Total Motorcycle Community Forums

Hello, I am looking for a beginner bike and I saw a couple in the cycle trader that I liked and they were aroudn the same price. What is a better bike to start out with, 2001 Buell Blast 500($3000) or a 1991 Suzuki Vx800 ($2000). Any help is much appreciated. Thanks.


Also, I currently have state farm insurance and I havent yet got a qoute for a bike but is there a cheaper company you recommend?? because I know state farm will be expensive.

vx800 is a nice bike and should keep you happy for a long time. It's a shaft-drive v-twin standard bike, a fairly rare engine/chassis coupling, so it does draw attention. Make sure you fit on it first though. I'm 5'11" and the bike feels great to me. If you are short the blast is probably a better choice.

Either one, you should be able to talk them down on price, although as it stands, the vx seems like the better deal.

The vx is a bit topheavy though, so the blast is probably better for learning on. Depends on what you are looking for. You wouldn't be hurting yourself by getting either bike. One more downside - the VX is a 14 year old bike. I know mine's been sitting for months because it needs a new rear suspension and new tires. Keep that in mind.

I am about 6'1 and I am like evenly drawn on both bikes because the vx is in reall good condition for its age and the Buell seems cheap for beeing nearly new. Woul the difference in age be cheaper on insurance? What I mean is I drvie a 1965 Ford Fairlane right now and I was loking into getting a 1962 Chevy pickup some months ago and it was cheaper on insurance because it was older. Is that the same with motorcycles?

Since I am most likely going ot have this bike for sometime and I know I will want to upgrade little things to personalize it more, which bike has more aftermarket support?

'65' Ford fairlane. Sweet!

Hm. That' a tough one. I would say the blast has more aftermarket because it is a newer model. However, it's an unpopular (in the grand scheme of things) 500cc thumper. The only thing you may find for it is an exhaust system or something similar. Although I'm sure that there is SOMETHING out there to tack on it, being as it's a Harley Product

My VX has an aftermarket Fairing, and aftermarket exhausts (And I suspect a jet kit because it runs a bit rich) However, these items are probably no longer available, so you might have to custom out some stuff.

I think the VX will keep you happier in the long run and it's an acceptable beginners bike.

As for insurance, depending on the company, you can insure the bike based upon it's purchase price. Then again, some companies charge based on engine size. The best way to find out is to call the insurance company.

My VX - (Click)

I have been leaning more towards the vx it jsut all depends on what kind of woute I can get but I know it is going to be a ton with all the odds against me. Is the vx consider a cruiser? How is the power on it?

The VX800 is cool. Why have I not seen one of these before? First time was about a month ago on this site. This is my kind of oddball bike. Is it a Euro-only model?

I've only seen pics, but I don't think you could call the VX a cruiser. It is a shining example of what a standard motorcycle should look like. The thing that makes it unique is the 800 cc V-twin. That's an engine that would most commonly be found on a cruiser, but the rest of the bike screams "standard".

The VX was only imported into the US for a few years, but was much popular in Europe. People in the states just never caught on because it didn't fit the "Sportbike" or "Cruiser" category. Thanks to the Lemming mentality 15 years ago no other company has been willing to bring a bike like this back into the states.

That should change with the HD Street Rod and Moto Guzzi Griso. Well see if Yamaha ever has the nad to bring the MT-01 over ...

Almost seems as though the SV650 was something of a modern successor to the VX. Both are V-Twin standards with about the same amount of power.

I know Vance & Hines makes an exhaust for the lowly lil blast. How well does the blast really sell? I know its the cheapest 500 on the market, has crap for cornering clearance, and a questionable engine, but is supposed to be a decent riding bike. I think the biggest mistake was putting the thumper in there, if it had a 500cc Vtwin it might have sold better.

Don't know how well it would prepare a rider for one of the larger buells which have over 3 times the power, notoriously twitchy handling, and are supposed to be easier to wheelie than a super sport.