Looking for First Bike

[tootall12]

im new to motorcycle forums and to motorcycling. im looking for a bike to supplement my old 94 chevy farm truck that gets about 12 miles to the gallon. im a student at texas a&m, so therefore i am on a very strict budget and would like to keep my cost below $1500, preferably around $1200. i am 6'6" and about 215lbs, im looking for more of the cruiser look, as opposed to the sport bike look. any tips on what to look for, different makes and models, how old is too old, and what is considered high mileage? As anyone can tell I'm very new to this and I don't know much about motorcycles. but im a decent mechanic, I bought my own truck, and I'm paying my way through college. I'm looking for a good deal and a way to save some gas money, but I don't want to look like an idiot riding a bike that's half my size, or get hurt on something thats way too much bike for me.

[Lion_Lady]

Motorcycles don't actually cost less to operate on a daily basis. What you save in miles per gallon goes away when you have to replace tires 3-4 times as often as car tires (at $200/pair or more), and then there's insurance and protective gear. Don't bypass gear - especially if you plan to commute by MC. Commuters are notorious for not seeing riders, in their great rush to get to work (or home) and the consequences for the rider are dire without gear. Full "kit" will run you from a minumum of $400 on up.

With your very tall long legged build, I don't think there is a cruiser out there that you'll be able to ride comfortably. HOWEVER, check out dual sport bikes, like the V-strom and even KTM.

P

[agraebner]

Also don't throw out the option of a night hawk you could find them fairly cheap, after a couple weeks with the one I just picked up I would say that its as good a bike to start on as my VLX was
(also a good consideration depending on your size and the age of the bike you find). I would say there is a little more power than needed so possibly one of the slightly older ones 650 ect.... I see them around me from time to time and the owners I have talked to say they are very tough and don't take a lot of work. Lion Lady is right you should factor in the additional cost of maintenance. In my personal case using Metzeler ME880 tires on my VLX and the fact that i get 138 miles on 2 gallons of premium, I am far ahead of my truck for total cost at the end of the year. Insurance can vary a lot depending on your history and the bike.

[HYPERR]

Like agraebner said, a UJM like the the Nighthawk would be a good choice. A bike will get at least 40 mpg so it will easily pay for itself in the first year in gas saved over the truck.

[tootall12]

I found a 97 Suzuki Marauder VZ800 that is in my price range and seems to be in reasonable shape, from what the owner said when I spoke to him. I have not gone to see the bike yet so of course im not going to make any decisions about it yet. What are yalls thoughts about this as a first bike, am i going to fit on this bike being as tall as i am, and what do I need to look for when I go look at it. I know a lot about pick-ups and the big block gas engines a little about diesel engines. Saying that, I have no experience with these small motorcycle engines. I appreciate any feedback so I can at least look like I at know what im looking at and i dont get scammed.

[TechTMW]

Hi tootall,
Marauder is a great bike for the money and should be a good beginner / commuter bike for you, as long as the fit is good.

I would suggest that you ask the seller to take the bike to a local shop to get checked out - it's the best way to be sure that the bike is actually in 'reasonable shape'. Bike engines can last forever if properly cared for. I'd be more concerned about things like the tires - making sure that they are newer and not older than 5 years... suspension (no leaks), Brakes, (Pads have life on them, fluid is proper color - not coffee colored!), Electricals (everything -lights, blinkers, horn, functions normally, no strange splices or wires hanging around), and coolant (clean and proper color.) Was the bike garaged, or at least covered? Any rusty bits?

If any of these things need to be serviced, you may be able to knock the price down - especially if a service technician lists things that need to be fixed and approx service prices.

Cheers!

[Kingshead]

At 6'6" most bikes are going to seem a little small, but the cruiser style incorporates forward controls making it more likely to be comfortable for someone your size, in my opinion. The Marauder is a nice size to start on but don't be afraid of something in the 1100 range. They typically only weigh 70-80lbs more and the top speed is similar, just more torque down low. Keep in mind I'm referring to the cruiser style when saying this. With sport bikes this CC difference would make a world of difference in performance and I wouldn't suggest anything over 400cc's as a first bike if you go the sport bike route.

Martin

[tootall12]

Was the bike garaged, or at least covered? Any rusty bits?

I will paste the ad I found on this response.

"Selling my 1997 Suzuki Marauder VZ800, it has 25468 miles. Asking $1350 OBO.
This bike has sat for the last 5 years, and not ridden, so it will likely need a little work to make it road worthy. My price reflects this, please compare it to other Marauder's on CL.
Overall the bike looks pretty good, but there is a dent in the tank (see pics), it comes with leather saddle bags.
I bought this bike a few months ago, but lost my job shortly after, so now it needs to go, I need the money to pay the bills.
I have a clean and clear Texas title, in my name, and ready to go, the license plates are good till 02/12"

We talked through e-mail and he told me that the original owner kept in in a garage the whole time, and he has done the same in the short time he has had it. He also said that he took it to a mechanic to get him to check it out. The mechanic got it started and it had a rough idle, due to the carbs needing to be cleaned and tuned. Other than that it needs the "fuel tank cleaned out oil changed and a general tune up." The owner said he did not have the money for this kind of work b/c he lost his job. It also has a dent on the side of the tank where it looked like someone dropped it and the handle bars hit it.

Given all this, how much more money should I expect to put into this bike? And how much should I offer him? The Blue Book value is $1900 and it is already priced down to $1350. I was hoping for about $1200 to ensure I stay within budget after repairs and all the safety gear Im going to need.

[Wrider]

Honestly unless you're looking to put some money into it I'd pass. The carb will definitely need to be cleaned (I'm pretty sure that is a single carb on it) and if the tank was hit by the handlebar bad enough to dent it decently, it could be indicative of a few other problems. Stock the bars can't usually touch the tank, so for it to bend far enough to dent it is saying something.

[HYPERR]

At 6'6" most bikes are going to seem a little small, but the cruiser style incorporates forward controls making it more likely to be comfortable for someone your size, in my opinion.

Yes agreed. I know a guy about 6'4" -6' 5" who has a Softail and his forward controls are set so far forward that if a normal sized person rode it, they would barely be able to reach it.