Total Motorcycle Community Forums

Hello all,

Here is the deal, I am a total novice here, so plain english is good = ) OK, I have been thinking about getting a bike off and on for a few years now and I think that I am going to get one. The question is, which one should I get! Here is what I need in a bike:

Reliability

Ease of use

Good gas milage

Some thing that is handles well for street driving but is also good on the freeway, i.e. powerful enough but I don't need a racing bike.

Relitively cheap, I am a broke student (like all of them) and my budget is about $2000.00 give or take a few hundred.

What are your thoughts? Thanks for your input.

Albert

Some friends of mine have mentioned Suzuki and Yamaha to me, what are your thoughts?

Hey there. I'm in Seattle too. You ought to be able to pull off something for $2000 - I just bought an '85 honda magna 700 for about $900 and it runs like a top and looks good as well. Granted, I probably spent 100 hours looking at bikes before I found a deal that good, but... that's how it goes sometimes. Craigslist is an excellent source in this area.

Anyway, you can definitely get a quality used bike for 2k - can you give us a bit more help on the style you prefer? Cruiser, standard, sportbike, etc.? The name-brand (yamaha, suzuki, honda) doesn't really matter all that much and you should keep an open mind when looking for a used bike or you'll severely limit your shopping pool right off the bat.

I paid 2,500 for my 2002 Buell Blast...its been reliable, its a breeze to learn on, very forgiving. You can buy one for 2K easily if you search around. Look on ebay, shipping may be an option! Don't get anything prior to 01 as they had some mechanical issues, but the newer ones are solid.

I drive it on the freeway every day @70mph...I have no problems keeping up with anyone on the road. Its light at 300 or so pounds dry. And, it gets 70MPG if you ride it smooth...no really it does (unless you're a big boy)!

PS: They look alot better if you take off the front flyscreen, too.

HOw much of that $2K is for protective gear? Do not forget gear for your protection: helmet, gloves and boots (mc specific, trust me), plus pants and a jacket, both with some sort of armor.

You can find all that for anywhere from $500 to $1500 depending on where you go looking... Whatever you do, do NOT buy a used helmet.

P

Thanks for the input! Yeah, I would say that I am looking for a bit more of a sport bike, than a cruser, standard is a possibility. I definetly have an open mind though. It will be a while before I am able to get the bike anyway so looking and reading wont be a problem. Winter is coming and I just don't want to be starting out my riding carer in the dark with lots of rain, it just doesnt sound like a good idea. It will probably be a bit more fun to ride in the sunshine anyway. It is funny, some of my favorite times to ride my mountain bike are in the pouring rain bouncing all over the place but I hate riding on the road when it is wet. I guess that I am just strange that way.

Yeah, I definetly am not going to skimp on the saftey equipment. I have seen the aftereffects of motorcycle accidents first hand in the ER so that is pretty high on the list. One thing that does amaze me is the amount of people that barely wear any protection at all, just a helment!

Thanks for the recomendations everyone, I really apreciate it! Albert

Oh yeah, I am not sure if this matters but my body size is 6' at 165lbs, I know that some bikes work better for different body sizes so that is me. My Dad is pretty short so he had to have some pretty serious work done on his bike to get the one that he wanted.

2k... you sound like a pretty rich student to me $20 for a bus pass was a stretch for me in those days (thank god they're free in the city )

get a blast, with a few real simple mods they make a really sweet solo

their potential makes me want one as a daily

Go used baby. Ditch the idea of buying new. The cheapest sportbike you can get is a Kawasaki Ninja 250 for 3k. The best way to get a bike is through word of mouth. Just tell your buddies that you're looking for a used bike and people will be coming out of the wood work, and since you'll know the seller by association you might even get a better deal. If that doesn't work, go to ebay or cycletrader.com.

Thanks for the advice. Yeah, I am definently going to go for used. Who knows waht will happen. I have been checking out some of your suggestions Magna, Blast and Suz GS500F. There are a lot of choices out there but so far the feedback that I have recieved about the bikes is exactly what I needed. =)

Albert

That blast looks pretty good but its a photochop

And I dont know about riding around without mirrors!