Total Motorcycle Community Forums

A bit of history:

I got bit by the motorcycling bug last fall. I spent much of the winter checking out bikes (particularly magnas), going to the NYC motorcycle show, and reading books on motorcycling (Proficient + More Proficient Motorcycling, Idoit's Guide to Motorcycling, the MSF book,...).

Took the MSF and passed. I've never driven standard so I had some problems with stalling the first day. Seem to have it under control after the second day + riding around a parking lot on a Ninja 250 a couple weeks after the class.

I'd been looking for a cruiser 500-800cc and having trouble finding the kind of ideal beater/starter bike that many on this forum consider to be the best first bikes. Seemed reasonable to me, except that I'm in New York City and prices on used bikes around here are as insane as...the prices for everything else in this city. You can go on NYC craigslist and find people asking 3500 for 86 viragos w/ 40k miles, 2000 for 80s shadows that aren't running.

So finally I found an 86 shadow in Jersey on ebay a couple weeks ago, talked with the owner, looked at some (very small pics), bid on it and won. I realize (now) that doing that without having seen the bike in person was a BAD idea. I probably half wanted to buy it/half wanted to get the used bike search done.

So figuring that riding it back, taking my first real ride on a new to me bike on the Jersey turnpike would be unwise I got a friend to come up from South Jersey with his truck, we picked up a uhaul motorcycle trailer and headed out to the bike.

We got there, and you can probably see this coming: it was a piece of junk. I'd been told (and the pictures were taken cleverly so you couldn't see differently) that it needed a new rear tire and had rash on the right pipe. In reality the bike leaked oil, leaked brake fluid, had a broken speedometer + the odometer wasn't counting miles, and rash EVERYWHERE. I walked away from it. I'd paypaled a $300 deposit and figured it wasn't worth it to throw more good money into a pit. BTW- I got the deposit back.

So I'm kinda back at square one: buying a 80s beater doesn't make much sense at $2500-3000 when I can find a good 90s cruiser (that I'd thought of as a second bike) for 3-4k.

So I've been looking at the bikes I'd thought of more as second bikes and my favorites at the moment are: Susuki Volusia, Honda Magna (90s), and the Vulcan 750 (last on my list because of it's looks but included because of it's features).

I've found a good deal on a 94 magna (a couple states away, so it'll probably be another trailer to move it) and I guess I'm doing what everyone else does: asking if a 94 magna is a decent beginner bike despite its horsepower (I get all sorts of answers for the hp everything from 72-85)? I've read a lot of reviews, many stressing the smoothness of the engine and that its docile below 6k RPM.

About me and the riding I'll be doing: I'm 5'11, 210# powerlifter. I'll be riding shorter rides for fun, a trip to Boston or Philadelphia once in a while, and a couple trips a week to a skydiving dropzone about 80 miles from me.

That was more than I thought I'd write, THANK YOU to anyone who read all that.

i'll probably get flamed for this, but have you considered buying new? it sounds like you are more interested in riding than wrenching (nothing wrong with that) and generally a new bike will have les problems than a used "beater" bike. i know funds may not alow, or if you are afraid of dropping it. but i just picked up a new ninja 250 and i am loving it. its perfect. everythign shiny, no scratches, no dents. I have never priced cruisers because im more into "sport type" bikes. but i would think some of them like a honda shadow vtx are only about $5400 brand new, plus thy should have a warranty. that bike has a 650cc 40hp. motor in it and that should be pretty good for cruising around. hope this helps.

ride safe.
Ryan

The third generation Magnas (94 and up) put down around 77 hp at the rear wheel. They are a very unique bike, ahead of their time in a way. The engine, if cared for, is a silky smooth work of art. Comfy cruiser riding position makes seat time a pleasure, although I would highly recommend a Corbin Gunfighter seat if you plan on riding for more than 45 minutes at a stretch. I loved mine and wish I still had it.


Whether it's a good starter bike is debatable, it will depend on the individual. Most folks won't recommend a bike with that kind of power for beginning riders, but the Magna won't dump all that power on you at once and it's a very nice handling bike, too.

If you haven't done so already, take a look at the Magna owner's groups/associations/clubs/whatever (google for them) for bikes for sale. If you have to buy a bike sight-unseen, I would tend to buy used from someone who's part of a group like that than straight off ebay.

Here's a start, if you're interested. They all have for sale sections.

http://www.magnariders.com/

http://www.magnaownersoftexas.org/become.htm

might have to click through some crap to get to this one, I hope it works...
http://forums.delphiforums.com/n/main.a ... MagnaRider

FlyerPhil wrote:About me and the riding I'll be doing: I'm 5'11, 210# powerlifter. I'll be riding shorter rides for fun, a trip to Boston or Philadelphia once in a while, and a couple trips a week to a skydiving dropzone about 80 miles from me.

With all due respect, your height and weight are not relevant. All that matters is - are you comfortable sitting on the bike? Lots of newbies seem to have the impression that a "small" bike won't have the power to carry a "big guy" and stuff. Newbies fall for that myth because salespeople and ignorant motorcyclists give bad advice. Other times, "big guys" feel "wimpy" on small bikes. That is buying a bike on ego, not your riding-experience. Trust me, even a 36HP motorcycle (like the Ninja 250) will carry your 210lbs. faster than you can handle as a beginner.

HandsomeRyan wrote:i'll probably get flamed for this, but have you considered buying new? it sounds like you are more interested in riding than wrenching (nothing wrong with that) and generally a new bike will have les problems than a used "beater" bike. i know funds may not alow, or if you are afraid of dropping it. but i just picked up a new ninja 250 and i am loving it. its perfect. everythign shiny, no scratches, no dents. I have never priced cruisers because im more into "sport type" bikes. but i would think some of them like a honda shadow vtx are only about $5400 brand new, plus thy should have a warranty. that bike has a 650cc 40hp. motor in it and that should be pretty good for cruising around. hope this helps.

ride safe.
Ryan

Ryan makes some good points. If you only want to spend $3000 or so, you can get something like a Ninja 250 brand new. Make sure you leave some money for gear too.

Here, just read this:
www.CaliforniaBikeNights.com/learn

That is a page I wrote with tons of tips on buying your first bike and getting started as a rider. It will really help put things in perspective for you in terms of the power you "need" to carry you around.

HandsomeRyan wrote:i'll probably get flamed for this, but have you considered buying new? it sounds like you are more interested in riding than wrenching (nothing wrong with that) and generally a new bike will have les problems than a used "beater" bike.

Yeah, I'm definetly more interested in riding than wrenching, that kind of kept me away from the really beat up beaters. I haven't given much thought to a new bike (thought a little about the c50) mostly because the expense of fixing stuff after a drop.

V4underme wrote:The third generation Magnas (94 and up) put down around 77 hp at the rear wheel. They are a very unique bike, ahead of their time in a way. The engine, if cared for, is a silky smooth work of art. Comfy cruiser riding position makes seat time a pleasure, although I would highly recommend a Corbin Gunfighter seat if you plan on riding for more than 45 minutes at a stretch. I loved mine and wish I still had it.

That's all great to know, thanks. Yeah, I've read very bad things about the stock seat, replacing it will be a priority. I've checked out magnariders and MOOT, the third site is new to me.

If you haven't done so already, take a look at the Magna owner's groups/associations/clubs/whatever (google for them) for bikes for sale. If you have to buy a bike sight-unseen, I would tend to buy used from someone who's part of a group like that than straight off ebay.

I called about one of the for sale bikes at magnariders yesterday evening, it'd been sold that afternoon


Yeah, I'm not doing a bike off ebay again. Though ebay was terrific in getting riding gear together.

Dragonhawk wrote:With all due respect, your height and weight are not relevant. All that matters is - are your comfortable sitting on the bike? Lots of newbies seem to have the impression that a "small" bike won't have the power to carry a "big guy" and stuff.

I know that totally. That Ninja 250 moved me around just fine. It was just extremely uncomfortable for me- like I said I'm guy with powerlifters legs, long inseam, calves, and size 14 feet. Folding my legs into the Ninja 250 just didn't work for me.

I've been to your site several times and found quite a bit of useful information there. Thanks for making it.

Make sure you leave some money for gear too.

Got most of the gear done: Vanson jacket with armor, held gloves, alpinestars boots, HJC Helmet. Just need pants.

I've always liked the 90s Magna because the riding position seems a lot more comfortable than the typical "sit on your tailbone, knees up high" cruiser position. It's roots go back to the days when most bikes had an upright riding position. The most recent one I've ridden a '96 model and it's a very comfortable ride.

That said, this bike has a lot more power than your typical 750 cruiser. About double. Dyno charts on motorcycle.com show nearly 85 horses at the rear wheel for a '97 model. It will definitely get up and go when you twist that throttle. By the time you hit a mere 5,000 rpm the engine will be making the equivalent of a V-twin 750's top end horsepower.

Good first bike? I'd probably say not the best. Just about any other bike in the 750 cruiser class would be more suitable in terms of power and throttle response. It can get to be a handful if you get hamfisted with the throttle for any reason.

FlyerPhil wrote: I've been to your site several times and found quite a bit of useful information there. Thanks for making it.

Got most of the gear done: Vanson jacket with armor, held gloves, alpinestars boots, HJC Helmet. Just need pants.

You're welcome. Thanks for the compliments. Glad you like it.

Sounds like you're doing good on gear too. Just be very careful about the bike you finally get. Remember - research the horsepower and don't get anything too crazy. Check the list of bikes on my site. This is a good resource to start some horsepower research too:
http://www.motorbikes.be/en/

Ride safe.

V4underme wrote:Whether it's a good starter bike is debatable, it will depend on the individual. Most folks won't recommend a bike with that kind of power for beginning riders, but the Magna won't dump all that power on you at once and it's a very nice handling bike, too.

flynrider wrote: Good first bike? I'd probably say not the best. Just about any other bike in the 750 cruiser class would be more suitable in terms of power and throttle response. It can get to be a handful if you get hamfisted with the throttle for any reason.

From another site:

Yet, especially when kept under 6K RPM, the V-4 is remarkably compliant for commuting, touring, etc. - thanks to the V-4 engine, power delivery from 0-10,000 RPM is smooth, linear, and not "peaky" at all. It only goes as fast as one wishes, with no abruptness in the torque/HP curve - one can cruise sedately or fly through the twisties, and anything in between.

Thanks, I guess that's really what I'm looking for: opinions and reviews on how it handles and real world acceleration. Whether its smooth and controllable with a top horsepower that I can stay away from? Or whether its more like a super sport with unpredictable throttle characteristics, or if it has to be revved a ton to move around city streets reasonably.

In a nutshell: is it a strong smooth bike with peak power that can be avoided or a bike that a newbie would constantly be fighting to control?

I admit: I've really taken to the Magna's looks and the idea of its excellent handling and low-vibration engine and I'm probably here looking for some okays

like in the matrix- we can onyl show you the door. you are the one who must walk through it...

if you have found a bike that you like/can afford... go for it. i can preach about the ninja 250 and how much i like it, but that doesnt mean its the best bike for everyone. Its all about your level of risk that you are willling to take. some people learn to ride on a gixxer 1000 (with a sword and a scarf, but that may have been before you were posting here?) others need to find a 6hp minibike to start on. you know what you'll be comfortable with, i know i may drop my bike, but i bought a brand new one anyway because im comfortable with that level of risk. if you are not comfortable with that level of risk, then get an old beater to start on and move up later.

I have an 84 VF700F Interceptor, which has the same engine as the 700 Magna. The V45 Magna has the 750cc engine, where 50ccs is the only difference (to beat the tariffs way back when). I have ridden both the 700 and 750 interceptors.

I would not have wanted to start on this as a beginner. The throttle is pretty smooth and linear, but it is a lot easier to get into trouble than with a smaller bike. You have to give it more revs to make it go from a stop than I had to on my 250 and my KZ650. Which is actually harder because if you give it too much it will launch you pretty hard. Thankfully, the hydraulic clutch is easy to work with. You can get used to it pretty easily, but I remember when hopping on it for the first time that I said to myself "Man, I'm glad I started on a smaller bike!"

The V45 Magna has a lot more power then your average V-twin cruiser of a larger displacement. I would just say that you would more than likely be ok if you started on it, but you would just have a longer period of becoming acquainted with it. (Which should be spent in the parking lot, not on the streets).