Total Motorcycle Community Forums

I really like the looks and style of older bikes, such as, 1979 Suzuki GT 250 and other similar styles. However, I wouldn't know where to begin if I had to do any real maintenance. So I was just hoping that I could get some advice a first bike. Thanks for any help.

By the way, I'm only 5'3" so I don't know how well I would be able to fit on that type of bike.

Thanks.

I haven't had any vintage bikes, but I know a guy who bought a couple. He had an old Yamaha 175 scrambler style bike. He traded it in when it started having trouble and got a beautiful '76 Bonneville. He had some trouble with that too and spent some cash updating the ignition and still had the damndest time getting it started. He was more an aesthete than a mechanic but as far as I can tell had a decent experience with it because there are some shops run by real vintage triumph enthusiasts in Atlanta. Last time I heard from him he was eyeing a street triple and looking forward to electric start and actual brakes.

So there's a second hand account of vintage ownership. Old bikes look cool and can be cheap to buy initially but can be expensive and frustrating to keep running. I would not recommend vintage bikes for commuting, travelling, or heavy use except for maybe a tuned up old Guzzi or BMW. There are probably a lot of vintage-focused forums around that might offer better advice, know-how and parts.

Drum brakes, kick starting, and vintage chassis are inarguably obsolete. But hey, you've been warned. If it still turns your crank go for it. I'm too young to be nostalgic but the simplicity of old tech has a certain appeal.

If youre poor and want a simple bike that'll be reliable, look at the Buell Blast, the Kawasaki Ninja 500 or Ninja 250, or a Suzuki GS 500.

If you don't know bike maintenance, the '79 GT250 is probably not for you. It's a 30 yr. old air cooled 2-stroke bike that would not be cost effective if you had to pay someone else to do the work. I'd venture to guess that a majority of shops wouldn't want to touch it. Its technology predates most of the motorcycle mechanics working these days.

For someone not familiar with bike maintenance, the best bet is to go with something at least from the 21st century. It should be more reliable that a 30 yr. old bike, and you'll probably have an easier time getting someone to work on it, if necessary.

alright thanks. i really like the style of it but like you guys said it wouldn't be good for commuting and i'm broke so i wouldn't be able to pay for all the maintenance.

i'm just basically looking for a good commuting bike with low maintenance. over time i would love to learn how fix them myself but for now i'll go with something a little more trustworthy.

thanks.