Time for a Motorcycle

[Braaaptor]

Ok guys, its (almost) time for me to buy a motorcycle. What should I get?

Let me narrow it down some...I need a bike to get to/from work and around town. Gassing up my Silverado is a waste of money when I mostly drive only around town. Bottom line is, whatever bike I get needs to be able to handle short hops of freeway travel, have room for the wife to tag along on occasion, not sticker at $ 4K used, and be easy enough to handle that I'm not wrestling it around all day long. I don't want a Harley yet and have no interest in crotch rockets. I have $ 1,800 to spend.

The way I see it, that leaves Metric cruisers to pick from. I've been eyeing the Honda Rebel 250, and like the looks, but I worry it may be too small/underpowered for me. I'm 6'2", though not that heavy at only 155lbs.

I also see '70's and '80's Honda/Kawasaki/Yamaha 4-cylinders for sale all day long at reasonable prices. What about the occasional vintage Triumph that pops up? I've heard ugly reviews of the Yamaha Virago model series, but thats also an option...

What do y'all think? (Sorry for such a long post!!)

 

[sicivicdude]

Disclaimer: I have a 1982 Honda CB900 Custom so my opinion is biased some.

If you want something your wife will be able to ride around with you on, rule out the rebel 250. It's ok for learning and around town but out on the highway it's geared too low to run with traffic and doesn't have enough power for a passenger.

The virago isn't a bad bike but they had a few drawbacks yamaha has even not seen fit to fix on some of the newer v stars. Oil changes are a PITA on certain models requiring removal of the front headpipe. You always hear about the virago "starter grind" which most of them do it and most people live with. It's a fact of life with them... the good news is, it doesn't significantly reduce the life expectancy of the components the bad news is, there's not much to be done about it. The better news is, with the trouble they are the prices are usually lower than competitors models.

Harley's are antiquated pieces of junk hardly worth the metal they're made out of (I said I'm biased) I think the price difference should be the other way around. Metric cruisers are twice the BIKE harley's are but they lack the image.... don't pay for the image.

Be warry of some of the 60's and 70's model metric stuff. Some of those years they were still hammering out things. Like the yamaha XS650 twin, they weren't bad bikes but they vibrated like grandpa without his parkinson's medicine. Most of the 4 cylinder models are OK as long as you find one that's been kept instead of beat.

For the $1,800 price tag I recommend you shop around for a kawasaki vulcan 500LTD or a honda VLX600 shadow. They're small (and not too top heavy) enough to learn to be comfortable riding by yourself but will also allow you to get your wife on the bike and cruise around town. They're not going to be the most comfy things to 2-up long trips on and you will have to slip the clutch a little taking off with two people on it but they'll do it.

 

[motoman9911]

A rebel 250 is a turd. Get at least a 600. Maybe you can find an older Yamaha Vmax.

 

[stabor1122]

Rebel is made for 5' 1" females primarily. You would be horribly cramped and way under powered. If you like upright standard style bikes look for a Suzuki Bandit 600. 2001+ preferably. I had the S model with half fairing. Great bike very comfortable. Plenty of power for what you said and they are not the typical crotch rocket. Should be able to find them under 2k all day long.

 

[Braaaptor]

Lots of good info here, guys! Keep it coming, and thanks! Civic, you answered a lot of questions. I'm thinking of staying in the '80's and buying a used 4-cyl Honda, Kawasaki, etc...

What about the Honda Rebel 450? These are still out there in my price range, too. More power, but worth it? I've heard the tales about the Virago starters...that wouldn't bother me. I was more worried about parts availablilty and supposed (electronic?) carburetor nightmares with these. A lot of stuff for them is NLA on Bikebandit.com. Not good.

4-cyl, 500cc or larger would be the way to go, it seems. I wondered why there are so many late model Rebel 250's for sale cheap. People must only ride them until they figure out the bike is too little, too late. lol

 

[2smoker85]

v star is a good bike also, the midnight maxim is also a comfy and reliable ride, the vulcan also a decent get around bike, the vulcan 500 would be ideal for u since its mostly ride around town and highway riding, comfy for the wife also with a backrest, its not heavy and reliable, if it was me that would be my options, but im a knee dragger so i love my sport bikes especially with the roads and the race tracks, they are killer around here.

 

[sheeblast]

what about a shadow? and if you are looking for a cruiser to ride with your wife. you will want something bigger than a 600.
have you looked at any shadows?
you best bet is to see what you have in your area. find out known problems with each type of bike. narrow your selection down to the ones you like then go test ride the bike to see which has the best comfort for you and your wife.

 

[Braaaptor]

From what I see on CL/around the area, there are lots of affordable choices. I'm thinking a Honda Shadow 600 (maybe 750) or a Vulcan 500 if the deal is right. Both bikes are styled nicely and seem to fit what I'm after.

I'll be riding solo to and from work and around town. When the wife and I go out together, it'll be to dinner/the movies/etc. I take my truck on long road trips.

 

[motoman9911]

I want to change my input from the older Vmax to the new Vmax. They're just too sexy. I'd buy this bike before a crotch rocket anyday. Assuming I had the money of course haha.

 

[Braaaptor]

I want to change my input from the older Vmax to the new Vmax. They're just too sexy. I'd buy this bike before a crotch rocket anyday. Assuming I had the money of course haha.

Sweet!! Not a fan of that stock exhaust, but still sexy. Puts the chick in the background to shame.

 

[sicivicdude]

The vmax is an option but probably too much power for just cruising around on. They're straight line rockets and handle like turds... Plus, if they're anything like the older models (techincally yamaha never stopped making them but they dwindled in popularity) they use a funky sized rear tire which, after you're done burning it off, will run you $200 to replace.

If you want to be unconventional you could look for a KLR 650 dual sport. Plently of power and fuel economy but a truly upright seating position. Main complaint is the ride quality on long rides (they're made to be in dirt at least part of the time so they have plenty of suspension all of it rough).

A rebel 450 isn't a bad choice but probably a little small for 2 up. It really comes down to the amount of time that your wife is going to be on it. If she's only going to want to ride a handful of times a season, the 450 rebel might be your bike. If she'll want to ride it every weekend, you better get some more cc's.

The shadow 600 is an excellent choice for what you're suggesting your needs are. The 750 comes in an "aero" package which my wife loves and I hate. I think that's one of those polarizing styles, you either love it or hate it...it's just not for me.

 

[Braaaptor]

The vmax is an option but probably too much power for just cruising around on. They're straight line rockets and handle like turds... Plus, if they're anything like the older models (techincally yamaha never stopped making them but they dwindled in popularity) they use a funky sized rear tire which, after you're done burning it off, will run you $200 to replace.

If you want to be unconventional you could look for a KLR 650 dual sport. Plently of power and fuel economy but a truly upright seating position. Main complaint is the ride quality on long rides (they're made to be in dirt at least part of the time so they have plenty of suspension all of it rough).

A rebel 450 isn't a bad choice but probably a little small for 2 up. It really comes down to the amount of time that your wife is going to be on it. If she's only going to want to ride a handful of times a season, the 450 rebel might be your bike. If she'll want to ride it every weekend, you better get some more cc's.

The shadow 600 is an excellent choice for what you're suggesting your needs are. The 750 comes in an "aero" package which my wife loves and I hate. I think that's one of those polarizing styles, you either love it or hate it...it's just not for me.

Yeah, I figured the V-max was more of a ripper than a cruiser. Might try one eventually. Not yet. I like the idea of a dual-sport, but I won't need it and would rather sacrifice a little offroad capability for ride quality/handling. Its pretty safe to say that the wife will want to go out with me on it every weekend. She literally grew up on the back of a Harley (yeah, I know...) and loves the open road.

That being said, perhaps I should pass on the Rebel 450. I like the Aero 750. They're just a little pricey for me this time around. 600's and Kawasaki Vulcan 500's are more like it.

How do you like your CB 900 Custom? I don't mind vintage, or having to work on my bike from time to time. How much trouble do those 4 carburetors really give you, provided they are taken reasonable care of?

 

[stabor1122]

Suzuki Intruder is another option. They made them forever and not bad looking. The 1400 has rear disc. The 700-800 has drum rear. They are shaft drive (low maintenance).

 

[sicivicdude]

The intruder is a fine option although the 1400 cc version is probably a little much for someone who hasn't been handling a bike for a while (I don't know your riding history so maybe if ever).

Probably best to stick between 600 and 1000 cc's if your wife will be riding and you're trying to get fuel economy/ used to riding.

I have a buddy who rides a VLX600 shadow with his wife who together weigh over 300 pounds. She doesn't ride it every weekend so it's not a huge deal for them. The biggest difference between the shadow 600 and the aero 750 is the shaft drive, the shadow 600 is chain.

Don't be afraid to look into the virago/v star line. Like I said their problems make them less expensive to purchase as long as you can deal with their issues they're not bad bikes.

What to say about the CB900C... 10 speed baby! It's a different type of cruiser. It has a big air/oil cooled 4 cylinder sitting down there singing along. I have a windjammer SS windscreen and Corbin 2-up seat on it. It comes from the factory with air suspension all around so it rides pretty sweet. My only complaint is the same as most inline 4 cruisers. The engine is wide enough to require the footboards to be back some. For most people the CB900C isn't obtrusive but I'm pretty tall so the foot boards being back limits my maximum ride time without stretching to about 30 minutes. A narrow v-twin would probably suit my stature more but I have a history with a CB900C and I couldn't pass up the price of this particular model when I bought it.

 

[joe rocket]

shadow, sportster, and 95 and up crotch for that buget

 

[sicivicdude]

They are a little more trouble to setup when they come off but they don't have to come off as often as you'd think. They're no more trouble to maintain than a pair of carburetors, they have the same level of complexity and pairs of carburetors have to be balanced anyway.

They make a manifold especially for balancing carburetors to get them all to work together. The throttle butterfly linkages are adjustable between each carburetor and the smallest change in throttle butterfly angle from one carburetor to the other makes one cylinder run differently than the rest. All multiple carburetors need to be balanced and the process is relatively simply. Most manufacturers even include tubing nipples on the manifolds specifically for carburetor balancing.

 

[Braaaptor]

They are a little more trouble to setup when they come off but they don't have to come off as often as you'd think. They're no more trouble to maintain than a pair of carburetors, they have the same level of complexity, and pairs of carburetors have to be balanced anyway.

They make a manifold especially for balancing carburetors to get them all to work together. The throttle butterfly linkages are adjustable between each carburetor and the smallest change in throttle butterfly angle from one carburetor to the next makes one cylinder run differently than the rest. All multiple carburetors need to be balanced and the process is relatively simple. Most manufacturers even include tubing nipples on the manifolds specifically for carburetor balancing.

Ok, cool. That's what I was thinking; as long as you have the proper tools, its no big deal to set up and run 4 carburetors. I'm used to dealing with twin carbs on Banshee's and even some small engines (Tecumseh V-twins, cough cough!), so yeah...

 

[Braaaptor]

-Update-

As of this morning, I think I may have a decent trade lined up. I found a nice-looking 1987 Kawasaki KZ305 on Craigslist that, according to the seller, only needs minor stuff (new battery and an oil leak fixed) to be road ready. The bike is a little smaller than what I was originally thinking, but if its just going to be for me, it seems ideal for around town/occasional freeway jaunts.

The owner has a clear title and said I can hear it run before deciding. He wants to trade me the bike for my Craftsman riding lawnmower. I've got no need for the lawn tractor where I'm currently living, since my neighbor/landlord cuts all the grass. Sounds like a deal to me. I only have $ 275.00 in the riding mower as it sits, so it seems hard for me to lose out...

 

[sicivicdude]

For that sort of trade, your wife can have her own bike.

It's too small to 2-up on. It will, however, be a fun bike to learn on and ride once you get used to. It should get like 50 mpg's and be a decent ride around town and commuting to work.

 

[sicivicdude]

She can have the KZ and you can use your money to get a 600 shadow or a vulcan 500 and not have to worry about whether it can carry her too.