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Starter Bike


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Agree with Cav. Do a search on "How to buy a used motorcycle" so you know what to look for. That $1000 bike can easily become a $2000 bike by needing things like tires, battery, chain, carbs rebuilt, electrical gremlins fixed, etc. particularly if you have to pay for the work.
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I can score a mint CBR954 for like 3500...

 

Yea, but would you want to see that thing dropped? You know a starter bike is meant to be a POS, something to learn on. Then you step up to the big boy bikes.

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this topic has been brought up many times.

buy something you can ride for a season, drop a time or two and not cry like a bitch, sell the bike the following season for what you paid for it (someone elses is always looking for a "first bike" to drop and not care). once youve decided riding is for you buy the bike you want!

 

my first bike cost me $400 (89 suzuki gs500), put $300 in it (rear tire, chain, battery, etc), dropped it 3 times and shrugged each time, sold it at the end of the season for $850.

 

since then ive learned what not to do and havent dropped either the gsxr600 i had or my shadow :knocks wood:

 

go test drive that cbr, if it rides straight and starts easy and the parts that stated to be new/rebuilt really are tell him you have a grand cash and see what happens :)

it appears to have been dropped before the fairing is damaged on the one side, have the owner take off the fairings and inspect everything!

 

more details on the 954 :cool:

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more details on the 954 :cool:

 

From CL

>>

Track school mule. 37,218 miles before the odometer stopped reading several years ago. Very pliable frame, easy to bend back into shape after mishaps. Special chinese tires, got a great deal on ebay. Also converted (for fuel economy) into a two cylinder. You can re-attach the plug wires at any time and convert it back to four cylinders. Sounds good too. Great starter bike. I won Daytona on it in '07. Have paddles for sand events. $3500 negotiable!

>>

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this topic has been brought up many times.

buy something you can ride for a season, drop a time or two and not cry like a bitch, sell the bike the following season for what you paid for it (someone elses is always looking for a "first bike" to drop and not care). once youve decided riding is for you buy the bike you want!

 

my first bike cost me $400 (89 suzuki gs500), put $300 in it (rear tire, chain, battery, etc), dropped it 3 times and shrugged each time, sold it at the end of the season for $850.

 

since then ive learned what not to do and havent dropped either the gsxr600 i had or my shadow :knocks wood:

 

go test drive that cbr, if it rides straight and starts easy and the parts that stated to be new/rebuilt really are tell him you have a grand cash and see what happens :)

it appears to have been dropped before the fairing is damaged on the one side, have the owner take off the fairings and inspect everything!

 

more details on the 954 :cool:

 

 

+1!! Buy a cheap bike, there are only two kinds of rider, those who have been down, and those who are going down. Buy a bike you don't mind wrecking once or twice, then a few seasons later you can go for power or sparkle depending on your taste...

 

I bought two 1978 GS550s for $400 (neither road worthy) and two weeks later I had my first motorcycle on the road and lots of spare parts! I laid it down, went high-side, and got hit at a stoplight by some ignorant bitch who was applying make-up and driving....

 

Moral of this story? I don't fall over so much now, I have a very good understanding of the mechanical workings of motorcycles in general, and all together I spent around $6-700 for my first bike, gear, and license. I still have and use all the above, too...

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  • 2 weeks later...

First bike should not be a brand new shiny expensive scooter that you had to finance. However, it should not be some $800 (there are exceptions) POS with stuck carb needles and dry-rotted tires.

 

I think there is a good middle ground to find. Something like an SV650 or CBR F3, should be able to get a decent one of those $2.5-3K depending on season, location, etc.

 

It should be safe enough to ride, but it should be something you can pay cash for so you don't need to keep full coverage if you can't afford it, and you're not in a financial clusterfack if you wreck the bike.

 

*Couple Examples:

http://akroncanton.craigslist.org/mcy/1087378624.html <-- damn thats tempting :)

http://columbus.craigslist.org/cto/1075764730.html <-- careful about damage

http://indianapolis.craigslist.org/mcy/1082676458.html <-- careful about damage

 

 

I think you would be super pleased with either bike, you wont outgrow it anytime soon either.

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