Introductions and a couple questions from a newb

[delete.the.adjectives]

Hi ladies,

Just wanted to introduce myself and say how much I love this site. I've been lurking on it for a few weeks trying to read up as much as I can to help a beginner like me.

I just passed my motorcycle safety course here in Chicago, got my license, and am ready to buy! On the site, I have read recommendations for good beginner bikes, and I've narrowed them down to: 650 Maxim, S40, and Vulcan 500.

I'm not attached to one in particular at this point, as I've read pros and cons about each, but I found a 1982 650 Maxim on sale for $550. Has about 30k miles on it, needs a battery and carbs cleaned, and is in otherwise good condition. Does this seem like a reasonable offer? KBB listed the value at $985, so if figured that's about right with the work it needs.

Another problem (or question) I have is my height (I'm 4'10"). I tried searching for the seat height on this particular bike and can't get a definitive answer. If anyone has this bike and can let me know the height, it'd be great. The other bikes I've found the height (thanks to the great sticky on this site!). Obviously, I'll sit on the bike and get a feel for it before I buy, but the owner is 50 miles away, so it'd be nice not to make a trip out there for nothing.

Anyways, sorry this is so long, but I just wanted to say hi and thanks for all the info from you experts out there. It's good to know other women out there who love to ride, especially since the work I do kinda leaves me on the outside of the norm, to say the least.

[goodies]

Welcome and congratulations!!

Do you have someone who can go with you and look at the bike mechanically? Carburetor issues can be a headache. But your looking at the right size bigs. Take a look at the Shadow. My VLX is a great little bike and is so forgiving. I am 5'3" and I flat foot with no problem and still have a couple of inches.

Good luck!!

[follow]

...........I had to take my seat in and have them shave a few inches of cushion off, this really helped me to be able to touch the ground.
In regaurds to the bike...depending on how long that bike sat around you may want to check the seals out too, it could be they may need to be replaced, if you are mechanically inclined you may want to get an owners manual, you could save even more $$.

[mazer]

Welcome to the forum, congrats on passing your test and getting your license.
The only thing I can suggest about bikes fitting you right is to sit on them, there really is no other way to tell if a bike is going to FEEL comfortable to you. There are many adaptations you can make to a bike to fit it to you better like changing the handlebars, shaving the seat etc, but until you get on a bike, you wont know.
Just for the heck of it, next time you are in town, go to a dealer and check out their used bike section and sit sit sit...Spending time on a bike is the best way to get a good feel for it.
Sounds like you are good at doing your homework, and checking out the specs on the bike you are interested. Good luck with whatever you decide. And I agree wholeheartedly, if you can take someone with you check out a used bike, someone with a little more bike experience, someone who can really look at the bike you are interested in, and check it out for rust spots, bend parts or scrapes, or other damage which might not be as apparent to those of use not as use to being around bikes.
When I got my used bike and started taking it apart, I was amazed at how fast the list of things which needed repair or replacing grew. I was fortunate that I did not purchase the bike, it was given to me, but it is going to cost me some bucks to get it up and running.
Good luck, Keep the shiny side up.

[coffee_brake]

You have found an older machine. I've told a lot of new riders, "if you are going to own an older bike, you must be ready to work on it yourself, or either you must be wealthy." I can just about promise you that you won't find some parts for this bike that you may need, like carburetor diaphragms, carb boots, air box boots, gasket sets....just things that older bikes need.

Me, I love old bikes, and so do lots of lady riders, but you need to have the willpower to get out there and MAKE it work. For me that means making gaskets, installing cone air filters, modifiying boots and sealing my old carb diaphragms with RTV sealant in the tube.

Yes, an older Yamaha 650 is worth this price if it was cared for, in fact that's good price even if it sat up for years. But, if you don't already change your own oil on your car or if you don't know how a transmission works, I would suggest you walk away and spend a bit more on a newer bike. The Vulcan 500 is an EXCELLENT machine, my mom is 5'0" and she could flat-foot her Vulcan 500 (she moved on to a lowered Sportster but she says the Vulcan was smoother).

You've found a great place for answers. There's nothing stopping today's woman from riding, considering the options for lowering the seat height.
Check this out, once you get your new ride, this is a great site for learning the basics for caring for your machine:
http://www.dansmc.com/mc_repaircourse.htm

And....keep us posted!

[delete.the.adjectives]

Thanks so much for all of the encouraging remarks. coffee: I see your point about being ready to work on the bike. In some respects, it'd be great just to have a new bike and ride it immediately, but at the same time, I love the idea of working on it myself. And, since I live in Chicago and winter's coming (and who knows how long it'll last), I think spending the next few months fixing it up would be a great way to spend the time when riding won't be possible anyways. But you're right-I need to know what I'm getting into with an old bike.

I just went yesterday and sat on a few more bikes at some dealerships and the Vulcan felt fantastic. I might be looking in to one on CL or cycletrader that's used. The S40 fit like a glove, but I'm worried that since it's a single cylinder, it might not do well on long trips. Even though 80% of riding with be less than 40miles at a time, I do plan on riding long distances (like 2,000miles long) with a couple of my guy friends, and I'd like to be able to keep up.

Thanks again for the responses and making me feel welcome here. I'll keep you posted as to what I end up with. And whatever bike it is, it'll receive a lotta love and a lotta riding