Potential new bike. Advice?

Message

JMc · #1 Unread post by **JMc** » Wed Jun 21, 2006 2:23 pm

Ok, I just got back from looking at a 1994 Honda CB 1000 and would like your input. It has about 20k miles on it which doesn't seem bad for a 94. It has some rust on the kick stand, grab rails and some other places that doesn't look like it would be anything but a cosmetic issue. I sat on it and I liked the way it felt, sporty fit without the plastic. It was just a little tall for me but I had on dress shoes (thin soles) and it had another notch that it could be lowered. I think on the low setting and with some boots on it would be about right. When he started it it didn't start right up and stalled once or maybe twice in a very very short interval. When he got it started he revved it for a little while and then let it run. It eventually stalled but it ran for a while before doing so. My thinking is a 12 year old carbureted bike that has been sitting unused in a shop for a little while that is probably normal but I really don't have anything to compare it to. He is asking a couple hundred over average retail according to NADA which is nuts but he seemed more than willing to knock that couple of hundred off but I'm thinking another few needs to come off as well. I'm probably going to go look at a Ducati Monster 620 IE tomorrow which I like better for several reasons but I figure I would be pissed if I dropped the Ducati and with the Honda it wouldn't bother me. I'm not sure if there are any questions but any advice on the above rambling would be appreciated!

Jerry

Kal · #2 Unread post by **Kal** » Wed Jun 21, 2006 3:26 pm

Not something I'd consider a beginnner bike...

See how you feel about the Ducati when you've gone and played with it.

ninja79 · #3 Unread post by **ninja79** » Wed Jun 21, 2006 5:29 pm

*yawn* didn't bother to read the stickies, did ya?

You're going to kill yourself on a 1000. Please try not to take anyone else out.

VermilionX · Wed Jun 21, 2006 6:07 pm

a '94 CB 1000's hp is not even as powerful as todays 600cc sportbikes. it's not so bad.

but yeah, go w/ the ducati 620 monster. it's cool as a newbie bike.

Kal · #5 Unread post by **Kal** » Wed Jun 21, 2006 8:18 pm

*ahem* Verm, it's putting out about 98bhp with 65lb/ft torque

Thats a lot of bike for anyone...

JMc · #6 Unread post by **JMc** » Thu Jun 22, 2006 12:24 am

I had the same initial reaction as you did but the horsepower to weight ratio is just a hair below a SV650, which is listed in the gray area bikes on the stickies (which I did actually read) along with the Ducati... The Ducati's hp/weight is even lower, which is one of the reasons I would prefer the Ducati. I'm more worried about the weight and power delivery aspects of the Honda; I don't want a heavy bike that has the twitchy tendencies like those that make a sport bike hard to ride. Now all things being equal I would go buy the Ducati but it is much newer, nicer, more expensive, etc... The only real reason I'm looking at the Honda is because I wouldn't loose any sleep if I scratched/dented it and it fits what I want (lack of plastic but sporty seating position). I'm curious as to what people think about reliability and if you think it might have some problems with what I described (if I buy that bike or another one I would like to know if that was normal or a problem even if only for comparison). If you think it is just too much bike I don't mind hearing it but "too much power you are going to die" isn't going to be much help (given the hp/weight) so please be a little more specific with your concerns if you could. Also, I'm not limiting myself to just these two bikes but I found them both nearby within what I want to spend on a bike.

Thanks for your input!

Jerry

Kal · #7 Unread post by **Kal** » Thu Jun 22, 2006 2:13 am

Specific concerns? This isn't to be your lst bike, its your first. The aim of the game here is to learn every lesson you can as painlessly as you can. 'Starter bikes' are more forgiving of errors, which mean you are less likerly to learn a painful lesson. Note I said less likely. Motorbikes are about risk management. Lessen the risks as much as possible and have as much fun as possible.

I'll try to illistrate what would concern me about the CBthou as a first bike...

Throttle. Make a fist as if you are holding the bars. Push your wrist down, now flex your wrist back. All bikes throttle movement are inside that range of movement. To a degree or so they all move through the same space, however larger horsepower bikes are putting out more power per degree the throttle is moved through.

The CBthou isnt as twitchy as a lot of racereps but that is a lot of power right there. It's very easy to get it wrong and with that much mass its more difficult to straighten it out after an error.

Gears. While the thou wont have a first gear as say Verm 750, it does have a gear that you can do most road legal speeds without changing up. Which is probably sounding pretty good right now except this is where you will pick up both your roadcraft and most of your bad habits. A good starter bike sets you up to ride anything else you need to in the course of your career.

Weight The CBthou is a relative heavyweight, which means it is going to be a pain at low speeds. Again roaadcraft and bade habits will be formed at this stage. A good starter has low centre of gravity and asey to move weight at low speeds.

Thats off the top of my head. I understand where you are coming from because I have glands that override my better sense from time to time too and I would be a very happy (and cautious) man if I had a CBthou in the garage.

However to minimise your risks, minimise the bad habits and improve your roadcraft with relatively little stress I really wouldn't take the thou as a first bike. If you were a friend I would be making a serious effort to steer you in the direction of something more nimble with half the push at the rear wheel.

Sadly I've deleted a text from my friend Dave. He dragged his CB500 at a 'run what you brung' event last year. However TMW has 1/4 mile times.
1997 CB500 57bhp 13.2sec @ 102mph

Putting it on a par with the Porsche 911GT3 amongst others. Thats 57bhp pushing almost 172kgs. I mention this mostly to point out you can have all the fun you can handle on a 'starter bike', especially if you know what you are doing.

#8 Unread post by **bok** » Thu Jun 22, 2006 2:15 am

The only real reason I'm looking at the Honda is because I wouldn't loose any sleep if I scratched/dented it

good reason to buy used for sure. The milage seems low for a 12 year old bike, but there are too many possible reasons for that to speculate.

Nowhere in there did it mention your riding experience but i will assume that you are pretty new to the whole thing. I'd say if you can get a mechanically inclined friend to look it over or tell the guy you want your local shop to inspect it first even if you have to lay out 50 bucks for the inspection it's better than buying a lemon.

all that being said, if it's been sitting for a while and not running, the stalling might be normal, but i am not a mechanic so i can only assume.

DivideOverflow · Thu Jun 22, 2006 2:23 am

It is pretty powerful and pretty heavy. Find a smaller used bike.

It will be hard to control in slow speed maneuvers, it will suck up gas, and it has more power than a beginner should have.

JMc · #10 Unread post by **JMc** » Thu Jun 22, 2006 3:56 am

Thanks guys. You have confirmed my suspicions. As for riding experience, I have a little but not much and none on a street motorcycle, and yes the MSF is on my to do list before riding. I (like everyone else, lol) think I'm at least somewhat responsible but I'm not trying to convince myself that too much bike is ok, I find it odd that some people can justify a irresponsible decision but saying they are responsible... Rather, I was more interested in what, if any, factors made this particular bike too much and my mechanical concerns. I think what I'm understanding is even though the hp/weight isn't that bad that the power would still be a potential problem (the motorcycle may take more power to move but the back tire wouldn't kind of thing) and that the weight would be hard to manage. Thanks again for the help and not flaming the newbie

BTW I'm not sure what this little guy is for but I'm named Jerry so I think it is my new sig unless I find out it is some inside joke...
:jerry: