Im 5'9", about 200 pounds, and I want an easy to ride, older bike taht can be economical to own. I will be riding the bike back and forth for school and want something I wont have to work on much and that I can get for 5-700.00 dollars.
2007-12-12 07:20:20 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Cars & Transportation ➔ Motorcycles
emucompboy, losing 20 pound isnt going to happen. I body build as a hobby and trust me, my BF % is lower than most, and probably yours also.
2007-12-12 14:32:49 · update #1
First things first, you want to stick with an inline 4 cylinder. as a new rider, even though a bit heavier than twins they are better balanced and handle better. Also, as a 200 pound guy you want a big enough bike to be comfortable on.
2nd, stay away from triumphs. They are GREAT classic bikes and are very neat, but should not be a first bike by any means.
What you want is one of the following.
honda 550 four/Honda 650 Nighthawk.
Honda's are very reliable old cheap bikes. They are a bit top heavy and do not handle quite as well as some of the other older 4 cylinders but they are very mechanically sound and easy to maintain. least powerful/speed.
Kawasaki KZ 650. Propbably the best of the older 4 cylinders. Very relaible, handles great, easy to find parts for, and a fairly fast bike for its time. My personal choice. (I own 9 KZ's of various sizes, including 2 650's.)
Suzuki GS 550/650. A basic mix of the 650 KZ and Hondas. good reliability, good handling, and good power/speed
any of these bikes can be found foras little as 2-300 ready to ride. They may not be the prettiest, but since they are from the late 70's early 80's they got some years on them. Also, before you shrug off a bike that old, it is possible to find them with 15000 or less miles which is often less miles than you would find on a late 80's early 90's bike and simple maintance is 1/3-1/4 the cost as the newer ones as the filters and plugs are easier to get too.
When you factor in insurance costs, repair work, and other things a UJM(Universal Japanese Motorcycle) is by far the better choice. Also, if you can work on a lawn mower you can do most of the maintance work needed on the older bikes.
Ride safe, ride smart, and ride fun and if you havent ridden any yet, take a safety cource as they provide the bike in most cases and you can get a discount on insurance.
2007-12-12 07:37:29 · answer #1 · answered by Paulbo B 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Hmmm...check with friends, family, neighbors. Go to a local motorcycle shop and ask. You might have to spend a little more on it though for good reliability.
My first was a Honda Nighthawk '86 650. It was great, alas I sold it to pay a credit card and ran the credit card back up. Go figure.
Do you ride now? If not, consider a safety course. Don't forget insurance and appropriate gear (helmet, gloves, boots, jacket).
Anything above a 650 might not be economical. I ride my Harley Dyna (1450cc) to work on occasion and find that it's actually more expensive for me. It's fun though.
Ride safe!
Phurface
2007-12-12 15:27:10 · answer #2 · answered by Phurface 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Get a 250cc Honda Nighthawk or Rebel used. These bikes are great, the repairs are cheap, and there gas mileage hovers around the 70-80 mpg range.
People consider these bikes "starter bikes" but in reality, these used to be "mid-sized" bikes before bikes started having 800cc and larger engines.
Although you won't be picking up any ladies or winning any street race, these bikes are the best bang for your buck and you can still travel on the highway.
2007-12-12 15:53:40 · answer #3 · answered by Dan G 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Wow that is bare bones cheap. There are a ton of old but low mile Japanese 4 cylinders out there, very reliable good bikes. But I'm thinking anything with low miles is going to be closer to $1K.
2007-12-12 20:22:38 · answer #4 · answered by ninebadthings 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Check with your doctor about losing 20 pounds, then get a used Yamaha Virago 750.
2007-12-12 19:34:24 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
A Rebel is a good bike if you're a 100lb girl. A 650 twin would be great for commuting and casual use.
2007-12-12 16:36:27 · answer #6 · answered by Nomadd 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Yamaha XS 650. Unbelievably reliable, great handling,ample power, and great on gas. Not to mention that they are starting to be worth money, so it would be a good investment. Check craigslist, you can find them cheap.
2007-12-12 21:37:56 · answer #7 · answered by nate 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Don't get anything older then 1998
It will be old enough to start to have mechanical/electrical problems - and you'd rather be riding.
Shops don't usually work on bikes over 10 years old.
Bikes over 10 years old are hard to get parts for.
2007-12-12 15:33:17 · answer #8 · answered by guardrailjim 7 · 1⤊ 4⤋
triumph
2007-12-12 15:22:44 · answer #9 · answered by Lee 1 · 1⤊ 2⤋