

Good helmet: 100-300 depending on your head shape. I think that, especially for a new rider, a full face is a necessity.

Good boots: IMHO the second most important piece of gear. WHEN you drop the bike, not IF you drop the bike, your ankles are likely to make contact with the asphalt or hot/hard surfaces of the bike.


Good jacket: Another 100-300. Make sure there's armor in the right places.

Good pants: 100-300. I'll admit to being a jeans wearer - It'll bite me in the ass one of these days. I HAVE been sliding and the only thing that saved me was the thick rain gear I was wearing.


I've bought most of my gear from New Enough Motorcycle Apparel sells motorcycle jackets, pants and suits, boots, gloves, helmets, etc :: New Enough, LTD Most in the bargain basement or closeout section. Despite the name, all gear is new. Awesome customer service, awesome return policy, great prices on some items. I've paid a little extra once or twice just because of the assurance of an easy return if there are problems with a selected item.

Also keep in mind - you're at the beginning of bike season, prices will steadily go up till August or so. In about a month prices will be higher than they are today due to increased demand. In 2 months you'll flat out pay a premium. Don't rush your purchase, just keep in mind that demand, thus price, increases steadily as the days get longer and warmer.

 

[HenryHill]

If you're just going to go tooling around, that'll be a great bike. But if you plan on going on any extended rides, you might think about going a little bigger, say 650-850 or more. Your butt will thank you after a day of riding.

And if she wants to go for a putt with you, a bike in this range will make the ride more comfortable for both of you.

And as BM states, like a boat, buy bigger than you think you want, because you will kick yourself for not going bigger almost immediately, and you can't build on.

 

[springer]

Motorcycling is just like this hobby it gets under your skin I tell myself I can stop anytime but I just end up buying another bike... 5 and counting

I also have an 04 Buell XB12r , Yamaha V-star and the Honda


but this is my baby

 

[IrregularPulse]

My only advice is to tie your wife up in the basement so she never gets away. A wife that ASKS her husband to get a bike....what a world you live in! My wife is scared to death I'll kill myself and leave her a single mom. She worries so much.

 

[the_bird]

She've even pregnant - what the hell?

She knows I've been feeling stressed and crappy about a lot of things, just TOO MANY things going on. Kinda like when I started brewing; needed an outlet for something that *I* could do. Something that'll make ME happy that doesn't involve my dick in her mouth.

That, plus I think she's looking for some quick $$ from the insurance.

 

[HenryHill]

She've even pregnant - what the hell?

She knows I've been feeling stressed and crappy about a lot of things, just TOO MANY things going on. Kinda like when I started brewing; needed an outlet for something that *I* could do. Something that'll make ME happy that doesn't involve my dick in her mouth.

That, plus I think she's looking for some quick $$ from the insurance.

My wife wanted to club me in the knee just for the Afflac payments for doctor visits, after she found out I got cash after a slip and fall in the winter.

 

[Arkador]

My wife would kill me before she would let a motorcycle have a chance to kill me....

Guess I'll settle for a 4wd truck, and no restrictions on my homebrewing.

 

[the_bird]

Heh. 1200cc's on the V-Max. Little too much bike for a beginner?

 

[HenryHill]

Heh. 1200cc's on the V-Max. Little too much bike for a beginner?

Not unless you're a fool.

My boat came with a 454 in a 21' boat, my first.

 

[MikeFlynn74]

One thing about bikes.

You can always ride a 1000 like a 600. But never a 600 like a 1000.

 

[farmbrewernw]

Remember a lot of people, and I mean a lot, will tell you horror stories about motorcycle crashes when you tell them your learning to ride. Don't let them scare you but learn from other peoples mistakes. Motorcycle riding takes a heightened sense of awareness, even to this day I wont drink even one beer before I go on a ride, even though I feel no effects until I'm a few in. There really isn't a margin of error when riding like there is driving a car. The safety course will show you all the proper ways to avoid accidents, just make sure you try to stay to those rules and not form bad habits. Most of all have fun, I have to say that motorcycle riding is one of the funnest things I do, it's right up there with brewing.

 

[pen25]

I just completed my MSF beginners course to get my endorsement last weekend. Highly recommend it if you haven't ridden for a while or only rode dirt bikes when you were a kid. Definitely second the idea on staying away from an automatic transmission.
Currently I've been leaning on getting a kawasaki ninja 250r for the interim as my commuter and then hopefully put some cash away in the next year to get a HD dyna street bob later on.

enjoy your 250r. I own a 01 250 and love it. thinking of getting an 09. they are a freaking blast to ride. i have owned my 01 for 3 years going on my 4th summer with it. its my summer vehicle when gas is 4 bucks a gallon and i feel no need to buy into a bigger bike.

BTW check out ninja250.org

 

[the_bird]

One thing about bikes.

You can always ride a 1000 like a 600. But never a 600 like a 1000.

I've also heard a lot of experienced riders on bike forums say that it's a lot more fun to run a small bike hard than to run a large bike small.

 

[pen25]

A few thoughts:

• MSF is an absolute must and an absolute blast.
• Get your written permit first. Then...when you "graduate" the class, you can go straight to the DMV and get your full endorsement. They will give you the written exam at the course, but it does not count. You must take it at the highway patrol stations.
• Buy what you can afford and ride immediately. Understand though that like owning a boat...it doesn't take long to start eying something bigger.
• Make yourself as visible as possible…then ride like you’re invisible. Assume nobody sees you on the road.
• Get on line and search out and read about motorcycle accidents. What happened, how, what could have been done differently? It can be a sobering exercise, but I can tell you that when I returned to riding, those “lessons from the road” came into play a number of times.
• You will drop your bike.
• If you go on a group ride…the newest rider goes up front.
• Finally…get that kickstand up and ride…baby…ride…

I put 6,000 miles on this bike...THIS WINTER.

could not agree more or said it better. especially you will drop your bike. its tempting to just kick the bike over and be done with it.

i bought my 01 ninja 250 as a summer vehicle. couldnt pass up the deal. 1 grand. its been dropped and has 11k miles on it. its my commuter. anyway rode it for like a month before i did the most stupid thing. pulling into the work parking garage i instead of looking where i was turning i kept focus straight into a door. well i rode up on a sidewalk and dropped it/fall over

do not get brain fog. dont get locked into a single spot. and remember you always go where you look. always look through the turn and where you want to end up cause that is where you are going to end up.

safety gear is a must. boots are as important as your head gear as important as your jacket. get a jacked that has good spine protection not just the elbows and shoulders. helmet get a full face helmet for best protection. when you goto the store put the helmet you think you want on and walk around for a while. see how comfortable it is and get one with the adjustable padding inserts. you can goto ninja250.org and look at the faq. has a ton of great information there.

 

[MikeFlynn74]

I've also heard a lot of experienced riders on bike forums say that it's a lot more fun to run a small bike hard than to run a large bike small.

Thats probably true too-

I started out on 1000. Ill never get anything less now.

 

[Sean]

A few thoughts:

• You will drop your bike.
  

True, be ready for it. No ifs.

But riding is a blast. Luck.

 

[Ice9]

I snagged a classic Kawasaki KZ650 off of ebay for $387.50

It's since been modified and is awaiting more funds to be finished up.
It's my first bike and is plenty powerful.
Keep in mind with 30 year old bike like this, you will be doing quite a bit of wrenching. I bought a repair/maintenance manual and joined a couple of forums. It's very easy to work on.

You should be able to find a late 70's to early 80's Kawasaki or Suzuki in good running condition for $800-1500usd.