84 Shadow VT700

[froldt]

So I'm looking at getting my first bike. I've come across a couple that look good, without riding any of them.

The one that catches my eye the most is the 84 Shadow VT 700. It has 15,000 miles on it, custom seat and straight pipes (not too loud, though). It comes with 3 helmets (skid lid and 2 full faces) and a set of mini-bags (just large enough for some tools). The guy's asking $1000.

He told me he has back problems and the doctor told him at least a year and a half before he can ride again, so he's selling the bike so it doesn't go to waste just sitting there. Otherwise he wouldn't get rid of her.

I haven't been able to take this bike for a test ride (since I've never ridden) but I have a friend who will go and ride it before I throw down the money. He did fire it up for me, it started the first time, no problem.

It's missing the left side cover (is that a common problem? seems to be in the ones I've looked at.)

Is $1000 a decent price? Is there anything in particular I should be aware of for this bike? Does anyone here have any experience with one of these bikes?
I will get my friend to ride it, and I'll double check for oil leaks and all of the usual things (that I read in another thread here) before I pay. I'm just looking for all of the information that I can before I go back and take a closer look.
Going tomorrow to see how much insurance will cost me. Also going to sign up for the MSF tomorrow (with a friend).
Thanks in advance, everyone!

[camthepyro]

Sounds like a decent deal to me, but see if you can talk it down a little. Those are supposed to be good, reliable bikes, and probably won't be toooo much power for you, as long as you take the MSF first.

[CCassell]

sounds like a great deal $200 below trade-in value. I paid $1100 for mine
Clay

[flynrider]

Straight pipes on a 700 Shadow may not sound that loud in the driveway, but under power, that bike's going to make a lot of noise. Depending on where you live, the cops may suggest a more effective exhaust system.

Other than that, the deal doesn't sound bad, assuming that the bike is in good mechanical condition.

I wouldn't stake my life on any of those helmets, though. Do you know how old they are, or if they've been dropped in their lifetime? Helmets have a shelf life (5-7 years by most accounts) and they can sustain internal damage if they are dropped. Personally, I don't trust my brain in any helmet unless I've owned it since new.